Shearing legend preserved forever

Geoffrey Clarke (left) with the life-sized mannequin of David Fagan. Picture / Amos Chapple

Champion shearer David Fagan has had the arms which have taken him to shearing fame cut off four times in the past month.

He has lost his head twice, but by the opening of the 37th National Agricultural Fieldays at Mystery Creek near Hamilton tomorrow he should be all put together.

The national icon has been immortalised in fibreglass by Hamilton artist Geoffrey Clarke and will be unveiled complete with stuffed sheep at the Fieldays tomorrow for the start of New Zealand's biggest agricultural event.

More than 100,000 people are expected over the next four days to view 900 sites.

The figure of Fagan in action will take pride of place in the Fieldays Society's Ag Heritage Museum as part of a display which chronicles shearing from the days when shearers worked with just blades to the work of prominent Waikato shearers Bill Richards and Bing McDonald through to the world's best, Fagan.

Putting the finishing touches on the figure at his Hamilton home yesterday, Clarke said it had been a bit difficult getting the right stance and trying to make the sheep fit.

"I've cut his head off two or three times. I've had to cut his arms off about four times."

Fagan's patience was tested by being made to sit for hours while plastercasts were taken of his face, the back of his head, neck, shoulders arms and hands. He had to breathe through straws in his nose as Clarke plastered his face.

"He's a bit of a rock star, a nice guy," Clarke said before admitting he did not know who Fagan was before being asked to complete the figure for Fieldays.

A Mystery Creek sheep, part of a flock which grazes at the venue, was taken by Ngaruawahia taxidermist Wayne Bennett for preservation. The sheep has now also been immortalised, sitting up on its haunches, its feet up with the Fagan figure holding it by the nose as he shears it.

The sheep and Fagan will be put together on the site today.

Fieldays communications executive Tracey Robinson said the theme for this year's Fieldays was People on Farms - Managing Your Workplace, with one major sponsor, ACC.

She said highlights as always would be events such as the tractor pull and fencing competition.

A survey of visitors to last year's Fieldays revealed 43 per cent defined themselves as urban.

"It's interesting because when Fieldays started it was an idea of bringing people from the town to meet the farmers."

The Fieldays

* More than 100,000 people are expected to attend the Fieldays at Mystery Creek near Hamilton over the next four days.

* 43 per cent of the people attending Fieldays class themselves as urban rather than rural.

* The theme for this year's Fieldays is People on Farms - Managing Your Workplace.

* There are 900 exhibitors this year.