Challenging Battle for World Record Shearers

Paerata Abraham (left) and Chris Dickson (right) ready for the 7am start in their World Record attempt on December 23, 2023. Photo / Shedtalk.

Masterton shearers Paerata Abraham and Chris Dickson have fallen 20 short of their target in a bid for the World two-stand eight-hours strong wool lamb shearing Record.

But it was a case of “if-only” for the pair, who undertook their record attempt at Whitespurs, near Gladstone - between Masterton and the Wairarapa coast on December 23.

Abraham and Dickson sheared more than the record of 1410, but had a number discounted by five World Sheep Shearing Records Society referees.

When the goal started to distance during the early afternoon, quality began to suffer as the pair gave it everything to try and get back on track.

Starting at 7am, the pair needed an average of 176.375 an hour to break the record set in January this year by Simon Goss, of Mangamahu, and Jamie Skiffington, of Rotorua.

The challengers’ first run got off to a good start, with 359 - well ahead of pace - in the two hours to the first break.

The second run total of 343, while down a step, had their halfway total level-pegging with the Goss-Skiffington record at 702.

But when the last run started at 3pm, the target had ballooned to 179 an hour and a task beyond comfortable reach on the day.

The official total was 1391, with Abraham, originally from Dannevirke, credited with a tally 699 and Dickson, from Raetihi and Eketahuna, 692, after starting with the better tally in the opening run.

The lambs were considered a little bigger than those in two women’s records in the South Island in the previous eight days.

A sample-shear on Friday had 20 lambs averaging 1.125kg of wool each, well over the minimum requirement of 0.9kg a lamb.

Commentator Tuma Mullins said some of the lambs used “were more Romney” which gave them a longer crimp, “so they combed like butter.”

Others “were a bit more open, but had more attitude,” he said.

“There were some quite big long lambs amongst them - the shape seemed okay, but they looked to be constantly wriggling.”

The shearing fraternity had flocked in numbers to either help or support the pair who are well known on the competition circuit.

Abraham is the reigning New Zealand Shears Circuit champion and a former winner of the national circuit, which crosses five wool types, while Dickson was a successful lower grades shearer, now in the open class.

But after what was widely considered a brave effort to keep going to the end, Mullins’ “player of the day” was the “1000 per cent” manager - Abraham’s wife and fellow New Zealand representative, Cushla.

“She was everywhere,” Mullins said.

For Cushla Abraham, there will be little rest - just Christmas Day and Boxing Day off, then “back into the day job in the woolsheds,” she said.

It was the third of three pre-Christmas record attempts in New Zealand, with five to follow this season, including four in the first three weeks of the New Year.

The next will be on January 7 when Amy Silcock will make a second attempt on the Women’s solo eight-hours strongwool ewes record of 370, which was shorn by Marie Prebble, of England, at Trefranck Farm, Cornwall, in August 2022.

Silcock sheared 348 in an unsuccessful bid in late January this year, but does share a four-stand record in which she sheared 423 in nine hours three years ago.