The moment of realisation for Tyron Cochrane (second from right) at the announcement of his history-making win in the Golden Shears International Shearing Championships junior shearing final in Masterton. Photo / Pete Nikolaison / Golden Shears Media Group
The moment of realisation for Tyron Cochrane (second from right) at the announcement of his history-making win in the Golden Shears International Shearing Championships junior shearing final in Masterton. Photo / Pete Nikolaison / Golden Shears Media Group
A teenager from a remote corner of northwestern New South Wales has created a major piece of sheep shearing history by winning the Golden Shears junior final in Masterton.
The Friday afternoon triumph by 18-year-old Tyron Cochrane came in a six-shearer final of five New Zealand strong wool sheep each.
It was Cochrane’s first win in the competition, the first New Zealand Golden Shears title win by an Australian (since legendary shearer John Allan’s intermediate final victory in the first year of the championships in 1961) and possibly the first by a First Nation Aboriginal representative - anywhere.
It is thought to have been just the 11th win by a non-New Zealand competitor across more than 460 shearing and woolhandling titles decided in the 61 years of the championships, which have this week bounced back after two years of cancellations in the global pandemic.
Cochrane is from Goodooga, in the Brewarrina Shire, home of the Yuwaalaraay people of his parents Terry and Belinda, just 20km from the Queensland border. It is an area recognised as one of the most disadvantaged in New South Wales.
Previously, he’d barely travelled further afield than the 415km from Goodooga to Dubbo, where he shore for the well-known contractor and shearer Steve “Muddy” Mudford.
Cochrane was initially shown the handpiece by his dad Terry, also a shearer.
His win is not only a major step for his family and people but also for the First Nation employment development projects of the Dubbo-based Regional Enterprise Development Institute (REDI).
Cochrane has also been shearing for Masterton contractor Paddy Mason.
Tyron Cochrane, 18, from Goodooga, northwest New South Wales, shearing to his history-making Golden Shears junior final win in Masterton. Photo / Pete Nikolaison / Golden Shears Media Group
Despite the comparatively lesser familiarity of the New Zealand breeds, after shearing mainly fine wool Merinos in Australia, Cochrane qualified for a final for the first time six days later and finished sixth at the North Island championships in Marton on February 4.
He was then third at the Aria Waitangi Day Sports on February 6, fifth at the Southern Shears at Gore, in the South Island on February 18 and again at the Taumarunui Shears back in the Central North Island last Friday, and the Apiti Sports Shears the next day.
All these events were won by shearers he met in today’s final.
Cochrane never dreamed of a win in the sport, let alone at the Golden Shears.
Not even when he was second to finish, and was second on time and shearing board quality points, while awaiting the judging decisions from the finished product in the pens to determine the final outcome.
He hoped the win would inspire other young Australians into shearing, particularly those of the Aboriginal community at home, where he has three sisters.
Cooper said Cochrane qualifying for the final was a major achievement, in what was a venture designed to give young hopefuls the experience and be the trailblazers for their contemporaries.
