Netballer among shearing contestants at Winton Show

Southern Steel team member Abby Erwood entered the novice shearing competition at the Winton A&P Show on Saturday. Photo / Laura Smith

Sheep shearers and woolhandlers of Southland and beyond gathered at the Winton A&P Show on Saturday to test their ovine shaving and sorting skills.

New Zealand Lamb Shearing Southland president Alan Wells said the Southland Shearing and Wool Handling event went well, and that the weather added to the success of the day.

A total of 81 competitors took part in shearing and woolhandling events, and more than 900 lambs were shorn.

Some entrants were locals, while others had come from other parts of the country and overseas, including Chile and Germany.

Southern Steel team member Abby Erwood was one of several women who took part.

She entered the novice shearing event, and said it went well.

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Erwood grew up on a sheep and beef farm, and her father taught her how to shear at a young age.

"I sort of just carried on and tried to pick up tips from people and shearers and other bits and pieces".

She said she found it satisfying to shear, "but it's actually quite tactical and there's little bits and pieces you have to learn and understand how to do".

First to finish shearing, as a novice she was not judged on her time but instead on how her sheep looked at the end.

She placed fifth in her category.