Interviews
Standards in summer shearing competitions reach all-time high
26 Jun '10
2 min read
British sheep shearers are now among the most skilled in the world – and as the season's sheep shearing competitions get into top gear at events across the UK, experienced shearers say the standard has never been higher.
That's the opinion of Colin MacGregor, the British Wool Marketing Board's shearing manager who says the significant increase in number of people attending the board's shearing courses this year reflects the level of interest in shearing – at both competition level and in the wider context of providing a sound skill base for a full-time career.
“We'd normally have around three or four outstanding British shearers on the UK circuit during the summer season, but this year there are at least a dozen who have been demonstrating an exception level of skill. The standards are just getting higher and higher as our shearers continue to improve at a remarkable rate.
“And it's rewarding to know that they've all come through the British Wool Marketing Board's shearing courses as they've mastered their skills under the guidance of qualified instructors,” says Colin MacGregor.
Interest in the international status of sheep shearing is clearly being fired by the forthcoming World Championships to be held at the Royal Welsh Show next month (July 19th-22nd).
But while many young UK shearers are now setting themselves up with shearing jobs in several countries to provide an almost all-year-round source of employment, some from abroad are heading for the UK to undertake shearing training with the British Wool Marketing Board.
“Last year we had a trainee from Germany and this year we've had a young man from Belgium who came to the UK to take part in one of our shearing courses,” added Colin MacGregor.
There's still time to book a place on one of the British Wool Marketing Board's summer shearing courses while details of shearing competitions can also be obtained from the BWMB's head office at Bradford.
That's the opinion of Colin MacGregor, the British Wool Marketing Board's shearing manager who says the significant increase in number of people attending the board's shearing courses this year reflects the level of interest in shearing – at both competition level and in the wider context of providing a sound skill base for a full-time career.
“We'd normally have around three or four outstanding British shearers on the UK circuit during the summer season, but this year there are at least a dozen who have been demonstrating an exception level of skill. The standards are just getting higher and higher as our shearers continue to improve at a remarkable rate.
“And it's rewarding to know that they've all come through the British Wool Marketing Board's shearing courses as they've mastered their skills under the guidance of qualified instructors,” says Colin MacGregor.
Interest in the international status of sheep shearing is clearly being fired by the forthcoming World Championships to be held at the Royal Welsh Show next month (July 19th-22nd).
But while many young UK shearers are now setting themselves up with shearing jobs in several countries to provide an almost all-year-round source of employment, some from abroad are heading for the UK to undertake shearing training with the British Wool Marketing Board.
“Last year we had a trainee from Germany and this year we've had a young man from Belgium who came to the UK to take part in one of our shearing courses,” added Colin MacGregor.
There's still time to book a place on one of the British Wool Marketing Board's summer shearing courses while details of shearing competitions can also be obtained from the BWMB's head office at Bradford.
British Wool Marketing
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