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Tools of the trade

Tools of the trade

One thousand Corriedale sheep from North Canterbury Station Marble Point are in tight clusters, seemingly immune to the fast action of competition taking place a few metres away. Every few minutes, another is sent down the shoot to be judged before joining their mates in the holding pens. The shorn appear surprised to be wool-free and press themselves against those who have not had their turn. On stage, the competitors are furiously shearing with practiced precision. The sheep, legs akimbo, are sitting on their moccasin encased feet. There is a collegial attitude among the shearers, despite the fierce competition, as they work behind the scenes as penner-ups when not on stage.  

The latest leg of the PGG Wrightson/Vetmed National Shearing Circuit, at Canterbury’s A&P show, showcases the best of New Zealand’s shearers and wool handlers. They work in harmony, each with their role. By the end of the two days of competition, every single Corriedale hogget is shorn, their wool pressed, packed, and sold by PGG Wrightson Wool before being shipped to Europe to become baby blankets. Though each shearer and wool handler have their own working style, they all use the same tools to get their job done. PGG Wrightson has supplied generations of farmers, shearers, and wool handlers with the tools of the trade. From handpieces to cutters and combs, to singlets and moccasins – each tool has a purpose.

Why a singlet?
As the story goes, back in the 1890s, Australian shearer Jacky Howe felt restricted by his sleeves, so he ripped them off – giving birth to the iconic singlet. Originally, they were knee length and made from black coarse wool. Now, singlets are manufactured to meet the sporting requirements of the industry. No longer just black, they come in a variety of colours and materials, like fine wool and cotton.  

Fit for purpose
The moccasin has evolved the least. Though originally constructed from wool bales and now made from leather or wool felt, the moccasin has been the steadfast design for a reason.
 
“When you’re shearing sheep, you’re constantly moving your feet – under them, to the side. You need to be able to roll out, or in, or back, or anywhere. If you have a heel or a square edge, you’ll roll off it. The thin leather gives you a better feel of the sheep,” says shearing champion Angus Moore of Ward.

“You wouldn’t want to be wearing a rubber sole. The lanolin soaks into the wood, and any moisture turns it into an ice-skating rink. The leather gives you a better grip,” he explains.

Investing in your kit
Shearers carry their kit from job to job. 

“Normally the farmer has a machine hanging up and we bring our own handpieces and combs and cutters and stuff,” says Angus.

There are many companies who make handpieces, but the two main ones in New Zealand are Heiniger products from Switzerland and Lister from Britain. For shearers, the choice can come down to technical reasons or how it feels in their hand. 

Research and development has led to lighter handpieces and battery operated options. Full time shearers rotate between two handpieces a year. In that time, they will use anywhere between 150-200 cutters (the top unit) and combs (the bottom unit). Johnny Fraser, Heiniger’s South Island Technical Field Representative, says shearers will swap out their gear multiple times a day.

“Normally, in a day of shearing, they would use one comb and four cutters per hour. Each night, they grind them and rotate them around to get the most out of them,” says Johnny.
 
Angus says maintenance and rotation of equipment is essential, “Grinding and keeping enough gear going in is really important because you wear it out quite quick.”

Farms are evolving too, with many upgrading the tools in their shearing sheds. The new machines are safer and lighter to offer greater flexibility. As PGG Wrightson Animal Health & Animal Management Category Manager Hamish Black explains, new machines are an investment in your shearers and team.

“Unlike the old machines, the new ones, like Heiniger’s EVO, are lightweight, mobile, and have an automatic shut off system. So, if they run into an obstruction, it will turn off. This is so much safer for the shearer and the sheep,” explains Hamish.
 
Shearers are not the only ones in the shearing shed to benefit to changes in health and safety, “Gone are the days of stomping the wool down with your feet. Wool presses do the work for you and come with extra safety features, like safety screens, to reduce accidents,” say Hamish. 

Wool packs have also been redesigned with safety in mind.

“These packs, when full, can weigh up 200 kg, and are often stacked on top of one another. Once they were made with hessian, but are now synthetic materials, for durability. A grip coating on the outside prevents injuries from slipping,” says Hamish.
 
It is important to PGG Wrightson to ensure shearers, wool handlers, and farmers have the right tools and are ready for the job.
 
“We have handpieces, back aids, shearing blades, combs, cutters, wool pressers and packs, singlets, moccasins – everything, really – a shearing gang and farmer needs. We even can service their gear,” says Graeme Lemin, PGG Wrightson Rural Supplies National Manager. 

“For many, many years, we have built strong relationships with contractors, shearers, gangs, and farmers. With a network of 90 stores across the country, we know we can offer support, no matter where they are located, which is something we are very proud of.”

It is this relationship, and network, that is the difference for Marble Point Station’s Matt Black, “We buy all our woolpacks, clips, combs, and cutters through PGG Wrightson. We sell our wool through Peter McCusker of PGG Wrightson Wool. For us, PGG Wrightson has everything we need to get the job done to a high standard.”

Written by PGG Wrightson