Female Shearers Break New Ground with Record in South Otago

A team of four female shearers has set a new record for the strongest wool lamb shear in South Otago, achieving an impressive feat at Melrose Station near Owaka. On January 30, 2024, Rose Lewis, Ariana ‘Missy’ Te Whata, Te Atakura Crawford, and Pagan Rimene completed the eight-hour challenge, officially recognised by the World Sheep Shearing Records Society. This category did not have a previous record, marking a significant milestone in the sport.

Te Atakura Crawford, who hails from Gisborne, led the team with a remarkable tally of 530 lambs shorn, averaging 54.34 seconds per lamb—a statistic that underscores her exceptional skill. Crawford previously made headlines in 2013 when she won the New Zealand merino shears senior title, defeating an all-male field.

Te Whata, originally from Mossburn in Southland, contributed 504 lambs to the record. As the niece of two world record holders, she brings a family legacy to the sport. Pagan Rimene, a master woolhandler and the 2019 world teams woolhandling champion from Alexandra, achieved a total of 481 lambs. Lastly, Lewis, who now resides in Dubbo, New South Wales, and comes from a family of shearers, accounted for 423 lambs. Having transitioned into shearing six years ago at the age of 35, Lewis previously worked as a ‘rousey’ or woolhandler.

The road to this achievement was not without challenges. Lewis faced health issues earlier this year, being hospitalised with Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome (RCVS), which impacted her training regimen. Despite these obstacles, she persevered and was determined to participate in the record attempt. “I initially found it hard to find my rhythm on the cold Otago morning, but I found my stride,” Lewis said, expressing her excitement about being part of a record-setting team. She added, “My father and his three brothers are in the world record book, so it was cool to be the first Lewis female to get in there and make my family proud.”

As the shearing industry continues to evolve, referee Neil Fagan noted that more women are entering the field. He believes that this record-setting achievement will inspire future generations of female shearers. “It’s just great to see those four girls getting out there and setting a record, inspiring another four girls to have a go one day,” Fagan remarked. “They’ve got a target to beat now, which is not an easy target, but it’s something for them to aspire to.”

This event marks the first of two multi-stand shearing record attempts in the southern regions of New Zealand this summer. On January 31, 2024, a separate team comprising Shane Ratima, Paerata Abraham, and Leon Samuels will attempt to break the three-stand, eight-hour strongwool lamb record at Waihelo Station in Moa Flat, West Otago. The current record, established by Coel L’Huillier, Kaleb Foote, and Daniel Langlands in 2019, stands at 1976 lambs shorn.

The success of this female shearers’ team not only highlights their individual achievements but also signals a broader shift in the shearing industry, making it increasingly inclusive and diverse. As more women like Lewis, Te Whata, Crawford, and Rimene step into the limelight, they pave the way for the next generation of shearers, inspiring confidence and ambition in a traditionally male-dominated field.