NZ Shearer Set New Woman's World Record

November 30, 2007 - A young New Zealand shearer smashed the women's world lamb shearing record by shearing 648 sheep in nine hours at Waikaretu, New Zealand.

Emily Welch, 27, sheared 107 more than the previous record, 541, set in 1989 by another New Zealander, Jills Angus Burney.

Expert judges confirmed there were no short cuts in the shearing, and in a country where 40 million sheep outnumber the humans by 10-to-1, it was a major item on local evening news bulletins.

Welch was the only female shearer in her gang. She competed alongside men around the show circuit throughout New Zealand and more recently Australia.

Her husband, Sam, also competed at the Golden Shears in the open category where he placed 29th out of 90.

Welch has been training for the high-endurance record attempt for six months. She has been shearing professionally for six years.
Reprinted in part from Stuff, New Zealand

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