Shearing Competition Crowns Winners

John Kirkpatrick, 41, who lives in New Zealand, beat off competition from 25 countries to win the Golden Shears Open Shearing Final, which is open to all shearers whether they made their national team or not. Gavin Mutch, 32, who represented Scotland, won the World Open Machine Shearing event, for those on national teams.

The American Sheep Shearers Council, which was set up two years ago and is part of the world governing body that regulates shearing, fielded a team of four shearers and two wool handlers to the competition. The council has around 500 members.

A short video on the shearing contest, including interviews from U.S. competitors, is available on the Wall Street Journal site at http://online.wsj.com/video/making-a-sport-of-sheep-shearing/E266F9DB-27E0-4623-938F-30D62151FFB9.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_mpvidcar_2.

Ireland will host the next event in May of 2014.