Scottish sheep shearer, Una Cameron, has raised the Solo Women’s Nine Hour Strong Wool Ewe Record to 517 after she beat the previous holder’s shearing world record by 59.
Cameron, who is the only woman to qualify in the top 30 at the coveted Golden Shears in Masterton, New Zealand, has broken the world record set by Kiwi Sacha Bond in Southland, New Zealand, on February 9 this year.
51-year-old Cameron has been training for the past year to break the record, lost three stones in weight and honed her shearing skills.
Shearing Romney sheep at Trefranck Farm in Cornwall to get the required 3kg wool weight, Cameron tallied 113 in the opening run of two hours and followed with successive 1 hour and 45 minute runs of 105, 101, 104 and 94.
With a support crew of around 40 from the shearing fraternity from as far as New Zealand, the Falklands and Norway, Camerson said she was delighted to accomplish her dream.
“I had a wonderful team behind me and they believed that I could do it. I was focused on passing the 458 mark, but always wanted to shear 500. I can’t thank everyone enough, especially Matt and Pip Smith, who hosted the event on Trefranck Farm,” she said.
Head of member engagement at British Wool, Gareth Jones, said: “On behalf of British Wool we offer huge congratulations to Una on her successful record attempt. This was a display of high quality shearing and Una should be very proud of her achievements.”
“We appreciate the hard work that goes on behind the scenes in holding a record and therefore offer congratulations to everyone that has helped and supported Una in successfully setting a new World Shearing Record.”
The record was overseen by a World Sheep Shearing Records Society referees panel including New Zealand official Ronny King; Mark Fox, England; Martyn Davies, Wales; and Andy Rankin, Loch Lomond, Scotland.
