Shears leader quietly determined
An up-and-coming Southland shearer isn’t taking anything for granted, despite snagging pole position at the weekend.
After the second-of-five rounds Waimate Shears, Winton shearer Troy Pyper leads the PGG Wrightson Wool National Shearing Circuit.
Taking a second place in the open final at the weekend, behind regular Southland sparring partner and fellow NZ rep Nathan Stratford, was enough to put Pyper top of the qualifying table for March’s Golden Shears in Masterton.
Despite sitting pretty – now almost certain to make the 12-man final cut for the Golden Shears – Pyper is typically low-key about his prospects of shearing glory come March.
‘‘It’s a case of so far so good for my form this season. But we’ve all got our goals and ambitions in the sport, and any of those final 12 can step up and take victory on the day. That level of competition is good for shearing in New Zealand,’’ he said.
Having looked up to high-performing Invercargill shearer Nathan Stratford as a boy and young man, these days Pyper was enjoying the opportunity of competing against his fellow Southlander.
‘‘We’ve got a good relationship on and off the competitive stage. When we’re competing it’s every man for himself, but it’s a friendly rivalry, you could say.’’
Having been ‘‘brought up in the shed’’ – his mother a shearing cook – the 33-year-old, Invercargill-born Pyper had been able to keep a close eye on the changing face of competitive shearing.
‘‘I’d agree there’s probably a more professional approach nowadays, just in terms of taking care of yourself a bit more.
‘‘Everyone’s got their own training programme – I use the gym at specific times - and you try and look after your diet, stretch properly and so on. You’ve even got one or two who do yoga and that sort of thing. It’s whatever works for you personally,’’ he said.
Accompanying a professional approach was an athlete’s focus, with Pyper possessing clear, if private, ambitions in the sport.
‘‘One of my goals since I was 18 was to represent New Zealand, and I achieved that in the trans-Tasmans in 2015.
‘‘There are a few other things I’d definitely like to achieve, but you don’t want to go shouting about them too much,’’ he said.
Although Pyper had only seriously immersed himself in the competitive side of shearing since he returned from Australia in 2013, he didn’t believe it had put him at a disadvantage.
‘‘It was always the plan to have a bit of fun in my 20s, get around and travel, then when I turned 30, come home and get properly into the competition and achieve some of those goals,’’ he said.
‘‘I think the experience I gained in Aussie and through those years of making mistakes has helped get me here today.‘‘
Pyper’s systematic approach and clarity of focus would be tested once again during this year’s trans-Tasman competition, taking place in Dubbo, New South Wales, later this month.
‘‘It’s always a hard battle to go and beat the Aussies on their own soil, but we’ll be doing our best to cause an upset,’’ he said.
‘‘Both teams are pretty evenly matched, so it’ll all come down to form and conditions on the day.’’
Pyper would be joined for the away round of the trans-Tasman contest by fellow machine shearers Rowland Smith and John Kirkpatrick, both of Hawke’s Bay.
The return leg would take place during March’s Golden Shears, in parallel with his likely tilt at the open finals.
‘‘Again, it’s all down to the day. You just keep going and never give up.’’