More to shearing than cutting wool
New Zealand’s elite competition shearers are using gym training and eating healthy to stay at the top of their game.
Southland shearer Nathan Stratford, who has observed and mixed with the country’s best and some of the overseas big names in the sport, says better health leads to many rewards.
Stratford returned home last week from representing New Zealand in Wales, England and Scotland. He was away for five weeks and will have little time at home before working in Central Otago shearing circuit for most of the next three months.
Joining Stratford in the NZ team was David Buick, of Pongaroa (Central North Island).
The combination won one of the six test matches on the trip, with Stratford winning the Great Yorkshire Open (England) and finishing second in the Royal Welsh All-Nations Open Championship. ‘‘I was happy the way it went but there’s always room for improvement,’’ Stratford said.
He had to modify his gear for different breeds and noticed the wool was dry and lambs small and hard to hold. Stratford compared competition shearers to professional rugby players. Both groups are athletes and need to be healthy and fit to perform at their best. He added the old adage ‘‘play hard and work hard’’ wasn’t entertained by serious competition shearers. Stratford is careful what he eats and intends to follow an exercise programme designed by multisport expert and gym owner Sid Cumming.
Some of the best shearers do exercise programmes, eat healthy and take advice or receive treatment from physios, masseuses and nutritionists, he said.
‘‘If you’re fit, you do more and recover quicker,’’ Stratford, of Kennington, said.
Working constantly on fitness benefited shearers in their work routines. ‘‘The more sheep you shear, the more you get paid.’’
With the World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships in France in 2019, contenders for the Kiwi team will be out to impress at competitions.
New Zealand teams competing overseas are organised by Shearing Sports New Zealand, which is the governing body for more than 60 competitions throughout the country. Chairman David Fagan and Stratford agreed the world championships at the ILT Stadium Southland in Invercargill last year was a great boost and promotional tool for shearing sports. ‘‘Stadium Southland was an amazing venue to hold it in,’’ Fagan said.
However, both men are concerned about the shortage of young adults coming into the industry and it shows in the low numbers for junior and intermediate competitions.
Fagan said a national training programme was needed to replace the previous one, Tectra. ‘‘We need a good training pathway for learners coming into the industry.’’