Shearer chasing solo women’s record

GORE

FORTYSIX seconds might seem a long time when you are holding your breath.

However, it is all the time Megan Whitehead has to catch, shear and send a lamb down the chute if she is going to achieve her goal of shearing 700 in a day.

Today at 5am, the Gore shearer is expected to begin her quest to break Emily Welch’s solo women’s ninehour wool shearing record of 648, set in 2007.

The attempt, held at Grant’s woolshed at Croydon Bush near Gore, was being organised by Miss Whitehead’s father, Quentin.

Mr Whitehead said in 2019 the 24yearold averaged 53 seconds a lamb when she was part of a fourwoman team that set the world shearing record of 2066 lambs in nine hours.

‘‘She’s got to get down to 46 [seconds] now to get to 700.’’

He would be timing his daughter as she shore each lamb but would only tell her if she completed one quickly.

‘‘I will just tell her the good lambs — it’s very important that she doesn’t get any bad information.’’

The event will be judged by five judges, one of whom will view the event via videolink from Australia.