Hamish Mitchell Machine Shearer Scotland Team

Champion 2014

How old are you now and how old were you when you started sheep shearing?

I’m 52. Armadale Castle on Skye and the then farm manager Norman MacPherson initially got me interested in sheep. Dog trialling was my first interest and I went on my first shearing course age 15

How did you get into sheep shearing?

I was 20 when I decided that I wanted to shear for a living I had returned to America to do a second lambing and the shearers came – I was hooked

I came home from America and then went to New Zealand It was the days before Visa cards were commonplace I spent ten days in Hawaii and Honolulu and ended up in New Zealand with $30, a Lister hand piece and ten combs to my name My only contact was a Great Uncle in Napier, who settled out there after the war!

What countries have you shorn in?

Sheep shearing has taken me to twenty-two countries in six continents across the world including India, South Africa and the Falkland Islands New Zealand and Norway have been my favourites and I really enjoyed the Falkland Islands, many of them had Skye connections

Who are your idols or who inspired/ inspires you?

In the early days Robert MacDonald, Colin McGregor and Tom Wilson were all really good instructing me, with Tom taking me to Norway in 1990 But over the years I’ve had so many give great advice it’s hard to single anyone out.

What gear do you use?

Heiniger When I was young David Fagan and Tom Wilson were using it Old Joe Te Kapa was given a hand piece to trial for Heiniger and he gave it to me I won British Isles Senior Shearer of the Year with it and didn’t look back

What is your best tally and where?

Roro, up Glen Lyon set the scene for my biggest tally, clicking 636 Blackface ewes and hoggs on the counter

Working for Colin King, Otorohanga in NZ, I tallied my first 500 and then 600 on lambs the same week.

Best breed of sheep to shear?

Scottish Blackfaces are my favourite But NZ Romneys are best to learn on

Are /were you a contractor and if so where / numbers of sheep / shearers?

I was a contractor for about 20 years I took on Brian Perk’s run, which had 101 000 sheep – the largest in Scotland at the time There were 12 of us shearing full time and six other local farmers and shepherds who would do days When my first daughter was born I moved to Norway and had three shearers working on my run there

Best music/ song to shear to. Tina Turner and AC/DC

What was your first shearing competition and when?

Probably the Highland Show

Do you get nervous and if so how do you deal with nerves?

I used to But now when I’m leaning on the gate waiting to start I visualise shearing the first couple of sheep blow by blow So when I go in for the first, in my head I’m going in for the third What competitions/ titles have you won?

Over the years I have won 103 Open titles across the World. This is my 9th time in the Scottish Team at the Worlds.

Proudest moments?

My three children being born are my proudest moments On the shearing scene there have been so many times that I have been moved, sometimes even just being placed second

Who have been your biggest rivals over the years and who is your biggest threat at the World Champs?

David Fagan – I strived to beat Fagan For the World Champs they are all a threat, so many are on a par It could be a close fought final – anyones for the taking

Are you farming and if so where? What? Acreage?

Yes I manage 1000 acres in Perthshire, running 1200 ewes and 140 suckler cows We own our own 140 acre farm near Stirling running 300 ewes

Advice to young shearers?

I advise youngsters to travel, go to courses, compete and listen No one has all the information, but pick what suits you from different people Once you are the fastest in your gang work for someone else to drive you on

A New Model

We believe there is a simpler and fairer way to work together with wool farmers, and that’s why we are challenging the traditional UK wool sourcing systems.

15th June through to the 28th of July

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If you would like to supply Brannach Olann with your wool please contact Alan Walsh: (+44) 7836 547987 (Scotland, Ireland & Wales) Tom Watson (+44) 7950 314319 (England)

The inaugural Golden Shears World Shearing Championship was held in June 1977 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Royal Bath & West Show at Shepton Mallet in Somerset, England.

Secretary of the Show, John W. Davis, MBE had been looking for a way of marking the milestone a World Sheep Shearing Championship was put forward as the show had been affiliated with the original Golden Shears at Masterton, New Zealand since 1963

Twelve countries competed at the event, which was won by Roger Cox, New Zealand Peter Nitz, Austria was runner-up, followed by Australian John Hutchinson, in third The famous Kiwi shearer and instructor Godfrey Bowen, was fourth, Australian, Steve Pittaway, fifth and Scottish Borders shearer and sheep farmer Andrew Dodds (above) was sixth The team event was won by New Zealand.

Golden Shears World Council was formed in the small (population 3000) Australian country town of Euroa on October 27, 1980 Euroa was home to the Australian Golden Shears from 1974 until 1984 when the Australian Workers Union (AWU) applied a ban on competition with New Zealand effectively ending the event