Golden Shears The Beginning

from GOLDEN SHEARS 2020 feature and programme

Honours Board

By Edwin O’Hara Where do great ideas come from? What is it that sparks the imagination and gives people the drive and determination to make something happen? In 1960 sheep numbers were climbing rapidly with wool prices climbing and shearing was a vital part of the industry. In the shed there was competition on the stands every day as shearers tried to get one up on their workmates. It was quite natural that they would be keen to pit their skills against other shearers in a competition. There were competitions held at shows and other venues in places throughout the country but they were mainly at a local level. Some two years before Golden Shears began Laurie Keats (MNZM), Geoff Laing, and Ivan Taplin were at a Young Farmers Club shearing competition at Wairoa, and while waiting for the results began discussing how great a national competition would be. Records show that YFC shearing competitions had been held from 1948 so it was natural that they played a major part in shearer training and competitions. Laurie decided to push this idea forward and approached several civic and business people but only mild interest was shown. This changed when he approached Roy O’Hara (Federated Farmers) to come and watch a YFC shearing competition at the A&P show in Masterton. The competition held in the ram selling pavilion was a huge success with crowds lining up happy to pay an additional sideshow fee. Roy could see the enormous potential of Laurie’s idea and his enthusiasm became a pivotal and driving force. With the weight of FF on board and support from Les Laing (Masterton Public Relations) the idea was rapidly moving from maybe to let’s go. An added incentive took place in 1960 when hundreds queued to watch

Campus Day

a demonstration of shearing by Ivan Bowen & Claude Waite staged in a disused garage in Masterton. Godfrey Bowen working for the NZ Wool Board was making a name for himself teaching a very efficient style of shearing and setting a new shearing record. It was amazing how quickly things moved. Bob Chamberlain FF became chairman of a working executive to set up a new society, the format of which has changed little through its 60 years. YFC and Federated Farmers essentially formed a partnership with FF having initial control. Of special note is the objective of the Society stated below which is still fully met today. To promote competition in shearing and Wool Handling at local, national and international levels in order to encourage the highest standards of the craft and to ensure the best handling and presentation of the wool clip (wool pressing has been added). Making it happen was an enormous

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Sunday 22 March, 2020 10.00am

Rathkeale College

Come and see our campus

• 123 acres to explore • Take an eco-walk down to the Ruama¯hanga River • Check out the Primary

Industries Land Lab • Ride the bike tracks • Boarding House Tours • Lots to see and do outdoors on our campus

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60MASTERTON 2020 GOLDEN SHEARS

1961 Golden Shears, Masterton. Open Championship 1ST Ivan Bowen (4TH from left) 2ND place Godfrey Bowen (on extreme right).

task and the rst problem was nance. As always it is often who you know that counts and Bob Chamberlain had good contacts with Caltex and Borthwicks both of whom became very enthusiastic supporters. Tasman Vaccine Laboratories (TVL) joined the troupe at £1000 each. The newly built stadium was chosen as the venue and a clever carpenter, Wally Burns, made the rst wooden kitset shearing boards with design guidance from Roy O’Hara and Wool Board raised-board speci cations. Arrangements had to be made to get sheep into the stadium and a set of yards organised to handle sheep coming and going. A marquee was used to cover the yards behind the stadium. Getting sheep to be shorn was probably the easiest as farmers were keen to have their sheep involved and provided high quality animals for the event. Of special note were the top quality Romneys from Ian McRae’s Weraiti farm used in the open nal. These were big bodied and full woolled with little preparation. Some shearers reckoned only the nose was showing. A really tough test for the guns to battle with. The YFC had plenty of experience with running competitions and provided information on timing, judging inside and out but there were several variations used around the country and a scoring system, was thoroughly debated. The YFC had generally used positive scoring where set marks were allocated for di erent sections and shearers lost marks for errors. Set times were allocated for an event and shearers only lost points for time beyond set time. Manpower needed to run the event was probably the easiest challenge as YFC membership in Wairarapa in 1961 was quite high and plenty of eager helpers were available. Many of these were later to become committee, executive, and presidents of the Society.