Women Shearers Shatter World Record, Cutting 1,938 Lambs in Eight Hours
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A team of four shearers in New Zealand redefined speed and skill, establishing a new world record for shearing lambs.
- Rose Lewis, Ariana ‘Missy’ Te Whata, Te Atakura Crawford, and Pagan Rimene sheared 1,938 lambs in eight hours.
- This is the first world record established for a four-stand women’s team shearing strongwool lambs, recognized by the World Sheep Shearing Records Society.
- Te Atakura Crawford led the team with 530 lambs shorn, averaging 54.34 seconds per lamb.
- The record-setting attempt highlights the growing participation of women in the shearing industry.
A new benchmark for speed and precision in sheep shearing was set on Tuesday near Owaka, New Zealand, as Rose Lewis, Ariana ‘Missy’ Te Whata, Te Atakura Crawford, and Pagan Rimene sheared an astounding 1,938 lambs in just eight hours. This achievement marks the first official world record for a four-stand women’s team shearing strongwool lambs, as validated by the World Sheep Shearing Records Society.
Crawford Leads the Charge with Impressive Tally
Te Atakura Crawford, hailing from Gisborne, demonstrated exceptional skill, topping the team tallies with 530 lambs shorn. Her average time of 54.34 seconds per lamb – from catching to completion – showcased remarkable efficiency. Ariana ‘Missy’ Te Whata, who grew up in Mossburn, Southland, and is the niece of two world recordholders, contributed a strong 504 lambs to the team’s total. Master woolhandler and 2019 world teams woolhandling champion Pagan Rimene of Alexandra shore 481 lambs.
The remaining 423 lambs were shorn by Rose Lewis, originally from Manutuke on the East Coast, who now resides in Dubbo, New South Wales, where she specializes in shearing merino sheep. Lewis, a fifth-generation shearer, transitioned to the sport six years ago after working as a ‘rousey’ or woolhandler.
Overcoming Obstacles to Achieve a Lifelong Goal
The record attempt wasn’t without its challenges. Lewis faced a setback five months prior, being hospitalized with Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome (RCVS), requiring her to scale back training. Despite this, she persevered, finding her rhythm on a chilly Otago morning. “It was overwhelming and exciting to be part of the recordsetting team,” Lewis said. “My father and his three brothers are in the world record book, so it was cool to be the first Lewis female to get in there and make my family proud.”
Lewis expressed her passion for the profession, stating, “It’s a great job, great industry, you can go in so many different places.” She has her sights set on future records, including attempts in Australia. “I’ve got some pretty big goals on the world record stage, so setting one and with the team was definitely a cool start – you’re not going into it alone.”
Industry Support and Future Attempts
Referee Neil Fagan emphasized the growing presence of women in shearing, noting that the new record will inspire future generations. “It’s just great to see those four girls getting out there and setting [a record], inspiring another four girls to have a go one day,” he said. “They’ve got a target to beat now, which is not an easy target, but it’s something for them to aspire to.”
This event was the first of two planned multi-stand shearing record attempts in the southern regions this summer. On January 31, Shane Ratima, Paerata Abraham, and Leon Samuels will attempt the three-stand, eight-hours strongwool lambs record at Waihelo Station, Moa Flat, in west Otago. The current record of 1976 was set in 2019 by Coel L’Huillier, Kaleb Foote, and Daniel Langlands at Puketiti Station, near Piopio.
