Darkan to host women’s solo world record shearing attempt

WA-based New Zealand shearer Alexia Phillips will attempt a solo eight-hour women’s Merino ewe shearing world record this month in Darkan.

The Waikato native will aim to beat the 358 ewes shorn by New South Wales’ Jeanine Kimm last May.

The attempt has been confirmed by the World Sheep Shearing Records Society, and will take place at Spring Valley Farm in the Great Southern town of Darkan on February 22

More than 40 men’s and women’s records are currently recognised by the society, covering the standard workdays of eight and nine hours, according to Shearing Sports New Zealand media officer Doug Laing.

These records have involved different breeds of strong wool and crossbred wool, and ewes, wethers and lambs, with machines or blades, and shorn in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and South Africa.

The shift of focus back to Australia follows three strong wool lambs record attempts in New Zealand in the last month, all unsuccessful.

Two-stand and three-stand record attempts took place before Christmas.

On December 21, Nicki Guttler set a new women’s world record, shearing 450 Merino lambs in eight hours at the Parkdale Merino stud property at Dubbo, NSW, eclipsing the previous record set one month earlier by 55 lambs.

On January 20 Jamie Skiffington at Waewaepa Station, Dannevirke, New Zealand failed in his attempt to break the nine-hour strong wool lamb record of 872 held by UK shearer Stuart Connor since 2021.

Phillips’ attempt will follow 14 months of the women’s shearing record books being written and rewritten, with new marks set for the solo eight and nine-hour lambs and ewes categories in New Zealand.