There were some anxious moments in a woolshed near Taupo today, but none handled it better than man-in-the-middle and Irish shearer Ivan Scott as he reclaimed the World eight-hour lambs shearing record.
The 30-year-old four-times All-Ireland Champion, a regular shearing in New Zealand since he was a teenager, shore 744 lambs, but it was only in the last minute and a half that he claimed the record back from Hawke’s Bay World champion Cam Ferguson who shore 742 in a King Country woolshed on January10 last year.
Scott, from Kilmacrennan in County Donegal, calmly smiled too himself as he shore down the last side and turned off the machine for the last time a tick after 5pm, leaving the commentary to judging convenor Bernie Walker, of Euroa, Vic.
Confirming the record in front of over 100 supporters at Opepe, 10km east of Taupo, Mr Walker said: "The fact that he’s broken it by just one or two goes to show how tough it is. It’s taken him eight hours, to get that close."
Scott, working for Rotorua contractor and record attempt organiser Jeff Dorset, previously held the record for two years, after shearing 736 at Rerewhakaaitu, near Rotorua, in December 2008.
On that occasion he opened with a blistering pace, shearing 192 in the first of the four two-hour runs, and had nine lambs rejected during the day before the final tally was recorded.
Needing to better 185.5 per run today, he shore an unblemished 187 in the first run from 7am to morning smoko at 9am. He followed with runs of 189, 187 and 182.
Although there had been five rejected for cuts throughout the rest of the day, he had the target well in sight by lunchtime, when he was five ahead of Ferguson’s tally at the same stage. Scott saw Ferguson break his record a year ago, and determined he wanted it back.
The success came yesterday with an army off support from back home, including Republic of Ireland teammate Stanley Allingham, of Garrison, with whom he will shear at the 15th Golden Shears World Championships in Masterton in March.
Chances were he would be back on the board tomorrow (Tuesday). There was no let-up after the 2008 record, and the next morning he carried on with 168 in his first two hours.
The shearing focus now turns to Te Hape, near Bennydale, where Te Kuiti shearer Kerri-Jo Te Huia will tomorrow attempt the Women’s record of 470, held by Ingrid Baynes, of Wairoa.
