15th World Sheep Shearing and Wool Handling Championship
The biannual 15th World sheep shearing and wool handling championships is currently in full swing in Masterton, New Zealand. Since 1994 hand shearers from South Africa and Lesotho have often been crowned as world champions. Sheep shearing and wool handling is recognised as a sport in South Africa. The South African Sheep Shearing Federation is affiliated with the South African Sports confederation and South African Olympic committee. We spoke to Ona Viljoen the Spokesperson for Cape Wools.
SA Sheep shearers to compete for world crown
South Africa shearers are a favourites to walk away with the title as the world champion blade shearer when the 15th World Shearing Championships takes place from 29 February to 3 March in Masterton, New Zealand. Shearers from 25 countries will compete for the coveted world crown in the hand and blade shearing events.
This event is held biennially
in a wool producing country. The previous world championships were held in Wales. South Africa
hosted the event in 2000.
Southern Africa has since 1994 dominated in
the blade-shearing event. The two blade shearers to compete in this year’s
event are Zweliwile Hans, who has won the world title three times, and
Mayenzeke Shweni. Both are from Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape.
The two machine shearers are Temba Khoza, from Utrech in KwaZulu Natal, and
Isaac Ndlongwane from Wepener in the Free
State. They have been in New Zealand since October
last year to prepare for the event and to get used to shearing cross-bred
sheep, which are different to the Merino sheep they are used to shearing in
South Africa.
South Africa
has also entered two wool handlers for the wool-handling event. They are Elna
Kitching and Luvo Kiyane, both students at Grootfontein
Agricultural College
at Middelburg, Eastern Cape.
According to Hendrik Botha, president of the Sheep Shearing Federation of South
Africa, controlling body of shearing and wool handling sport in South Africa,
the South African team has an excellent change to bring home at least one
title.
Sheep shearing is recognised in South
Africa as a national sport and the Sheep
Shearing Federation is also affiliated to the South African Sports
Confederation and Olympic Committee.
The team will arrive back in South
Africa on 5 March at 1530.
For more on the Wool Industry in SA go to http://www.capewools.co.za/