farmingscotland.comIssue seventy-three • January 2011

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10% DISCOUNT ON AGRIPRODUCTS

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CONTENTS

Eilidh MacPherson

3

farmingscotland

EDITOR: Eilidh MacPherson Marbrack Farm, Carsphairn,Castle Douglas, DG7 3TE

Tel: 016444 60644Mobile: 07977897867editor@farmingscotland.comwww.farmingscotland.com

PUBLISHER - Eilidh MacPherson

ADVERTISING –Eilidh MacPherson – 016444 60644Alison Martin – 01292 443097Fiona McArthur – 01583 421397

Cover - NellText and photography by Eilidh MacPhersonunless otherwise stated

Page 4 - Lloyds Bank

Page 6 - The Allans

Page 12- Fiona Sloan

equipped and has marble floors,hot/cold air con, washing machine,dishwasher, microwave, TV, secureU/G parking, lift & all the 'mod cons'required for a relaxing holiday.

The tranquil and private south facing balcony and large delightful communal pool plus a smaller onelocated nearby makes this an idealplace for the independent travellers,families and keen golfers to simply getaway and enjoy the weather and theSpanish way of life in comfort!

Travel expenses for both locations isentirely up to the winners.

So sharpen your pencils and be brutally honest so we can tailor thepublication to your, the readers’requirements.

We are bursting full of ideas for theyear ahead and look forward to seeingwhat farmers and crofters across thecountry think. Could you please havecompleted forms to us by February14th?

So much for global warming as wehave just experienced the coldestDecember since records began in 1910.I’m quite glad that we in the SouthWest have had it relatively easier thanother parts of Scotland. Many farmershave already made a huge dent in feedstocks, with many having to feedsilage out to sheep. Fingers crossedthat the next few months are not arepeat of 2010.

I met up with dairy farmers fromacross the country at ASDA in Govanbefore Christmas. Teamed with theNFU, they were handing out free milkto customers and telling them to write,e-mail and call the supermarkets togive a bigger cut to the farmer. Manyshoppers were horrified at how littlethe farmers are receiving for their produce. I will be interviewing one ofthe farmers in the next issue, so youcan read all about it in the Februaryissue.

Well I better get some sleep as wehave a day in the yards dosing sheep onthe agenda.

Here’s to a prosperous 2011 for allagricultural sectors. Bliadhna MhathUr!

Happy New Year to one and all!The festivities are all over,Christmas cards down and I

thought I’d be organised for once – buthere I am typing this at 4.31am – nochange there.

Someone once said to me that Imust be so organised to get a magazineout once a month – if only you couldsee behind the scenes!!

We were shocked and stunned tohear of the death of Michael Paterson,our local quad bike dealer in earlyDecember. Having received top quality service and after care sales forour quad as well as advertising for themagazine we hope that his eldest sonand his brother Clifford can emulateMichael’s sales performance and staytop Honda ATV dealer in the UK. Wewish them every success.

I ran an initial survey before the firstissue of the magazine hit the press backin September 2003 and have alwaysmeant to do another to see how we canimprove. The centrefold double pagespread can be pulled out filled in andposted to me at the address on the left.As an incentive we are offering a coupleof weeks get-away – one on the Isle ofSkye and the other in Spain.

The Island retreat is an on farm self-catering cottage. Situated secluded, just above the coastline on a6000 acre beef and sheep property, itoffers relaxation and an ideal base toexplore the Island. The cottage sleepsfour with one Kingsize and one doublebed.

The Spanish apartment is in thePueblo Andaluz resort, near the townof Alhaurin el Grande located in thehills behind Fuengirola, South ofMalaga. It has one double room, andone twin so is ideal for families or couples.

Pueblo Andaluz is located in a beautiful setting surrounded by fantastic mountain scenery, and is only20 minutes to the beach and 25 minutes from the airport.

This delightful apartment looksdirectly onto the stunning AlhaurinGolf Course. The apartment is well

farmingscotlandIssue seventy-three • January 2011

farmingscotland.comIssue seventy-three • January 2011

6 News

Honours

12 SheepBlackfaceShearing

45

Beef

Simmental

710

Survey

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BEEFfarmingscotlandIssue seventy-three • January 2011

was such a success that many morefollowed and Willie Allan later wenton to be President of the SimmentalSociety and a hugely influential figurein the foundation of the breed.

“The Simmental gave us the dualpurpose, beef and milking ability –perfect for us at Glenturk, where wehave 300 acres of grassland which isideal for growing beef,” recalls Brian.

“After FMD it was always going tobe difficult to replace the Simmentalsquickly as there were so many lost inthis area at that time and so manyfarmers were looking for them. Butwe were lucky that the BalmannoSimmental Herd came on the marketand we haven't looked back.”

Glenturk Grenadier, who brednumerous champions pre 2001, con-tinued to make his mark after, as didWhitemire King Kong, whose sonshave sold well in recent years andproduced outstanding stock for manyother herds. Most notable wereGlenturk Supreme who sold toAlistair Jack's new Courance Herdnear Lockerbie for 10,000gns in 2007and Glenturk Samson who went tothe Heathbrow Herd in 2006 for6,000gns. King Kong also bred someexceptional females - Glenturk Ritawas Overall Junior Champion andfemale Champion at the RoyalHighland Show 2006.

Milnafua Keystone has arguablybeen the most influential, bought in,breeding bull, with progeny selling to17,000gns when Glenturk Rolex soldto Joey Peters and his Treetops herd.He also bred Glenturk Nomad whowas Supreme Champion at the Perthbull sales in February 2004 selling for7500 gns to the Sacombe herd. Hetook out Male and Reserve OverallChampion at the Royal Show 2006followed by the Supreme at theGreat Yorkshire Show. Another ofhis sons – Glenturk Premier – has lefta string of outstanding stock at StuartStronach's Islavale Herd. Keystone

successfully moved on to breed quality stock at Copper Mill.

The current stock bull, OmorgaVeron, was purchased at Perth in2009 for 7,000gns. Bred by JohnMoore in Northern Ireland he hasexcellent back breeding, includingsome of the best-known lines and topprices in the breed. He was OverallBreed Champion at the RoyalHighland in 2009.

“He's a good carcass bull. His firstcalves are showing a lot of potentialwith the first batch due for Stirlingnext autumn. We have also used afew select bulls through AI, withgood performance figures and this letsus expand the genetics within theherd and improve certain traits,” headded.

The 70 strong Simmental X commercial cows, which originatedfrom the 40 Blue/Grey heifers, are allout-wintered. The farm is fortunateto have some good permanent pasturewhere they can winter well. Withthe exception of 20 autumn calvers,to help with cash flow later in theyear, they are all spring calving.

“The Simmental is an easy cow tomanage and a good mother,” saidBrian, “which is important for uswhen we are only feeding silage andmineral and no concentrate.”

The calves are creep fed from Julyonwards on 16% mix and sold ataround a year old, some privately forbreeding but most through the localmarket at Newton Stewart, to regularbuyers, where they can expect tomake well over £600 per head. Thelast batch sold through NewtonStewart, topped the market, sellingfor 185p/kilo at 8 months old.

“The addition of the Limousins in1990 was a good cross on theSimmental and gave us a little moreback end conformation on ourcalves.” said Brian.

“The two breeds complement oneanother well, with the Simmental's

size and milking ability and theLimousins conformation.”

The Limousins were becomingpopular as a modern carcass breed andhad originally been introduced togradually replace the Galloways.Grahams Rocksolid became the mostinfluential bull in the herd withGlenturk Ultrasolid selling to21,000gns at Carlisle in October2004. Doug Mash of the BrockhurstHerd bought him.

“With the high price of goodLimousin bulls it is becoming increasingly more difficult to justifythe risk of laying out a large amountof money for the size of unit we havewith only 30 Pure Limousin cows.Using AI allows us to try differentbloodlines to find a bull which workswell with our cows, without puttingall of our eggs in one basket.”

More information and images onthe herd can be found on their website www.glenturk.co.uk.

The ease of management on thefarm became even more importantwhen Graham (27) suffered a mountain biking accident, which lefthim confined to a wheelchair. Whilehe is still very capable of being a bigpart of the day to day running of thefarm, the need for an easy care system is evident.

Graham and Lynn have recentlydeveloped a barn conversion on thefarm into luxury four star accommodation. The project wasstarted about three years ago and nowhas two units which sleep 6 and 4.With promotion through their website www.luxuryholidaycottages-scotland.com is generally fully bookedand well sought after all year round.

With Grahams wedding to Fionahaving taken place only a few weeksago, this family business is set to continue to develop over the comingyears in the sound and forward thinking way that it has done in thepast.

Like many who lost all of theirstock to the 2001 Foot andMouth outbreak, the Allans of

Glenturk had to start again fromscratch, while ensuring that their business moved on in the most productive way possible.

Many would argue that if they hadthe chance to start over again, theywould do things differently! Thiswasn't the case at Glenturk, NewtonStewart in the deep South West,where Pedigree Herds of Simmentalsand Limousins were reintroduced.Brian and Lynn Allan and their sonGraham, were always convinced thatthis was the path to follow.

They did, however, change theirpolicy on the native breed front, buying a foundation stock of BlueGrey heifers, rather than pedigreeGalloway cattle, which historicallygrazed the glen pre 2001. The BlueGreys were sourced locally from theMcTurk family at Barlaes, forming thebasis of the now 70 strong Simmentalcross suckler herd.

“We were happy enough with theGalloways” said Brian “but we saw achance to introduce a commercialsuckler herd using the Blue Greys as abase cow and the Simmental bull togive us a Simmental cross suckler cowwhich was what we wanted.”

The Simmentals were first introduced to Glenturk in the early70's with the first importation.Brian's father Willie saw the breedwhen he was judging beef cattle inKenya! He was so impressed withthe Simmentals, that he made someenquiries when he came home. Hediscovered that a team of farmersincluding Sir William Young ofSkerrington Mains, Kilmarnock andDan Evans of Wroxall, Staffordshire,both of whom he knew, were on thebrink of importing the firstSimmentals from Austria. The rest asthey say is history.

The importation of this new breed

GlenturkGeneticsby Fiona Sloan

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This space could be selling for you!

Call 01644460644 NOW!!

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OBE for Professor

Electric Order of Merit

Professor Donald JR MacRae,Chief Economist with LloydsBanking Group Scotland and a

director of Lloyds TSB Scotland wasrecently awarded an OBE for his workin the rural sector and for businessdevelopment.

In the early nineties, Donaldfounded the Business Forum – thenetworking organisation devoted topromotion and development of newScottish businesses.

Donald, a Highlander, was broughtup on Gaichmore Farm at Tore on theBlack Isle and now living inNewington, Edinburgh, was appointedto the board of Scottish Homes in2002 and to the board of ScottishEnterprise in 2004 where he chairsthe Economic Policy committee. Heis a trustee of the David HumeInstitute and a fellow of the Royal

Society of Edinburgh. Donald (56) has given evidence to

several Scottish ParliamentaryCommittees, advised the Financecommittee of the Scottish Parliamenton the Scottish Budget and holds thechair of visiting professor of businessand economic development at theUniversity of Abertay Dundee. Hewas a member of the 2007/08Committee of Inquiry on Croftingand is a board member of Interface –designed to promote university andbusiness interaction. He was appointed as a member of the RuralDevelopment Council in 2008.

Donald makes frequent appearances on radio and TV publishing the Business and HousePrice Monitors and the Bank ofScotland PMI and Report on Jobs.

NEWSfarmingscotlandIssue seventy-three • January 2011

There is Gallagher security fencing around BuckinghamPalace, but Bill Gallagher has

done far more than just protect theQueen to be made a knight companionof the New Zealand Order of Merit,reports Business Day, New Zealand.

Gallagher fencing equipment issold and used worldwide. The business has grown 100 fold, from itsbeginnings in 1938 when Sir William’sfather established the company with ateam of ten men. Nowadays there are1000 on the payroll and Sir Williamand his brother John run a multinational, multifaceted company.

"Father made the foundation, I wasthe builder," Sir William said.

He joined the Gallagher Groupfresh out of university in 1962 and hasworked his way up from the shop floorto become chairman and chief executive.

His success has been recognisedbefore: he was made a member of theBritish Empire in 1987 and a companion of the New Zealand Orderof Merit in 1999.

He attributes his business success tothree key factors. "You've got to haveintegrity ... working hard and being

reasonably smart are the other two, inthat order."

He said without integrity there wasno trust, an essential element in business agreements, especially whendealing with foreign business partnersfor whom English was a second orthird language.

Sir William's integrity is evident inthe fact his business relationships areso longstanding that in some cases heis now dealing with sons or nephews ofthe original partners.

The company now has animalweighing systems and perimeter security added to its traditional fencing portfolio.

The Gallagher Group is also a leading supplier of petrol station fuelpumps in Australia and New Zealand.

A key part of the company isresearch and development, with 95people employed to develop new prod-ucts and keep Gallagher at the top ofthe game.

Reaching No1 in the world foragricultural electric fencing and forsecurity fencing systems are the twoachievements that have given SirWilliam the greatest satisfaction during his career.

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Since the inception of the firstissue back in September 2003,carrying out a reader survey has

been on my to do list. Over the years I have had plenty

verbal and written feedback fromfarmers across the country on the features that they have enjoyed, thephotographs which stand out and evenadvertising campaigns which stick intheir minds.

I would very much appreciate it ifyou could take the time to fill in thisquestionnaire. 'The informationobtained will only be used for helpingus to tailor our content to your interests and will not be sold orshared with any third party.

In 2010 farmingscotland.com magazine started mail-shotting directto certain areas in Scotland. Farmersin Ayrshire, Argyllshire, Dumfries andGalloway, Dumbarton, Renfrewshire,Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles

and the Scottish Borders, so far, havehad up to six issues delivered direct tothe farm gate. We hope to roll thisout over the coming year, so thatevery farmer in Scotland receives amonthly copy of the magazine. It istherefore in our interest to deliver thenews, reviews and features that willbe of help you in your farm business.

We also offer a subscription service, which ensures that youreceive each monthly copy, until thedirect mail shot is running countrywide. Magazines will still beavailable at the usual outlets until thisis in operation. If you farm in one ofthe above-mentioned areas and havenot received your copy, please fill inthe survey and your details will beadded to the database.

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous 2011, from all at farmingscotland.com magazine. Wehave 2 fantastic prizes to be won!!

farmingscotland.comSurvey 2011

1.What do you farm? Please circle and number

Enterprise Number of AnimalsBeefSheepDairyPigsPoultry

Area of CropsCerealsCroppingFruitGrassHorticultureForageHorsesFallow

Other ...................................

5. How long have you been reading farmingscotland.com magazine?

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AberdeenshireAngusArgyll & ButeAyrshireCentralClackmannanshireDumfries & GallowayDumbartonshireEast LothianFifeHighlands & IslandsLanarkshireInverclydeMid LothianMorayOrkney IslandsPerth & KinrossRenfrewshireScottish BordersShetland IslandsStirlingshireWest LothianWestern Isles

3. Where do you pick up your copy?

2. How regularly do you read farmingscotland.com magazine?

Monthly

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Can’t always get it as it has run out

6. Would you be happy to pay £20 for a year's subscription – 12 issues?

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8. Do you read the following sections of farmingscotland.com – always, sometimes or not at all ?Please give each section a mark out of 10 – where 10 is excellent and 1 is poor.

Always Sometimes Never

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10. Which sections would you like to see less of?

12. What are the main issues affecting your business at the moment?

14. How much of the magazine do you typically read?

9. Which sections would you like to see more of?

11. Are there any other topics you would like covered?

13. What can we do to improve the magazine?

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19. Please estimate how much you spend annually on the following goods or services:

Up to £20k £20k- £50k £50k-£100k £100k +Agrochemicals

Animal Health Products

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Buildings

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21. Have you purchased any products having seen them advertised or read about them in farmingscotland.com magazine?

23. Have you ever logged onto the farmingscotland.com website?....and how often?

25. How much time do you spend on the internet each week?

16. Do you save previous copies of the magazine?

20. Do you buy any products off the internet?

18. Are you involved in making decisions about the purchase of equipment, products and services in your business?

22. Does farmingscotland.com magazine make youthink and give you inspiration for your business?

24. Are you male or female?Male Female

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29. How often do you purchase goods over the Internet?

38. What other agricultural websites do you access ?

41. When farmingscotland.com reaches every farmerin Scotland direct, what would we need to include/ cover so you wouldn’t need to buy another title?

43. What are your plans for your farm for the future?

ExpandDown size Exit farmingMaintain

44. What age are you?

30. What kind of products have you bought?

39. What other agricultural press do you read regularly and why?

Paper/magazine Why you buy/read it

40. Do you think these publications are value for money? – which ones?

42. Are you a/an:

LandlordFarmer ownerTenant farmerFarm employeeAgricultural / farming service providerStudentOther (please specify)

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Thank you for taking the time to fill this in. Please post to farmingscotland.com,Marbrack Farm, Carsphairn, Castle Douglas, DG7 3TE and you will be includedin the holiday draws.

Two fantastic prize draws – all completed forms will be entered.Week for 4 in cottage on the Isle of Skye

Week for 4 in Spanish apartment

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If you would like to receive farmingscotland.com magazine

every month please fill in the form belowand send a cheque for £20 for 12 issues

and post to:farmingscotland.com, Marbrack Farm, Carsphairn,

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SHEEPfarmingscotland.comIssue seventy-three • January 2011

Mixing traditional methodswith modern, Jimmy Wallaceof Fingland, markets his top

quality Blackface lambs on the hoofand the hook.

While Jimmy is a good supporterof the market system for selling hislambs he has developed an excellentrelationship with Haig Murray ofDunbia, the meat wholesalers whosupply Sainsburys with 'BorderBlackface Lamb.’ This product is soldas part of their 'Taste the Difference'range.

Teamed with the Blackface SheepBreeders' Association, Dunbia havebeen instrumental in promotingBlackface lamb to the consumer.Dunbia who, started as a small butchers in the 1970's, now have tensites throughout the UK and Irelandand are therefore well placed to raisethe profile of the breed.

“Haig always gives me a good andfair price for my lambs,” said Jimmy.“While I still take some to market, itis good to see them go to a companylike Dunbia and get the feedback onthe grades and quality,” explainedJimmy, who also won the ChristmasFatstock Show at Dumfries market.

One of the consignments of 50lambs which headed to Dunbia inearly January last year averaged£83.85, while the two lots whichwent to Dumfries market a monthlater, with 51 in each averaged £85.80and £75.80 making a good comparison on both markets.

The Wallace family have been inthe farm since 1905 when Jimmy'sgreat grandfather John, first took onthe tenancy of Fingland. It is on theEarlstoun Estate and runs to 1250acres with 1200 of that being hill.There are 40 acres of woodland and ameagre 10 acres of arable which liesclose to the steading. The farm iscurrently run by Jimmy and MargaretWallace and their three childrenKirstin, Emily and James.

Originally half of the ewes wereCheviots but the family soon changedto all Blackface to increase lambingpercentages. The farm is idealBlackie grazing and the ewes obviously flush well on this type ofground. There are 700 Blackfaceewes in total all bred pure, with 180retained for stock and a further 150kept to be sold as gimmers the following year at Wallets Mart at

Castle Douglas. In 2010 the 118 gimmers topped the market selling taa staggering £143 with 60 ewe lambsaveraging £75. Regular buyers lookfor the Fingland stock and this oftenincludes buyers from NorthernIreland.

“This year I had vaccinated all ofthe gimmers so that they were eligiblefor export to Northern Ireland.”explains Jimmy. “But they ended upjust down the road at The Lowes!”

The 350 breeding hoggs headed offto Ayrshire for wintering and thewether lambs moved to grazing onThe Solway near Dumfries about anhour away so that they can be drawneasily as the winter moves on.

The attention to breeding andmanagement of the whole flock hasseen the Fingland finished lambs making good prices right through lastseason. From the first draw inOctober 2009 right through to thelast draw of the bottom end gimmersin mid May 2010, the 425 sold averaged £72.28 to a top of £90 inApril. “That was the day I was lambing and sent Margaret with thelambs!” laughs Jimmy.

As a hefted flock, the ewes pretty

much look after themselves on thehill, knowing when and where tomove for the better grass or sun andmaintain their condition well.Mineral blocks are put out at tuppingtime until scanning, when the pairsare pulled off and receive some additional concentrate feeding. Theewes are all lambed at home with alambing percentage of between 125%and 130%. Around 40 of the ramlambs are kept back after weaning tobring on for tups. A top of £7000 hasbeen acheived twice for Blackfacetups by Fingland.

The highest priced animal ever soldoff Fingland however wasn't a Blackiebut a Galloway bull which went toNether Rusko and Barlaes for10,500gns. The 25 purebredGalloway cows and the 25 crossbredGalloway cows also thrive well on thehill and as another typical hill breedare well equipped to stand the hardwinters and the rough grazing, whichcomes with a hill farm environment.All of the cattle are wintered outdoorsand this is why the Galloway hasbecome so popular with many hillfarms but particularly with Jimmy.

“I think the Galloway cow has agreat potential in hill farming in manyways. She is one of the few breedswho can thrive in these harsh conditions and can rear her calf wellfrom grass. The Galloway also hassome of the most flavoursome meaton the market because of the way it isnaturally reared and matured and hasthe potential, like the Blackie, to finda good market on the meat side ofthings.” concluded Jimmy.

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SATURDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 2011

ANNUAL SHOW & SALE OF IN LAMB FEMALES

Show at 11.00am, Sale 12.00 noon in

Lanark Agricultural Cen tre Judge- John Guild, Ashmark

Entry forms are now available from Aileen McFadzean Sainsburys 'Border Blackface Lamb'

If you would like to learn more about this campaign, please contact:Aileen McFadzean - Tel 07768820405 Email - aileen@scottish-blackface.co.uk

www.scottish-blackface.co.uk

Association sponsored by:- Honda ATV, Chanelle Animal Health,Adam PurvesMitsubishi and NFU Mutual.

BLACKFACE SHEEPBREEDERS' ASSOCIATION

73 MAG 5/1/11 5:06 pm Page 13

Some of New Zealand's smallesttowns will get to see the bestshearers in the World as two

teams from Britain take-on NewZealand World champion guns CamFerguson and David Fagan over thenext three months.

The Welsh and British IslesShearing Competition Association UKteams will each shear three testsagainst the New Zealand team, whichwon the World final in Wales last July,with Ferguson and Fagan also first andsecond in the individual championship.

The tours, which open with aWelsh double-header next week – aprovincial match and a test inSouthland – will include a uniquethree-way match involving all threeteams during the Golden Shears international championships inMasterton on March 3-5.

The UK team's other two tests willbe at the Southland Shears and NewZealand Crossbred LambshearingChampionships at Winton on January15, and Southern Shears at Gore onFebruary 18-19, while the Welshteam's other two tests will be at theWaimarino Shears in Raetihi on March19 and at the New ZealandChampionships in Te Kuiti on March31-April 2.

The Welsh team will be headed byGareth Daniel, who was third toFerguson and Fagan at the Worldchampionships, with his teammateexpected to be Champion Shearer ofWales runner-up Hywel Jones, whilethe UK team will be headed byTaranaki-based Scotsman and WorldChampionships fifth placegetterGavin Mutch, joined by NorthernIreland's Ian Montgomery, who won

the Golden Shears junior final inMasterton in 2003.

Shearing Sports New Zealandchairman John Fagan said that withmatches against regional selectionsalso at Lumsden, Reefton, Waitomoand Stratford small towns had greatopportunities to see top internationalcompetition and also show-off NewZealand's rural heartland on an international stage.

"This is where these men, NewZealanders and shearers from overseas, work and compete, day inand day out, in what is not only oneof New Zealand's backbone industriesbut also an exciting sport," he said.

"It's a good opportunity for peoplein the cities and bigger towns to goout into the country and see thesechampions."

"It's also important for the sport, tobe able to maintain international competition in the season before thenext World championships are stagedin this country – in Masterton inMarch 2012."

SHEEP SHEARINGfarmingscotland.comIssue seventy-three • January 2011

14

UK & Welsh ScheduleJanuary 14 (Friday) UK v Northern Southland Community ShearsSelection, at LumsdenJanuary 15 (Saturday) UK v New Zealand (first test), SouthlandShears,at WintonFebruary 5 (Saturday) UK v Reefton A and P Show Selection, at ReeftonFebruary 18-19 (Fri-Sat) UK v New Zealand (2nd test), SouthernShears, at GoreMarch 3-5(Thurs-Sat) UK v Wales v New Zealand three-way test,Golden Shears, at Masterton.March 19 (Saturday) Wales v New Zealand (first test), at Raetihi.March 26 (Saturday) Wales v Waitomo Caves Shears Selection, atWaitomo.March 27 (Sunday) Wales v Taranaki Shears Selection, at StratfordMar 31-Apr 2 (Thurs-Sat) Wales v New Zealand (2nd test), at Te Kuiti

An unbroken run of 79 daysshearing in Western Australiain 2010 proved the making of

the man as King Country shearerStacey Te Huia came back from afailed World eight-hour ewe-shearingrecord last January to smash therecord despite torrential rain outsideand a 40-minute power cut.

Te Huia, a 32-year-old "happilysingle" father of two shore 603 strong-wooled predominantly Romneyflock to smash the previous record by25 at Moketenui Station, betweenhome-town Te Kuiti and Benneydale.

First to congratulate him was FarNorth shearer Matthew Smith whohad shorn the previous record of 578near Te Pohue, Hawke's Bay, onJanuary 15.

Te Huia missed-out by five sheepin a bid for the record just four daysafter Smith's effort, and said thatwhile at the time he did not want tothink about another record, he hadwaited 11 months to get the recordback in the family.

Older brother Hayden held therecord at 495 for nine years after aday's shearing at Marton in 1999when the pair set a two-stand record,which ironically is being tackled bySmith's brothers, Doug and Rowland,at Te Pohue, on January 11.

Te Huia, of Maniapoto andTuwharetoa descent on the sides ofboth father Dean and mother Jo, saida troubled back had limited his serious training for last summer'sattempt to about four months.

Based with Jury Shearing atKojonup in Western Australia fromAugust to the start of November, henot only worked his marathon 79days, but also ran the roads for an

hour before each day in the shed, andand did an hour in the gym eachnight.

"It helped the endurance," he reckoned, as he drooled over his firstbeer in eight months.

He couldn't wait to get the latestrecord bid out of the way, and wasunworried by the rain that had prevailed for much of the last week,nor a power cut with the race almostwon and the fourth and final two-hour run about to start at 3pm.

Contractors Michael Cornelius andMal McQuilkin, from The Lines Co inTe Kuiti, raced more than 20km tothe woolshed and discovered an easily-fixed pole fuse fault a fewmetres from the woolshed. More tothe relief of over 100 supporters thanthe challenger the run-home was soonback on, albeit 40 minutes late.

"I wasn't worried at all," said TeHuia, who had started at 7am andposted 146 in the first two hours tomorning smoko, three down onSmith's opening run 11 months ago.

But with 39 in less than half anhour just before the break he was intoa groove in which he remained, settinga run record of 152 in the two hoursto lunch, going one better with 153after the meal, and coming home withanother 152 to the eventual finish at5.40pm.

The quality on the sheep, estimated to have averaged about55kg each and carrying an average ofover 3kg of wool, was among the bestseen in record attempts, and no sheepwere rejected by World SheepShearing Records Society judges RalphBlue, NSW, Paul Harris, NorthCanterbury, Hugh McCarroll,Tauranga, and Ian Buchanan,Te Kuiti.

Te Huia, from a familyof shearers, had the bestof support as he flailed his new Lister Nitro handpiece – shorter andlighter, said the experts.Among those managing theattempt were icon DavidFagan, on the 18thanniversary of the day heshore a nine-hour lambrecord of 810 in Southlandin 1992. Te Huia's woolhandlers were Worldteams champions ShereeAlabaster and KerynHerbert assisted byHannah Neal.

Recordfor TeHuia

UK Team Tests

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World record bid preparationsaren't disrupting the routineof champon shearer Cam

Ferguson who will contest the nationallamb championships on 8th January,just two days before trying to break arecord of 736 lambs in eight hours.

Ferguson, the 27-year-old Hawke'sBay shearer who won the WorldChampionship in Wales in July, saysthat while the record bid on Mondayin the King Country is the priority hewill still shear in Saturday's competitions in Raglan, and probablyalso a popular Speedshear a fewhours later.

"I'm not going to give the Show amiss because of the record," saidFerguson, who is attempting a recordfor the first time. "I still do theshows. That's what I do."

Ferguson began his record build-upin earnest when he arrived at therecord venue, Moketenui Station, onBoxing Day, and has been workingever since, apart from a one-day tripback to Hawke's Bay to compete inPorangahau's Duke Of EdinburghHotel Speedshear.

A winner of more than 60 speedshears – the quick version of thesport – he showed good speed in thatevent, dominating the preliminariesand recording easily the best time fora lamb. But he was beaten in the finalover three lambs by former nine-hourlambs record holder Rodney Sutton.

Back at work he's in good companythis week, with new eight-hour ewerecord holder Stacey Te Huia on onestand, and four-stand nine-hour lambrecord shearing gang member James

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Leading points and placing in the PGG WrightsonNational Shearing Championship after three offive qualifying rounds:

1 David Fagan (Te Kuiti) 32pts 2 Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 30pts3 Grant Smith (Rakaia) 29pts 4 Tony Coster (Rakaia) 22pts5 Angus Moore (Ward) 14pts6 Chris Jones (Renwick) 13pts 7= Cam Ferguson (Waipawa) 12pts7= Colin O'Neill (Alexandra) 12pts9= Adam Brausch (Dannevirke) 10pts9= Alton Devery (Tuatapere) 10pts11= Eli Cummings (Pleasant Point) 9pts11= Darin Forde (Winton) 9pts13 Dion Morrell (Alexandra) 8pts14= Abraham Paerata (Masterton) 7pts14= Aaron Haynes (Feilding) 7pts16 Dion King (Hastings) 6pts 17= Matt Tumohe (Kurow) 4pts17= Charlie O'Neill (Alexandra) 4pts17= Ringa Paewai (Dannevirke) 4pts17= Gavin Rowland (Rakaia) 4pts

Fagan on another.Ferguson hasn't qualified for the

20-lamb Raglan final since 2008,when he was fifth behind winnerDean Ball, the Te Kuiti veteran whothis week confirmed he'd be back tostart the build up for "one last go" atthe Golden Shears Open in March.

The enormity of Ferguson's recordhope is highlighted by the fact that hisbest tally to date in an eight-hour dayis 680, four years ago at WhenuahouStation, Central Hawke's Bay. Heneeds to up the pace from his previous best by more than seven anhour to break the record set by Irishshearer Ivan Scott south of Rotoruatwo years ago.

The heats of Saturday's championship are also an importanthit-out, being the fourth of five qualifying rounds in the PGGWrightson National, in whichFergsuon still needs some good pointsto qualify among the top 12 for thefinals at the Golden Shears inMasterton in March.

The series is currently led by multiple series winner and Te Kuitishearer David Fagan, 2009 and 2010seris winner Tony Coster, of Rakaia, isplaced 4th and Ferguson is 7th.

Two other shearing competitionsare being held on Saturday as theShearing Sports New Zealand seasonresumes after a six-week break for thebusiest time of the year in the woolsheds. The other events are theCooper-Wilson KaikoheChampionships in the Far North andthe Peninsula Duvauchelle Show inCanterbury.

Cam’s the Man

Irish shearing champion Ivan Scottwill make a bid for the premierWorld shearing record near Taupo

next month.The 29-year-old South Island-based

gun from Kilmacrennan, CountyDonegal, will attempt the solo nine-hour strongwool lamb shearingrecord of 866 held by Hawke's Bayshearer Dion King.

It was confirmed when an application was received recently bythe World Sheep Shearing RecordsSociety, and will take place at Opepe,off State Highway 5 just east of theCentral North Island lake resort, onJanuary 14, the end of what will bethe busiest week in the history ofWorld record shearing.

Hot on the heels of the nationalLamb Shearing Championships on thecompetition board at Raglan on

Januuary 8, the action switches twodays later to a woolshed at MotekenuiStation, Mangapehi (between Te Kuitiand Benneydale) where World champion Cam Ferguson, of Waipawa,attempts the eight-hour lambs recordof 736 set by Scott at Rerewhakaaitu,south of Rotorua, in December 2008.

On January 11, Hawke's Bay-basedbrothers Doug and Rowland Smith, ofRuawai in the Far North, will tacklethe two-stand eight-hour strongwoolewes record of 986 set in 1999 byMarton brothers Hayden and StaceyTe Huia, now based in Te Kuiti.

The Smiths will make their bid atWaitara Station, near Te Pohue,Hawke's Bay, where brother MatthewSmith set the eight-hour ewe recordof 578 last January, a record whichStacey Te Huia will challenge nextWednesday at Mangapehi.

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