2009 Lochearnhead Shears Report

^{The Junior, Intermediate and Senior
heats took place on Saturday afternoon with the Wool-Handling
competition taking place in conjunction with the Intermediate heats.
Using shearing shed style conditions and rules, looking after 2
shearers each shearing 3 fleeces, removing any oddments, wrapping
them securely and in presentable manner and keeping the boards clean
for the shearer – Stacey Mundell from Fintry took the Red Ribbon
following on from her win at the Highland last week, securing her
place in the Scottish Team to the World Championships to be held in
Masterton next March. Audrey Lamb from Lanark was 2nd with Nicky
Gore from New Zealand coming 3rd and Dawn MacKinnon from Bathgate
4th.

Sunday evening’s finals commenced with the traditional
blade shearing, three local lads and a Welshman battled it out with
shepherd Mark Armstrong from Ardeonaig, Killin shearing 4 blackface
hoggs in 10 minutes 49 seconds coming out the victor, Trevor Jones
from Wales who was 4 minutes slower but cleaner on the board and the
pen coming 2nd with Mark’s neighbour Willie Taylor being placed 3rd
and Euan Cameron 4th.

The Junior final where they shore four
blackie hoggs in just over 5 minutes saw young Scott Wilson from
Broughton take home the silverwear. Taking runner-up place was Ewan
Wilson from Loch Tayside with Stuart Davidson, Blyth Bridge and
Kevin Sayer, Yorkshire taking 3rd and 4th places respectively.

The International relay was next, teams of three from New
Zealand, Scotland, Wales and “Rest of the World” competed in what
was a crowd-thrilling event with support from each of these nations
cheering on their team. The Welsh Team of Rhys Jones, Wyn Jones and
Nicky Beynon were triumphant, Scotland were 1.20 points behind to
put them in 2nd place with New Zealand and “Rest of the World”
having to settle for 3rd and 4th place.

Scotland against
Republic of Ireland Junior Test, saw young Scottish lads – Scott
Wilson and Ewan Wilson pull this off over the visitors Shane
McDonagh and Joe Stephens from the Republic of Ireland.

The
all Scottish Intermediate final saw Sandy McKellar from Tyndrum,
last year’s Junior winner received the red ribbon ahead of this
fellow countrymen Ross Gibson, Gartocharn, Alan Brady, Amulree and
Brian Mundell taking 2nd, 3rd and 4th places respectively.

The welcome visit of the Northern Ireland Senior team test,
consisting of Jack Robinson and Robert Davidson and Scottish
representatives, David Higginson (Lochearnhead Shears current
Chairman) and Ewan MacKay saw the Scottish team on their own kind of
sheep prove winners in a very close fought and exciting event.

The Scotland .v. New Zealand Test, saw the 4 shearers who are no
strangers to competing for their own countries shear their 15 sheep
in just under 10 minutes – Gavin Mutch and Hamish Mitchell for
Scotland showed that they know their way round the blackie hoggs
with newcomer to Lochearnhead Rowland Smith and Dion King from New
Zealand taking reserve place.

The line up in the Senior
final, saw two Northern Irish lads and two New Zealanders raise the
pace moving up another gear they shore their 10 sheep in around 9
minutes, Jack Robinson from Co Londonderry took top honours with
Reece Munro taking runner up position, Jack Fagan from the famous
Fagan Shearing Family from Te Kuiti in New Zealand taking 3rd and
Robert Davidson from Co Antrim taking 4th.

The Open finalists
had a tough fight to secure the top 4 places, with some reckoning
the Lochearnhead Open Final is amongst the toughest to make
throughout the UK. The quality of workmanship and speed was the
order of the day. Once again with the crowd of their seats in
excitement saw 2 previous Blackface Shearing Champions take the
stages, Gavin Mutch and Hamish Mitchell, along with Simon Bedwell
from Ross-shire and kiwi Rowland Smith, who along with his brother
Doug, holds the World 2-stand eight hour Strongwool Ewes Shearing
Record, set in January this year where they broke the record by 80,
shearing 1066 ewes. Break neck speed saw Hamish Mitchell, from
Lochearnhead, now farming in Norway shear 20 hoggs in 12 minutes 23
seconds, with Gavin Mutch not just keeping the pace with last year’s
record of 12 minutes 11. Hamish’s slightly cleaner pen, saw him once
again take the title, Gavin had to settle for the blue ribbon,
Rowland Smith took 3rd spot with Simon Bedwell in 4th.

Another highlight of the day was George Bayne and Colin MacGregor
being presented with their Master Shearers awards, a great
recognition for all they have done for Shearing over the last 30
years throughout the UK and the World, these awards were presented
by BISCA Chairman Brendan Kelly.}