A 27-year-old from New Zealand has broken a world record for merino shearing in the West Australian Great Southern region.
It took Alexia Phillips 80 seconds on average per animal to reach a total of 367 sheep in eight hours.
The previous female shearer’s record was 358.
The event at a shed near Darkan, about 200 kilometres south-east of Perth, attracted both local and international supporters.
Temperatures were a little cooler than ideal for the attempt, which is about double the time it takes to run a marathon.
It has the added challenges of being stooped over and working with live animals.
Ms Phillips sheared 367 merino ewes in eight hours to break the female world record. (ABC Great Southern: Georgia Hargreaves)
Ms Phillips, a first-generation shearer from Waikato, New Zealand, underwent nine months of intensive training in preparation for the record attempt.
Her regime included CrossFit after a normal day of shearing, an intense style of training that combines heavy Olympic lifting with explosive cardio.
“It obviously paid off. I’m buggered, but not dead,” Ms Phillips laughed.
“I was just glad I could get up and show what I can do and what women can do in the shearing industry.
“There’s a lot of amazing women shearers out there now and we’re just showing what we can do.”
The record attempt happened at a shed near Darkan, about 200 kilometres south-east of Perth. (ABC Great Southern: Georgia Hargreaves)
‘Extremely proud’ parents
Proud parents Marlene and Guy Phillips made the 5,000km journey from New Zealand to witness the record, describing the energy in the room as “electrifying”.
“You can see that everyone is 100 per cent behind Alexia getting the record,” Mr Phillips said.
“We’re extremely proud,” Mrs Phillips said.
“I think in her mind this is a milestone in her career. She won’t stop here, I know that.”
Marlene and Guy Phillips travelled from New Zealand to see their daughter’s world record effort. (ABC Great Southern: Mark Bennett)
Alexia’s mum said preparation for the record attempt wasn’t just about improving fitness.
“You can be fit, but you have to actually be shearing fit,” Mrs Phillips said.
“I think she’s listened to a lot of people and she’s listened to the way they’ve done it.”
Alexia Phillips honed her skills through a cadetship at Otiwhiti Station in Hunterville, later taking up a shearing opportunity at the Isle of Man, off the north-west coast of England.
Ms Phillips says she wanted to show what women in the shearing industry can do. (ABC Great Southern: Georgia Hargreaves)
“That was the start of it, she got the bug and never looked back,” Mr Phillips said.
Ms Phillips said her love of shearing came from her love of wool.
“Wool is the most amazing fibre,” she said.
“We all just need to wear more of it, use more of it, buy it. It’s the best natural fibre in the world.”
Find a good team
Ms Phillips’ parents are hobby farmers in Waikato.
“We’re just a small farmer, but always had a love of the land,” Mrs Phillips said.
“We’ve always encouraged our kids to have the love of the land, so it is certainly obvious today that Alexia has carried that on.
Ms Phillips says her love of shearing comes from her love of wool. (ABC Great Southern: Georgia Hargreaves)
“We knew she was a go-getter, she’s extremely determined and she’s not shy of hard work and that’s one of the keys to this success.
“She might not be doing a triathlon, but she’s just as fit, just as dedicated.”
Ms Phillips said any young girls considering taking up shearing should give it a go.
“Find a good shearing team and stick with them, ask lots of questions.”
