Scotland Team

Team Manager

Will Dickson

From Duns in the Scottish Borders, has been involved in shearing for around 35 years. Working mostly in Scotland, Norway, and New Zealand. He is now stepping back from full-time shearing to focus on running his beef and sheep farm alongside shearing contracting work. As a shearing instructor for British Wool and a judge for the British Isles Shearing Competitions Association (BISCA). Will feels it is a real honour to manage such a talented group of competitors and wishes them every success. He is especially looking forward to seeing the very best shearers from around the world come together under one roof and battle it out to be crowned world champions.

Shearers

William Craig

57, from Broughton, just outside Biggar, has been a shepherd and farm manager all his life. Representing Scotland at the World Championships in 2012, 2019, and 2023. He achieved a 6th-place finish on each occasion, with 2026 set to be his fourth appearance. Sharing the experience this time with his son Murray. Who is his blade team-mate, makes it even more special. Excitement builds at the thought of spending time with team-mates, catching up with old friends, meeting new faces, and shearing alongside some of the best blade shearers in the world. Wearing the Scotland vest again is a huge source of pride.

Murray Craig

26, also from Broughton, has gained most of his experience on the machine circuit. Notable results include winning the National Young Farmers Championship. 1st in the Juniors at the Black Isle Show, and 1st in the Intermediates at Lesmahagow. He has also competed in a Scotland vs. Ireland test match. Representing Scotland in blades against the best in the world is a real honour, and experiencing his first Golden Shears and World Championships as part of such a strong team is extremely exciting.

Hamish Mitchell 

55, from Central Scotland, shorn his first sheep nearly 40 years ago and has spent around 30 years as a professional shearer. For the past six years, he has focused on shepherding and livestock management at Letham Farm in Glenfarg, alongside running his own farm. His competition successes include multiple wins at the Scottish National Championships and participation in over 100 open competitions worldwide. This year brings the honour of representing Scotland at his 10th World Championships. He has also taught shearing courses for many years and served as an ambassador for Heiniger and British Wool, with one of his most memorable moments being part of the 2014 World Championships team event victory in Ireland alongside Gavin Mutch.

Gavin Mutch

46, born in Scotland and now based in New Zealand, has over 25 years’ experience as a professional shearer. He has competed and won in 13 different countries. Major achievements include the Individual World Shearing Championship in 2012 and World Teams Championship victories in 2014 and 2019, as well as the Golden Shears in 2015. He will represent Scotland at the World Championships for the eighth time this year. One of his most memorable moments occurred in Masterton when former World Champion Tom Wilson led the arena in singing Flower of Scotland after the individual title was secured.

Woolhandlers

Rosie Keenan

32, from the North of Scotland, balances farming, raising a family, and serving as a board member for British Wool. She is the current World Champion woolhandler after winning in Scotland in 2023. Previous highlights include 2nd at the World Championships in France in 2019, 3rd in the teams in Edinburgh in 2023, and 2nd in the teams in France in 2019, alongside numerous Open wins across the UK and Europe. Representing Scotland again is a great source of pride and offers the chance to welcome new team members. Rosie is excited about taking her family to New Zealand, reconnecting with friends and relatives, and seeing familiar faces after six years away from competing there.

Katie O’Sullivan

From Crieff in Perthshire, Scotland, shears for around seven months of the year, gaining experience in Norway, New Zealand, Ireland, and Scotland, while running a flock of Cheviot ewes. Her best woolhandling results came in the 2025 season, including wins at Shearfest, the Royal Welsh, Corwen, and the Scottish Circuit—all in one year, marking a major achievement. Representing Scotland at the World Championships for the first time is a real honour, and she is eagerly anticipating catching up with competitors old and new from around the world.

Wales Team

Team Manager

Rhys Jones, Corwen, Denbighshire

Rhys is a farmer and retired shearer and has been involved in the shearing industry for many years. He is a British Record holder and had numerous successes during his shearing career. Rhys is also a BISCA Judge.

Machine Shearers

Gwion Lloyd Evans, Bylchau, Denbighshire

Gwion is the reigning World Champion and will be defending his title at the 2026 World Championships. This is the third time Gwion has represented Wales at the World Championships. Also part of team which won the World Machine Shearing Team title at the 2023 World Championships.

Llyr Jones, Llanrwst, Conwy

Llyr won the 2025 Champion Shearer of Wales competition for the first time, earning himself a place in the Welsh World Team. Shorn for several seasons over in New Zealand so he has plenty of experience with their sheep. This will be his first World Championships.

Blade Shearers

Elfed Jackson, Bethesda, Gwynedd

Elfed’s 12^th World Championships representing Wales, and he has competed in several World Finals. Winning many competitions over the years during his shearing career.

Rhydian Evans, Talybont, Aberystwyth

Rhydian won the 2025 Champion Blade Shearer of Wales competition for the first time, earning his place in the Welsh World team.  This will be his first World Championships.

Woolhandlers

Sarah Rees, Brecon, Powys

This will be Sarah’s second World Championships, and she was part of the team which won the World Woolhandling Team title at the 2023 World Championships in Scotland.

Jessica Morgan, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire

Jessica won the Welsh Open Woolhandling Circuit to secure her place in the Welsh team to compete at the World Championships for the first time. Jessica has been competing for over 20 years, winning many competitions.

Wording and images courtesy of RWAS

England Team

Team Manager

Gavin Stevens

Gavin Stevens has previously been involved in two World Championships, including judging at the Royal Highland Show World Shearing and Wool Handling Championships in 2023. With extensive experience in the sport, he is excited to support a promising England team and looks forward to the challenges ahead. One of the highlights of his career was judging wool handling at the 2023 World Championships in Scotland, a role he considers a proud moment. His advice to young and aspiring shearers and wool handlers is to never give up, take part in courses and shows whenever possible, always watch and listen, and be prepared to dig deep when it matters most.

Machine Shearers

Matt Smith

Matt Smith represents England at the World Championships for the second time. Having previously competed on the world stage, he is driven by the goal of another shot at the title, supported by his family and surrounded by the global shearing community he values highly. Career highlights include bringing world shearing records to the Northern Hemisphere, notably breaking the nine-hour record in 2016. His advice to aspiring shearers is simple: work hard, learn from the best, maintain high standards everywhere you work, and success will follow.

Nick Greaves

Nick Greaves will make his World Championships debut, fulfilling a long-standing goal in his shearing career. Competing in New Zealand makes the occasion even more special. He looks forward to representing England in the white singlet alongside the world’s best, giving everything he has. His standout achievement came at the Bath & West Show, where he won the Open, the English National, and the Six Nations team titles—a remarkable treble. He encourages young shearers to surround themselves with the right people, share knowledge, look after their body, and remember that consistency beats talent every time.

Blade Shearers

Andrew Mudge

Andrew Mudge will attend his sixth World Championships, having made his debut in Norway in 2008. Each event brings a unique atmosphere, blending new faces with long-standing friendships. He is proud to represent England alongside his teammates once again. Career highlights include competing at the same Worlds as his wife and father, reaching his first individual world final, and winning the Six Nations four times with his dad. The proudest achievement came in 2023, finishing third at the World Championships in Scotland. Andrew encourages young shearers to work hard, enjoy the journey, and learn from everyone they meet.

Woolhandlers

Jess Parkhouse

Jess Parkhouse, 20, will make her World Championships debut in New Zealand during her third season working there. Supported in person by her brother and cheered on by family from home, the occasion is extra special. Her fondest wool handling memory is winning the Intermediate title at the Royal Welsh Show, an unexpected victory shared with friends and family. She encourages anyone interested in wool handling to embrace the opportunities to travel, take part, and connect with the supportive shearing community worldwide.

Hilary Bond Harding

Hilary Bond Harding will attend her tenth World Championships, a remarkable achievement that reflects her experience and dedication. She enjoys adapting to different wool presentation processes compared to those used in the UK. Over her career, Hilary has accumulated numerous achievements, including winning the World Championships in 2014, multiple Six Nations team titles, and involvement in world record performances. She continues to inspire within the sport, advising aspiring wool handlers to dream big, work hard, and enjoy the journey every step of the way.