Welsh and New Zealand shearers attempt World Shearing Record

Name:

Llyr Wyn Jones

Where are you from? 

North Wales

Age:

26

Your personal and professional achievements: 

2 stand 9-hour British Lamb Record in 2022 (836)

Representing Wales over in New Zealand.

Winning The Welsh Champion in Corwen Shears 2024.

How long have you been shearing?

I started at the age of 17.

Tell us about what motivated you to attempt the record:

It has always been a dream to do a record. You don’t get any bigger than this.

Advice to young up-and-coming shearers:

Go to as many countries as you can to shear and always take advice and listen to the right people.

Proudest moment in shearing:

Winning senior at Corwen Shears.

2 stand 9 hr British record (836)

Representing Wales in the UK and New Zealand.

Winning the Welsh Open at Corwen Shears 2024

Who has been your inspiration? 

Gareth Evans and Matthew Evans (Hotdogs)

Name:            

Paerata Raymond Abraham

Where are you from? 

Born in Dannevirke, I live in Masterton New Zealand

Age:

41

Details of your shearing business:

My wife and I started our shearing run in 2016 when our oldest daughter turned 5.  We realised we couldn’t travel around shearing as she was starting school, so we decided to start a business. We had a lot of help from whanau (family) and have built a work environment where everyone is like family. We are so grateful to have such awesome staff and clients it makes running a business very enjoyable.

Your personal and professional achievements: 

I have two amazing daughters Ariana (11) and Mei-Marie (7)

Buying our dream home.

Winning PGG Wrightsons (2019) to be part of New Zealand Trans-Tasman team.

Winning Te Kuiti Circuit to be part of the New Zealand Team in the UK in 2023.

How long have you been shearing?

I started shearing later than most shearers, I was about 21

Tell us about what motivated you to attempt the record:

It has always been a goal of mine to have a world record. To be able to put your body through that is something not many people can say they have experienced. It’s not just the physical challenge but also the mental strength needed – a shearing record is one of the hardest things you will ever do

Advice to young up-and-coming shearers:

Go to Shearing School and don’t be shy, always ask questions to shearers you look up to.

Proudest moment in shearing:

My first Golden Shears Final in 2016… I knew after the second sheep I wasn’t going to win so I was going to be the fastest – I came 6th but had a lot of fun!

Who has been your inspiration? 

As a young shearer, I always wanted to shear like David Fagan and Dion Morrell.

Positive Mood at this year AGM and conference

Record breaking UK shearers were celebrated at this year’s AGM and annual conference last week.

Among those honoured was Staffordshire-based Nick Greaves, who broke the world lamb shearing record, which has been held exclusively in New Zealand for the past 50 years, when he sheared an impressive 764 lambs in eight hours. Also applauded was Scottish sheep shearer Una Cameron who smashed a world record beating the previous women’s solo strong wool ewe record by 59 sheep. Meirion Evans, an experienced Welsh shearer was also successful in his British record-breaking attempt, shearing 791 sheep across nine hours.

All three were presented with a Harris Tweed Hebrides cap made from 100% British wool and a voucher for the British Wool Shop.

Andrew Hogley, British Wool’s CEO congratulated those who had broken shearing records and highlighted the positive direction the wool price has taken in recent times.

He said:

“Recent British Wool auctions have achieved the highest prices for more than five years and we’ve seen strong demand. With prices up by more than 25% since the start of the season this bodes well for improved member returns. Prices need to recover further to give farmers the returns they need for their wool, but we are currently in a much better position than we have been for some time.”

He also highlighted some of the marketing initiatives during the last year including a recent Shaun the Sheep carpet promotion.

This collaboration embraces the work of British Wool and The Campaign for Wool and is seen as a key platform to aid the promotion of wool carpets to consumers. Over 1,000 retailers across the UK have Shaun the Sheep point-of-sale materials which are designed to educate consumers about the natural benefits of wool.

Delegates were also told about collaborations with Patrick Grant and Joe Lycett which have helped to increase consumer awareness of British Wool and British wool-rich products.

Andrew said:

“The team at British Wool remain committed to driving consumer demand through campaigns and work with brand partners, manufacturers and processors. We are determined to continue building on this success for the benefit of all sheep farmers.”

Also addressing the conference were Gary Hurlstone from NextGen Tree Shelters and Mark Hogarth from Harris Tweed Hebrides who both spoke about the importance of British wool to their businesses and products.

The meeting was coupled with a trip for delegates to the Harrison Spinks‘ factory. Harrison Spinks is a major user of traceable British wool for their mattresses and recently hosted Princess Anne who presented them with the King’s Award for Sustainable Development.

British Wool at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair

We will be at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Builth Wells later this month to engage with sheep farmers on the improved wool market and on the new Welsh Wool logo and branding that was launched in October.

Gareth Jones, Head of Member Engagement at British Wool said:

“The Royal Welsh Winter Fair is an important event in our calendar, and we’ll be in attendance on both days with a stand in the South Glamorgan Hall.

“In recent months we have seen a strengthened market for wool with prices at their highest levels for five years. We are also working with manufacturers to strengthen demand for wool and now have more than 170 brand partners on our licensee scheme.  Also, in October, in celebration of Wales’s rich textile heritage, a new Welsh wool logo and an exciting new yarn project showcasing the best in Welsh wool was launched.”

Gareth concluded:

“We look forward to welcoming our members and anyone with an interest in wool to visit our stand at the Winter Fait to discuss the improved wool market and our various activities in creating new demand for British and Welsh wool.”

Shaun the Sheep Loves Wool

Shaun the Sheep returns as an ‘ambaaa-ssador’ for us and Campaign for Wool as part of a collaborative promotional campaign. Helping to educate and promote wool flooring as sustainable and good for the planet.

Promoting his message of ‘Shaun Loves Wool’. This worldwide recognised, loveable sheep brings together the core values of the character’s creators. Aardman and Shaun the Sheep of ‘One Farm’ initiative, with the mission to highlight wool’s many natural benefits when used in flooring.

Shaun the Sheep will get the campaign started officially at The Flooring Show in Harrogate (15-17 September).

The special three-year collaboration will see the use ‘Shaun Loves Wool’ message to promote the importance of the whole industry from sheep farming to flooring manufacturing. Including wool carpet yarn spinning and wool flooring care companies helping to raise awareness at both a trade and consumer level.

The collaboration embraces the work of British Wool, Campaign for Wool and the Wool Carpet Focus Group and is seen as a key platform to aid the promotion of wool carpeting. Retailers across the UK will have point-of-sale items displaying their collaboration with the campaign that will educate consumers about the natural characteristics of wool.

The following companies have collectively contributed to bring this campaign to UK retailers and consumers:

Flooring Manufacturers:

Adam Carpets, Brockway Carpets, Causeway Carpets, Cavalier Carpets, Cormar Carpets, Manx Tomkinson Carpets, Penthouse Carpets, Westex Flooring

Yarn Spinners:

Danspin, Lawton Yarns, Lusolã

Buying Groups:

BRM, SMG

Wool Flooring Care:

WoolSafe

Graham Clark, Marketing Director at British Wool said:

“This collaboration with Shaun the Sheep will support educating and raising awareness with consumers of the many benefits of wool carpets and should help to drive demand for British wool over the next few years.”

Wool Symposium

The National Sheep Association Next Generation Wool Symposium 2024 took place at our Head Office in Bradford on the 14^th and 15^th of October.

The Wool Symposium is a biennial event organised by NSA Next Generation and ourselves. It offers up to twelve young people aged from 18 to 35 the opportunity to go behind the scenes at our Bradford headquarters and debate the UK wool sector and the role of young people within it.

The symposium is ideal for young sheep farmers and wool enthusiasts to gain a more thorough understanding of this fantastic fibre, the processes involved in taking it from farm to consumer and the role sheep farmers can have in ensuring the best return is achieved.

The journey started at Bradford Headquarters, with Andrew Hogley, the CEO, giving participants an insight into British Wool and the latest trends. This was followed by an insightful tour in our depot, experiencing the wool grading process and preparation of members wool for auction. The day finished with a presentation from Graham Clark, Marketing Director, on end-user marketing and the many initiatives in place and work being done to promote British wool to consumers.

The next day, started off with a demonstration showing the auction process, which included an insight into the type of wool sold and how the auctioneers work to gain the best price for wool. The next stop Haworth Scouring to experience what happens once the wool has been sold, from blending the wool to washing and combing. The final visit was the onsite testing lab to gain knowledge on the types of tests conducted, not just on the wool fibres but the waste too.

Colin Jarvis, Area Manager, and Claire Jenkins, Member Administration Manager, from British Wool were hosts for the visit and Claire commented

“We thoroughly enjoyed out interaction with the members of the Wool Symposium. British Wool are committed to supporting the next generation who are a key group within our industry. Their profound passion for wool was evident and greatly appreciated.”

Nicola Noble, NSA Project Manager, joined the group and commented:

“It was an interesting two-day event filled with open discussion and a fantastic opportunity to engage with a group of passionate, young sheep farmers with the drive to understand, innovate and educate within the wool sector.”

Fiona Parker, NSA who organises the event tells us:

“The Wool Symposium is a joint initiative with British Wool which began in 2022, to give enthusiastic young sheep farmers the opportunity to see first-hand what happens at every step of the wool processing journey, from arrival at a grading depot to transformation at the scouring plant into a pristine fibre and the sale process at a British Wool auction.”

Tilly Abbott who attended the tour commented

“I had seen the wool symposium in previous years and always thought it would be a great educational point for both myself and to take on my shearing rounds. I am often involved within conventions with customers regarding wool and often get asked questions on why the wool value is ‘low’ and what they should do with their wool. I now feel that I am equipped to answer people’s questions and can back the valuable work British wool is doing to market our clips.”

Hannah Richardson one of the attendees tells us:

“I applied for the NSA Wool Symposium after returning to my family farm and seeing the disparity between the effort involved in shearing, wrapping, and sending off our wool compared to the prices we receive. I wanted to better understand the factors behind this decline in value and explore how the industry is addressing it. The symposium also provided a great opportunity to engage with experts and seek ways to improve the profitability and future of wool production. My biggest takeaway from the day was seeing the vast scale of the Bradford depot and the Haworth scouring plant, where I observed the full process from sorting fleeces which have been delivered to creating a mix and carding for specific colour and fibre orders. Additionally, I valued meeting industry experts who work behind the scenes to market and sell wool, which provided valuable insights into the industry’s operations and challenges.”

George Orphin from Kent, says

“As a sheep farmer and shearing our own Romney sheep on the farm the NSA Wool Symposium was a great opportunity to learn and see firsthand what happens to wool once it leaves the farm on its journey to the retailer. Wool is and has been at rock bottom prices so to some it’s not something to get overly excited about but the event made me aware of small things which can be done on the farm to add value to the fleece and I came away with a greater understanding of the grading  systems and standards British Wool work to, traceability of wool and what happens in a Scouring plant. Sheep farming and Shearing are both hard jobs, so wool wants to become a valued product rather than a by-product to the meat industry. British Wool are working hard to find new outlets for wool which is beginning to show early sign of increasing its value which will be welcomed by all farmers. I would encourage any farmer young or old to take up the opportunity of visiting a grading depot or scouring plant.”

Haulier Profile: Tommy Middleton

Meet Tommy Middleton, a dedicated haulier with an impressive thirty years of experience in the British Wool family! His incredible journey has allowed him to forge unparalleled relationships with our farmers, creating a strong network of trust and collaboration.

Dive into the engaging interview we’ve conducted with him, where he shares his inspiring background and the passions that drive him.

“Hello! I’m Tommy, and I hail from Holden House in beautiful Carnforth, Lancashire. I come from a big family—I’m the middle child of eight—raised in the straw business that my father started back in 1959.

I’ve been happily married for over 40 years and have two wonderful children and five amazing grandchildren. We live on a smallholding just outside Ingleton, right on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.

In 1995, I took over a collection centre and became a haulier for British Wool. It seemed like a great addition to my straw business, which I’ve been running since I was 21 after taking it over from my dad. It’s been a rewarding journey, and I’m proud of the success we’ve achieved.

When I first joined British Wool, I was delivering about 8 loads each season to a depot in Clayton. Fast forward to now, and I’m proud to say that I’ve ramped that up to around 45 loads a season!

The improvements in the British Wool warehouse operations over the years have been remarkable, and I’m excited about what the future holds.

I’ve been a haulier for British Wool for 30 years, and I’m not slowing down anytime soon.

One of my favourite parts of the job is meeting all the farmers and sharing a bit of banter. I’ve built a good reputation within the British Wool community, where farmers love to chat about their wool and the future of British Wool. I give my all to both my straw business and my partnership with British Wool—I’m a dedicated supporter and proud ambassador!

In my free time, you can find me restoring vintage tractors and joining tractor runs across the Dales to raise money for various charities. And of course, I cherish every moment I get to spend with my grandchildren!”

Meet Welsh Shearer: Elgan Roberts

Sheep shearing is a skilled profession carried out by professionals who have been trained to shear carefully and sympathetically. British Wool is the approved provider for shearing and wool handling training in the UK, with a programme designed to support trainees of all abilities.

We caught up with 22-year-old Elgan Roberts a Welsh Shearer from the Llyn Peninsula about why he enjoys shearing and his achievements to date.

Q: What are the details of your farming and shearing business?

A: On my farm I keep cows and sheep, selling sucklers calves and fat lambs. My shearing business started in 2019 when I was 16 years old, and I took over my cousin’s shearing run. I currently cover the Gwynedd area with my shearing business.

Q: What has been your personal and professional achievements?

A: One of my biggest achievements in the shearing industry was winning the intermediate in the Royal Welsh, that was a dream come true. Another achievement I gained this summer was winning the intermediate class in Corwen and qualifying for the final in the senior’s class.

Q: How long have you been a farmer?

A: I was born on a farm and have been farming with my father since I was a young child.

Q: What motivated you to enter a shearing competition?

A: My motivation with the shows was to make new friends and to learn and develop my shearing.  There is so much to learn in shearing especially listening to the open shearers talking and giving out tips.

Q: What advice would you give to young up-and-coming shearers?

A: Don’t start too early, and don’t push yourself too young, attend as many courses as you can, watch videos of good shearers on YouTube, and always enjoy it – you must enjoy shearing to get a passion for the job.

At the start of the season, I went on a British Wool course with Gareth Evans in Denbigh – the course was fantastic, and I learned so many tips from Gareth and it improved my shearing in just two days, in my opinion, I wouldn’t have achieved this year’s accomplishments if I hadn’t of been on the course!

Q: Who has been your inspiration?

A: There are a lot of people who inspire me in the shearing industry. One of the biggest is Rodney Sutton, and I had the privilege of shearing for him over in New Zealand last winter!

Welsh Wool Industry Unveils New Logo and Yarn Project

In a celebration of Wales’ rich textile heritage and sustainable future, key industry figures gathered at the National Wool Museum on 16^th October for the unveiling of a new Welsh Wool logo and the launch of an exciting new yarn project showcasing the best in Welsh Wool.

The half-day event, coinciding with national Wool Month, showcased the best of Welsh wool, businesses and manufacturing, highlighting the industry’s commitment to traceability, sustainability, and community collaboration.

The event marked the official unveiling of the new Welsh Wool logo, designed to reflect the traceability and sustainability of 100% Welsh wool products. This logo will serve as a mark of authenticity for consumers and a badge of pride for Welsh wool producers.

Gareth Jones, Head of Member Engagement at British Wool, praised the new Welsh Wool logo:

“The launch of the Welsh Wool logo marks an exciting milestone for the industry. It not only showcases the capabilities of our traceability scheme to ensure regional wool stories, but highlights our committed to driving demand for our members wool through industry collaborations.”

The event also saw the launch of the Welsh Wool Yarn Project, a community-driven initiative that brings together local farmers, designers, and wool depots.

Elen Parry, Project Manager at Made with Wool, said:

“The Welsh Wool Yarn Project, which began from our work at Menter Môn, is testament to the power of community and collaboration. By bringing together farmers, local grading depots and manufacturers, we’re not only creating beautiful yarns but also preserving Welsh heritage and supporting rural economies. I’m thrilled to see the project launch and look forward to its future growth.”

The programme featured presentations from various Welsh businesses including TrueWool producing 100% Welsh Wool insulation and a call to action from the Welsh Yarn project for other local business to start using the new yarn in their product ranges. Attendees also had the opportunity to explore an exhibition showcasing products made by Welsh companies using local wools.

Live wool grading demonstrations by Newtown graders highlighted the diversity and quality of wool produced by local depots. Guided tours of the museum’s newly renovated weaving shed offered a behind-the-scenes look at historic machines and wool-processing techniques.

The event underscores Wales’ commitment to sustainable textile production and the revitalisation of its wool industry. By bringing together key stakeholders, from farmers to manufacturers, it aims to foster new collaborations and drive innovation in the sector.

Click here to read in Welsh

Gwion Evans – A Summer of Competing

Sheep farmer, shearer, and our Ambassador Gwion Evans farms with his father and brother on a traditional hill farm in Bylchau, North Wales. They run a beef and sheep system with a herd of continental crosses mainly British Blue Cross dairy cows and rear 50 calves on an automatic feeding system. The sheep are split between 1,000 crossbred ewes and 400 pure Welsh Mountain ewes.

Gwion is married with three children and as well as being busy on the farm, Gwion does some shearing contracting in his local area of North Wales.

Shearing runs in the family with his father a shearer, both Gwion and Gareth have enjoyed several successes in shearing over the years. For Gwion, this reached the highest accolade of all last year becoming the Individual Machine Shearing World Champion.

We catch up with Gwion after a busy summer of competing:

How long have you been shearing competitively?

I have been shearing competitively for 21 years and my first competition was at the age of 14 at the Royal Welsh Show. After this, I caught the bug and competed at many local shows and competitions reaching the open shearing level at the age of 19 years old.

I shorn my first ever sheep at home at 12 years of age. My dad taught me who was always keen on shearing, and I attended British Wool shearing courses. 

How do you prepare for the competitive shearing season and the shows you attend?

I try and shear as many sheep as I can before the show season. As we have sheep at home, and I have a shearing run I have plenty of opportunity to get some practice in. You must be fit to shear sheep, but farming and shearing is hard work so work keeps me fit!

How many shows have you completed in this year?

I have competed in 15 shows across the UK this year. I compete in the Welsh Shearing Circuit which is 10 nominated shows located across the UK and you must compete in at least 7 of the 10 shows. The competition and rivalry at these shows are very strong but we are all great friends and always enjoy a pint at the end of a busy show!

What is your favourite show?

The Royal Welsh and Corwen Shears, I can’t separate as both are up there with being the best shows in the world. Both have a fantastic atmosphere and all the main shearers on the circuit including from countries like New Zealand would compete at both. The Wales vs NZ tests are fascinating and passionate occasions, you even get to see the New Zealand Haka.

How has the season gone for you?

The season this year has been a bit up and down but improved as it went on. Next season will be an important season competitively as this will be the qualification season for the team to represent Wales at the 2026 World Shearing Championships.

What has been your highlight to date on the competitive stage?

Without a doubt, it was winning the Machine Shearing World Championship last year. A dream come true – I’ve worked hard to get where I am in Shearing but it’s the enjoyment I get that keeps me motivated and going every year. The atmosphere during the final was amazing and it was great that so many of my family, friends, and shearers had travelled up to Scotland to support me and the Welsh team.

Do you have any advice for the next generation of shearers?

My advice would be to work hard and travel as much as you can, you can learn so much by shearing in countries like New Zealand. Attending courses is always a good way to learn, I attended British Wool courses that were great – my brother Gareth is now an instructor on the British Wool courses.  

Amplifying the Wool Message

This week marks the start of Wool Month 2024. With more activity than ever before, it is hoped the events will help to amplify the wool message to consumers and drive new demand for British wool.

Wool Month has gained momentum over the years, resulting in a packed schedule. As such several Wool Month events got under way in September this year and the final event will spill into November.

Graham Clark, Marketing Director at British Wool, explains:

“Wool Month gains more popularity every year which is great to see, and this time is no different with more events planned than ever before.”

“As well as numerous events with our brand partners, we will also be very active on our social media platforms. It is crucial that we reach consumers with this activity to help create new demand for British wool products.”

The first event was Yarndale – An event aimed at knitters where we hosted a “wool trail” to promote the brands that use British wool in this important market. This was accompanied with a wool grading demonstration to highlight the versatility of British wool types.

Other events and activities planned include:

• Installation of Shaun the Sheep based promotional materials at the point of sale in carpet retailers. We are working in partnership with the Campaign for Wool and carpet manufacturers on this campaign to support consumer demand for wool carpets.
• A press campaign focussed on consumer habits and their attitudes to clothes. Patrick Grant from the BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee will head this up to highlight how British wool can be part of the solution to fast fashion’s challenges.
• An event at the Welsh Wool Museum, where we will be celebrating the best in Welsh wool and launching an exciting new marketing development.
• Events in London with some of our brand partners including Navy Grey, Aubin & Wills and Walker Slater.
• An exciting event working with prestigious fashion school Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, where we will be hosting a discussion panel to explore British wool and sustainability. The event, which will be attended by prestigious high fashion brands, also welcomes students, as new British wool modules are being launched to feature in their courses.

Graham concluded:

“The aim of this activity is to ensure we continue to promote the amazing qualities of British wool to consumers. For more information on our activity for Wool Month please follow our social media channels @Britishwool and visit the our website www.britishwool.org.uk.”