Regions go head-to-head for shearing title

Normally the venue for the shearing state championships, the Royal had to re-evalute after a short show circuit due to the pandemic meant there was not enough competitions to qualify for a state final ahead of the show.

Instead of missing out altogether, the idea of a teams championship was born according to SA Sport Shear's Steph Brooker-Jones.

Shearers and woolhandlers from the West Coast, South East, Mid North, Mallee and Yorke Peninsula will go head-to-head in the competition, with a champion crowned at the end of the day.

"Usually we have 10 to 12 competitions around the state, and the shearer must compete in four of those 10 to qualify to come to Adelaide Show.

"The only show we really had was Crystal Brook as the start of our circuit.

"And the only competitions they'd been in in two years were Karoonda and Mount Pleasant.

"So we needed to have them shearing fit ahead of the state final and the best move was to hold the state final in Jamestown over the long weekend."

The competition tomorrow will see 200 sheep through the shed, with four shearers on the board at each time shearing five sheep, with 20 to 30 sheep shorn each run.

"It's going to give people an insight into what a real shearing shed operates like," Ms Brooker-Jones said.

"There'll be shearers and woolhandlers all working in teams to get the job done.

"I think it's going to be really exciting to watch for people who may not have experience in a shed but it'll also be interesting for those in the industry as well."

Competing with team West Coast, seasoned shearer Craig Brands will look to fine tune his skills at the event ahead of the state final next month.

With 15 years in the industry and many competitions under his belt, Mr Brands is chomping at the bit to get back on the stage.

"Things are finally back into the swing of it after a fair bit of time off," he said.

"It's really exciting to be doing something different at the Royal this year as well.

"It's tough when we can't have a state final there, but to have the teams championship will be something different and exciting for everyone involved."

With his own shearing business, Mr Brands said most of his training for competitions takes place on the job.

"We don't do anything too special in the lead up because we do it every day," he said.

"You do get a little bit more excited when you know a competition's coming up though and we've gotta make sure our cutters and combs are all ready to go.

"The Royal competition will be great to work in a team instead of every man for himself like they usually are.

"It'll be great to work with some of the people I do every day in a different way."

The competition will kick off tomorrow morning at the Royal Adelaide Show.