Events In History
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9 March 1961First Golden Shears competition
First held at the Masterton War Memorial Stadium in 1961, the Golden Shears competition has become the iconic event for the shearing and wool-handling industry in New Zealand. Read more...
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6 January 1953Godfrey Bowen sets world sheep-shearing record
At Akers Station at Ōpiki, Manawatū, Godfrey Bowen set a new world record, shearing 456 full-wool ewes in nine hours. Read more...
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4 March 1855Legendary sheep rustler James Mackenzie caught
In March 1855, shepherds searching for 1000 missing sheep in the upper reaches of the Waitaki Valley apprehended suspected rustler James Mackenzie, one of New Zealand’s first and most enduring folk heroes. Read more...
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20 May 1773New Zealand's first sheep released
During his second voisit to New Zealand in 1773, James Cook released a ewe and a ram in Queen Charlotte Sound. They survived only a few days – an inauspicious start to this country’s long association with sheep. Read more...
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Main image: A tiny patriot
Ruth Swanson poses with the pet lamb she gave to the Patriotic Fund.