Sacha Bond is hitting the gym every day of the week as she trains for her world record shearing attempt, determined to continue her intensive build-up in an effort to succeed.
The 29-year-old Tuhoe shearer and wool handler from Piopio is also continuing her shearing on top of the gym work, hoping to beat the current women’s world record of shearing 510 strongwool lambs in one eight-hour day.
The attempt will take place on February 4 at Fairlight station, 50 minutes south of Queenstown in Southland.
Training organisation Agricademy is sponsoring the world record attempt through WOMOlife, its wool industry offshoot/brand.
Agricademy MD Alister Shennan said they are backing Bond because the shearer understands the importance of training to achieve results.
“Encouraging the next generation of shearers to train so they have the right technique, movement, and knowledge to improve their skill at shearing and increase their productivity is really important to us, and Sacha has been working to perfect these for her world record attempt,” he said.
Bond said after having a break to have a baby, she took a WOMOlife upskilling training course to get back up to speed.
“It was probably the best shearing course I’ve ever done. Not only did they show you how to shear a sheep properly, they taught you a lot to do with nutrition and finances, and how to maintain your body,” she said.
Bond started off as a wool handler at 15 and by 18 was teaching herself how to shear.
It was tough to get opportunities to prove herself but she stuck with it and landed a stand.
Since then, she has spent more than a decade successfully working in the sheds throughout New Zealand and in Australia.
She will need to shear at least 64 sheep per hour during the eight-hour attempt, which starts at 7am and includes two 30-minute smokos plus an hour for lunch.
The record, set in 2019, is held by Canadian shearer Pauline Bolay.
Bond has a strong support team backing her for the attempt, including her partner Coel L’Huillier, who was also a world record holder.
The event will be live-streamed on the Sacha Bond Shearing World Record Attempt Facebook page.
Disclaimer: Dean Williamson, CEO of AgriHQ, is an Agricademy shareholder
