Few professions are tougher than shearing sheep (how many workers take towels to work just to mop up the sweat?) and world record attempts are rightly seen as the pinnacle of skill, endurance, determination, patience and perhaps most importantly, a pig-headed unwillingness to accept limitations.
Megan Whitehead will attempt to break the women’s lamb shearing world record on the 14th January.
In what has historically been a male dominated profession, Megan is one of a growing number of women who, through actions and results rather than words, are showing that they can not only foot it with the usually stronger men but often beat them at their own game.
Megan has shorn over 600 lambs in a single day twice, we believe she is the only women to have done so (so far) and as she lines up for her first solo record attempt next week, she will be needing to beat Emily Welch’s current record of 648.
Will she beat it? Who knows as there are just about an unlimited number of factors that could go wrong on the day and predictions ahead of time mean nothing.
Reputations are not built by what you’re “gunna” do but what you actually do and only the wannabe’s shear their tallies in the pub!
But what we do know is that on the 14th January, just out of Gore in Southland New Zealand, an ordinary young woman will attempt an extraordinary feat of stamina and endurance that will hopefully result in a new world record.
There is a lot of talk in New Zealand and around the world about women breaking glass ceilings that many believe have held back gender equality.
Perhaps New Zealand, and indeed the world, could cast a glance at the shearing industry where the women, with little fuss or fanfare, , and with Megan currently leading the charge, have not just broken the glass ceiling, they have smashed it to smithereens and rendered it irreparable!
If the media are looking for a story about what women can achieve in male dominated industries then they need look no further than Megan because, to paraphrase Tana Umaga, “what she’s doing isn’t tiddlywinks!”
All the best for your record attempt Megan. Good luck and I wish you well.
I’m sure you’ll do yourself proud.