MORE than 80 shearers from both sides of the Tasman will hit Pallamallawa on Saturday and speed shear their way through 160 sheep supplied by Garah graziers, Graham and Stafford Burey.

The inaugural Pally Speed Shear on the grounds of the Pally Pub is expected to draw spectators from across the region to watch gun shearers compete for $36,000 prize money.

The street-corner tip is 35-year-old New Zealander Jimmy Samuels, who beat Whanake Whare and Mitch Storrier in the open-final speed shear at Ardlethan last weekend.

Samuels also won open speed shears at Crookwell and Delungra earlier this month.

Samuels, who started in the sheds at age 16, hails from Marton, a small town in New Zealand’s North Island.

Samuels has won more than 50 speed shear contests in recent years, including the Te Puna Speed Shear Open in 2017 and 2018 and the Te Kuiti Speed Shear earlier this year.

Samuels, along with Shane Ratima and Akuhata Waihape, will in December at Ferndale Station in New Zealand attempt the national three-stand strong wool lamb record set five years ago by Cole L’Huillier, Kaleb Foote and Daniel Langlands.

Samuels is also a nationally-ranked darts player in New Zealand, clearly making him the one to watch inside the Pally Pub on Saturday as well as outside.

Jimmy Samuels, Whanake Whare, Mitch Storrier at Ardlethan (Image courtesy of New South Wales Speed Shear Sport Circuit Facebook page)

Pally Speed Shear organiser Heather Bearman said Samuels was one of the best in the business.

“Jimmy is a big name and one to watch, and has won the last four speed shears he’s contested,” Heather said.

Shearers at Pally will compete in three categories – intermediate, seniors and open.

“All up, we have more than 80 shearers nominated for Saturday,” Heather said.

The Pally Speed Shear, on a day dedicated to fundraising for the National Breast Cancer Foundation, will get underway at 12.30pm, with live entertainment from Sam Snape kicking in at 6.30pm.

“Raffle tickets are now available at the Pally Pub as well as on the day at the merchandise table, with all money raised going to the National Breast Cancer Foundation,” Heather said.

There are seats available on return buses from Moree, with booking details below.

Rosedale farmers Graham and Stafford Burey will truck 160 head of sheep to Pallamallawa early Saturday.

“This sort of event brings the community together, and the Pally Pub, with its beautiful beer garden, is the perfect spot for something like this,” Stafford Burey said.

“Moree has a lot of cotton, wheat and farming but once upon a time it was all sheep and cattle country.

“The Pally Speed Shear is great opportunity for young shearers to show their talent and dedication towards the sheep industry.

“It’s my job to keep the sheep dry and hopefully be able to truck them out, with some wet weather forecast,” he smiled.

Pallamallawa Speed Shear

When: Saturday, September 28, 2024

Where: The Pally Pub

Time: From 12.30pm

Bus Tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1270511

Words: Bill Poulos

Image courtesy of Smiley Kez Photography