Sacha Bond, a proud Ngāi Tūhoe woman, has set a remarkable new world record in the realm of lamb shearing, showcasing her exceptional skill and dedication. The event took place at Centre Hill Station near Mossburn, where Bond tirelessly sheared an astonishing 720 strong wool lambs in a nine-hour feat, surpassing the previous record of 661 set by Megan Whitehead in January 2021.
Commencing her shearing marathon at 5 am, Bond efficiently shore through more than 700 kilograms of wool, achieving a groundbreaking milestone. Despite taking three breaks throughout the day, Bond reached the 700-mark with 45 minutes to spare, solidifying her place in the annals of strong wool lamb shearing history.
Bond, 30, exhibited a disciplined approach to her training regimen, intensively preparing for the event with workouts sent by a personal trainer from the UK. Her dedication was evident as she committed to daily gym sessions, totaling approximately an hour each day. In a modest reflection on her achievement during a break, Bond expressed contentment with the outcome.
Maintaining a low-key demeanor, Bond emphasized her focus on efficiency, aiming to shear the wool off the lambs as swiftly as possible. The culmination of her efforts resulted in over 700 kilograms of wool, subsequently pressed into bales and sold by Centre Hill Station.
Amidst the cheers of the crowd as she surpassed the 700-mark, Bond continued her determined pace, shearing lambs, removing the wool, and gracefully guiding them off the stage. She had previously set the eight-hour record in February by shearing 601 lambs, only to be eclipsed by Megan Whitehead, the former rural sportswoman of the year.
Looking ahead, Bond eyes another challenge—tackling the ewes record of 452 lambs in an endeavor to become the first female to hold the solo record for nine hours on both lambs and ewes. However, she remains grounded, taking a couple of days off to reflect on her achievements.
As the summer unfolds, the shearing community anticipates more record-setting attempts, with Masterton shearer Paerata Abraham and Chris Dickson gearing up to challenge the solo men’s eight-hour lambs record of 754 and attempt to break the two-stand record of 1410 in Gladstone, Wairarapa.
