Marie Prebble (34) has set the first-ever women’s eight-hour strongwool ewe world record with a tally of 370 (just over 46 sheep/hour).
Her record attempt took place on Thursday, August 25th, 2022, at Trefranck Farm in Cornwall in the UK, with results from her runs as follows:
- 1 (7am-9am): 94;
- 2: (9:30am-11:30am): 93;
- 3: (12:30pm – 2:30pm):
- 4: (3:00pm-5:00pm): 90.
Following her world record attempt, Prebble said:
“I am very aware that not just anyone gets to stand up and attempt a world record, especially somewhere as prestigious as Trefranck.”
“I have so much respect for all the shearers, who have spent their whole careers working hard to break records.”
“Yet, here, I am, as someone has to be the first, and I am honoured to have the opportunity.”
She said organising this sort of event takes a huge team effort and personal commitment in terms of training, increasing the volume of shearing and focusing on the record attempt itself.
She continued: “Fortunately for me, the team around me has enabled me to dream bigger than I thought was possible. Most of them have had many jobs to do, unlike me, who just had one job.”
“I am proud to work in an industry where women are paid the same rate as men, where men and women are treated equally for the hard work they do, in competitions to shear according to my grade and not just my gender.”
“I love this industry where world record holders help other ambitious shearers reach their goals. I have so much respect and gratitude for the women shearers who pave the way forward,” she added before she thanked all supporters and sponsors.
Sheep shearing and farming roots
Prebble is a full-time sheep farmer from Kent producing grass-finished fresh local lamb, hogget, and mutton in Kent.
She has been shearing for ten years, beginning her career after completing a shearing course in New Zealand and several British Wool training courses back in the UK.
She said the shearing community is the “hardest working, globally-connected, toughest, biggest-hearted” group of people she knows.
“I take inspiration from all shearing women in New Zealand and Australia before it was as accepted to have women shearing in the sheds as well as world record setters such as Kerri-Jo Te Huia, Emily Welch and Megan Whitehead,” Marie Prebble concluded.
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