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Respected Shearing Guns Passed On |
| Des Allan, past Australian Shearing Champion, passed away the first week in April. Des was in the first Australian Shearing Team to New Zealand's Golden Shears in 1961, with Kevin Sarre and Fred Jarvis. He will be sadly missed |
| King Country shearing contractor and publican Steve (Traggy) Trangmar passed away in his ute as a result of an accident early on Sunday morning 16/03/08. Widely known and well-travelled in NZ, Traggy was a true character who will be missed by many and will surely live on as a shearing world legend. Relatively new to the ownership side of a pub bar, Traggy organised the inaugural and very successful Te Anga Tavern Speed Shear on Saturday night; his commitment to and interest in the shearing community was huge. Sincere sympathy to his family – children Te Rangi, Hayley and Sam and special friend Ging. Funeral Waitomo Marae 10 am 22/03/08 Easter Saturday |
| Piet Tenteng one of South Africa's leading shearers and NWGA Instructors passed away on 24/2/08 after a long illness. Piet represented South Africa at the World Championships in Ireland and was a gifted shearer. Piet will be sadly missed by instructors, wool farmers, and the shearing industry in South Africa and worldwide. To Piet's family and friends we are thinking of you in your time of sadness |
| Ivan Bowen, Legend in the shearing industry and Open Winner of the Inaugural Golden Shears in 1961, passed away, 91 years old, at his home in Rotorua 29/12/2007 - Sympathy to family and friends |
| Joe Paewai, well renown shearer, passed away 5/12/2007 Joe was a great fine wool shearer, won the NZ Merino Championships open event this year, was a NZ Shearing Team member. He will be sadly missed by many. Sympathy to Dianne and family |
| Tokoroa-based shearer Wai Whitiwhiti has died in a tragic accident, fishing off Northland rocks. Wai and his wife and great companion Denise have been a widely respected, hardworking couple, part of the shearing industry for many years. A devoted father, keen pig hunter and fisherman, successful show shearer and key support crew member for record breakers Justin Bell and Rod Sutton, Wai will be missed by many |
| Bill Morrison of Alfredton, ex Shearer, Contractor, and administrator for the NZ Shearing Contractors Association passed away suddenly early October at home. Bill was very well respected throughout the shearing industry for his input. Sympathy to Gloria and family |
| Paul (Pou) Edwards collapsed while shearing in Central Otago Aug 23 and died later that morning in Dunstan Hospital. Aged 39 and a loving father to three boys, Paul is a member of the respected Edwards shearing family from Mataura, Southland, NZ Sympathy to family and friends |
| Lex Jury, Shearing Judge, World Shearing Records Secretary and Records Referee for over 15 years at records in New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa, passed away July 16th aged 65 - Sympathy to all family and friends |
| BEN TEHEIMAUROA SMITH - A total legend. Ben passed away after a long battle with his health, fighting to the end. Ben was part of a eight stand shearing record at Huiruia Station on the east coast of NZ back in the 60's shearing 402 in 9 hours thin gear and all. Shearing the north and south island circuit for many a years and even did a stint of farm managing on Matakana island. Raising four shearers and a woolclasser, Arthur, Tane, Darren, Mike, and Fleur. Sadly missed, gone to see his mates Rakai Tamihana and Lee Martell. Rest in peace Ben. Love and miss you Papa, from William and Michael. xxx |
| Alan (Curly) Matthews passed away 13th February 2007 after a long illness. Alan was Porky Matthews brother (deceased 2006) and was well known for his trucking and helping with the Shearing Industry in the Esperance area of West Australia. He also had a passion for politics and helped enormously with Liberal party campaigns. Sympathy to family and friends |
| Graeme Tyers passed away 22nd February 2007 at Armadale hospital, Perth, Western Australia after a long illness. Graeme was the principal shearing instructor for the Australian Wool Corporation for many years and was well renown for his gentlemanly manner and quality instruction. He taught hundreds of people to shear at many venues throughout WA, Eastern states and also spent time in Uruguay and New Zealand. Sympathy to family and friends |
| George Potae - Milton, New Zealand |
| John (Porky) Matthews Passed away 8th March after a long illness. Porky was a well known shearing contractor in the Esperance area of West Australia. He had a passion for the shearing industry, was very comical and had agreat sense of humour. His stories were a joy to listen to. He was well respected throughout the industry in Australia and overseas. He was a fanatical supporter and member of the Carlton Football Club. Sympathy to all family and friends |
| Herb Hutchins passed away 15th January after a long battle with cancer. His funeral is on Wednesday 18th January at 2.00 pm, at the Uniting Church in Hamilton Victoria. Herb continued his passion for training and shearing competitions right up to the latter stages of 2005 and will be sadly missed by all who had been fortunate to come into contact with him over the years. Herb has done so much to develop novice shearers in his lifetime, firstly with the AWC training program and then in the latter years as head shearer trainer with Longerenong College. Over the past two years Herb delivered AWI funded regional coaching in the Hamilton region of Victoria. He will be sadly missed by all. Ross Pollock |
| Paul Rose a great bloke, top blade and machine shearer, competition judge, and World record referee. 2 time NZ Golden Blades winner, Originally from Motueka and spent the last 20 plus years farming near Fairlie, Geraldine area. Passed away in October 2005 way too soon, 56 years and 11 months. |
| John Ferguson a great shearer from down South who set records and in his later years supported many show judging, was in South Africa with the New Zealand Team in 2000 passed on in early June 2005 and will be sadly missed by the shearing industry |
| In Memory of Nuku Smiler, Sadly passed on the 18/5/5 in NZ, Another Great Shearer back in the Day. I Dedicate this Clipping to my Dear Brother. Will Always Love & Remember You! - Fleur Smith |
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| Jamie Fleming died tragically near Gisborne in a motor vehicle accident in the early hours of Sunday morning 26 may 2005. he will be sadly missed, and it will leave a big hole in the Te Karaka, Gisborne, East Coast community. Sincere sympathy and condolences to Jamie's family and friends, will miss you Jimmy, your mate Willie Wilson |
| Fred Wybrow passed away 26th October 2004 after a long illness, Fred was a shearing contractor in Otago New Zealand and also Badgingarra Western Australia - Creator of Shear Express chain shearing machine - Sympathy to Rhonda and family |
| Alan Cullen a shearer of note from Euroa, Victoria, passed away suddenly on 29th May. Alan had been receiving treatment for some time but his death came as a great shock. Twice an Australian Shearing Team member and well respected for his excellent work ethic and attitude. Sympathy to his family and relatives |
| on 5/22/04 5:37 AM, Des Williams at shearingmag@xtra.co.nz
wrote: FORMER GOLDEN SHEARS CHAMPION DIES One of New Zealand’s legendary shearers from the 1960s, Robert Benjamin "Bing" Macdonald of Waihau Bay, has died at Whakatane [Friday 21 May] after a period of ill health, aged 76. Mr Macdonald grew up in the Waikato and worked on farms around Kawhia before becoming a full time shearer at the age of 20. He quickly established himself as a true "gun" in shearing sheds throughout the North Island, as well as a stylist on the competition stage, winning consecutive New Zealand championships in 1959 and 1960. With more than 40 open titles already to his credit, Bing Macdonald was firm favourite to win the inaugural Golden Shears at Masterton in 1961 but an accident two weeks before the event left him with a dislocated shoulder. It is part of New Zealand shearing folklore how, with heavily strapped shoulder, he went on to make the six-stand final and finish a close third behind Ivan and Godfrey Bowen of Te Puke. Macdonald returned to Masterton a year later [1962] and rightfully claimed the Golden Shears crown, a feat he repeated in 1966. Macdonald’s second victory earned him a trip to Britain where he demonstrated the New Zealand method of shearing to British audiences, including a royal performance for Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. He remains one of only six shearers to win at Golden Shears more than once. Bing Macdonald was one of the first North Islanders to undertake contract shearing as a large scale business, operating gangs as far afield as the western bays of Lake Taupo and Taihape from his Hamilton base in the 1960s and ‘70s. He lived the last 15 years of his life at Waihau Bay, east of Whakatane, where he enjoyed recreational fishing. |
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Kevin Frank Sarre - Victoria, Australia - 1933 -1995 - Sculpture Tribute - 5 times Australian Champion, 1963 Golden Shears Winner, World Shearing Record 1965 - 346 merinos. from Lockington, Victoria, Australia |
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Kevin's proud Children Deanne, Ricky, and Garry |
| Famous people are usually ordinary people from ordinary places.
Kevin Sarre began that way but he became the world’s ‘top-gun’ shearer
on narrow shearing combs as his career unfolded. Although he is now deceased the public can now come to the Lockington & District Living Heritage Complex,
and from the street,
view Kevin Sarre’s sculpture in a glass showcase. Kevin Sarre won’t stop shearing thanks to South Australian Sculptor, Ivo Tadic of Mount Gambier, an esteemed stone sculptor, the 2 x 2.5 tonne blocks of limestone, cut from the quarry over 100 years ago, were freighted to Lockington and the rest is history. Ivo chopped, drilled, cut, filed etc. a life sized sculpture of Kevin Sarre shearing a sheep. On Sunday, November 30, 2003 in Lockington, Kevin’s childhood town, in a prominent position in front of the Living Heritage Complex, Campaspe Shire Mayor, Murray McDonald, unveiled the sculpture for all the world to see. Kevin’s proud children, Garry, Deanne ( from Western Australia ) and Ricky, and four grandchildren were at the event, and would have battled to remain dry eyed when the magnificent sculpture was revealed, then also when Hec Griffiths sang a song that he and Lesley Tracey co-wrote as a tribute to Kevin, called 327 Down the Chute. So good was the song Hec was asked to do a repeat performance during the afternoon tea session. Lockington is so honoured to have reared Kevin Sarre who achieved National Champion 5 times, a Golden Shears Winner in 1963, and World Shearing Record in 1965 of 346 merinos, and we’re proud to be able to look at his monument. The Heritage Complex is proud to have preserved the achievements of this local man who went on to develop the Tally-Hi method of Shearing, becoming a shearing instructor and teacher whose wool industry contribution is almost unparalleled. Over 300 people witnessed the unveiling.The bronze plaque simply reads; Kevin Frank Sarre 1933-1995 5 times National Champion A Golden Shears Winner 1963 World Shearing Record 1965 - 346 merinos. |
| Mr. J. Wesley Wilton MBE, United Kingdom Secretary/Treasurer of Golden Shears World Council 1996-2003 has passed away on Saturday 15th November 2003. Current Secretary/Treasurer of World Council, Arthur G. Rundle said “We have lost a true and wonderful friend who will be missed by many. Sheep shearing throughout England, the British Isles and the World will be the poorer for his passing. We must be positive and continue to strive and maintain the standards and beliefs Wesley held so dear. We are the richer for having known him.” - Sincere sympathy to his wife Ruth and his many friends. |
| Roger Poytnz-Roberts - South Island, New Zealand - Shearer, Shearing judge and competition compare |
| Horace Horrell - Southland, New Zealand - A former world ewe record holder |
| Mac Potae - Kennedy Bay, New Zealand An awesome shed shearer |
| Joe Duff - West Australia Originally from Turangi, New Zealand, and for 20 years shearing contractor in Newdegate Western Australia passed away 2002 sympathy to Margaret and family |