World Shearing Record

Koen Black set a new solo shearing world record when he sheared 604 Merino lambs in eight hours.

He set the world record at ‘Tandara Traders’ in Kulikup, Western Australia on the 26th October, 2022, the lambs having an average rating of 16.86. This an impressive number, the top rating is 18, this rating is a scale of how much wool remains on the sheep after shearing.

Koen and his wife Mina and their three children live on a five-acre property in Boyup Brook along with Koen’s father Peter, a retired shearer.

So, what preparations went into setting this record? Koen talks us through what it takes to achieve a shearing world record, “Although I’m working in an industry which requires a high level of fitness, before the attempt I took on a six-month training regime in which each day after work, I trained for around forty minutes in the evening.

“The training was mostly cardio training: I spent time on a rowing machine, I did push-ups and sit-ups and I spent the rest of my remaining energy punching the punching bag. The training having the desired effect of making me really fit and ready to break the record.

“Being fit and ready is only one part of the preparation, the encouragement and support I got from my family was the main driving force I needed to create the record.

“Dwayne Black is my older brother, a shearer who now trains future shearers, my father Peter who has sheared his entire life and my wife Mina who lives a shearing life with me give me all the encouragement I need in making me the best shearer I can be.

“It was a totally awesome feeling I got from achieving this record. This record was held by my brother Dwayne which he held for the last twenty years.

“Later this year I will be attempting to break the nine-hour Merino Lamb shearing record, this record is currently held by my brother, Dwayne. Yes, he is egging me on to try and take his title. ‘Well you are going to have to lift your game to be good enough to break my record,’ is a regular taunt.”

Koen is 27 years old and has been a shearer now for around ten years. He has his best years to come, which for a shearer is around 32–36 years of age, so we can expect a few more records.

During the world record attempt Koen had four judges and two trainee judges scoring his world record attempt.

Koen makes a very good living from shearing sheep and he went on to add some sage advice, “Shearing is one of those very few jobs left in the world where you control how much you are paid for a day’s work, the more sheep you shear the higher your wages.”