Stacey Te Huia sheared 530 merinos in nine hours at Parkdale SRS Merino Stud on Saturday.

That broke the previous world record of 513 sheep which was set in 2005 by another New Zealand-born shearer, Dwayne Back, near Kojonup in Western Australia.

Prior to the competition Mr Te Huia told Parkdale owner Don Mudford he was aiming to shear 600 sheep, but 530 was enough to set a new mark. He yesterday said he was feeling pretty satisfied with his effort. 

“It was really nice to achieve it,” he said.

Mr Te Huia said he had sheared more sheep at one time in New Zealand, but the merino sheep in Australia were harder to work with and took longer to shear.

He said he was determined to have a go at the world record because he wanted to use his skill as a shearer to its fullest. “I really want to show how versatile I am,” he said.

The world champion lives in Bathurst and shears on a lot of properties in the region, but particularly around Oberon and Black Springs. 

Mr Te Huia said four weeks prior to this world record bid he made a record attempt in New Zealand and failed.

“It’s really nice to be able to come back from that and be successful,” he said.

Parkdale also hosted another record attempt by West Australian Beau Guelfi and Trangie-based Bob White on Saturday.

But the pair started off slowly and was unfortunately unable to break the two-stand eight-hour fine-wooled merino record of 924, shorn in West Australia in 2003.

The record attempts were run by Shearing Industry Promotions with referees appointed by the World Sheep Shearing Records Society from Australia and New Zealand.

Saturday’s event also featured a charity auction raising money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.