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Champion shearer competes at Tarago Show
29 Jan 2007
Former world champion sheep shearer Ian Elkins competed at the Tarago Show on Saturday, finishing second in the final. Mr Elkins retired from professional shearing in 2002 and taught others his skills at Dubbo TAFE. "I guess you could say I don't mind sheep at all," Mr Elkins, 43, of Farrer, said. "I've never known anything else, though. My grandfather and my uncle were both shearers it's just what you did." Mr Elkins grew up in New South Wales and started shearing when he was 16. "There's quite a bit to learn ... most sheep are pretty different, like different wrinkles to contend with. I guess sheep are a bit like humans you never find two which are exactly the same." Mr Elkins is the designated shearer of the most expensive sheep in the world. The sheep at Tumbarumba Farm in NSW have been voted the finest quality wool in the world seven times, and Mr Elkins is the only person allowed to shear them. Mr Elkins has won seven national shearing titles, four national merino titles, seven Canberra Show titles and was crowned the world champion in 1994.
The Canberra Times, 28/01/2007
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