28 May 2001

Media Release
Southland And Otago Rural Media

WoolPro signs up top local shearers as instructors

WoolPro has added four new part-time shearing instructors to help out the full-time instructors in their areas, including two top shearers from Southland and Otago.

The new instructors are Darin Forde from Winton, Ken Payne from Balclutha, Sam Win from Ikamatua and Danny Tamehana from Wanganui.

The part-time instructors help run in-shed training courses within their regions. Both Forde and Payne will be helping full-time Southland instructor, Owaka-based Bruce Walker.

Payne works for contractor Bill Potae from Balclutha, and is an excellent shed shearer.

Darin Forde is one of the country’s top competition shearers, most recently taking out the Southfert and Southland Coopworth Breeders Club Open title at Riversdale.

Forde is also the current record holder for adult ewes (720 in one day), current DB national Champion and a member of the New Zealand team to shear against Canada and the USA at the Calgary Stampede in July and against Australia in October.

Forde says he has joined up with WoolPro because he wants to encourage more young shearers into the industry.

“I’ve had a good run with shearing and WoolPro’s helped me in the past. I want to put something back into shearing for the younger guys out there.

“The industry also needs a boost at the moment and I’d like to encourage more new people to take up shearing.”

Forde says that competitions take up quite a bit of his time, but he’ll be available to take part in courses whenever he is not competing.

Sam Win is one of the top competition and shed shearers in the northern South Island, winning the Open competition at Reefton in February. He also won numerous competitions last year, and was the New Zealand Shearing Sports Competitor of the Year.

Wanganui-based Danny Tamehana is another strong competition shearer, who is currently moving up the open ranks.

According to WoolPro shearing services manager, Gavin Rowland, the recent recruits take the number of provincial instructors to 16, augmenting the seven full-time shearing instructors around the country.

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For more information, contact

Gavin Rowland – WoolPro Shearing Services Manager
Tel 03-343 7935 or 025-323 450

Darin Forde
Tel 03-236 7760

Ken Payne
Tel 03-418 3011