Boyle backs up win at Expo

Williams Gateway Expo shearing competition held on Saturday produced some quality performances which resulted in an exciting open championship won by Broomehill shearer Damien Boyle, who repeated his victory from 2019.

Expo shearing announcer Don Boyle said the overall quality at the competition was excellent.

“It was very good to see a number of young shearers here, but senior and open entries were well down, ” he said.

“With the halt to shearing last year, because of COVID-19, many competitors had not competed in the last 12 months.”

Three of the four open shearers made a return to competition at Williams with some preconceived ideas on how they would perform after a long break.

As the returning open champion, Boyle said he questioned how fit he was both mentally and physically, while Quindanning shearer Mark Boscomb said it would be like learning to ride a bicycle again.

The two shearers competed side by side in the open final, with Boscomb shearing 10 sheep in the fastest time of 17 minutes and 56 seconds.

The other three open shearers including Luke Blechynden, Todd Wegner and Boyle finished with times of 18 minutes and seven seconds, 18 minutes and 34 seconds and 18 minutes and 54 seconds respectively.

While Boyle was near one minute slower than Boscomb, his penalty points of 10 was the lowest of all four shearers, which decided his clear victory.

“In my last competition at the Australian Nationals in Dubbo in 2019, I finished 12 sheep in a time of 13 minutes and 8 seconds for third place,” Boyle said.

WA Competition Shearing Association president Greg Drew said it was important to increase the number of younger people participating at shearing competitions.

“Young shearers would gain a lot from watching the more experienced open shearers,” he said.

“They can then utilize what has been seen when they go to work in sheds.”

Mr Drew said COVID-19 disruptions had interrupted WA’s shearing competition schedule with many competitions cancelled last year.

“The next competition will be the Pingelly Shears on April 24, before a break until three events in September with the balance of the season right through until November,” he said.