WORLD’S CHAMPION SHEARER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1933, 30 January 1919, Page 4

WORLD’S CHAMPION SHEARER.

The Wanganui Chronicle’s Rua(iti correspondent had an opportunity of seeing Mr W. Vella, the world's champion shearer, in action on Thursday of last week, at a station in Rnatiti, owned by Messrs O’Neill Bros., of Wanganui. He says: Mr Vella is a. .member of Mr Skinner’s contract party of five, the other members being Messrs Hulena, Swan, and Dowling. The “drummer” of this party can shear his 270 sheep per day quite comfortably, while Mr Vella, the “rigger,” holds the world record of 347 for a nine-hour’s day, he itavng recently beaten his previous record of 339. This party arrived at Messrs O’Neill Bros.’ shed during the previous week, and in eight days had shorn well over 10,000 sheep. A large number of visitors eame, daily from near and far to see these champions at work, and it is indeed a revelation to see the marvellous speed with which a shoe)) can he divested of his heavy fleece without receiving so much as a scratch from the shearer. On one occasion when Mr Vella seemed to he going at top, (hough not knowing that I was timing him, he dropped the Heecc ofl the sheep in just 40 seconds from the time lie took up his machine till he laid i( down again. I do not know how many seconds he could knock off this time if lie were racing the clock.