Woman shearer weathers Welsh challenge

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 7, 17 July 1984, Page 11

Woman shearer weathers Welsh challenge

Remember Wendy Sedcole? The tousle haired blonde with a ready smile made many friends during the four years she worked in the Ohakune district. Wendy was something of a 'handyman' locally — she spent two years working for the Whale family in Ruapehu Road, worked on Mike Fraser's farm, and did a bit of odd-jobbing around the town. On an exchange scheme in Canada Wendy learnt to weld, and spent time driving the huge grain trucks. Back in Ohakune she learnt to shear and could do any work a man could and thought nothing of it, a local farmer told the Bulletin. Wendy is currently on holiday in Wales, where she's teaching the locals a thing or two ... she recently became the first woman to win a major prize in the district's sheep shearing competition. Wendy beat eight men to take first prize in a section of the Ystradowen, Pendoylan and District competition held at Cowbridge. Women shearers are few

and far between in the valleys, so the Welsh were a little overcome by Wendy's skill. But the 22-year-old New Zealander took it all in her stride ... back home it's not so unusual, she told the locals. Wendy was born and raised on a 2,000 acre farm out of Palmerston North and has worked in farming since leaving school. She sheared her first stragglers just a few years ago, liked

the job and has been doing it ever since. Wendy intends to tour Britain, staying with farming friends, before returning to New Zealand in October — just in time for the shearing season. She expects to have only a few more years in shearing before an early retirement. "I don't think I can do it for very much longer ... it's back-breaking," she said.