The Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area’s Emily Pike has been giving the men a run for their money.
After only shearing for six months, the 21-year-old managed to smash out two personal records, shearing over 1000 sheep in just one week, beating the blokes by a long shot.
“I didn’t go in there attempting to break record, but when I got to the shed I could tell the sheep were going to be good to shear. I was attempting to get my first 200, and then I got 240 and my personal best before was only 160, so I really smashed that,” Ms Pike said.
“It’s hard to explain why I love it, but it’s always a challenge. There is no limit to how good you can be, its mentally stimulating as well as physically exhausting.”
This achievement is made even more impressive when considering she did all this while pregnant.
“I don’t have as much energy, and it is a lot harder, but I guess I must have just pushed through and outdone myself.”
While making waves in a heavily male dominated area, Ms Pike doesn’t consider herself a proponent of “women power” but encourages everyone to just do what the love.
“I don’t think I would encourage people because they are women, I’m not a huge go-girl power pusher, but for other people in general it’s simple: if you want to do it, just do it.”
Ms Pike has been working in the Ag industry since she left high school, and after a stint in wool classing, found herself pulled into shearing.
“I used to jump on and shear, and my passion for it grew,” Ms Pike said.
“Then I went to shearing school, it was always going to happen I suppose. I had been wanting to do it for a while, I love shearing.”
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“The saying is true for me: you don’t choose the job the job chooses you.”
She says it was in her blood from the moment she was born.
“I’m a bit of a black sheep so to speak, as my family hasn’t been in farming, and the last person to shear was my grandfather.”
She says she’ll keep shearing until she can’t anymore while pregnant, however also says she won’t shear her whole life either, but will remain in the industry, possibly training others.
