MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands 2024/25 Shearing circuit took off at Goose Green

Wool Handlers await the fleeces. (Pics Tara Wilson)

The Falkland Islands 2024/25 Shearing circuit kicked off at Goose Green on Saturday October 19. The Open Shearing saw Adam Dickson take a well-deserved win, ahead of Jon Roberts in second place. Evan Jones finished third and Igan Kennedy was fourth. In the Wool Handling class Talia Jones beat Pilar Castro to the top spot. Leila Gilding came third with Holly Turner fourth.

Plenty of enthusiastic spectators attended the first competitive event of the circuit which will help inform the Falkland Islands team selection for 2026.

The next event will be held at Rincon Ridge on November 16, before the annual FIDF Hall competition on December 28. North Arm will host on January 11 before the final event on February 8 at Port Howard. Points from the top eight competitors will count towards the championship qualifiers.

Asked about the motivation for the new shearing circuit Paul Phillips told Penguin News it was set up in response to feedback from young shearers and wool-handlers who enjoyed travelling or working the shearing seasons overseas. He said it was expensive for the young people to travel back to the islands for three years in a row to compete in the Falklands just in an attempt to qualify at the Christmas shearing competitions. With the new circuit they could compete in at least four of the five competitions in one season to potentially qualify for the World Champs.

New Zealand will host the 20th Golden Shears World Shearing and Wool-handling Championships in Masterton 4-7 2026