WELLINGTON , New Zealand – A New Zealand farm lobby group says sheep shearing has the potential to become an Olympic demonstration sport. But don’t count on that happening anytime soon.
The “time has come to elevate shearing’s sporting status to the ultimate world stage,” the New Zealand Federated Farmers said in a statement Monday, adding that the world’s top shearers were “athletes who take it to another level.”
While shearing is indeed a real sport, its chances of becoming an Olympic event, even a demonstration one, are probably next to nil.
New Zealand produces some of the world’s best shearers and its national championship, the Golden Shears, receives substantial local media coverage. Other shearing countries include Ireland and Australia.
New Zealand will host the world shearing championships in March, and Federated Farmers Meat and Fiber chairwoman Jeannette Maxwell said it was an appropriate time for the sport to press for wider international recognition.
“One way would be to make shearing a demonstration sport at a Commonwealth Games, if not, the Olympics itself,” she said.