The Shearers is an account of the men and women, past and present, who have committed their life to shearing and farming in New Zealand.
Author Ruth Entwistle Low travelled throughout the country interviewing those involved in the industry- shearing contractors, competitive shearers and shed shearers, along with sheep farmers and runholders, all of whom offer context for the shearers' stories. Incorporating both historical and contemporary research, Ruth weaves the oral accounts into an absorbing, human account, all richly illustrated with full-colour photography.
Ranging the changing status of shearers; the making of a team- woolhandlers, pressers and woolclassers, and world champions; and technological advances, the voices of the shed shearers make up the heart of the book - their accounts of what it is to be a shearer; their training; their tools; the camaraderie, and the gruelling, itinerant nature of the job.
The Shearers invites readers to the shearer's world - 'the only job where you take a sweat towel to work'.
People included: Peter Casserly, Kelly Hokianga, Sarah Higgins, Jack Luttrell, Murray Grice, Peter and Elsie Lyon, Catherine Mullooly, Eddie Parkinson, Barry Pullin, Ian and Beth Kirkpatrick, Alistair and Kim Cuming, Hape Shearing Contractors: Richard Winiata, Brian Kerr, Ann Robinson Mackintosh, Shearing Malcolm Sadler, Reg Benjamin Bart and Nuku Hadfield, Tony Dobbs, Brian 'Snow' Quinn
