Manorhamilton Man Takes National Title in Norway.

Congratulations Pearse Bredin:

With the success Ireland enjoyed over the last few months first at the Olympics and then at the Para Olympics we can all say it has been a great year for the Irish in international competition. But it didn’t stop there.

Pearse Bredin from Manorhamilton is currently working in Norway on a three month shearing contract with a Welsh company, and is enjoying his stay and the change of scenery. But last Saturday Pearse and a group of friends decided to go to the Norwegian sheep shearing competition, the equivalent of our All Ireland shearing.

Pearse and one other Irish man entered and gave it their best shot, on speaking to Pearse he said “I was thrilled when I got through the first heat, I was over the moon when I made it to the semi final, and then to the final.

Next up was the final it was now narrowed down to a shear off between five contestants and the each had five sheep to shear. A lot of people think it’s down to speed and fastest man finished is the outright winner, but in competition shearing that’s not the case. Of course time is important but each blow of the shears is counted, the method of catching the sheep and turning them up is of great importance, and when a sheep is done and put down the port hole the sheep is meticulously inspected by a number of judges for cuts and to see how far the shears is kept off the skin and only then is she marked by each judge. At the end of the competition each judge compiles their marks and based on the collective marks a winner is selected for first, second and third.

Much to his excitement and shock Pearse was selected the outright winner and is now the Norwegian Junior Champion.

Pearse competed in Ireland before and he believes that was a help to him competing in Norway. He is living in town called of all names Hell, and as he says himself when he returns home he can say “I have been to Hell and back, but it was great to come out of it a winner”.

Pearse completed a sheep shearing course run by Rural Enterprise Skillnet, under the guidance of Network Manager, Gerry Gallagher. Tutor George Graham was quick to recognize Pearse’s aptitude for shearing and gave him every encouragement.