Top shearer Nathan Stratford demonstrates his skills to the next generation

Friday, 2 November 2018

Nathan Stratford prepares to shear a hogget in a demonstration at St Patrick's School in Invercargill on Friday.

World class shearer Nathan Stratford displayed his skills to pupils and teachers at St Patrick's School, giving some students the chance to touch a sheep for the first time.

Stratford and friend Graeme Affleck, of Invercargill, brought four hoggets to the school on Friday for the demonstration, along with a lamb for pupils to pat as part of a parent career day. Stratford spoke about shearing, products made from wool and answered questions.

'A lot of them [pupils] won't have touched a sheep before and this demonstration and talk gives them an insight into the wool industry,' Stratford said.

His daughter, Lexie Stratford, 7, is a pupil at the school and helped to gather up the wool.

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Oscar Finnerty, 6, takes a close look at a hogget shorn by Nathan Stratford in a shearing demonstration at St Patrick's School.

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Teacher Allison Hape organised the demonstration as part of a school programme, which invites parents to share their career knowledge with pupils.

'It creates experiences for the children and engages families and whanau into our programme,' Hape said.

Stratford, who has won titles at the Ashburton and Waimate shearing competitions recently, will compete in a contest at Pleasant Point an Saturday. He and other shearers will be in action at the New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch on November 14-16.