Thursday March 5 2009

German Woman Shears In World's Premier Shearing Competition

FROM historic Vienna to Masterton's Memorial Stadium, Germany's Stephanie Kauschur feels at home.
Kauschur first came to New Zealand to work as a shepherd after studying agriculture at university in Vienna.
 "I came to work on a sheep station in the South Island. After half a year I thought I'd give shearing a go and then I got stuck there, I really like it," she said.
Despite today's Golden Shears being her first ever-shearing competition, Kauschur said she was calm.
"I'm not the kind of person who gets nervous."
And it showed on the stand with the commentators praising her speed during the novice heat she competed in.
"Maybe we should have a straight women's heat to keep the pressure off the males!" they said.
Kauschur said she shears between New Zealand and Australia with most of her time now spent in the Land of Oz shearing big Merinos.
She said the Golden Shears was a great social event for the shearing community and for novices to pick up tips from the gun shearers.
"I thinks it's really good because most of New Zealand's shearing community is meeting here. They work all over the country so this is a time to catch up with people and see the guns. It's really good for learning too."
"I see shearing more as a sport but a sport that you get paid to practise."
Kauschur was born in East Germany in Halberstadt, two hours from Berlin, and said she was heading back home next week to try and find work in Europe as a shearer.
"So this is my farewell event but I'll be back in September for the next season."

For all other results and archived video action see www.goldenshears.co.nz.

For further information and free higher resolution images contact the Golden Shears Media Group at  
goldenshears@pete.co.nz or phone 021 488 137 or 027 5788 137. International   
callers phone 006421 488 137 or 006427 5788 137


ENDS

CAPTION:

Germany's Stephanie Kauschur in action at Masterton's Golden Shears today.