This Waitangi weekend, a team of four Otago shearers are aiming to shear over 9500 lambs in 24 hours to raise funds for Southland Charity Hospital. 

The event is a repeat of the 2020 ‘Shear 4 Blair’ shearathon, where over $50,000 was raised to support Tapanui, West Otago farm manager Shaun Bradley and his family as he battled cancer.

This year, funds will go to the Southland Charity Hospital. Southland Charity Hospital Trust was established in 2019, following Southland man Blair Vining’s highly publicised battle with terminal bowel cancer.

Event organiser Jared Manihera and shearers Eru Weeds, Cole Wells, Brayden Clifford and David Gower will shear 12 two hour runs, starting at 6am on Saturday, which, with breaks, means they are set to finish at 2pm on Sunday afternoon.

Farmers Nelson and Fiona Hancox are supplying one of their Wohelo Station, Moa Flat woolsheds for the weekend, plus the lambs for shearing.

The crutching crew prepping for the event. Photo: Supplied/Standish Photography

Manihera says the event is a huge logistical exercise, though the support of the community has been immense.

“Two years ago, we organised the event in just a few weeks. This time around we have had a longer period to prepare, and some 50 or more businesses, organisations and individuals have come forward to help a strong community cause.”

“Big thanks to Nelson and Fiona for supplying the sheep and opening up Wohelo Station for us, plus the many others whose support will help us raise funds to make a difference”.

Due to the ‘Red’ traffic light setting the event is closed to the public, but can be live-streamed online at https://livestream.com/accounts72885/shear4blair

Once completed, Southland Charity Hospital will provide free services to those in the Southern District Health Board area who are unable to access public or private health care. 

The charity hospital model means the Trust is not funded by the Government and relies on fundraising from the community. 

Proceeds from this event will be used to purchase medical equipment and assets ahead of the hospital’s opening later this year.

For more information about the Southland, Charity Hospital see https://www.southlandcharityhospital.org/