It’s official: Team SA sheep shearers are a cut above the rest

South African blade shearers Bonile Rabela and Zwelamakhosi Mbuweni scooped victory at the finals at the Golden Shears World Shearing and Woolhandling championship in Scotland on Sunday.

Rabela and Mbuweni who were pitted against four other finalists took gold and silver in the championship in Edinburgh.

In a post, the South African Sheep Shearing Federation said: “Bonile took gold, and Zwelamakhosi silver in the Blade Shearing Individual Division, making South Africa the undisputed World Blade Shearing champions once again.”

Team SA field a team of six people in three teams consisting of Rabela and Mbuweni with a blade, machine shearers Dumisani Xhasa and Hans van Schalkwyk and wool handlers Almarie Muller van Schalkwyk and Marie Mullee.

The competition, held every three years and drew entrants from 31 countries, showcases the art, skill and techniques it takes to be a world champion.

This year’s event was marked with disruption when Scottish supporters of Animal Rising gained access to the stage at the Royal Highland show on Saturday.

Three individuals glued themselves to the gates behind which sheep were kept, while others held posters detailing facts about the farming industry.

The organisation said during the competition, sheep are used for entertainment and sheered in under 60 seconds, causing stress and often injury. 

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