Tristan : Annual Sheep Shearing: The 2005 Clip
Submitted by Tristan Times (Sarah Glass) 09.01.2006 (Article Archived on 23.01.2006)

It takes a day on Tristan to do what it takes Falkland Islanders four months to do - shear their sheep.

Photos (C) Sarah Glass (Tristan Times) The large sheep pens where the flocks are kept after the gather.

ANNUAL SHEEP SHEARING:  THE 2005 CLIP

The large pens whete then people keep their sheep after the gather

By Sarah Glass (Tristan Times)

Unlike what happens in the Falklands, Tristanians can shear their sheep in one day.  Every year on Tristan we have a sheep shearing day - usually the start of a Christmas atmosphere as it is the time when the first Christmas lambs are slaughtered.

Even mist and rain on the day - Saturday 10th December, didn’t deter intrepid shearers, who went to their pens, having gathered the sheep the day before.  On Tristan there are five large pens, where all the islanders sheep are held together, each owner has their own ear mark on their sheep, for instance, a split in the right ear and a piece taken out under the left ear.  There are 84 different earmarks on the island, with some sharing the same earmark.  There are 105 families on the island and each are allowed to keep seven breeding sheep on the lowlands with no limit above the base, which is 2,000ft.  The earmark is a way for each owner to find their sheep, especially if they don't see them for a year or two.

Catching and sorting the sheep is a community affair.  While the sheep are penned in the large pens men, women and children help catch, this is fun for the children, who also help catch those who have no one to help them. The children always enjoy themselves when it's sheep shearing, as it's like a competition who can handle the biggest sheep.

Once the men have caught their sheep they use hand shears to shear of their sheep as there is no supply of electricity out at the Potato Patches. As soon as they have sheared off their seven sheep they paint a mark on their side or elsewhere, like their initials, or a strip, or a dot etc. This is done so during the lambing season they can easily tell with binoculars which sheep belongs to them, especially when they are grazing half way up the mountain, it saves a lot of unnecessary walking.

Once this has been completed the wool is put in bags and either brought back home to be spun, to be used for knitting garments, such as jumpers, socks and scarf's.  Any wool not used for this will be used as a fertilizer for their potato patches. 

Sheep that Tristanians have over their limit are brought home to be killed for Christmas lunch or let go for Easter if they are found not to be in good condition.  Many families work together shearing and have their lunch together and later a barbecue and a few beers to end the day.

  Norman Glass Beginning to shear

  Joanne marking the sheep with "BFG"

Keith and his dad, Barton, keep the animal from kicking and getting away.