Individual shearing tallies have always been a popular topic in Australian pastoral circles
Reproduced from Australian Encyclopaedia, circa 1950
In addition to the tribute which men usually pay to physical skill, the shearer has a direct interest in the subject, since in most cases he is paid according to the number of sheep that he shears.
The shearing contractor, anxious to complete the shed with as little delay as possible, naturally favours the fast man; and the sheepowner, while his first concern is the well-being of his sheep, is quite content to have his shearing done quickly as long as it is done well.
Shearing tallies have not always been recorded reliably and confirmation of them is frequently difficult to obtain. In comparing figures of the present day with those of previous years it must be borne in mind that, owing to skilful breeding, the Australian Merino is growing more and more wool.
In 1880 the average weight (greasy) of the fleece of sheep in Australia was between 5 and 6 lb.; in 1920 it was between 8 and 9 lb., and in the 1950s it averaged more than 9 lb. The modern shearer, therefore, is required to take off considerably more wool than his predecessor of the last century. Further, the working day has been curtailed during the same period, so that modern daily tallies, at any rate, cannot be compared with those of earlier times.
Shearing records in Australia, unless otherwise stated, refer to Merino sheep. English breeds, Corriedales, and crossbreeds are usually easier to shear than Merinos, and for this reason shearing tallies in New Zealand, where the former types form the basis of the sheep industry, are often higher than in Australia.
From 60 to 100 sheep per day was considered a fair total in the first half of the last century (19th). As flocks increased, larger sheds were built, more shearers were employed, the competitive spirit developed, and faster shearing was the natural result. Sheep-owners, however, frequently frowned on high tallies because, usually, they meant roughly handled sheep and torn fleeces. In many shearing sheds a maximum daily tally was imposed, 100 to 120 being a common figure.
The Amalgamated Shearers’ Union was responsible for the abolition of this limiting of daily tallies, and during the following decade some high figures were recorded. By 1890 the record with hand shears was said to be 275 sheep for the day.
Jack Howe’s Record
In October 1892 John (Jack) Howe (q.v.) at Alice Downs station, Central Queensland, in the normal working day at that time of 8 hours 40 minutes, shore with hand shears 321 Merino sheep, and in so doing created an Australian record that has never been bettered with hand shears and one that remained unbroken by machines until 1950.
In September of that year MV. E. Rieck, at Brinard, in north-western Queensland, shore 326 Merinos in the standard eight-hour day. Until Rieck’s feat the best tally, with machines, was 316 by D. Cooper at Bundoran, Central Queensland, in 1910. Cooper’s son, Daniel, was also a notable shearer, and in 1949 at Glenara, Victoria, shore 325 Corriedale lambs in the day.
Shearing Competitions
The interest in skilful shearing has been responsible for the holding of various competitive events in Australia, mainly at agricultural shows. For the most part they are organized by show societies with the support of the Australian Workers’ Union.
The holding of the “first Australian Sheep-shearing Championship” at the Royal Melbourne Coronation Show, in 1953, created considerable interest, and a number of similar events have been held in other parts of Australia. Points are awarded for various aspects of shearing so as to promote a high standard of work.
Claims of world records in the industry from New Zealand and the United States have been responsible for the suggestion that a world shearing championship be held, but the cost and difficulty of bringing the best men together appear to make this an unlikely event.
The Shearing Table
An innovation in the shearing industry in the 1950s, which ultimately may have as 
far-reaching effects as the introduction of machines, was the use of shearing tables.
These are designed so that the sheep, while being shorn, is held in position by clamps which allow some movement of its body for the convenience of the shearer.
It is claimed that tables will make shearing easier for the shearer, in that he shears in a more comfortable position; that it will decrease the risk of injury to the sheep by inexpert shearers; and that it lessens the chance of breaking the fleece as it is being removed.
