A Speed shear will be held in the memory of Billy Rudge, a local young farmer, who died in a tragic accident earlier this year.

Billy, who lived in Sellack, was a very keen shearer and his Dad still is, so Cheryl Williams, the event organiser, told the Ross Gazette:?“A speed shear seemed a particularly appropriate way for his family to gather everyone to remember him.”

The event, which will be held on Friday, August 28th, from 7pm, will fundraise for two young people to spend two months in New Zealand learning more about the farming trade, and in particular, shearing.

The shearers haven’t yet been selected, and it’s not a prize of the competition. Cheryl told the Gazette:?“I think it a great cause, and I’m sure that had Billy got the chance to go and shear over there he would have jumped at it.”

There are four classes in the competition: Junior, intermediate, senior and veteran. Cheryl told the Gazette: “The four classes aren’t really age-related; it’s rated more on experience so the junior category will be mostly novices without an awful lot of experience. The senior category will likely be the big guns so to speak, and where the fastest times are likely to be recorded. The veterans’ class is mainly for those who’ve come out of retirement for entertainment purposes more than anything else.”

There’s no charge to watch the speed shear, but there will be buckets around if anyone would like to donate and profits from the bar and barbecue will go towards the fundraising too.

Read the full story in this week’s Ross Gazette.