Click Go The Shears, 2 Million Times!
He’s shorn close to two million sheep in a career spanning six decades, and now one of Australia’s most well-respected shearing contractors is going to be inducted into the Shearers Hall of Fame. 
Ron started work as a rouseabout at Winton when he was 13 years old. He was shearing by the age of 17 and one of his most prized possessions – “a family heirloom” – is the 25 carat gold handpiece given to him by Sunbeam in recognition of his contributions to the industry. It’s one of only three ever given out.
Ron says the best thing about shearing is the friendship - when you're spending days and weeks at a time in the shed and travelling from farm to farm, you form great friendships. It's stil a lucrative industry if you're prepared to work hard and currently sheep shearing pays $2.87 per sheep but back in the day Ron would get 20 pound for 100 sheep.
On the farm everything revolves around the cook and the day would start at 7.30 with a shearers breakfast of bacon and eggs, a wash and then it's out to the sheds. Hot lunch at midday and then knock off at 5.30.
Now 72 and confining himself to penning up duties, thanks to bung knees, Ron reckons it’s a life that’s given him a lot.
His top tally was 326 with narrow gear, but his legendary status comes as much for his dedication to improving the image of shearing through the famous Diamond Shears competition that ran for 20 years at Longreach from 1980
Loyalty to clients is a principle he’s always upheld, which gave him a business that enabled him to buy three houses and a four wheel drive.
There are plenty of other changes that Ron’s seen over the years – the introduction of wide gear and the productivity increase that came from that, the 1956 shearers’ strike for better wages, the wool floor price scheme and its collapse, the ceasing of wool scours in the west, and working on weekends.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place this Easter.
