In the thick of shearing, Nikki Lyons even wore garments made from Merino wool. Photo: James Braszell Photography.
You reckon you had a hard day at the office.
During the eight-hour session in November 2024, Yass Valley’s Nikki Lyons sheared 395 lambs – one lamb every 72.3 seconds – during an eight-hour shift.
But she knew she could do more.
“I needed better sheep,” she explained.
“You’re looking for sheep with less wool down its legs. That’s how I ended up in Victoria for my nine-hour record.”
After travelling from Good Hope, near Yass, she arrived at the shearing shed and set to work.
Over nine hours, she would shear 502 lambs.
Nikki said the fitness training started a full year in advance, with nutrition, physical conditioning, sleep and shearing technique being equal parts of her preparation.
“It definitely comes down to your technique, because you can only move your hands so fast … there are so many ways to shear sheep.
“It was a case of working out which was the best pattern for your sheep on the day.”
It meant she could set two records for the number of Merino lambs shorn by a woman in eight- or nine-hour sessions.
Her career started at 17, when she first picked up the tools while studying at an ag college in Western Australia.
“I decided to take it up and see where it would lead,” she says.
“There were many people who said, ‘Oh, you’re not going to make it’ or ‘You’re not going to be shearing long enough for it to be worthwhile’.”
Two world records – one in 2024 and the second this month – are the latest achievements in a career that’s taken the 38-year-old around the world.
Nikki says Australia’s iconic (and world-famous) Merino wool industry is worth supporting. Photo: James Braszell Photography.
Nikki says that throughout her career and time away from the shearing shed to raise her family, the idea stuck with her.
“It was mentioned to me at work that there’s no female Merino records … I remember thinking, ‘Wow, it’d be great to get good enough to do one of those’,” she says.
“It [the idea] sat at the back of my mind.
“It got so strong, to the point that I could live with myself if I tried and failed – but I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try.”
Not a bad day at the office. Photo: Nikki Lyons.
She isn’t ruling out going for a third record, but says it’s time for life to slow down again.
“It’s pretty intense training … There are so many factors that go into considering doing a world record – organising one and funding it, training for it and juggling the kids.”
While her efforts have set a benchmark for other female shearers to aspire towards, Nikki wants people to focus on a bigger picture: Australian wool.
“This industry has given me so much – it’s given me a life and a family, and it provides for that family,” she says.
“I wanted to be able to give back … The great country that we have today is because of the wool industry.
“Australia needs to support the wool industry. We need more people wearing wool. It’s such a great fibre.”
It’s a skill she desperately wants to pass on to future generations.
“Kids come up to me and they mention that they’d like to be a shearer – I just think ‘I hope you get to be,” she says.
Follow Nikki’s shearing on her Facebook page.
