KOORI SHEARERS TAKE ON NEW ZEALAND

Aboriginal shearers from Dubbo have travelled to compete in New Zealand. Credit: Supplied.

A team of young Aboriginal shearers from Dubbo NSW has taken out the International Merino shearing title in New Zealand.

NZ shearer training legend Samson Te Whata mentored them.

“They’re over the moon,” he said. “They’ve been beside the best there is in the world shearing merinos.”

They were one of the two teams Mr Te Whata took to NZ, who will now represent NSW in the national championships at Bendigo on October 21.

Gamileroi woman and language coordinator Merissa Gibbs acted as program coordinator.

She said they were reviving a long association Aboriginal people had with farm work and shearing.

“It’s something that’s always been a provider for a lot of our mob,” Ms Gibbs said.

“A lot of our mob always walked. They’d be working around an area, and when that work was finished they’d go to the next spot. They’d got back and forward to the same farms.”