Dion Morrell Shearing

27/08/2026

23/08/2026

If you are struggling to get your daily steps in: Becoming a wool handler may be the surest solution!
I followed my daughter Charis Morrell around the shed for a bit while she was (flying) ‘on the broom’.
The person on the broom is responsible for sorting the belly wool, the crutch, the eye clips and top notch, setting up the fleece for pick up and keeping the floor clean. They are doing this in a 30-minute rotation with ‘pick up’ and ‘table’, whereby each job has a specific task description.
They can hustle!
I counted about 100 steps in 2 minutes.
If I put this over an 8-hour workday, they pull up at around 15 kilometres (25’000 steps), taking into consideration that while ‘on the table’ less walking is required, and some steps are very short.
However, this video is on what we call an ‘open board’. In a shed with a closed board, much more distance needs to be covered between the shearer and the wool table, bringing the daily steps up to around 20 kilometres.
No wonder they are so fit!
We also need to consider that this isn’t walking 15 k’s in a straight line. Everyone is constantly stopping, starting and changing direction as well as bending over, squatting down, balancing on one leg and other manoeuvres.
This eats up much more energy than walking along the road in a steady pace.
Add time and performance pressure, stress, full focus and team flow to this mix, and you have an impressive daily performance.
During the busy season such as pre-lamb shearing, many work 7 days a week, leaving the house at 5am and often only returning between 6pm-7pm.
They may still need to do their washing, cooking and even tending to their children, before attempting enough sleeping hours for recovery.
Back in the day when Dion and I were contracting, we pushed up the wool handlers hourly wages each year to better reflect the demands of the job, the skill set required and the toll this work takes on the body.
Very important is training! We provided continuous upskilling opportunities throughout the year to develop reliable techniques, effective use of the body and to avoid injuries.
You guys are worth it.

23/08/2026

If you are struggling to get your daily steps in: Becoming a wool handler may be the surest solution!
I followed my daughter Charis Morrell around the shed for a bit while she was (flying) ‘on the broom’.
The person on the broom is responsible for sorting the belly wool, the crutch, the eye clips and top notch, setting up the fleece for pick up and keeping the floor clean. They are doing this in a 30-minute rotation with ‘pick up’ and ‘table’, whereby each job has a specific task description.
They can hustle!
I counted about 100 steps in 2 minutes.
If I put this over an 8-hour workday, they pull up at around 15 kilometres (25’000 steps), taking into consideration that while ‘on the table’ less walking is required, and some steps are very short.
However, this video is on what we call an ‘open board’. In a shed with a closed board, much more distance needs to be covered between the shearer and the wool table, bringing the daily steps up to around 20 kilometres.
No wonder they are so fit!
We also need to consider that this isn’t walking 15 k’s in a straight line. Everyone is constantly stopping, starting and changing direction as well as bending over, squatting down, balancing on one leg and other manoeuvres.
This eats up much more energy than walking along the road in a steady pace.
Add time and performance pressure, stress, full focus and team flow to this mix, and you have an impressive daily performance.
During the busy season such as pre-lamb shearing, many work 7 days a week, leaving the house at 5am and often only returning between 6pm-7pm.
They may still need to do their washing, cooking and even tending to their children, before attempting enough sleeping hours for recovery.
Back in the day when Dion and I were contracting, we pushed up the wool handlers hourly wages each year to better reflect the demands of the job, the skill set required and the toll this work takes on the body.
Very important is training! We provided continuous upskilling opportunities throughout the year to develop reliable techniques, effective use of the body and to avoid injuries.
You guys are worth it!
Written by Gabriela Schmidt

23/08/2026

If you are struggling to get your daily steps in: Becoming a wool handler may be the surest solution!
I followed my daughter Charis Morrell around the shed for a bit while she was (flying) ‘on the broom’.
The person on the broom is responsible for sorting the belly wool, the crutch, the eye clips and top notch, setting up the fleece for pick up and keeping the floor clean. They are doing this in a 30-minute rotation with ‘pick up’ and ‘table’, whereby each job has a specific task description.
They can hustle!
I counted about 100 steps in 2 minutes.
If I put this over an 8-hour workday, they pull up at around 15 kilometres (25’000 steps), taking into consideration that while ‘on the table’ less walking is required, and some steps are very short.
However, this video is on what we call an ‘open board’. In a shed with a closed board, much more distance needs to be covered between the shearer and the wool table, bringing the daily steps up to around 20 kilometres.
No wonder they are so fit!
We also need to consider that this isn’t walking 15 k’s in a straight line. Everyone is constantly stopping, starting and changing direction as well as bending over, squatting down, balancing on one leg and other manoeuvres.
This eats up much more energy than walking along the road in a steady pace.
Add time and performance pressure, stress, full focus and team flow to this mix, and you have an impressive daily performance.
During the busy season such as pre-lamb shearing, many work 7 days a week, leaving the house at 5am and often only returning between 6pm-7pm.
They may still need to do their washing, cooking and even tending to their children, before attempting enough sleeping hours for recovery.
Back in the day when Dion and I were contracting, we pushed up the wool handlers hourly wages each year to better reflect the demands of the job, the skill set required and the toll this work takes on the body.
Very important is training! We provided continuous upskilling opportunities throughout the year to develop reliable techniques, effective use of the body and to avoid injuries.
You guys are worth it.
Written by Gabriela Schmidt

13/07/2026

Training is the foundation of the shearing industry and every industry. Great day of standard setting by Elite

22/06/2026

Book it now!

Book now - Limited spots available!

Finewool woolhandling is a skill of its own and this course will set you up to do it properly.
Our Otago Finewool Woolhandling Course is open for bookings, running alongside our Finewool Shearing Course in July. Whether you're new to woolhandling or you've been in the shed for years and want to add finewool to your skillset, this course is for you.
Over two days you'll cover everything specific to finewool preparation from wool terminology, health and safety, preparation guidelines, theory and practical exercises, and assessment toward your National Certificate in Woolhandling (Finewool).
Finewool preparation requires a different eye and a different approach. Get it right and it shows in the clip value.
This one is open for bookings now, get in touch before spaces fill.
https://book.elitewoolindustrytraining.com/200725FW

05/06/2026

27/05/2026

Our Elite Finewool Improver–Advanced Shearing Course is coming to Otago in July and if you've been in the industry for a while and you're ready to add finewool to your skillset, this is exactly where that journey starts.

Over three days you'll get high-level instruction on finewool shearing pattern, comb selection, machine and handpiece maintenance, grinding, animal welfare and handling, and practical assessment toward your National Certificate in Shearing (Finewool).

Finewool is a different beast and doing it well opens up a whole new level of opportunity in this industry. Our world-class trainers will get you there. 💪

Spaces are limited, don't wait until it's full.
https://book.elitewoolindustrytraining.com/200726FWSH

19/05/2026

Our South Canterbury Beginner Woolhandling Course is coming up and if you’ve been thinking about getting into the wool industry, this is the perfect opportunity to take that first step.

Wednesday 20 May - Thursday 21 May
7:00am - 5:00pm

Over two days, you’ll get hands on instruction covering everything you need to know to get started including wool preparation, terminology, animal welfare and handling, health and safety, teamwork, and practical assessment toward your National Certificate in Woolhandling.

No experience needed. Just a willingness to learn and get stuck in.

And the good news? Funding may be available through your local Mayoral Taskforce for Jobs to help with course costs. If you’re eligible, there’s even less reason to wait. Check it out at mtfj.co.nz/youth-employment

An online Animal Welfare & Calm Sheep Handling module will be sent to you before the course; this must be completed prior to attending.

Keen to get started or want to find out more? Get in touch with our team at [email protected] or via elitewoolindustrytraining.com

23/04/2026

New crutching service on the block! Great service, clean and on time!