By Vida Booyens
Six shearers and wool handlers were selected at the South African national shearing and wool handling championship held at the Bloemfontein Show to participate in the world championship in New Zealand in March 2026.
The two best machine shearers and hand shearers in the country, along with the two most skilled wool handlers, have been included in the Protea team.
In an exciting duel, South Africa’s fastest machine shearers, Hans van Schalkwyk and Dumisani Xhasa, both from DG Snyman Shearing Services, competed against each other in the open division. Both shearers had previously represented South Africa at the world championship in Scotland. In the video below, the conclusion of this final battle can be seen.
According to Xhasa, who began shearing in 2003, the right mindset is the most crucial factor influencing a shearer. “You must be willing to improve and keep learning continuously. You must also have a passion for this work. You will quickly drop out if you don’t have the heart for shearing.”
The team includes Bonile Rabela and Mayenseke Shweni, two hand shearers crowned world champions in 2023 and 2017, respectively.
According to Isak Klopper, the National Wool Growers Association’s (NWGA) head of shearing training, South Africa’s hand shearers have dominated international competition for the past 30 years. “Hand shearing is still relatively common in South Africa, and in South Africa, we can do it for more months of the year.”
Especially in the colder parts of the country, farmers sometimes prefer their sheep’s wool to be shorn by hand. Hand shearing leaves a thicker layer of wool on the skin than machine shearing, giving the sheep more protection against the cold.
In the final round of the open division for wool handlers, Janko Botha from DG Snyman Shearing Services and Lungani Maqakalana, the NWGA shearing instructor, secured first and second places, respectively. Spectators who watched them work also enjoyed the remarkably skilful way they threw the shorn fleece onto the wool tables. The finalists showcase their skills in the video below.
A very proud DG Snyman from Philippolis says his machine shearers, Van Schalkwyk and Xhasa, and Botha as the wool handler, had long ago begun preparing for the South African and world championships. “We practised hard and walked the road with them. All the hard work has now paid off, with three of the six men attending the World Championship coming from DG Snyman Shearing Services.”
At the championship, we spoke to Dumisani Xhasa and Michael Smith about what it takes to become a top-class shearer:
More to read and watch:
