Perth Royal Show: Damien Boyle’s shear courage helps win 25th open title

Broomehill top-gun shearer Damien Boyle took out the Perth Royal Show open shearing final, his 25th title in a miracle comeback win that was both “unbelievable” and inspirational. The 49-year-old set his sights high at the show on Saturday, September 21, after battling lymphoma cancer during the past six months. “I am in remission after chemotherapy treatments, but I don’t have a sick-proof immune system which will take two years to build-up,” he said. “It was a pleasure to get back on the boards — if you asked me six months ago, I wasn’t able to set a timeline for my return to competition.” Boyle took to the boards like a man on a mission — shearing against WA’s best and setting the standard once again for clean shearing — he had the best quality points tally, an acquired skill that sets him apart. “I knew I had a good shear, the competition was top-notch, with last year’s open winner Ethan Harder going out quick and backed by having a great season,” he said. “Also putting in their best was Luke (Harding) and Crackers (Mark Buscumb).” While Harder finished his 10 sheep in the quickest time of 16 minutes and six seconds, he succumbed to penalty points that put him out of contention, meanwhile Mark Buscumb proved he had what it takes to claim a second-place finish. The three top place shearers including Boyle, Harding and Buscumb will all represent WA in the open shearing nationals’ competition in October at Katanning. “I am looking forward to Katanning and competing with the best of the best from the Eastern States,” Boyle said. “With shearing, quality is the key and for beginners, they must learn quality shearing at the start, the pace will come later.” MC Kevin Gellatly said the shearing and woolhandling competition was magnificent from the novice right through to the open. “The sheep were shorn beautifully and there were wonderful presentations from the woolhandlers,” he said. “The competitiveness was really tough in the open — there were six people that could have won it and the one that won it — deserved it, to comeback from being quite sick. It’s unbelievable. “The WA National team announced at the show is good, our shearers are hitting their peak and they and the woolhandlers will arise to the occasion.’’ Chairman of the shearing council association and RASWA councillor Ken Walker announced the shearing awards at the presentations event. “Congratulations to all the winners, in my eyes everyone that has competed is a winner,” he said. WA Competitive Shearing Association president Luke Harding, who placed third in the open shearing competition, announced the WA State team to compete at Katanning. Novice shearer Zarah Squiers, who made the team, had a big win at the show. Taking out the open woolhandling competition was national champion Alexander Schoff, who is visiting WA from his Queensland homeland. “I have been competing since 2016, my Dad was a shearer and Mum was a woolclasser,” he said. “I recommend for anyone to give it a go, the pay is very good, and if you want to do shows, practise every day. “I am currently the Australian champion, but would love to be a world champion, my nearest rival would be Rachel Hutchinson of NSW, but there are plenty of good competitors — anyone can have their day, but Rachel has been consistently at the top for a long time.” Schoff will compete at the nationals in October. “Merino wool puts a lot of people in jobs, the shearers, the truck drivers and factory workers, it’s a great fibre,” he said. WA College of Agriculture —Denmark student Matilda King, 16, won her first Perth Royal Show novice woolhandling title. “The future is up in the air for the sheep industry,” she said. Senior woolhandling competitor Mikayla Reihana was announced as the first female WA Wool Harvesting Ambassador — see full story in next week’s Countryman.