General News
5 November, 2025
Shearing records set with local connections and just two ‘Niks’
IT’S been a big couple of weeks in shearing for the Wimmera region, with two world records recently being set. Third-generation Dimboola shearer, Nick Lehmann, was part of a team of five in southern NSW who shorn for eight hours on October 18 to create the first official record of 2301 merino lambs.
Just a few days earlier, NSW ‘Super mum’, Nikki Lyons, had travelled in the opposite direction to Marnoo from Yass, and set the record for the most merino lambs shorn by a female in nine hours: 502.
Both ‘Niks’ had to overcome difficult challenges to make their respective achievements a reality.
Nick announced in July that he would compete for the record and was very focused on improving his diet, fitness, and anything else that would help him.
Unfortunately, he suffered a major setback in early August, severely injuring his knee at work.
With a complete tear of his meniscus that required surgery, he had 10 days of non-weight bearing afterwards, with a slow return to work.
Although it was touch-and-go in late September, Nick’s strong will and determination got him fit enough to compete.
He had significant support on the day with almost 20 family members across four generations – along with friends and his official team – making the trip from Horsham, Dimboola and Edenhope.
One of them was Dylan Launer, a long-time friend since before they were both a year old and in a play group, according to Nick’s mother, Linda Millane.
“They ended up starting to shear together,” she said.
“They've shorn in Italy, England, and around Europe and all that together, which I think is really nice – and then Dylan travelled from here to go and support Nick on that day too.”
Amazingly, considering the recent injury, Nick smashed his own personal best by over 50 with a total of 475 – the team included New Zealand shearers, Cameron Hicks (488) and Benjamin Duncan (502), along with two other Aussies, Lochie Robertson (389) and Toby Walker (447).
Benjamin's achievement was especially noteworthy, considering he was a backup for a late withdrawal, and at 47 years old, was back at work on Monday morning.
Together, it took them, on average, less than a minute to shear each of the Mumblebone/SRS-blood non-mulesed lambs under the watchful eyes of eight referees and a sizeable crowd of 600 to 700 people coming and going throughout the day – his nieces and nephews especially vocal in the front row.
“It was really special,” Linda said.
The day wasn’t just about the record; about $20,000 was raised for Ronald McDonald House and a local primary school – the former having children paint the ccatchpen doors used on the day.
Linda said the team battled the dust in the wool, which affected the cut.
“They didn't have their date of shearing until they knew that they were going to have enough wool,” she explained.
“Each lamb has to have over a kilo of wool on it, so it ended up the paddocks were a bit drier that they were moving them round to bring them in and crutch them.
"That was only a few weeks ago, and then to bring them in for shearing, they were a bit dustier.”
Dust in the fleece was ironically the reason Nikki Lyons organised to set her world record nine-hour tally in Marnoo, the problem not as prevalent in the small Victorian town about 75 kilometres west of Horsham.
Starting at 6am on October 15, the 38-year-old spent nine of the next 12 hours shearing and didn’t get the same level of wear she often has to deal with in NSW.
“I actually went to the boys' five-stand record,” Nikki said of her trip home afterwards.
“My second, Dwayne Black, was actually a second for one of the shearers there as well, so I went over to say hello to some of the team that had come and supported me.
“But, yes, they had Riverina dust in their lands, and they had a hard time with gear. I could completely empathise with them and how that feels.
“There was way less dust in my sheep, that’s for sure.”
Her long regime of disciplined training has paid off, meaning over two-and-a-half years of early morning starts, nutrition vigilance, and coached physical and mental conditioning.
Nikki said it was a privilege to set a world record a second time (she set an eight-hour record in November 2024) and promote the Australian wool industry.
“This past week has been a blast,” she said.
“I have abs from laughing so much. That increase in core strength really paid off on the day.
“This country of ours was built on sheep’s back, now we need everyone to help build our industry back. Buy something made from Australian wool – wool is natural, biodegradable, temperature regulating, durable, hypoallergenic, odour resistant, requires less washing – and most importantly, it’s sustainable.”
Nikki was also happy to be back at home – “I had last week to catch up on housework and the garden” – but was returning to boxing classes and work this week, and expressed gratitude to those who had helped her.
“To my team, my shearing family, thank you for showing up for me yet again when I needed you the most,” she said.
She was also thankful for those who had supported her by watching the livestream – “towards the end of the day, that last run had over 400 viewers tuning in to watch it”.
“I'm so humbled by people reaching out to me and making the effort,” Nikki said.
“I personally write back to every single one of them, and I love the conversations that we've had around wool, and they've told me their favourite brands, and then I've shared with them my favourite brands, and it's just that positive knock on effect of we're all in this together, and let's make this industry great again.”