Newspaper Article 2005 – Shearing history on display

WOOL: A HB man has created his own tribute to the region’s shearing industry. ROSE HARDING takes a look.

Shearing history on display

Tourists offered a woolshed wander.

A 10-year dream is taking shape for Ian Richardson.

The former farmer and part-time shearer from Napier is building Wool World, his tribute to sheep and shearers in Hawke’s Bay.

Wool World is taking shape in the back of the Wool Testing Authority building in Ahuriri, and will open on August 20.

Mr Richardson wants it to be a museum of the history of wool and shearing in Hawke’s Bay.

“It’s not an agridome, it’s a museum.”

He has gone to great lengths to give Wool World the authentic look.

He dismantled a woolshed built at Stoney Brook farm at Maraekakaho in 1886 and has reassembled it, complete with all the tools.

The shearers’ graffiti, which is a feature of every woolshed, and unmistakeable woolshed smell have yet to be added.

The counting-out pens are the original totara and jarrah, complete with lichen, of the old woolshed.

Moccasins made of old wool bales hang by the shearing machine. There is even a possum in the rafters.

Mr Richardson has an old Lister shearing motor, hand shears, old branding stencils – all items guaranteed to warm the heart of an old shearer – and he’s looking for more.

“Anything to do with early farming or shearing in Hawke’s Bay. Old brands, scales, photographs, any history or stories.

“I’m prepared to get them copied if necessary,” he says.

He has samples of wool from the breeds common in New Zealand and other samples showing the faults that occur in wool.

The branded fadge tops around the walls evoke memories of Hawke’s Bay and Inland Patea history with such names as Moeangiangi and Otupae, Clifton and Kiwi, Maraekakaho and Ohinewairua. He even managed to persuade Colin Meads to autograph one.

A romney stud breeder and a hereford cattle breeder will have displays in place by opening day and one area will be dedicated to the Napier-Taihape road.

Alpaca breeders will have their own display too.

Ian has been planning his museum for 10 years but set to work in earnest in March.

His son Bruce has largely taken over his shearing round though he is available to help out when needed.

Ian has done all the work on Wool World himself.

The museum will include a history of dog trialing. Part of one wall has a large mural of a dog trial.

He has examples of every sheep breed in Hawke’s Bay, including rare breeds ‘from romneys to swazis.

He’s aiming Wool World at Hawke’s Bay people, such as schools and old peoples’ groups, as well as tourists.

Activities for groups can be tailored to their age and needs.

A group of eight and nine-year-olds might want to touch a sheep and feed a pet lamb, whereas older people might want to revive childhood memories by watching sheep shorn and looking at the old equipment and station brands.

He plans to shear only a few sheep each day as a demonstration for visitors.

The museum is in a built-up area so there won’t be room for truckloads of them.

Photo captions –

BEST MATES: Ian Richardson, owner of Wool World, and his dog Brie, with the rebuilt 1886 woolshed from Maraekakaho in the background.

CLOCKWISE from top left: shearer’s moccasins and an old valve radio; wool bales stencilled with suppliers’ names; the view through to a shed; left, a mural creates a backdrop to the displays and upper left, owners Ian Richardson and Wendy Prattley.
HBTODAY/PICTURE: WARREN BUCKLAND