Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Teesdale Mercury
  • News
  • Features
  • Test Drive
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Art & Leisure
  • Buy your paper
  • Buy our photos
  • Digital edition
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Features
  • Test Drive
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Art & Leisure
  • Buy your paper
  • Buy our photos
  • Digital edition
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Teesdale Mercury
No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT

Cameras roll on trainee clippers

by Teesdale Mercury
July 8, 2018
in Country Life
Cameras roll on trainee clippers

CLOSE SHAVE: Instructor Bill Mason demonstrates how to shear a sheep

A SHEEP sheering course held in Teesdale is to appear on Channel 5 series The Yorkshire Vet.

A record number of young people aged between 15 and 21 signed up for the training organised by Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (Utass) at the end of June.

Some 14 trainees attended the courses over three days which was presented by British Wool trainers Bill Mason and Richard Schofield.

ADVERTISEMENT

Utass training co-ordinator Julia Stephenson said several of the trainees had attended before and were using the opportunity to brush up on their skills and improve their proficiency levels.

Depending on their skills sheep shearers earn blue, bronze, silver or gold gradings.

Mrs Stephenson said: “Bill is shearing step-by-step and making some deliberate mistakes to see if the trainees pick it up.”

ADVERTISEMENT

This is the 14th year that Utass has arranged the training.

Mr Mason said he was impressed with the skills the trainees had picked up, particularly those who were attending for the first time.

He said: “There are two lads who have never shorn before and they are coming along very well.”

An unusual event this year was the arrival of a film crew from the television programme The Yorkshire Vet, which was following Laura Beaton, from York, who had signed up for the course.

Filming took place on Wednesday, June 27.

Several of the trainees said they would use their skills to gain contract work over the summer.

Ryan Henderson, from Bishop Auckland, signed up for the course because he wants to help his grandfather who has about 60 sheep.

He said: “He wasn’t well. He had a stroke so obviously he needs a hand.

“My grandad showed me how he does it. The way he has been teaching me is way harder.

“Now I can show him a thing or two,” he added.

“It is handy to know and I can get work from it. Knowledge is power.”

Although Mr Henderson is a builder by trade, he hopes to use his new found skills to get additional contract work.

ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Take your partners… Bowes pupils dance away

Next Post

Future of uplands debated by MPs

ADVERTISEMENT
No Result
View All Result

Stay connected

Facebook Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

Most popular

Plans for campaign to lower speed limits in villages

Plans for campaign to lower speed limits in villages

June 27, 2025
‘Losing landlines will put lives at risk during power cuts’

‘Losing landlines will put lives at risk during power cuts’

July 2, 2025
High levels of violence at Deerbolt Prison – report

High levels of violence at Deerbolt Prison – report

July 1, 2025
New Barnard Castle bar owner follows in family’s footsteps

New Barnard Castle bar owner follows in family’s footsteps

June 30, 2025
Barnard Castle will get permanent banking hub

Barnard Castle will get permanent banking hub

June 26, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

15C Harmire Enterprise Park
Barnard Castle
Co Durham
DL12 8BN

Email: [email protected]

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190

VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • Art & Leisure
  • Business
  • Country Life
  • Features
  • News
  • Sport
  • Test Drive
  • Digital edition

Useful links

  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Buy your paper
  • Photosales
  • Digital edition
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2025

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Features
  • Test Drive
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Art & Leisure
  • Buy your paper
  • Buy our photos
  • Digital edition
  • Contact

© 2024