700+ lambs in 9 hours: Tyrone sheep shearer ready for Irish record attempt

A lamb every 45 seconds is the pace sheep shearer Tom Perry will have to keep if he is to break the Irish record on Saturday.

The Tyrone man will don his shearing vest, step onto the platform, and try shave more than 708 lambs in nine hours in Templepatrick to claim the national title.

Fermanagh native Stanley Allingham currently holds the record, which was set in 2019 in County Cavan.

The farm playing host to the charitable record attempt is that of Norma Hoy.

It's a special place for Tom, because it's where he got his first job working with sheep while studying at Greenmount as a teenager.

The 33-year-old has been training intensively for one year, but technically, preparation for this undertaking has been lifelong as he has been shearing professionally all over the world for years now.

The nine hour exertion is a marathon, but with the speed of a sprint.

Tom has been on a diet of chicken and sweet potatoes for months, has been hitting the gym after a long day of shearing, and will be alternating between 100mls of water and 100mls of carb drinks every 7.5minutes.

He's no stranger to competition and has previously won the Six Nations competition and been placed in the Golden Shears.

But for those not in the know, what are the rules for the attempt?

Tom needs to get the coats off without causing injury and wool needs to come off in one piece.

To minimise the risk of injury, the team has been shaving the tail area of each sheep in advance. This is permitted within the rules of the competition for safety reasons.

A 50 strong team will be helping on the day to ensure a smooth operation, but dozens have played roles to date.

Farmers from Bushmills to Strabane have agreed to let their stock be used in the record attempt, while international shearing friends have flown over to witness the event and take up supporting roles.

Just as others have helped Tom, he hopes his efforts will help others.

Donations are going to the charity Rural Support. They provide impartial guidance for farmers and farm families in support of their farm business and their personal wellbeing.

The record attempt will take place between 5am and 5pm on Saturday at Rickamore Brae and cheerleaders - or shearleaders - are welcome.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.