Shrek de-fleeced for good cause

A TIMARU shearer de-fleeced the country's most famous merino on the 51st floor of Auckland's Sky Tower yesterday.

Bill Michelle was given the honour of shearing John and Heather Perriam's woolly wether Shrek after winning the New Zealand Blade Shearing Championship title at the Christchurch Royal Show.

While the task wasn't one of the biggest he has ever taken on, Mr Michelle said it was a privilege to be doing it for such a good cause.

"I've shorn at three world championships, you've got to put it into perspective, it's only one sheep.

"But to have the option of actually doing it was a privilege. To do it for child cancer ... you cannot put that into perspective."

Because the 51st floor of the Sky Tower is an observation deck, the 300-strong crowd was packed in tightly.

While Mr Michelle may have previously performed in front of about 2000 people, this time he had to take on the limelight alone.

"When I shore at the worlds there were others up there, someone else to shear with and shear beside.

"To shear a sheep by yourself, it's quite an honour, to even be there was an honour."

But as for being slightly anxious about the prestigious event - no way.

"Why should I be nervous? It's just shearing a sheep, I've been doing it for over 35 years."

The chop took about 10 minutes with the fleece weighing in at 10 kilos.

Cure Kids funding manager Josie Spillane said overall the experience had been "amazing".

"Bill did a fantastic job, he had sweat dripping from his brow.

"The crowd was so dense when he was shearing, he would look up out to a sea of people. It was amazing, absolutely incredible."

During the past four years Shrek has raised more than $130,000 for Cure Kids.

While the proceeds from yesterday's event have not yet been counted, the money raised will go to medical research for children with life-threatening illnesses.Coverage of the event will be aired tonight on TV One's Close Up.

- © Fairfax NZ News