Those Wild Men from the Bush

Saturday afternoon in Masterton was lovely and warm and we enjoyed a walk in the sunshine.  This took us past the “Welcome to Masterton” sign of a pair of golden shears.  The World's premier Shearing and Wool handling Championships takes place in Masterton, and the Golden Shears logo has become an internationally recognised trade-mark that symbolises both quality and excellence in the skilful art of shearing and wool handling.  This three day event encompasses novice, junior, intermediate, senior and open competitions and the coveted triathlon award.

Welcome to Masterton

Shearing has progressed from being a physically demanding and arduous farm task to being recognized as an elite sporting pursuit.  Competition shearers use the New Zealand  developed Bowen technique, to efficiently and speedily remove the fleece from the sheep without double cutting the wool fibre or causing injury to the animal.  All under the critical eyes of the judges who are  closely monitoring  and assessing  the competitors on these key aspects.

Competition shearing

We were on our way to visit to the Aratoi Museum which had an exhibition featuring the prolific drawings of local man Neville “Stag” Spooner.  He kept an illustrated diary while working as a young 22 year old deer hunter during 1939 and 1940 titled “Those Wild Men from the Bush”.    Neville Spooner grew up in the Wairarapa during the Great Depression and started keeping records of his daily life as a child.  He recorded life in the bush, shooting rabbits, angling and stalking deer, and the camaraderie the deer cullers shared during his time away in the hill country. 

Neville “Stag” Spooner with trophy heads and some of his art work

This remarkable young man kept drawing and went on to create another highly individual body of art during the war, a series of decorated envelopes that were sent back to his family and friends.  He survived his war years but sadly died of hypothermia on a hunting trip in Fiordland at a young age of 28.  We can highly recommend this interesting exhibition of a very talented young man, if anyone is in the area or passing by.