LOCAL Sports shearer Daniel McIntyre has shown he is the man to beat in competition after he recently took home the Jackie Howe Invitational trophy.
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McIntyre took home the trophy and a share of the $10,000 prize money with a total time of just over 11 minutes and 30 seconds.
The trophy and medallions awarded to this year's winners was made from the wood of a post from the No one stand of the old Alice Downs shearing shed in Blackall where Jack Howe made his iconic record tally.
The shed is no longer standing, so the trophy and medallions hold extra special meaning to Mr McIntyre.
Mr McIntyre said he felt ill leading up to the event as was not sure how he would compete.
“In the week leading up to the competition I was fighting a cold, I only got one days shearing in and two days crutching sheep,’ he said.
“The week before that I was away training shearer's at the wool harvesting expo in Canowindra, but I did see my chiropractor for my monthly adjustment before heading up to Toowoomba so I am happy to get the win.”
In the week leading up to the competition I was fighting a cold
- Daniel McIntyre
But Mcintyre is not resting on his laurels after the win and has his eyes firmly focused on the National Championships in October and then representing Australia.
“If I keep in good shape and keep working I should do well at the Nationals,” he said.
“I would shear about one tonne of wool in a normal work day which equates to about 14 tonnes of live animal that I lift in a day.
“A sport scientist report has said that sports shearing competition was the equivalent of playing an AFL footy match and although I have never played AFL myself that wouldn't surprise me.”
Mr Mcintyre would also like to compete at the Commonwealth Games if shearing is made a recognised games sport.
“I definitely think sports shearing should be a Commonwealth Games sport, the New Zealanders have recognised shearing as a sport and it is time for Australia to catch up to its neighbours across the Tasman,’ he said.
“I guess It would be interesting to see what would happen to the sport if it were to become a Commonwealth sport as it should then become eligible for games type funding and we’d have access to the Australian institute of sport but really in my case I’d be confident that I could compete with my normal training and work regime.
“Most of the skills come from the shearing shed and by shearing week in week out.”