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6. Stretch the head back with your left hand to allow blow 21 to finish under the jaw. Left
foot close to sheep’s hip, right foot in crotch between legs.
7. Turn sheep’s head so the nose is up and the right side against leg. Hold body firmly
between knees. Left hand is shifted toward nose as strokes are completed along jaw.
8. Blow 24 should clear to the far ear. On very woolly sheep, blow 23 continues over near the
eye and nose. Roll the sheep’s head around your knee.
Note: The forward position of the left foot.
9. Press your right knee into the sheep’s brisket to gain greater control. Tuck your right
foot into the tail. Use left hand to stretch skin on shoulder, start stroke at knee shearing
upward to clean tags on front of shoulder.
10. Blow 29 clears the inside of the leg.
11. Bend low over the sheep and keep your right shoulder well down. Lay sheep on
its back, keep right foot between sheep’s hind legs, left foot under right shoulder as
shown, force left foreleg toward sheep’s head to stretch skin on side.
15
15.
These blows are angled to cross the wrinkles. Straighten your legs. Push down on
point of shoulder with palm of hand. At the same time pull skin up with finger to clean
tags under front leg. On final stroke turn handpiece under front leg and shear to toe.
16.
The final step is to close your fingers on the loose flank skin and roll your fist on to
the firm part of the leg. Using a full comb, make remaining strokes at same angle to
toe. With sheep in position, hold skin of right flank in left and apply pressure to stifle
joint. Caution: slide comb at angle around ham string to avoid accidental cutting. Hold
sheep’s head between left arm and right leg moving left foot back so sheep settles
down on its side and moving right foot forward to allow more reach for last strokes.
Left foot keeps sheep’s shoulder and feet off floor.
12. Blows 34 and 35 must be parallel to the backbone. Lean back on your left leg. On
reaching backbone make sure sheep tail is behind your right foot. Your left leg is
under sheep’s shoulder, with your left foot across sheep to give leverage. Apply
downward pressure to sheep’s head with your left hand to “roll“ sheep up. Shear two
strokes over backbone to save time on “last side.” Avoid standing on or tearing fleece
when swinging right leg out to shear “last side.”
13. Control the head with your knees using your fingers under the jaw to bring the sheep
up. After clearing wool from ear and face, shear straight down to point of shoulder,
using left hand to straighten wrinkles. Allow sheep’s right foreleg to come forward
after the second blow.
14. Keep the shoulder well bowed out with your knees.
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