Major shearing title taking out by NSW teenager

A teenager has become the first Australian to win a coveted New Zealand title in 50 years.

An Australian teenager has just won a major shearing competition in New Zealand to become the first Aussie to take out the coveted crown in more than 50 years.

Tyron Cochrane from Goodooga in north-west NSW won the Golden Shears junior final in Masterton, NZ on Friday.

To earn the win, Mr Cochrane had to beat five others by shearing five strong wool sheep.

And while he was not the quickest, despite shearing them in just over seven minutes, judges awarded him the title after looking at the sheep he had shorn.

Mr Cochrane is one of only 11 people not from New Zealand to win a title in that country across more than six decades of competitions.

Tyron Cochrane, 18, from Goodooga, north-west New South Wales, shearing to his history-making Golden Shears Junior win in Masterton, New Zealand

He arrived in NZ about five weeks ago as part of a team from the First Nation’s development program based in Dubbo, NSW, known as REDi.

He has been honing his skills by working for a NZ contractor as well as competing.

Shearing Sports New Zealand’s Doug Laing said the win was remarkable as it was achieved shearing New Zealand breeds, despite having more experience with Merinos in Australia.

“Tyron had barely travelled further afield than the 415km from Goodooga to Dubbo, where he has shorn for well-known contractor and shearer Steve “Muddy” Mudford,” Mr Laing said.

“Having initially been shown the handpiece by his dad, also a shearer, Cochrane never dreamed of a win in the sport, let alone at the Golden Shears.”

REDi deputy chief executive Michael Cooper said for Mr Cochrane to qualify for the final “was a major achievement on what was a venture designed to give young hopefuls the experience, and be the trailblazers for their contemporaries”.

“To win was the cherry on the top,” Mr Cooper said.