The amazing thing was the speed and skill displayed by the Shearers. These were young men, probably in their 20s and 30s who traveled all over Nyandarua shearing sheep annually. It was amazing to watch them work, they made the job seem effortless. This is how they did it:
Once a sheep was handed to a Shearer, he wrestled it into a sitting position in front of him facing forward. The Shearer supported the sheep’s back with his legs while the sheep’s head rested on the Shearers stomach. The Shearer held the sheep down by pinning its hind left leg down with his own left leg while holding the sheep’s front left leg with his left hand. With the shears in his right hand, the Shearer started ‘shaving” the wool from the head working his way down. After shaving the front side, the Shearer maneuvered the sheep once again to gain access to its sides and back. It was a sight to behold, children often watched this operation with their mouths hanging open.
The wool was matted making it ‘peel off’ in one piece like a woven rug. The Shearers did the job so skillfully and so quickly it seemed like they were simply removing a sweater from the animal. They did that without clipping the skin of the sheep. It was a very rare thing to see any injuries emanating from the shearing encounter. When they finished with each sheep, its wool was left lying on the floor resembling a rug shaped like an animal.
The wool was quickly removed and another sheep handed to the Shearer. It was such a fast paced activity it made your head spin.
