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Story: Sport and the nation

Godfrey Bowen breaks the world shearing record, 1953

Video file

This short film shows Godfrey Bowen breaking the world record for a day's shearing.  He shore 456 ewes in nine hours at the Akers station, Ōpiki, near Palmerston North, on 6 January 1953. His achievement on that day made him an instant national celebrity and he became the chief shearing instructor for the Wool Board.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: New Zealand Mirror 15. National Film Unit, 1953

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Jock Phillips, Sport and the nation – Strong men and women, 1945 to 1970, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/41210/godfrey-bowen-breaks-the-world-shearing-record-1953 (accessed 25 June 2026).

Story by Jock Phillips, published 26 March 2013.