As the shearing season comes to a close and workers prepare for competitions, Coast & Country checked in with a gang to see what it takes to wield the shears.

We visited Nick Adams' sheep farm at Ngongotaha, not far from the Agrodome north of Rotorua, to meet Wayne Watchorn and his shearing gang.

The gang has three full-time shearers: Denis (Denny) Brake, Eric Tibble and Kane Fredricksen. It also has two rousies: Alana Brus and Tracey Roe.

On the day we visited they crutched 800 ewes for the shearing competitions at the Rotorua A&P Show.

The gang works every fine day from December till the start of February; they were on their 20th straight day when Coast & Country visited.

Despite the hard years for sheep farmers, shearing is still a required job on the farm with shearers returning twice a year.

The camaraderie between farmers and shearers remains strong.
'For us, the farmers are our friends,” says Wayne.

'Our number one shearer, Denny, has been shearing for 30 years, he and Eric are legends around here.

'They're very well-known and held in high regard by the farmers.
Farmer Nick Adams is a good example of why sheep numbers have dropped during the last few years.

He took over the farm from his father in the 1990s.
'From what dad had, we've only got about half the sheep now – we've got 1000 ewes and 200 replacements.

'Across the whole farm we were making a loss most of the time; we've planted a lot of trees.”

Nick says 'it's about time” the prices came right for farmers.
'I wouldn't count on wool, but meat is probably finally where it should be.”

Thanks to Nick, Wayne and the gang for letting us into the woolshed.