Mongolian herders Ama, Budee, Khanda and Baaska with Share Mongolia representative Mark Barrowcliffe and Paul Brough (red shirt) Photo: Supplied
Mongolian sheep herders have learnt how to go from shearing 30 sheep a day to more than 250 after three months in New Zealand shearing gangs.
The four men, Budee, Baaska, Ama, and Khanda, arrived in early January with the hopes of gaining new skills that have the potential to change their lives.
The time-consuming process of doing all their previous shearing using scissors limited the number of sheep shorn in a day to about 30.
Now each of the men is shearing competently using an electronic handpiece and shearing more than 250 sheep a day.
Hear more from this weeks guest on Country Life
While the life-changing experience is about to wrap up, it all began with a chance encounter between Hamilton's Paul Brough and Mongolian farmers in 2019.
"While I was trekking through Mongolia, I came across a group of farmers who were shearing a herd of about 900 using scissors and they told me it would take them about a month to complete the job.
"This really blew my mind given how much quicker this can be done with electronic equipment, and I thought to myself, there must be something I can do to help."
Budee demonstrates how to shear with scissors at the Shear for A Cause event in West Otago in early February Photo: Supplied
Once back in New Zealand, Brough - a Rabobank agribusiness manager - spoke with colleagues and clients brainstorming a way to help develop Mongolian shearer's skills with modern equipment.
With funding support from the Rabobank Community Fund, Brough was able to get the four herders to New Zealand and tee them up with work, lodgings, and shearing gear.
"It really has been phenomenal to see how quickly their shearing skills have progressed over the last few months.
While the Mongols were quick to adapt to their new role as international shearers, Brough said there were some initial challenges given the language barrier and the significant differences in everyday life.
He said the herders had practically no English when they set foot on New Zealand soil.
"They come from a region in Mongolia that is one of the coldest places on earth - dropping to temperatures as low as -60 degrees in winter.
"Prior to the tour, none of the group had been on a plane or a boat, used modern appliances like a dishwasher or washing machine and, only one had ever been in water above their knees," Brough said.
Budee, Baaska and Ama at Surfing for Farmers in Raglan last month Photo: Supplied
The first few days in New Zealand provided a culture shock for the herders - one of them being the price of cigarettes.
"While here they saved every cent they made with two giving up smoking when they found out the price of our cigarettes compared to the price they pay at home."
Brough said he was amazed at their commitment to learning and making money. Only one day of work was missed due to a sprained ankle.
With the help of an interpreter as well as local farmers, the four Mongolians adjusted rapidly while working as part of shearing gangs in Piopio, Hawke's Bay, and Wairoa.
"The modern shearing gear, sheep size, and wool quantity on the New Zealand sheep were very new to these guys, but they had great support from their fellow shearers and shed hands which helped them progress.
"At the weekends they entered shearing competitions, including the recent New Zealand championships in Te Kuiti, and towards the last part of the tour, they achieved some really impressive results."
The team in action at the recent NZ Shearing champs Photo: Supplied
Brough said it was pretty clear at times they were terribly missing their families who were tucked up in their Gers (traditional Mongolian tent) in -40 degree temperatures.
"But they stuck with it and they're very excited about the opportunities their new skills will open for them and their loved ones once they are back in Mongolia."
Two mobile shearing trailers are being built for the herders in Mongolia for when they return. The team behind the tour, Share Mongolia, is trying to raise the money to help buy the shearing equipment for the trailers, Brough said.
"We're hoping to raise $8000 for this equipment, and the plan is to set the four of them up so they can have their own business as traveling shearers.
"Even though the Mongolian shearing season is relatively short, they should be able to work for about 60 days per year making $100 a day. [It's] significantly more than their previous best day where they made just $15."
One of the mobile shearing trailers being built for the four herders in Mongolia Photo: Supplied
Brough hoped the skills learned would be shared with other farmers.
He said the Share Mongolia programme would continue to support Mongolian herders and a number of further activities were planned for the coming months.
In June this year, a team of Rabobank staff and clients will venture to Mongolia to hold eight more shearing courses.
"The goal is to train and equip another 120 herders to shear using electric machines. Other goals are to introduce wool sorting and wool presses to improve wool quality and transport."