Two Welsh shearers are teaming up for a British shearing record attempt
Two Welsh shearers are gearing up for a shearing challenge this weekend, after 12 months of training and preparation
Gethin Lewis from Rhayader and Llyr Evans from Aberystwyth will be attempting the eight-hour Two Stand British Ewe Record.
Gethin and Llyr’s record attempt will take place at Glan Elan, Cwmdauddwr, Rhayader, starting at 7am on Saturday, July 12 2025.
The Welsh Air Ambulance and Brain Tumour Research charities will be supported on the day.
Gethin of Cwmdauddwr, Rhayader said: “I have grown up on Glan Elan Farm and lived there all my life. We farm over 1,000 breeding ewes and have a 60-head suckler herd - all the stock is finished on the farm.
“The shearing business is in partnership with my friend Ryan and was passed down to us in 2022 from Oliver Rees, whom I started shearing when I left college at the age of 17.
“Our shearing season begins in mid-May and finishes just after the Royal Welsh Show.
“I have shorn in Norway for five seasons, and attained the shearing run there from Ross Thompson in 2023.”
Llyr from Trawsgoed, Aberystwyth said: “I live on the home farm of Hendre Rhys , and we have about 300 ewes, which are Romney and Aberfields. We also rear a few calves
“The shearing season starts early shearing down in Dorset at the end of April for Henry Mayo. This continues until the beginning of June, and at that point I return home shearing for my father, Gerallt, and do a few days for Gethin and Ryan as well.
“In previous years I have worked in Scotland shearing for William Dickson in the Borders for three years, and also once for Matthew Seed in Turriff, Aberdeen
“I also enjoy travelling the world shearing and have completed six seasons in New Zealand for Brendan Mahony and in Norway for four seasons in the autumn, and also three in the spring I have also shorn in Denmark with my father a few times.”
Gethin said he was motivated to attempt the record since being involved with Nick Greaves and Llyr Jones’ 9-hour lamb record in 2022.
He said: “It inspired me to want to attempt one myself. So, in 2023, we set out a Personal Best/Tally Day to see if I could shear 700 in 9 hours. I managed to shear 737, which motivated me further to try a record attempt with Llyr Evans, who shorn a tally of 734 in 2024.”
Llyr said he has helped with several records and enjoys being involved and it pushes him to get to their level.
Gethin said his personal and professional achievements to date are many but winning the Champion Shearer of Wales at the Royal Welsh in 2023 and 2024 and representing Wales for three seasons in New Zealand, being a part of the first ever Welsh test match team to win on New Zealand soil with Llyr Jones are highlights.
“Others would include winning the Great Yorkshire Show and Llysfasi Shears in 2023, as well as winning the Welsh Lamb Circuit Final in the same year at Cwmdauddwr Shears. I have been a part of the Welsh speed shearing team for two seasons, winning speed shear test matches in New Zealand and in Australia at the Wagga Wagga Speed Shear in 2024. Since the summer of 2025, I have also
been a shearing instructor, which I enjoy.
“One of my biggest personal gains from being within the shearing industry is that I’ve met so many new people who all want to help one another. I’m grateful to have made some lifelong friends and memories in various countries, all with shearing at the forefront.”
Llyr said he has attended several British Wool shearing courses, which he would recommend to anyone wishing to learn or develop their shearing skills.
Other achievements would include making a few intermediate finals in New Zealand in 2019-20. I have shorn a few tallies in the UK and New Zealand, including 734 in 9 hours as well as qualified for a few open finals in the UK.
Asked who their inspiration has been, Gethin said: “I have watched, shorn with, learned from, and become friends with some of the best shearers in both the UK and the World over the years, I couldn’t just pick one.”
Llyr added; “My father has been a big influence in getting me into shearing and letting me travel all around the world. There are so many other people I have worked with who have given me a lot of help and guidance over the years. It’s impossible to pick one from so many great people.”
