There is a fascination about sheep shearing, I can’t precisely explain it, I think it connects people to an ancient art, to the natural world and to the animal world. Jim McRae was bombarded with questions, and the people who gathered outside of the pole barn were rapt, they listened to every word and watched every move.

Jim McRae is a master story teller and nobody moved during his talks and his work. I love the country for many reasons, one is that many people here still pursue a calling they love, rather than just a job that pays money.

Shearers drive long distances, do grueling work, are often injured, haul enormous amounts of equipment around, they usually charge between $6 and $7 a sheep. No respectable farmer pays them so little, we all pay more than they ask. They love their loves, they love their calling, and if you see the faces of people who come to see them, you know this is one of those fascinations that transcend generations, shearing is fascinating to the  young and the old.