Creating a Weapon for shearing and woolhandling (or, Getting rid of the dags!).

Now the Golden Shears is over, the winners are all tucked up in bed with their ribbons, and it's just another week in the sheds. I'm guessing you want to hit the podium again, or if you missed, you are desperate to hit the limelight - I want to see you there, that's for sure.

I've seen people winning at their sports day in and day out, and shearing is no different. What I see in the shearing industry, is you men and women on the podium are most often the ones with the best pattern (this goes for woolhandlers too).

After watching great sportspeople in many disciplines for years, I have learned, that if you want to be great, you have to practice excellence every day.

How do you make excellence your habit?

First you have to take a good look at yourself. It's not always easy, and not always purty either. But looking at the dags means you can remove them - right?

So, you have to ask yourself... Have I got dags (a weakness)?

What is it?

The belly? The catch? The last side? Find out where it is exactly.

If you can't find it, ask someone.

Then... Video yourself. Look hard.

Pick apart your performance, find out what is wrong, work out what you can do better. Then practice doing it well, then better.

This is how you make your weakness a strength (or get rid of the dags!).

Have you got a strength?

Again, what is it?

Pick it apart, work out if there is anything you can do to make it better.

Get a coach. Even the best Olympic athletes work with coaches regularly.

Video yourself. Ask someone to help. .