2 Mayo brothers to compete at World Sheep Shearing Championships

Two Mayo brothers will take part in the World Sheep Shearing Championships next week in New Zealand.

James and Martin Hopkins from Drummin, Westport will take to the stage on Thursday week March 5th.

Both men will compete in blade shearing — a traditional method using hand-held shears — where competitors are judged on the quality and neatness of the shear, their handling and welfare of the animal, and time efficiency.

Martin, 28, is a Wood Technology and Graphics teacher at Rice College in Westport, while his younger brother James, 26, works as a carpenter. Both men have been shearing sheep for over 15 years.

This will be Martin’s second World Championships, having represented Ireland in France in 2019, where he finished 5th in the World Team Final alongside teammate Peter Heraty. He earned his place on this year’s team by winning the National Title in Mountbellew and is the current All-Ireland blade shearing champion.

At the 2023 World Championships at the Highland Show in Edinburgh, James and teammate Peter Heraty finished 6th in the World Team Final — and then went on to win the Big International Open, beating blade shearers from across the globe. A two-time All-Ireland blade shearing champion, James qualified for this year’s squad through competitions last summer, including the All-Ireland in Donegal.