Safety and efficiency in the shearing industry is front of mind for the winner of Sheepvention Rural Expo's invention award.
SheerSpeed's Roger and Steven Hein won the 2023 Inventions Competition for best innovation for their Woolmaster Wireless Control Handpiece.
The father and son duo also won the livestock equipment and technology class category with their handpiece controlled by a button and driven by an overhead electric motor.
The equipment works in conjunction with an automatic sheep counter.
"What happens is you start it by pushing a button on the handpiece so you don't have to pull the cord anymore," Steven said.
"If anything goes wrong it's a huge safety thing because you can push that (button) straight away."
Steven, a retired shearer, and his wife Bronwyn, from Mintaro in South Australia, grow wheat, barley, canola, beans and hay.
Originally from Murray Bridge, Steven shore sheep in SA and western NSW for 22 years.
Steven said he continued to have a passion for the shearing industry with safety being a big issue.
"Since I stopped shearing 17 years ago, I think the shearing industry has been behind," he said.
"I think it needed a bit of catching up compared to other industries, especially the automotive industry."
Another invention Roger and Steven had on show at the expo was magnetised grinding papers used to sharpen combs and cutters.
"The grinding papers have been glued on for the last 110 years," Steven said.
"It just saves a heck of a lot of time and messing around with glue.
Lillian Altman
Lillian is an experienced journalist who joined Warrnambool Standard in late 2021. She has a particular interest in writing stories on the arts and culture, health, education, breaking news, police stories, as well as human interest and profiles.
Lillian is an experienced journalist who joined Warrnambool Standard in late 2021. She has a particular interest in writing stories on the arts and culture, health, education, breaking news, police stories, as well as human interest and profiles.
