Likened to running a marathon, a shearer's job is up there with some of the most physically and mentally demanding occupations. In The Shearers: New Zealand Legends Ruth Entwistle Low describes the industry as both unforgiving and alluring.
Ruth and photographer husband Mark Low have visited sheep stations across the country for the book, meeting men and women shearers who tell of a gruelling, itinerant life, which spins on camaraderie and good humour, with competition at the fore. Oral historian and writer living in Tīmaru, Ruth Entwistle Low speaks with Kathryn Ryan.
