Shearing Gang - First Episode

Me and Mark Burdon, who's a well known Central Otago farmer, were having a beer one night and talking about Million Dollar Catch, which we also produce. He said if we wanted a great show with heaps of characters we should check out the shearing gangs, who he reckoned were hard out folk.

– Co-creator Philip Smith on how the show began, The Southland Times, 2 February 2012

It's day four when the weather finally clears. The team are well behind, they've got 5000 sheep to go and four days to do it — it's time to haul arse.

– Narrator Henry Youngman on the shearing gang's punishing workload

In the city if it's four am and you're in the spa pool it's time to grab what's left of your dignity and go home. But this is Alexandra, and Pete Lyons has already had a full night's sleep.

– Narrator Henry Youngman sets the scene as shearing gang boss Pete Lyons has a soak

The story of wool is really good. It's from the earth. It comes from the green grass, it runs on these hills ... it's just a natural product. You look out on those hills; we just see gold in those hills

– Peter Lyon on his passion for wool, The Otago Daily Times, 22 September 2014

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose in this game.

– Shearing gang boss Peter Lyons on the many conflicts he has seen in the woolshed

As our gang prepares to arrive at Mount Nicholas she's knocking up a monster curry. This is no masala, rogan josh or butter chicken; this is five packets of curry powder and a mother load of meat...

– Narrator Henry Youngman introduces Mama Lil, the shearing gang's cook

We'll pick you up and chuck you in there like a little hogget girl!

– Kara isn't letting newbie rousie Credence escape her baptism in the lake after work