DO you think you could be the fastest shearer in the west? Well Una Cameron is hoping to do one better as she battles for a world record at Trefranck Farm, Launceston.

Today (August 7), Una will be pushing herself to the limit as she pushes to be crowned the best in the world.

In order to do so, Una needs to shear more than 458 ewes in just nine hours. The current world record was set on the February 9 this year by Sacha Bond in New Zealand, when she bettered fellow Kiwi shearer Kerri-Jo Te Huia’s record (452) of six years standing, by six ewes.

Since announcing last August that she was going to attempt a world record, Scottish female sheep shearer Una Cameron has been on a strict exercise and dietary regime under the guidance of personal trainer Matt Luxton, who has trained over ten world shearing record holders.            

Over the past three decades Una has worked in a predominately male profession and has more than held her own. Following her shearing season in New Zealand, during the Scottish winter months, Una has been working with Matt Smith before she came home to the Borders for her own shearing run.

Since the record was announced, Una has had a management team working behind the scenes, fund raising and organising all the detail, so she can focus on her shearing and training.

On her upcoming world record Una said: “I have always wanted to attempt a World Record and after over a year of preparation, I’m only a matter of weeks away. It was good spending time down South working mainly on Poll Dorsets, but the weather has made it very challenging for both me and the sheep this year with the constant rain and it’s been so cold.

“I came down to Cornwall on July 19 to work on Romney ewes before the big day. To beat the record by one, I will have to average a minute and nine seconds a sheep all day.”