A MASTER sheep shearing father and son team have proved they are a cut above the flock by scooping an international trophy.

George and son Andrew Mudge, of the beef and sheep Meadowside Farm, between Peter Tavy and Tavistock, are proud holders of this year’s annual Six Nations Sean O’Sullivan Memorial Cup.

The pair, who compete all over the world and the UK, beat the best shearers using blades (giant very sharp fleece scissors) from Northern Ireland and Ireland, France, Wales and Scotland last weekend near Marseilles.

This is the fourth times they have won the competition in nine attempts and qualified for it through UK competitions such as the Devon County Show. They have to shear live sheep in a set time to quality standards and have frequently thrilled the crowds with their skills as they produce a perfect fleece with no harm to the sheep except perhaps it dignity.

George said: “We’re both very pleased, the competition is getting closer and closer in this country every year. We both do it because we love working with sheep and love competing, the tougher the competition the better.

“We’re now looking forward to the world championships in New Zealand. The competition sheep are Marinos which are harder to work on because of their physique and covering. However, we don’t farm Marinos, so squeezed in a practise on the way to the airport to France.”

George said the secret to top shearing is hand-eye coordination and lots of practising: “It’s not just about speed, but the quality of the fleece and how smooth and uncut the sheep is.”

Blades are preferred by the pair to leave a thin coat to keep sheep warm on the upland moor and are cheaper, but slower, than machines to shear. The top competitors are South Africans.