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CLEAVER'S SHEARING WAS FOUNDED IN 1949 BY RAY CLEAVER. |
Ray
had many clients scattered across NSW. His mainstay was
the Pye family group of properties who would shear around
100,000 to 120,000 sheep per year.
The 1950s saw the wool boom, with
sheep numbers increasing and the strike of '56, making
labour hard to find. Ray battled through this and in the
60s, the shearing industry became a bit more stable.
Ray was joined by his son, Brian, and together they built
up a very good business servicing clients over all areas
of NSW, many of whom are still clients to this day. Ray
retired in 1975 and spent most of his spare time on the
Barwon River chasing the elusive "Big One".
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Ray
with the head of one that didn't get away!
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Brian,
after taking over the business, set about setting up a large
client base shearing upwards of 400,000 sheep per year in
the years 1987 to 1991. Brian has seen many changes in the
Shearing industry. Wide combs, female workers and the end
of the reserve wool price have had a great impact on the industry
.The wide comb dispute lasted for 6 months pitting mates against
mates and families divided on the pros and cons of their viability.
These events have changed the style of the Shearing industry
forever.
Since the early 90s, falling wool prices, reduced sheep numbers
and drought have had a big influence on the industry.
Brian continues to carry on the business, started by his father,
to this day and has a good and loyal team of workers, both
male and female, servicing the shearing needs of a large area
of NSW.
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