Latest news with #GoldenShears
Agriland
2 days ago
- Sport
- Agriland
Watch: Carnaross Mart staff shave heads for charity
Staff at Carnaross Mart, Co. Meath recently shaved their heads to raise funds for St. Mary's National School, Virginia, Co. Cavan's diverse educational needs (DEN) class. The head shaving took place last weekend (Saturday, May 31) and the mart has raised over €3,500 to date for the school. The GoFundMe page will remain open until Monday, June 9 for further donations. Carnaross Mart head shave. Source: Carnaross Mart Five members of the Carnaross Mart staff took part in the head shave: Richard Shaw, Patrick Mc Namee, Peter Farrelly, Enda Boylan, and David Craig. Carnaross Mart's Emma Muldoon told Agriland that the decision to host the event was a collective decision. Muldoon said: 'The idea came between all of us here in the mart to do something in return for the local area. 'Planning went on for three weeks. The boys were a bit nervous when it came to the evening,' she said. With all the planning complete, there was a slight change of plan at the Carnaross Inn, Co. Meath, just before the event began. Muldoon explained: 'They had only planned to shave their beards – the heads only came on the night. The idea was only for a beard shave. It was spur of the moment that it turned into a head shave.' Carnaross Mart's GoFundMe page is open until Monday, June 9, 2025. Mart In other news from last weekend (May 31) Mountbellew Mart hosted 'Shearfest 2025', a sheep shearing festival. The event brought competitors from France, Germany, Spain, the UK, and closer to home to pitch their skills against each other in what has been described locally as the 'Olympics of Shearing'. A substantial prize fund was also up for grabs which helped to attract competitors from Australia and New Zealand for the open competitions. The festival saw two of the winners, Denis O'Sullivan and Martin Hopkins, secure their places on the team to represent Ireland at the 2026 Golden Shears shearing and wool-handling champions in New Zealand.
Scoop
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
NZ Lambshearing Championships
Stratford nails lambshearing title - by 0.011 points Southland shearer Nathan Stratford, had one of the closest calls in his 89 Open shearing wins when hr got home by jut 0.011pts in winning his first Mackenzie Highland A and P Show New Zealand Lambshearing Championships title on Easter Monday. Twice the winner of the national crossbred lambs title in Winton, in 2014 and 2017, made the job just clean enough to beat Oamaru shearer Justin Meikle, who had a time points advantage of 1.689pts after finishing over half-a-minute quick and shearing the 20 seven-month lambs in 17m 38.42s. Third place went to second-man-off Ant Frew, of Pleasant Point, the only survivor from the 2024 final, and a feature was the appearance of John Cherrington, of Oamaru, stepping straight from the senior grade to qualify for an Open final at his first attempt. While Meikle had the fastest time, Stratford had the best board shearing points and Frew had the best points in judging in the pens. Hawke's Bay shearer Bruce Grace celebrated his last day in the lower grades in New Zealand with a Senior final win by 1.64pts over runner-up James Wilson, of Winton. It was Grace's 9th win in the grade in New Zealand, including four in the South Island, and the crowning glory of a Golden Shears win in Masterton this season. Meikle's son, 17-year-old Tie, stepping up after 15 wins in the Junior grade, claimed an Intermediate victory at his first attempt, by 5.65pts from runner-up Darcy Tong, of Fairlie, and Golden Shears finalist Tamati Dennison, of Kurow, had his first Junior win, by more than 12pts from the second place-getter. Show president Tony Dobbs won the Blades title for a 5th year in a row, but it was close with less than a point to runner-up Allan Oldfield, from Geraldine, as the two further cemented their places at the top of the table in a 2026 World championships New Zealand team selection series which resumes at the Waimate Spring Shears in October. Despite the forecast for rain, a cold day and a three-week-gap since the last competition on March 29, and the departure of potential competitors for shearing opportunities overseas, Monday's championships attracted 51 entries. Dobbs said he was happy with the number of competitors overall and while he would have liked to see more than the 12 who entered the Open grade, it ended up with a well-contested final, as highlighted by the winning margin of barely one-hundredth of a point. The field was an all-South Island based dozen, with defending champion and Southland shearer Leon Samuels not defending the title. The Mackenzie Shears was the last event on the 2024-2025 Shearing Sports New Zealand calendar, with 58 shows held through the country since the start of October. RESULTS from the Mackenzie Shears' New Zealand Lamb Shearing Championships at the Mackenzie Highland A & P Show at Fairlie on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025: Open final (20 lambs): Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 18m 12.2s, 60.86pts, 1; Justin Meikle (Oamaru) 17m 38.42s, 60.871pts, 2; Ant Frew (Pleasant Point) 18m 33.34s, 61.967pts, 3; Lionel Taumata (Taumarunui/Gore) 18m 34.13s, 64.6065pts, 4; Duncan Leslie (Owaka) 17m 56.93s, 65.7965pts, 5; John Cherrington (Oamaru) 19m 40.18s, 66.109pts, 6. Senior final (10 lambs): Bruce Grace (Wairoa) 12m 32.08s, 46.404pts 1; James Wilson (Winton) 13m 6.88s, 48.044pts, 2; Cody Waihape (Gore) 13m 29s, 49.15pts, 3; Liam Norrie (Cheviot) 14m, 50.7pts, 4; Emma Martin (Wyndham) 15m 37.18s, 53.059pts, 5; Richard Lancaster (Clitheroe, England) 14m 24.46s, 54.123pts, 6. Intermediate final (5 lambs): Tye Meikle (Oamaru) 10m 27s, 43.95pts, 1' Darcy Tong (Fairlie) 12m 12s, 49.6pts, 2; Isack Cleland (Oamaru) 10m 13s, 50.45pts, 3; Caleb Brooking (Mataura) 11m 22s, 51.7pts, 4; Myles White (Waimate) 11m 15s, 52.95pts, 5; Kyle Waihape (-) 11m 33s, 60.45pts, 6. Junior final (3 lambs): Tamati Dennison (Kurow) 6m 31.85s, 31.2592pts, 1; Hanna Lawlor (-) 7m 36.46s, 43.823pts, 2; Jacob Booth (Waimate) 9m 6.5s, 52.325pts, 3; Joel McCone (Kurow) 7m 11.9s, 56.2617pts, 4; Brody Gallagher (Fairlie) 7m 38.81s, 61.2738pts, 5; Thomas Clarke (Kimbell) 6m 59.96s, 63.6647pts, 6. Novice (1 lamb): Nick Meiklejohn (-) 3m 30s, 40.5pts, 1; Zac Schofield (Oamaru) 2m 31.13s, 43.5565pts, 2; Nya Kere Kere Gisborne) 3m 56.42s, 48.821pts, 3; Caden Hofman (Kurow) 3m 3s, 49.15pts, 4; Millie McNabb (Owaka) 4m 7.12s, 61.356pts, 5.
Forbes
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Savile Row: How Female Tailors Are Changing This Iconic London Destination
Last month, the great and the good of the tailoring world came together at Merchant Taylors' Hall for the Golden Shears Awards. Known as the 'Oscars' of the tailoring world, the biennial competition, which was founded in 1974, celebrates the next generation of UK tailoring and fashion talent, showcasing their creative vision and technical excellence. A design on the catwalk by Joanna Spreadbury, winner of the Golden Shears and an apprentice at Huntsman. (Credit: The Golden Shears 2025) From almost 90 entries, 25 finalists were selected to compete in the Golden Shears Final 2025. Competiton was stiff with the exacting judges, including AllSaints' founder, Stuart Trevor; head of fashion at The Telegraph, Lisa Armstrong, renowned fashion editor and creative director, Catherine Hayward, Will Adams from Dunhill and Brigitte Steputis from Vivienne Westwood, having the final say. In what is a typically male-dominated world, it may come as a surprise to some that for the second time running, the three top awards were awarded to women. The Gold Shears winner was Joanna Spreadbury, an apprentice at Savile Row tailors, Huntsman;while the Silver Shears was awarded to Tilda Jonathan, a London College of Fashion student and the third prize of Rising Star was awarded to Kasia Hughes, an apprentice at Connock & Lockie. The coveted awards from this year's Golden Shears 2025. (Credit: The Golden Shears 2025) The aim of the winners will no doubt be to eventually have their names over the doors of a property on Savile Row, the famous 'tailoring street' in the heart of Mayfair, which is steeped in history. For aficionados of heritage, it is a must-visit road on London's tourist trail. It also remains the one destination in London for lovers of timeless style, with many houses dating back hundreds of years still offering the bespoke and made-to-measure tailoring that made their name famous. In the 1730s, the street was named after the Earl of Burlington's wife, Lady Dorothy Savile, as it came under the jurisdiction of the Burlington Estate. At the time, the street was mainly occupied by military officers and their wives, until tailors started to take premises in the 1800s, with Henry Poole opening the first bricks and mortar store in the late 1840s. Since then, it has grown to be the premier destination in the world to shop for suits and hand-made tailoring, with customers, including royalty, statesmen and celebrities, choosing to have bespoke clothing made by their favourite tailors. Henry Poole's master tailor, Annette Akselberg. (Credit: Jonathan James Wilson) Managing director of Henry Poole & Co, Simon Cundey is the seventh-generation family owner of Henry Poole & Co, having joined the company in 1988. Presiding over the business, he reveals how his ancestor James Poole founded the house in 1806, making military tunics. His son, Henry Poole, took the business to new levels, attracting the future Emperor Napoleon and Queen Victoria as customers. However, it was King Edward VII who created a social hub around Henry Poole's Mayfair premises and established him as a leader of fashion. Henry Poole is the oldest tailors on Savile Row. (Credit: Jonathan James Wilson) 'Having a suit made 'on the Row' means so much more than just purchasing something to wear,' says Simon, 'You are buying into a long heritage, one that is rooted in status and the nuances surrounding etiquette. Saying that, we are continuously looking to push the business further to keep up with the times, hence our collaborations with names such as Aston Martin, Jaguar, Adidas and Canada Goose, and we regularly make traditionally-crafted suits for film and TV, such as Netflix's The Gentleman.' Inside Henry Poole's imposing Victorian building, the customer lounge area is fitted out with classic burgundy leather chairs and racing-green carpet. Lining the walls are rows of Royal Warrants and certificates revealing the company's long and esteemed history. Downstairs, across a warren of rooms, tailors and apprentices craft, cut, sew and press handmade suits—from dove-grey velvet dinner jackets to brightly-checked tweeds ('that one is for a famous actor who likes to stand out,' says Simon with a laugh.) The brand only offers a bespoke tailoring option, which involves a choice of some 6,000 fabrics and a nine-step process that results in an exquisite, hand-made garment designed to last a lifetime (each pattern is kept for each customer, with these records dating back hundreds of years and stored in a 'safe room'). Annette Askelberg at work at Henry Poole. (Credit: Jonathan James Wilson) Master tailor, Annette Akselberg has worked at Henry Poole since 2022, but has a long history of tailoring, having worked on Savile Row since 1994. Specialising in creating bespoke garments for women, she works closely with clients to design unique pieces, taking each order from concept to completion. 'Female customers used to be rare 'on the Row', but it is a growing side of the business,' she says. 'In truth, we've always had a handful of female clients, including Lillie Langtree and prominent royals, who we've dressed over the years. While, tailoring has been a male-dominated industry, women have also always played a pivotal role behind the scenes, in many of the sewing and cutting rooms, bringing exceptional skills to the industry. Now, however, there is more of a spotlight on the talent with a new tranche of female tailors arriving on Savile Row over the last few years.' Knatchbull is the first dedicated female tailors on Savile Row. (Credit: knatchbull) At 32 Savile Row, Knatchbull is a case in point. The brand, formerly known as The Deck, was founded by Daisy Knatchbull in 2019, following five years of working at Huntsman, one of Savile Row's oldest and most prestigious bespoke tailors. It was there that she was first exposed to the world of men's bespoke tailoring. The lack of contemporary alternatives for women led her to launch Knatchbull, the first and only dedicated tailors for women on Savile Row, offering made-to-measure and ready-to-wear collections. 'Savile Row has always been a very male-dominated space, so it is lovely to see a big rise in more female focused tailoring of late,' Daisy tells Forbes. 'Some of the greatest tailors and pattern cutters on Savile Row are female and the growing presence of women on the street is such a signifier of the changing landscape and also the female demand. Women, such as Kathryn Sargent, the first female master tailor, have paved the way for so many other women, both on Savile Row and beyond [her tailoring house, Kathryn Sargent is located at No. 21 Ryder Street in London's prestigious St James's.] I am proud to say, at Knatchbull, we are an all-female tailoring team—we are a brand built by women, for women.' Founder Daisy Knatchbull is shaking up the traditions of Savile Row. (Credit: Knatchbull) Hugely motivated by sustainability, the brand was certified as B Corp last year, (becoming the first made-to-measure tailoring house to achieve certification) with Daisy 'on a mission' to offer successful, style-conscious women a compelling alternative to fast fashion. Using the finest natural materials, such as worsted wool, silk, cashmere, velvet, corduroy and linen, Knatchbull champions responsible textile producers with transparent supply chains. Knatchbull's designs for women. (Credit: With its wooden floors, antique, gilded mirrors and hand-woven, silk wallpaper by De Gournay, the interiors of Knatchbulls' store aligns with the organic values of the brand. 'Having a female tailoring house with a shopfront, amidst a sea of traditional male tailors. has only enriched the essence of Savile Row and helped it evolve,' says Daisy. 'It's a lovely feeling to be able to offer the same experience to women that men have had for centuries.' She continues: 'When we moved to Savile Row, all of the tailoring houses were incredibly supportive and welcoming, which allowed us to settle in quite seamlessly. Even though the landscape is changing, there is still progress to be made but, still, it's a very different place than it was even 10 years ago. If just one young women can see that women are openly welcomed and have the same opportunities as men on such a globally renowned street, then we are doing our job right.' Head ladieswear cutter at Huntsman, Magdalena Handwerker. (Credit: Huntsman) Huntsman, where Daisy Knatchbull first worked, is another respected tailoring house on Savile Row, dating back to 1849. Its traditional, wood-panelled rooms, decorated with Victorian clocks and stag heads, give a nod to its rich history but belie its forward-thinking approach to tailoring. Offering bespoke suiting for women, head ladieswear cutter Magdalena Handwerker, reveals that a change is a foot and that there is a 'shift towards a more inclusive and diverse industry'. 'Women in tailoring are bringing a fresh perspective to Savile Row, not only in terms of style and technique but also in redefining the traditional perception of who a tailor can be,' she says. 'Historically, Savile Row has been synonymous with men's tailoring, but as more women enter the trade, we're seeing this change. At Huntsman, we have always put an emphasis on catering to female clients with the same level of precision and craftsmanship as men's tailoring. Women cutters and tailors are bringing new ideas, refining silhouettes, and ensuring that the artistry of bespoke tailoring evolves while maintaining its heritage.' Inside the Huntsman tailoring houseon Savile Row. (Credit: ©simonupton) Indeed, Huntsman has created bespoke women's clothing for more than 175 years, and during this time has dressed some of the world's most influential women, including Coco Chanel, Grace Kelly, Katherine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor. 'A female tailor brings an innate understanding of the female form, which is essential for crafting garments that are not only impeccably tailored but also comfortable and flattering,' says Magdalena. 'Savile Row is in a fascinating period of evolution. The core principles of bespoke tailoring, craftsmanship, attention to detail, and personalisation all remain unchanged, but there is definitely a shift towards accommodating a younger, more modern clientele. Today's customers are looking for garments that blend tradition with a contemporary sensibility, whether that means softer, more relaxed tailoring or bold, individualistic designs that reflect personal style. At Huntsman, for example, we see an increasing number of younger clients who appreciate the longevity of bespoke garments but want tailoring that fits into their fast-paced, modern lifestyles. We're also embracing technology in new ways, without compromising on the artisanal heritage that defines Savile Row.' Norton & Sons has a heritage dating back hundreds of years. (Credit: Norton & Sons) Established in 1821, Norton & Sons is another heritage brand that is turning its sights to female clients, with its made-to-measure tailoring service launching last year. 'Norton & Sons has a long tradition of bespoke women's tailoring, and we're now revitalising this heritage with a fresh perspective and a modernised house cut,' says the brand. 'Although we have always been known predominantly as a men's tailor, few know about the exciting array of female clientele we've dressed throughout our history. From Queen Victoria, The Queen of Spain and the Empress of Austria, to helping create tailoring ranges for Christopher Kane, Jenny Packham and The Kooples. Our women's tailoring service continues to embody the artistry and heritage of Norton & Sons, while also embracing modernity and innovation to cater to today's women.' Magdalena working with women's tailoring at Huntsman. (Credit: Huntsman) Elsewhere, Edward Sexton, found at 16 Savile Row, also offers bespoke tailoring for women and has done since the early 1970s. 'From Bianca Jagger and Naomi Campbell, to Eva Herzigova and Annie Lennox, we apply our meticulous process and flair for design to suits that help our clients to feel confident, chic and powerful – expressing contemporary female identity through the tailor's craft.' inside the Jennifer Chamandi Apartment. (Credit: Jennifer Chamandi) Meanwhile, putting a new spin on what is on offer for women on Savile Row, is Jennifer Chamandi, who creates bespoke shoes for women offered in a by-appointment-only apartment-style address. 'Opening the Jennifer Chamandi Apartment in such an iconic London location is very special to me,' says Jennifer, founder and designer of the brand. Jennifer Chamandi is expanding what is on offer on Savile Row for women, with her uxury shoe collections (Credit: Jennifer Chamandi) 'I was really drawn to the space because of the significance of the location and what it means to craftsmanship and bespoke design. A core part of the Jennifer Chamandi brand is The Bespoke Atelier, with The Apartment being the home of this offering, so to place our home in the heart of an area that has such a long and esteemed history with bespoke tailoring was the perfect fit.' Where it all begins: Huntsman patterns on Savile Row. (Creit: Huntsman) Having the last word is Huntsman's head ladieswear cutter Magdalena Handwerker: 'The future of Savile Row is about maintaining the legacy of craftsmanship while adapting to the needs of today's world. The presence of women in the trade challenges long-standing norms and broadens the appeal of Savile Row beyond its historical customer base. It's about making the bespoke experience more accessible and relevant to a wider audience.'
