Latest news with #Romneys
Scoop
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Scoop
Wool In Tennis Balls From Hill Country Farms Will Be Served Up At The US Open
New Zealand wool will be bouncing around the courts of the 2025 US Open tennis tournament when the final Grand Slam of the year takes centre stage in New York. Tennis balls made with wool sourced from farms throughout the country will be served up by the world's top-ranked players when they play at Flushing Meadows as the two-week long tournament gets underway this weekend. New Zealand's largest scourer WoolWorks is supplier to a specialist textiles manufacturer in Thailand, a key cog in the global tennis ball supply chain. The company TTI Sports weaves the eye-catching yellow felt for the maker of the official Wilson match tennis ball. New Zealand Wool Services trading manager Nathan Watt said it's one of the more unusual uses of New Zealand wool beamed into living rooms in nearly every continent. He said it's unfortunate there's no branding for the country's farmers but he joked it's nice to imagine a small Kiwi printed on each ball. "TTI is the biggest tennis ball felt manufacturer in the world with a long history. They make 80 percent of the world's superior tennis ball felt," Watt said. He rattled off a list of the big brands TTI supplies such as Wilson, Head, Penn and Slazenger. Over the next fortnight the US Open will go through roughly 100,000 Wilson balls. To make each ball the crossbred wool is blended with synthetic thread wrapped around a rubber core. Wool predominantly off the back of the Romneys of 32 to 36 microns is the perfect tool in the fiercest of rallies. Rosstan Mazey, chief executive of WoolWorks Ventures, said last year around 3000 tonnes of the country's wool was exported for tennis ball felt. His enthusiasm for the country's woollen fibre is just as high when he's hitting balls across the net at his local Karori United Club in the Wellington suburb. "The New Zealand wool is very white and clean and so when it comes to dying the felt fluorescent yellow and green it works really well," Rosstan Mazey said. "It doesn't come up with any colour issues through that process." This year's $5 million (NZ$8.4m) cheque for the men's and women's singles US Open champions represents a 39 percent hike from last year's $3.6 million. Players on a path to Grand Slam glory are defending champion Jannik Sinner who remains in a late fitness race, and Spanish 2022 winner Carlos Alcaraz who will also play in the mixed doubles alongside Britain's Emma Raducanu. In the women's singles, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka has not won a Grand Slam since last year's US Open. The American tennis superstar Coco Gauff showed the spirit of a warrior as she battled to beat Sabalenka at Roland Garros in June for the French Open trophy. Poland's Iga Swiatek comes in to the New York tournament after winning the most recent Grand Slam on grass at Wimbledon. Alongside the 190kph serves and grunts that reverberate across the stadium, the US Open is also known for its celebrity sightings. The main draw runs for two weeks through to 7 September with night session matches played into the early hours of the morning. And in the women's doubles, Kiwi Erin Routliffe is at the top of her game. She and Canadian partner Gaby Dabrowski won the 2023 US Open women's doubles title. In a profitable warm up event they won this week's Cincinnati Open doubles crown.
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Wool from New Zealand farms used in tennis balls at the US Open
New Zealand Wool Services trading manager Nathan Watt said it's one of the more unusual uses of New Zealand wool, beamed into living rooms in nearly every continent. He said it's unfortunate there's no branding for the country's farmers, but he joked it's nice to imagine a small Kiwi printed on each ball. 'TTI is the biggest tennis ball felt manufacturer in the world with a long history,' Watt said. 'They make 80% of the world's superior tennis ball felt.' He rattled off a list of the big brands TTI supplies, such as Wilson, Head, Penn and Slazenger. Over the next fortnight, the US Open will go through roughly 100,000 Wilson balls. To make each ball, the crossbred wool is blended with synthetic thread wrapped around a rubber core. Wool predominantly off the back of the Romneys of 32 to 36 microns is the perfect tool in the fiercest of rallies. Rosstan Mazey, chief executive of WoolWorks Ventures, said last year about 3000 tonnes of the country's wool was exported for tennis ball felt. His enthusiasm for the country's woollen fibre is just as high when he's hitting balls across the net at his local Karori United Club in the Wellington suburb. 'The New Zealand wool is very white and clean, and so when it comes to dying the felt fluorescent yellow and green, it works really well,' Mazey said. 'It doesn't come up with any colour issues through that process.' This year's $5 million (NZ$8.4m) cheque for the men's and women's singles US Open champions represents a 39% hike from last year's $3.6 million. Players on a path to Grand Slam glory are defending champion Jannik Sinner, who remains in a late fitness race, and Spanish 2022 winner Carlos Alcaraz, who will also play in the mixed doubles alongside Britain's Emma Raducanu. In the women's singles, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka has not won a Grand Slam since last year's US Open. The American tennis superstar Coco Gauff showed the spirit of a warrior as she battled to beat Sabalenka at Roland Garros in June for the French Open trophy. Poland's Iga Swiatek comes into the New York tournament after winning the most recent Grand Slam on grass at Wimbledon. Alongside the 190kph serves and grunts that reverberate across the stadium, the US Open is also known for its celebrity sightings. The main draw runs for two weeks through to September 7, with night session matches played into the early hours of the morning. And in the women's doubles, Kiwi Erin Routliffe is at the top of her game. She and Canadian partner Gaby Dabrowski won the 2023 US Open women's doubles title. In a profitable warm-up event, they won this week's Cincinnati Open doubles crown. - RNZ
Powys County Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
NSA Welsh Sheep 2025 to take place near Hay on Wye
Sheep farmers from across Wales and beyond are set to gather near Hay on Wye for the NSA Welsh Sheep 2025 event. The technical event, which is a highlight in the calendar for sheep farmers, will take place at Tregoyd on Wednesday, May 21. This year, the focus is on sustainability, with an emphasis on boosting profitability and rewarding environmental gains. These topics will be central to the event's seminars, which are a key feature of the day. The event will also see the launch of a new product from Mayo Animal Health, alongside various equipment demonstrations. Helen Roberts, the event organiser, said: "This event will help demonstrate how the industry can adapt to new ideas and integrate sustainability into farming systems whilst still producing a quality product. "I am grateful for all the support from sponsors, exhibitors, and local people and to the hosts. "It will be a day to remember." Visitors will be entertained with competitions, sheepdog trials, and a demonstration of Welsh sheepdogs. There will also be farm tours to the higher ground, which rises to 1,200 feet, offering views of the Black Mountains and beyond. The host family will showcase their High Country flock of Romneys, which is a forage-only system. The family business is run in partnership by Penny Chantler and her sons, Sam and Will Sawday. The farm is split into several blocks of land, a mix of rented and owned, where forage crops are grown for winter feed for the ewes and then grass reseeded. The family will also highlight Farming Connect's Welsh Sheep Genetics Programme, which funds the collection of additional data such as back fat scanning, faecal egg counts, and IgA blood samples. Various sheep breed society stands will display many other breeds. Technical and policy information will be available, and there will be opportunities to address the latest trends and politics at seminars, marketing sessions, and trade stands. A Wool Hub will reflect Ms Chantler's passion for wool and her role with British Wool, showcasing innovative products and the sustainability of wool. The major sponsors are Mayo Healthcare and McCartneys. Mayo Healthcare products play a key role in the management approach at High Country Romneys. McCartneys have been a consistent presence in the rural economy, providing a broad range of support to farmers and businesses from the area. Their services include farm business consultancy, valuations, tenancy agreements and assistance with subsidy applications. The seminars will focus on how genetics and nutrition can be used to enhance profitability and sustainability in sheep farming, with regenerative farming also set to be discussed. There will also be discussion around whether the Welsh Government's Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) is likely to support improvements in whole farm profitability and sustainability. Education will play a key role in the event, with processor Castell Howell working alongside Powys County Council to serve lamb to children from the area during the week leading up to it. The British Army will have a stand and engage with secondary school pupils, while businesses from the area will also take part, including a butcher who will demonstrate how to butcher a lamb carcass. The NSA Next Generation Shepherd competition, along with shearing, stock judging and photography competitions, are already drawing interest.
