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The Ratima Shearing crew with the Hunterville banner

Hunterville · Central & Lower North Island

Ratima
Shearing

A Hunterville shearing gang, proud of our people and built on great team work. Quality shearing, crutching and wool handling across the central and lower North Island.

+64 27 222 0770

“Just shear it.”

Just shear it✦Hunterville✦NZSCA Accredited✦Mainshear & second shear✦Record holders 2026✦Quality wool handling✦Tidy sheds, sorted clips✦Just shear it✦Hunterville✦NZSCA Accredited✦Mainshear & second shear✦Record holders 2026✦Quality wool handling✦Tidy sheds, sorted clips✦

Our Story

From the board to the record books

A Hunterville gang built on great team work.

Ratima Shearing is a Hunterville-based gang led by Shane Ratima, who has been shearing since 1999 and took over the gang in 2004. We work the sheds of the central and lower North Island, and we turn up to do one thing properly: get the wool off, cleanly and fast, with respect for your stock and your shed.

We are big on people. Loyalty runs deep here, from long-serving hands who have been with the gang for years to the young guns hitting their first 400s and 500s. We mentor newcomers, we back our team, and we believe a good gang is a tidy gang that leaves your shed better than it found it. That is the standard we hold ourselves to in every shed, every day.

Ratima Shearing crew presenting freshly shorn ewes in the shed

Mainshear milestones

  • Will Bevan315
  • Marshall Buckman334
  • Maliek Mullins402
1999

It starts across the ditch

Shane Ratima picks up a handpiece and begins shearing, cutting his teeth in the Australian sheds.

2004

Taking the reins

Shane takes over the gang and builds Ratima Shearing into a name trusted across the central and lower North Island.

2022

Growing the next generation

Brenna Ratima wins Novice Woolhandling at the Apiti Show, proof the gang is raising talent on and off the board.

2026

Into the record books

Shane lines up in a three-stand team at Moa Flat, West Otago, that shears 2,073 to break the strong wool lamb record by 97.

1999

Shearing since

2004

Gang taken over

512

Biggest lamb tally

100%

NZSCA accredited

Services

What we do in the shed

Full-service shearing for farmers across the central and lower North Island.

01

Sheep Shearing

Mainshear, second shear, ewes, lambs and rams. Fast, clean board work that respects your stock and your timeline.

02

Crutching & Dagging

Keep your flock clean and flystrike-free between shears with tidy, reliable crutching and dagging.

03

Wool Handling & Pressing

Skilled woolhandlers and pressers who keep your clip well sorted, well presented and ready for sale.

04

Full Gangs Supplied

Shearers, woolhandlers and pressers as a complete crew, with our own vans and gear. Just point us at the sheep.

Whether it is a few hundred or a few thousand, we bring the right size crew, the right gear and the right attitude. Our gangs travel with their own transport and run tidy, well-organised boards so your shearing day runs on time.

Need something specific for your operation? Give Shane a call and we will sort a plan that fits your shed.

On the board

Milestones & mahi

Big tallies, tidy clips and a team that backs each other. A look inside the Ratima sheds.

Maliek Mullins with his 512th lamb

Maliek's first 500, 512 in 8 hours

Crew presenting freshly shorn ewes

First 300 ewes at Ferndale Station

Shearing tally book

1,758 on the board

Maliek Mullins with his 402nd ewe

First 400 ewes, 7hrs 45

Ratima Shearing van

On the road, every season

Wool & our clients

A yarn with Jack Hurley

Part of a drive to showcase wool, the work we do and the clients we work with. We caught up with Jack Hurley at Kotare on why shearing earns its spot in the farming calendar, and how sheep do better with the wool off.

See more on our Facebook page.

Shane Ratima with teammates Leon Samuels and Paerata Abraham beside the 2073 tally board and their record certificates

In the news

A spot in the record books

In January 2026 Shane Ratima took on the World Sheep Shearing Records Society strong wool lamb record as part of a three-stand team with Leon Samuels and Paerata Abraham at Wohelo Station, Moa Flat, West Otago.

The trio finished on 2,073, breaking the record by 97 with 20 minutes to spare. It was two years in the making after a failed first attempt in 2024. A real privilege to shear the board with two leaders of the industry.

Farmers WeeklyRead here

Camp outs

We leave your quarters tidier than we found them

On big stations and high country runs we camp out for as long as the job takes, from Taihape, Moawhango and Pukeokahu to Waiouru and over the Kawekas.

01

Quarters cleaned out

Floors swept, kitchen and bathroom wiped down, beds stripped and every bit of rubbish taken away with us.

02

Shed left ready

Board swept, wool room tidy, bales stacked where you want them and our gear packed out on the last day.

03

Respectful guests

We respect the farm, the family and the neighbours. Quiet nights, gates left as we found them, dogs and stock left alone.

04

Our own transport

The gang travels in our own vans, so there is no extra traffic up your race and no one stranded on your farm.

Farmers trust us with their homes and quarters as well as their sheep. Shane checks the quarters and the shed with you before the gang leaves, so nothing is left for you to sort out.

Book shearing services

Get the wool off

Tell us about your job and we will sort a crew and a date. Mainshear books up fast, so get in early.

  • Mainshear, second shear, crutching & dagging
  • Full gangs with woolhandlers & pressers
  • Our own transport and gear
  • Tidy boards, on time, every shed
+64 27 222 0770

The fastest way to book

+64 27 222 0770

Shane Ratima, for all of your shearing needs. Or hit the button and send us the details, we will call you back.

1999

Shearing since

2004

Gang taken over

512

Biggest lamb tally

Ratima Shearing team member with an Apiti Shears Novice Woolhandling ribbon

Season

Early November start through to mid-February, late March for a few.

Employment

Join the gang

Shearers, woolhandlers and pressers wanted for the mainshear season.

We are always keen to hear from good people who want to be part of a great team. Shearers, woolhandlers and pressers, experienced or keen to learn, there is a spot on the board for the right attitude.

Be part of a great team. Fill in the form below or message us on Facebook for more details.

Pay above the rates

Pay well above recommended pay rates, paid stat days and weekly pay.

Sorted & legit

Signed employment agreements, drug testing and training provided through our annual November course.

Good gear, tidy sheds

Good vans for transport, tidy sheds and plenty of work all season long.

Handy location

45 mins to Palmerston North and Whanganui, 20 mins to Marton, not out in the whops.

Excellent accommodation

Free WiFi, Sky TV and a handy location to the township, just 3km away.

Visa support

An Accredited Employer for foreign staff. We welcome the people who add value to our business.

The gang is full

Gangs are full for the upcoming season, reach out next season.

Where we shear

Shearing across the central North Island

Based in Hunterville, we shear farms and stations across Rangitikei, Manawatū and Whanganui, and over the ranges to the Kawekas.

Questions

Questions farmers ask

Do you shear in Rangitikei and Manawatū?

Yes. Ratima Shearing is based in Hunterville and shears farms and stations in Rangitikei and Manawatū and right across the central and lower North Island, from Waiouru and the Kawekas down to Palmerston North and Whanganui.

What shearing services do you offer in Rangitikei and Manawatū?

Mainshear, second shear, lambs, ewes and rams, crutching and dagging, plus woolhandling and pressing. We can send a full gang with our own vans and gear.

When should I book mainshear?

Mainshear runs November to March and books up fast. Get in touch early with your rough sheep numbers and timing so we can lock in a crew and a date.

Do you camp out on remote stations?

Yes. On big stations we stay on site for as long as the job takes, and we leave the quarters and the shed tidy when we go.

How do I book a shear in Rangitikei and Manawatū?

Use the Book a shear form on this site or call Shane on 027 222 0770. Tell us your farm, sheep numbers and preferred timing, and we will come back to you with a crew and a date.

Are you an accredited shearing contractor?

Yes. We are members of the New Zealand Shearing Contractors Association, and an Accredited Employer.

Contact

Get in touch

Book a shear, ask a question, or just have a yarn.

The fastest way to get something sorted is to call Shane on +64 27 222 0770. Prefer to write it down? Use the form and we will get back to you.

Mobile+64 27 222 0770Office06 3228 462
Service areaCentral & lower North Island. Hunterville, Taihape, Mangaweka, Waiouru, Moawhango, Pukeokahu, the Kawekas, Feilding, Apiti, Kimbolton, Turakina Valley, Marton, Whanganui, Palmerston North and surrounds.
HoursSeasonal. Mainshear runs November to March. Call anytime and we will sort you out.
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Drop us a line

Send a message, request a booking, or ask about work for the season. Pick what you need and we will be in touch.