Imperial Shearing Pants The 10th of October 1892 saw the birth of an Australian legend. At Alice Downs station outside Blackall in central Queensland, Jack ‘Jackie’ Howe set the record for the most sheep shorn in a working day. In just over 7 hours, Jackie sheared 321 greasy merino sheep using nothing but hand blades. This amazing feat still stands unequalled, and considered along with his weekly blade tally of 1437 sheep in just over 44 hours, Jackie Howe remains the best shearer the world has ever seen. An old Australian adage says ‘Australia rides on the sheep’s back’, paying due respect to the influence graziers, shearers and ultimately the sheep have had on the history of our young country. With the Imperial Shearing Pants we again pay due respect to the men of the land who brought prosperity and a unique way of life to the lucky country. Spring sees the beginning of the shearing season, and with flocks of sheep numbering in the tens of thousands and the total Australian flock surpassing 100 million, the shearers job was never done. Only the best men gained notoriety for their skills, and Jackie Howe stood above them all. He had hands like steel vices to power the blades, which were little more than large scissors. His strong legs gripped the sheep hard ensuring an accurate cut, while his anvil like back swayed and strained with the weight of each beast. In sheds so hot the sweat from your brow dries before it hits the floor and with an ovine stench in the air, the shearers toiled in inhuman conditions; themselves, the beasts and their equipment. A shearer’s blade is his primary tool, like a set of garden shears the spring and sharpness govern their effectiveness. Flannel singlets to absorb sweat and keep the chill off the back, were made popular by Jackie himself and still bear his name. A set of comfortable boots made a day of standing more bearable. However, his most underestimated apparatus, the shearing pants, were perhaps the most important. Mobility was vital in man handling the sheep while the ability to hold the animal perfectly still between the legs was also critical. Consequently, the shearing pants evolved to allow movement through the crotch while re-maining tight from the knee down. Imperial Shearing Pants combine these necessities rep-licating shearing pants of old, giving the user the style, comfort and utility needed in the wool sheds. It requires flash player 9.0 or later [click here]