Audrey Aiken, 41
I'm very excited to be a part of Team Scotland at this year's Golden Shears 2023. I'm looking forward to getting onto the stage and hearing the roar of the crowd!
William Craig, 54
I am from Blendewing Farm , Broughton in the Scottish Borders. I have been blade shearing since the age of 15 and won the Young Farmers Blades competition years ago but didn’t start competing seriously till 2010 at the Highland Show in the Open Blades. I have had wins at Lesmahagow, Lochearnhead, and Royal Highland Show and won the Six Nations in the Team event with my partner Mark Armstrong but the most significant win was 6th Place in the individual event at the World Championships in New Zealand in 2012. A hip replacement operation in prevented me from trying to qualify for 2017. I have a Gold Seal in Blade Shearing too. I compete in Open Blade Shearing, as well as competed at Worlds in New Zealand in 2012 and France in 2019 and my favourite sheep to shear is traditional Scottish Blackface Sheep. I'm really looking forward to the buzz and atmosphere of having the World Championships in Scotland. The support for all the competitors will be amazing but especially for the Scotland Team! I am also looking forward to meeting up with old and new faces from around the world and hope the competition can inspire and bring new shearers to the Blade event.
Mark Armstrong, 52
I am from Amulree near Dunkeld in Perthshire where I look after an estate of 5500 acres running 1200 blackface ewes and 400 hoggs Previously, I was part of open machine shearing but now I am competing in the open blades competition after having competed in blades for last 12 years. I have won Lochearnhead shears twice and have won the Scottish circuit in 2015,2016,2018 & 2022. The greatest win for me was winning the six nations in 2018 in Northern Ireland representing Scotland all over the world along side Willie Craig for last 10 yrs. I have been to three previous world champs in New Zealand in 2012/2017 and France in 2019 but the greatest win of all time for me is being a grampy to Ewan, Adam & Lara. I am looking forward to wearing the Scottish singlet and representing my country again especially in Scotland.
Rosie Keenan, 29
I am most looking forward to the competition being on home ground, I feel the atmosphere and the energy of crowd will be far more spectacular than before and will really motivate our Scottish team. I am very humbled for the opportunity to fly the flag for Scotland at our national show, which will also mark the tenth anniversary of me first setting foot on the stage and competing in Wool Handling.
Hamish Michell, 52
He has been shearing for 35 years, traveling the world since he was 19. Covering Europe, Scandinavia, America, Falkland Islands, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, India and all over the UK. The last 20 years Hamish has alongside his wife Jorunn(JJ) Mitchell been actively farming. Successfully buying their own farm 13 years ago, first in Norway, then moving to Scotland 5 years ago. As well as managing their own farm near Stirling today, they also help to run a large farm enterprise near Perth, where they currently stay. Hamish and Jorunn have 3 children Norman 11, Christine 13 and Johanna 16. On days off Hamish enjoys the odd sheepdog trial. This will be the nineth time Hamish has represented Scotland at the golden shear's world championships, 2nd time in Scotland. He has won around 100 shearing events around the world, the odd speed shear, the Scottish national titles 15+ times. He also enjoys doing shearing instructing courses, taking him places like France, Germany, Norway and the UK. Hamish hopes everyone has a great time in SCOTLAND.
