After Mervyn Kinaston's daughter, Judith, started working as a shed hand and wool classer, he developed a strong interest in shearing, both on farm and in competitions.
Now the retired Raes Junction farmer is the new president of the New Zealand Merino Shearing Society (NZMS) and is looking forward to the Merino Shears competition in Alexandra early next month.
''Judith worked for 20 years in the woolsheds,'' Mr Kinaston said.
''She won the Golden Shears senior woolhandling competition in Masterton in 2008.''
Mr Kinaston, now of Alexandra, was ''born and bred'' in Roxburgh and he and wife Helen spent 31 years farming, running Perendale sheep and Hereford cattle.
He said he used to take part in the Young Farmers open shearing competition for the Otago-Southland region in the 1960s.
''I competed in my first Young Farmers competition at Moutere Station, Central Otago, in 1961 and was an ''also started'', Mr Kinaston said.
The couple retired to Alexandra in 1997 and he continued his interest in competitive shearing at the Merino Shears competition.
''I went along to be nosey and got roped in for a job.''
He joined the committee in 2001 and has been involved every since.
He marshalled for four years, and was the junior vice-president, and then senior vice-president for the past five years.
''My role was to support the president and [I] was involved in administration.''
He said he was pleased to see the competition, which marked its 50th year last year, getting stronger.
He is looking forward to this year's competition at the Molyneux Stadium on October 4 and 5, as Australian shearer Damien Boyle is coming to defend his open title for the fourth time.
''Last year, during the open final, the six shearers all finished within six seconds of each other and it was one of the best finals in the history of the competition.
''It was an outstanding final and they are still talking about it.''
He said the Merino Shears will hold the second round of the Perth-Alexandra test match challenge, as well as a fashion parade of merino and Icebreaker clothing on the Saturday night.
There is also a new secretary aboard, Aimee Dyke, and a new treasurer, Nicola Kelland, both of Alexandra.
The competition is the only merino shearing competition in New Zealand and the only compulsory round of the PGG Wrightson national circuit competition.
In addition to shearing, Mr Kinaston has been involved with the region's rugby referees' association for 40 years and also has an interest in coaching.
- Yvonne O'Hara
''I am also a life member of the Mt Benger A and P Society and have been involved in that since the 1960s.''
He said he had seen the wool industry change dramatically.
''Wool used to be of less importance to farmers, a by-product.
''In those days, sheep farmers were not seeing anything for their investment of New Zealand Woolboard levies, and the wool industry was going backwards.''
However, the merino farmers set up Merino New Zealand Inc to market the product.
''That has been a real success story for merino.
''A lot of merino farmers would have gone broke [otherwise],'' he said.