Booze, Bullshit & Breaking the Cycle – Time for a New Culture in the Shearing Game

Let’s rip the band-aid off – we’ve got a drinking culture in the shearing industry that’s long overdue for a shake-up.

For too long it’s been seen as a badge of honour to work a 10-hour day on the handpiece or broom, then smash a dozen beers, crawl into bed (or the back seat of the van), wake up dusty as hell, and roll into the next day underperforming and irritable. It’s not tough. It’s not funny. It’s bloody stupid – and it’s hurting us more than we realise.

“It’s just a few after work” – Yeah, we’ve heard that one

A quiet beer with the crew or the farmer after a big week? Bloody oath – that can be a magic thing. It’s a way to wind down, swap yarns, debrief the job, and share a few laughs. We’re not here to kill the good stuff. But there’s a line – and too many of us have blurred it so much we can’t see where the piss-up ends and the problems begin.

“Just a few” turns into six, then ten. Then it’s every night. You stop eating proper dinners. Stupid shit happens. You start sleeping in. The gear doesn’t get ground. The van waits. The sheep get stirred up because you're all behind. And now you’re playing catch-up with a foggy brain and a short fuse.

How the World Sees Us – And Why It Matters

Let’s be real here – outside the wool shed, we’ve got a bit of a rep.

We’re seen as pissheads. Party animals. Loose units who shear hard and drink harder. And while there’s some charm to the old-school rough and ready image, it’s not helping us anymore – especially when we’re trying to build a more professional industry, get young people involved, and be taken seriously by the wider public.

Farmers, schools, government agencies, potential sponsors, consumers and even the next generation of workers are all watching. If all they see is stories of hungover crews, trashed quarters, and police complaints, we can’t complain when they don’t give us the respect we deserve.

We’re better than that. It’s time to show it.

📸 Don’t Be That Dickhead – The World’s Watching Now

Let’s not beat around the bush — when you’re on the piss, your decision-making goes down the gurgler. You might think you’re being funny, brave, charming, whatever… but more often than not, you’re just being a dickhead.

And these days? There’s always a camera rolling.

You punch a wall, mouth off at someone, square up to a co-worker, or start yelling at the farmer — and someone is gonna capture it. And before you’ve sobered up or even found your bloody phone, that shit’s already been posted, shared, screen recorded, and screenshotted a hundred times.

We’ve seen it first-hand. A promising young worker — sharpening his skills on the handpiece, showed promise — got steamed up, thought it'd be funny to take a piss in a public area, verbally abused bystanders speaking up and became downright aggressive when challenged. The evidence was posted on Facebook, work van and company name in full view! It blew up quickly. Farmers heard about it. The boss was getting random messages and hate mail, the rest of the crew were tared with the same brush. He didn’t just embarrass himself. He brought the whole crew down. It met the threshold for serious misconduct — and didn't end well for this young fella. He will have that name for the rest of his career because of a few beers and a dickhead move!

That’s the reality.

• One night of piss and poor judgement.

• One video or incident shared around.

• And now your name’s mud — not just locally, but across the whole circuit.

People talk. Farmers, contractors, other shearers. Once your name’s tied to that kind of carry-on, you’re not just out — you’re avoided.

This industry’s already battling outdated stereotypes. If we want respect, good pay, and more opportunities, we’ve got to stop feeding the narrative that we’re all loose units.

You might think it's all good fun, but if you're the reason a farmer doesn’t want a contractor back, or a crew loses work, or a young gun walks away from the game — that’s on you.

The wool shed isn’t a circus. We’re not here to be the entertainment. We’re here to work hard, get paid well, and walk out with our heads held high.

So don’t be that guy. Don’t be that girl. Don’t be the reason someone says,

“Bloody shearers, aye – just another bunch of pissed idiots.”

Be the one that lifts the standard — not the one dragging us back into the mud.

We’re better than that. Start acting like it.

The Real Harm – It Ain’t Just a Personal Problem

Let’s be brutally honest. Alcohol abuse isn’t just about missing a day or being a bit grumpy. The ripple effect is massive.

• Families cop it first – Kids get snapped at. Partners carry the mental load. Relationships get strained or flat-out fall apart.

• Violence creeps in the door – Alcohol is a leading factor in domestic violence in NZ. If you’re turning up steamed and angry, that’s not just a shed problem. That’s a bloody serious one.

• Crimes happen – Fights, drink driving, dumb shit that gets you in trouble with the cops. One bad call can wreck your life or someone else’s.

• The next generation is watching – You might think you're just having a laugh, but the young ones in the shed are picking up every habit you’re putting down. What are we teaching them?

We can’t keep glamourizing being hungover heroes. We’re professionals, not pisshead pirates.

The Loop is Real – And It's a Bastard to Break

The trap is sneaky. You knock off work, someone shouts, so you sink a few. Feels good. Do it again the next night. Suddenly it’s been two months and you’ve had 40 hangovers, your wallet’s empty, your missus is over it, and you’ve done bugger all else with your time outside of work.

Sound familiar? Yeah. We’ve all been there. Hell, I’ve been there. But staying there? That’s a choice. And it’s a shit one.

My Story – From the Life of the Party to Kicking Myself on the Couch 

Look, I’m not preaching from some pedestal here and I'm certainly not the fun police. I’ve lived it. I was the guy who’d have one drink… and then it was on. Full send till I couldn’t stand.

Sure, I could still turn up and do the job — but bloody hell, it would’ve been a heap easier and a hell of a lot better without the hangovers, the guilt, and the fog that came with it.

I got into that cycle: work, drink, sleep, repeat. The old “work hard, play hard” mantra, right? I was the life of the party when I was pissed up – always up for a laugh, always the loudest in the room. But when the stories started rolling in about what I’d done while I was blind drunk and smashed, the jokes weren’t that funny to me sober and then the guilt and regret really set in.

I was silently gutted. Sad. Lonely. Sliding down a rabbit hole I didn’t think I could climb out of.

But I wasn’t alone. There were people around me who gave a shit. Mates. Family. Crew. They stood by me, even when I didn’t think I deserved it. They helped me through the aftermath of every bender – when I was lying on the couch, kicking myself for doing it again.

Eventually, I got help. And things got better. I think I'm just about worse off the piss, but here's the kicker: I remember EVERYTHING and my wife and kids are a lot happier for it!

To cut a long story short, It wasn’t easy. Not by a long shot. But it was worth it. For my family. For my mates. But most of all – for me.

Show Me the Money – Financial Pros & Cons of Cutting the Booze

Let’s lay it out, dollars and sense:

💸 The Negatives:

• $50 a night on piss? Do that four nights a week, that’s $200 gone. $100 a night? That's 4 Hundy. Every week.

• Missed vans = missed wages.

• Hungover at work = slower = fewer sheep = less coin.

• Do that all season and you’ve sunk thousands – for what? Some hazy nights a big headache and a dodgy liver?

💰 The Positives of Staying Sharp:

• Home ownership – Yep, it’s bloody possible if you’re smart with your money. Stack those pay cheques.

• A flash new ute or car – Not just one that goes, but one you’re proud to drive.

• Overseas trips – A couple grand saved = a proper holiday, not just a hungover weekend.

• Quality gear – New handpieces, a decent selection of combs, your own grinder,– you name it.

• Future security – Savings for when you’re crook, injured, or just need a break.

You all work bloody hard. You should see something for it.

What’s Bloody Good About Staying Sober?

Let’s not just bash the bad – let’s shine a light on what’s on the other side. There’s some serious gold in choosing not to drink, or at least pulling back:

🧠 Mentally – Better sleep, less anxiety, sharper thinking. You’re not spending every morning trying to feel human again.

💪 Workwise – You're on time, switched on, not snapping at the presser or rubbing the farmer up the wrong way ‘cause your head’s in a fog.

🏡 Familywise – You’re present. Properly present. Having convos that matter. Doing things that mean something to the people who love you.

🛠️ Long term – If you’re not wasting cash and time on booze, you're building something. Saving. Planning. Maybe even looking at your own run one day.

Time to Shift the Culture

This isn’t about banning beers or turning into saints. It’s about making room in the industry for the new normal.

• Some people don’t drink. Full stop. Let’s not make them feel like aliens in the wool shed.

• Have other drink options when you're celebrating a shed finish. Chuck in some fizzy, hot drinks, water. Whatever – just give people a bloody choice.

• Start talking openly about it. Share your story if you’ve cut back or quit. You might just give someone the nudge they need.

We can still be a crew that works hard and plays hard. But let’s make “play hard” mean kicking a footy, cooking a feed together, hitting the river, playing some pool or cards – something other than getting smashed.

Life is more than a box of cold piss, a few Cody's and a hangover!

🔧 Tips, Tricks & Tools for a Healthier Shed Life

Shifting the culture doesn’t mean you’ve gotta go cold turkey overnight. But here’s a list of real, doable things that help make the change stick — whether you’re cutting back, going sober, or just want to support your mates who are.

👊 Tips for Individuals

• Start small – Try going booze-free during the week and only having one or two on Friday if you feel like it.

• Track your drinks – Use a notebook, your phone, or an app like DrinkControl  just to see how much you’re actually consuming (the result might scare you).

• Have an excuse ready – If the crew’s pushing, just say, “Nah bro, I’ve got a big day tomorrow” or “On a health kick.” No one can argue with that.

• Stock better options – Keep cold fizzy, or sports drinks handy so you’re not always reaching for a beer.

• Keep busy after work – Go for a walk, hit the river, chuck on a podcast, cook a decent feed. Distraction works.

• Plan your reward – Save the cash you’d usually spend on piss and splash it on something for you. New stereo? Hunting gear? A night away with the missus? You’ve earned it.

🧠 Tips for the Whole Crew

• Normalise not drinking – If someone skips the beers, don’t take the piss. Back them.

• Mix up the after-work fun – Have darts comps, cards nights, pool tournaments. Build a bit of banter that doesn’t revolve around booze.

• Shout a sober shout – Bring in some good non-alcoholic options when the shed wraps up. Shout the fizzy like you would the beers.

• Keep an eye out – If someone’s hitting it hard, not showing up, or looking rough, check in. A quiet yarn can mean a hell of a lot.

💬 Signs You or a Mate Might Need a Hand

• Drinking alone or in secret

• Getting pissed more often than not

• Missing the van or turning up late/dusty too often

• Mood swings, angry outbursts, or becoming withdrawn

• Saying things like “I could stop if I wanted to” but never doing it

• Family or mates have said something about your drinking

📞 Where to Get Help in NZ

You’re not weak for reaching out. You’re bloody strong.

Here’s where to start if you or someone close to you needs a bit of backup:

🟢 Alcohol Drug Helpline

Free, confidential support

📞 0800 787 797

📱 Free text 8681

🌐 alcoholdrughelp.org.nz

🟢 1737 – Need to Talk?

Trained counsellors, 24/7

📞 Call or text 1737

🟢 Healthline

📞 0800 611 116

🟢 Salvation Army Addiction Services

Support across NZ for substance misuse

🌐 salvationarmy.org.nz

🟢 Your GP or rural nurse

Don’t forget – your local doc or nurse can help make a plan or refer you to the right people.

Final Word

The industry’s changing – and it bloody well should. We owe it to ourselves, our families, our crews, and the next generation coming through the ranks to show that you can have a good time, smash out a solid week’s work, and be proud of how you carry yourself without getting blind every night. Let’s break the cycle. Let’s change the way people see us – not just as workers, but as professionals. Let’s be a crew people want to join, and parents want their kids to be part of.

And if you’ve got a story, a tip, or a thought – chuck it our way. This is your shed too.