Golden Shears World Championships 2029
Shearing the past. Shaping the future.
The world returns to Australia
The world's best. Australia's heart.
When and where are the 2029 Golden Shears World Championships?
The 2029 Golden Shears World Championships run from 1 to 4 November 2029 at the Geelong Showgrounds in Victoria, Australia — the World Shearing Championships' return to Australian soil, and the return of Merino competition to the world stage after almost twenty years.
For the first time in nearly two decades, the world's elite shearers and woolhandlers will converge on one Australian arena. The Championships connect agriculture, sport, craftsmanship, culture and community — and hand Geelong, Victoria and Australia a genuinely global stage.
Delivered with Sportshear, the Royal Geelong Agricultural & Pastoral Society and the Royal Geelong Show Shearing Committee — with pathways for emerging talent through SCAA Shearer Woolhandler Training Inc — the event honours 240 years of Australia's sheep industry while looking squarely at its future.
The scale of it
A championship measured in world terms
Figures shown are planning projections drawn from the host's event experience — not confirmed outcomes. Final audited metrics will be published after the event.
Road to 2029
Every milestone on the way to the world stage
From the winning bid to the final fleece — follow the journey. Milestones are confirmed and added here as the program develops.
Experience the Championships
Four days of world-title competition, inside a festival of wool
Elite shearing
The fastest, cleanest hands in the world on a six-stand raised board, judged to international standards. Competition on Fine Wool Merino — fleece of 21 micron or less.
confirmed
Woolhandling
Precision under pressure — the craft of throwing, skirting and classing fleece at championship speed.
International teams
National federations from across the shearing world. Teams announced as they are confirmed.
TBA
Industry exhibition & marketplace
Innovation, artisan craftsmanship and regional food culture — the wool economy in one place.
proposed
Education & youth programs
World-class training led by national and international experts, and pathways for the next generation.
proposed
Food, entertainment & more
Complementary attractions across the festival window — full program details coming soon.
proposed
Program elements marked proposed reflect the host's planning and are subject to confirmation.
The host destination
The world comes to Geelong
A proven major-event city on the edge of everything worth seeing in Victoria — the waterfront, the Bellarine, the Surf Coast and the Great Ocean Road.
Avalon Airport
Direct access to the region, 25 minutes from the Showgrounds.
Melbourne Airport
An easy run from Australia's international gateway.
City-centre venue
Geelong Showgrounds sits centrally, with quality hotels planned within walking distance.
Bellarine & Surf Coast
Beaches, wineries and wildlife on the doorstep.
Great Ocean Road
One of the world's great drives, starting nearby.
Festival season
The Championships land amid Victoria's spring calendar of major events.
proposed program
Global exposure
A truly global stage
The world's shearing nations converge on Geelong — connecting Australia to a global community of competitors, federations, media and consumers across the key wool regions.
Markers show the established regions of the shearing world, not confirmed entries. Nations are marked as confirmed here only once their participation is officially announced.
Legacy
A legacy beyond the final fleece
More than a championship — a moment that preserves a craft, develops the next generation, and carries the pride of rural Australia onto the world stage.
Through partnerships with schools, training organisations and community groups, the Championships are designed to leave behind upskilled workers, inspired young people, renewed regional pride and a stronger, more connected wool industry.
“There’s no finer sight than a shearer at work. Their hands carry the rhythm of the land, their grit shapes the backbone of this nation.”
Jim AlstonFarmer of 50 seasons
Partnership
A rare platform to own a category on the world stage
Brand visibility
Premium placement across broadcast, livestream, print, digital and on-ground activation throughout the festival.
Industry leadership
Stand at the centre of the global wool conversation, beside the people who drive it.
Community impact
Support skills, youth engagement and workforce renewal that strengthen regional Australia.
Business development
Direct engagement with producers, processors, trainers and decision-makers across the sector.
VIP experiences
Headline hospitality, gala access and money-can't-buy moments for your guests and clients.
Media opportunities
National and international coverage, storytelling and content that reaches new audiences.
News & stories
Latest from the Road to 2029
Stay close to it
Be first to know every announcement
Tickets, teams, the program, volunteering, partnerships — choose what matters to you and we'll keep you ahead of it.
Championship partners
Partners of the 2029 Championships
A platform for the brands and institutions of the wool world — announced here as partnerships are confirmed.