Mikel Etxebarria and Joseba Ugalde will shear by machine; Ipar Arrinda and Josu Ekisoain with blades; Janire Artabe and Mikel Velasco will do the wool handling, and Joseba Attard will be the team manager
- For the first time the Euskal Herria team will compete alongside 28 other countries, from 4 to 7 March in Masterton
- The Basque team leaves on 8 February and the athletes will do three weeks of special preparation in the run-up to the world championship
- “Having the chance to represent Euskal Herria at the world championship is a dream. What we feel cannot be described. This is a big wave and we want to stay on top of it. Thank you to everyone who has helped us so far, to everyone who believes in us. To all our partners and all our ardiskides!”
- This historic participation is a recognition and a victory for the shearers, the shepherds and the primary sector of Euskal Herria
The shearers of Euskal Herria will compete for the first time in the world championship to be held from 4 to 7 March in Masterton, New Zealand. It will be a historic milestone for Euskal Herria to compete alongside 28 countries. The world championship, known as the Golden Shears World Championship, is held every three years. This year’s will be the twentieth edition. For the Euskal Herria team, the first.
“Two years ago we were just a handful of shearers. Today we are a family of shearers that keeps growing. We have received official international recognition on behalf of the whole of Euskal Herria; we have founded the association and we have held an official competition in Abadiño, the biggest championship ever held in Euskal Herria. Now we will compete for the first time at the world championship in the name of the whole of Euskal Herria,” recalled the athletes of the Euskal Herria team.
“We shearers want to be an inspiration to young people. The path we are on is remarkable. The new roads that keep opening up. We have our feet on the ground and we know there is a lot of work ahead, but we are making the road and we will keep at it. With the same philosophy as always: work, work, work and, of course… wool,” they said.
The Euskal Herria team was decided by the results of the 2025 international circuit and of the Basque Country championship held in Abadiño. The Euskal Herria team taking part in the world championship for the first time is therefore made up of two machine shearers — Mikel Etxebarria (Dima, Bizkaia) and Joseba Ugalde (Lezama, Bizkaia) —, two blade shearers — Ipar Arrinda (Lekeitio, Bizkaia) and Josu Ekisoain (Ibiriku, Navarre) —, two wool handlers — Janire Artabe (Dima, Bizkaia) and Mikel Velasco (Arrasate, Gipuzkoa) — and the team manager — Joseba Attard (Bedarona, Bizkaia) —.
“We shearers will become representatives of the whole of Euskal Herria; an international showcase for the primary sector, for our values, our heritage, our knowledge, our character and our identity. For us shearers it is an honour to represent our country,” they said.
“This historic participation is a recognition and a victory for the shearers, the shepherds and the primary sector of Euskal Herria,” they added.
The Euskal Herria team, which departs on 8 February, is supported by EKFB-Union of Basque Sports Federations, the Basque Government-Euskadi Basque Country, the Provincial Council of Araba, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, the Bizkaia Rural Development Association-Bizkaimendi, Abadiño Town Council, the Juan Celaya Foundation, EHNE Bizkaia, Gu ere bai, Gure Esku Dago, Ea Town Council, Arrasate Town Council, Filmak and EITB.
Preparing for the World Championship
This coming Sunday, 8 February, the Euskal Herria team sets off for New Zealand. The party will do three weeks of special preparation before the world championship begins. Although the aim is to enjoy the experience, they also want to show the world that Euskal Herria is a country of shearers.
“It will be our first time at a world championship. We will be competing against the best shearers in the world, who have great skill and great experience. We will try to do our job as well as we can. What we see and learn there we will bring back to Euskal Herria, to keep improving,” said the shearers of the Basque team.
Above everything else there is emotion and excitement. The special feeling that comes with representing Euskal Herria. Strength. Drive. “Having the chance to represent Euskal Herria at the world championship is a dream. What we feel cannot be described. This is a big wave and we want to stay on top of it. Thank you to all of you who make this possible, to those who believe in us, to those who walk with us and to all our ardiskides!” they added.
The Euskal Herria team
Machine shearers
- Mikel Etxebarria (Dima, Bizkaia)
- Joseba Ugalde (Lezama, Bizkaia)
Blade shearers
- Ipar Arrinda (Lekeitio, Bizkaia)
- Josu Ekisoain (Ibiriku, Navarre)
Wool handlers
- Janire Artabe (Dima, Bizkaia)
- Mikel Velasco (Arrasate, Gipuzkoa)
Team manager
- Joseba Attard (Bedarona, Bizkaia)