Ireland will host the next world shearing championships in two years.
And shearers and woolhandlers there are looking forward to having the home advantage, which they say worked well for New Zealand at the weekend in Masterton.
A wool handler in the Irish team at this year's world champs says a challenge for his team was getting to grips with New Zealand wool.
George Graham is looking forward to working with familiar wool in May in 2014, although he says rounding up the 5500 sheep needed for a world championship event, could be tough.
Ireland has only a fraction of the number that New Zealand has.
''It's a difficult job, but it'll have to be done,'' he said.
