Walter Godfrey Bowen (13 February 1922 – 2 January 1994) was a New Zealand farmer and world acclaimed

sheep shearer A sheep shearer is a worker who uses (hand-powered)-blade or machine shears to remove wool from domestic sheep during crutching or shearing. History During the early years of sheep breeding in Australia, shearing was carried out by shepherd ...

. With his brother Ivan, he developed the Bowen Technique, which involved the shearer using his spare hand to stretch the sheep's skin, which improved the quality of the shorn fleece. They also introduced the idea of shearing sheep twice a year, which is now the usual practice in New Zealand. Bowen set a world record in 1953 by shearing 456 sheep in nine hours. Bowen, along with George Harford set up the

Agrodome The Agrodome in Rotorua is a major tourist attraction in New Zealand. The farm theme park, majority-owned by Christchurch-based Ngāi Tahu Tourism, was founded in 1971. History The Agrodome was set up in 1971 by Godfrey Bowen and George Harfo ...

Rotorua Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. The city lies on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authority encompass ...

, which is still a popular tourist spot to this day. Tourists get to see a variety of sheep on display, see a sheep shorn and go on a tour of the farm. In the 1960 Queen's Birthday Honours, Bowen was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, and in 1990 he was an inaugural inductee into the

New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame The New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame is an organisation commemorating New Zealand's greatest sporting triumphs. It was inaugurated as part of the New Zealand sesquicentenary celebrations in 1990. Some 160 members have been inducted into the Hall o ...

. Bowen was also awarded the Star of Lenin and Hero of Labour by Soviet first secretary

Nikita Khrushchev Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (– 11 September 1971) was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 and chairman of the country's Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964. During his rule, Khrushchev s ...

for services to farming and shearing in 1963. Bowen died in Rotorua of a heart attack in 1994, leaving his wife and four children. He was buried at Kauae Cemetery in

Ngongotahā Ngongotahā is a town on the western shores of Lake Rotorua in New Zealand's North Island. It is 10 kilometers northwest of Rotorua city, and is part of the Rotorua metropolitan area. Its population was as of Its name is derived from a legend ...

References

1922 births 1994 deaths New Zealand sheep shearers New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire Burials at Kauae Cemetery {{NewZealand-sport-bio-stub