Shrek
It appears Shrek the merino sheep has come down from the mountains of Bendigo Station not only to entertain the world's media but also to do good works. The high country renegade turned media darling will donate his 27kg fleece to the Cure Kids cancer charity, it emerged yesterday.
Amid of further day's flurry of interviews with international news outlets in Britain and Canada, Shrek's owner, John Perriam, told the Otago Daily Times the sheep would be shorn by 20 times New Zealand shearing champion David Fagan, possibly live on Holmes next week. Just where the event would take place was yet to be confirmed.
They are looking to see if we can get satellite coverage out from Bendigo. There are a few technical issues they're trying to deal with,
Mr Perriam said
The 9 year old wether was discovered a week ago 1500m up in the station backblocks after shunning musterers for six years. In that time, he grew 380 mm long fleece, a look that has made Shrek a star.
He's quite incredible and developing quite a personality with all the numbers of people through to see him,
Mr Perriam said.
Cure Kids chief executive Kaye Parker said she was delighted Mr Perriam, a long-time supporter, had decided to donate the fleece to the charity. Speaking from Queenstown, Ms Parker said she was amazed at how well Shrek was coping with the storm of publicity. What I cannot get over is that he was wild last week and now he's an absolute star and loving every moment.
— via Tom McKinley, Otago Daily News, 22 April 2004