The Australian ram underwent a life-saving shave, having being found with a massive mane. The Australian RSPCA were called in to assist the animal when Chris was found wandering alone. He was roaming on the border between New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, known as Mulligan’s Flat.

When found, in early September, the tremendous tup had 41.1kg of wool removed in a single piece by champion shearer Jan Ellains. Ellains said the wool is of no commercial value in its current condition, adding that Chris is by far the largest shearing job he has undertaken. This is not surprising as the Guinness World Records have verified the record, which displaced the previous woolly champion Big Ben. A whopping 22.2kg more of wool was cut off Chris than of the previous title holder.

“We certainly did not have the world record as a priority when we sheared Chris, but we appreciate the recognition,” Tammy Ven Dange, the head of the RSPCA in the Australian Capital Territory, has claimed.

“We can only hope that record is never broken again because it would be unlikely that the animal would live to tell the story.”

This story has a serious side – merino sheep are bred for maximum wool growth and they can face health issues, or even die, if not frequently sheared.

Thankfully, this story has a happy ending. The fleece has been donated to the National Museum in Canberra. The record breaker has been re-homed in a hobby farm in the neighbouring New South Wales state.