Some heroes don capes. Shrek the Sheep carried around 60 pounds of wool instead.
New Zealanders found themselves glued to their screens on April 28, 2004, witnessing something truly extraordinary: a rebellious Merino sheep, one who had successfully avoided shearing for six straight years, was finally getting a long-overdue trim. Named after the beloved animated ogre, Shrek wasn't your ordinary farm animal. He was well on his way to becoming a woolly icon.
Typically, Merino sheep undergo shearing annually. Shrek, however, had a different agenda entirely. He disappeared into the rocky caves surrounding Bendigo Station in Otago, skillfully dodging every muster and allowing his fleece to accumulate unchecked. When he was at last located on April 15, 2004, the sight was staggering—barely recognizable beneath an enormous, tangled mass of wool, he resembled something out of folklore rather than a pastoral landscape. The fleece tipped the scales at an astonishing 27 kilograms, sufficient material to produce 20 large men's suits. For perspective, a typical Merino fleece comes in at roughly 4.5 kg. Shrek had accumulated six years' worth in one go. His stubborn determination to avoid the shears was nothing short of remarkable.
A fortnight after being caught, Shrek underwent a professional shearing broadcast live to the nation. The entire process lasted 20 minutes. As layer upon layer of wool fell away, it became something unexpectedly captivating to watch—part grooming session, part theatrical unveiling. This was no mere haircut. It was a full-blown transformation.
Celebrity status followed almost instantly. Shrek had an audience with Prime Minister Helen Clark. He made appearances at schools and fundraising events. In one particularly memorable stunt, he was shorn atop an iceberg to generate donations for children's charities.
Shrek died in 2011 at the age of 16, yet his story endured well beyond his lifetime. His body was taxidermied and given a place in New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa. His legendary fleece wove itself into the fabric of the country's agricultural heritage. Another sheep was even christened "Shrekapo" as a tribute. Though he was gone, his legacy continued to resonate with all those whose hearts he had touched.
What happened on April 28 went far beyond one sheep losing his fleece. It was the moment a modest farm animal seized an entire nation's imagination. By running from the clippers, Shrek stumbled into stardom. And by finally giving up his wool, he secured a place in history.