The organisers of the World Sheep Shearing Championships in Wexford, from 17 to 25 May, have scored quite a coup for being the first ever host to field a team from China.

The Chinese team is sponsored by Texacloth, whose MD Aidan Walsh has quietly been exporting wool to China since 1982.

Walsh is now sourcing wool over much of the EU for his Chinese outlets and is a bit of a thorn in the side of the British Wool Marketing Board on account of his wool-buying activity in England, Wales and Scotland, as well as in Northern Ireland. Further afield, he is sourcing wool in Greece, Estonia and Serbia.

In his 30-plus years of selling to China, the Naas-based Aidan Walsh says that he has had some lucky breaks and made good friendships. His initial breakthrough came during his first visit in 1982 when he saw that one of the Chinese delegates was making notes in English. Further contact with this man led to his first Chinese business.