Shearing life carried on the Isuzu’s back

Mark Williams, a sheep shearer from regional New South Wales, says he knew from a very young age that one day he’d have an Isuzu truck. “When I was a young kid, livestock trucks would go off in the morning, so whenever I could I’d spend the day with a fellow by the name of Arthur Rowlands who had an Isuzu truck,” he says.

“I was sitting up in the trucks and the smell of sheep and everything else was so good… I knew even then that I wanted my own Isuzu truck one day.”

That day came true years later, following a conversation with Richard Pineros from Blacklocks Isuzu in Wodonga, Vic, when Mark bought himself an Isuzu NQR 87-190 Crew Cab, complete with two-pedal automated manual transmission and a custom sheep crate on the back.

The truck’s 8700kg GVM and 12,200kg GCM alleviated any fears Mark may have had about the weight he would carry in the crate or tow in his custom-built trailer, says Richard.

“The NQR is an amazing workhorse with great capability for a customer like Mark, who requires a vehicle for multiple purposes,” he says.

“He wanted a truck that could take on any job around the farm, like moving livestock between paddocks and transporting feed, as well as being able to tow his trailers or take the vehicle on location when shearing.

“He also wanted the ease of an automatic truck without having to compromise on power or towing capacity which the whole family could drive, so the AMT model was the best fit here, suiting their needs perfectly.”

Because Mark’s operation is indeed a family affair. His wife, Sally, is a crucial part of the business, while his daughter Piper already has her own business, both shearing sheep and pregnancy scanning sheep and cattle.

Sheep shearing is in his blood, Mark says.

“I'm a shearer,” he says “I'm also a primary producer, breeding sheep for wool and fat lambs.

“The day starts about 6:00am and just goes from there, often late into the night if it's birthing season or if the weather is frosty and we need to shed the sheep and lambs in from the cold and safe from predators.

“Some weeks I will be on location, camped out and shearing, then the week after I will be back home on my own farm.”

Wherever he is, or whatever he’s doing, his Isuzu NQR is here to assist. It’s a hardy beast, its four-cylinder turbo-diesel punching out 140kW at 2600rpm and 513Nm from 1600 to 2600rpm, allowing it to take onerous tasks in its stride.

The Crew Cab means there’s room for up to six passengers in addition to Mark, while it also gives him the option to roll out the sleeping bag after a hard day’s work.

With signage on the cab by Studio 4 in Goulburn, Mark takes advertising to the next level as he heads into town for feed or takes the sheep to stock shows, towing their brightly coloured trailer.

“Out of all my vehicles it's my favourite one to drive,” he says.

“I just love getting up behind the wheel.”

And he’s a big fan of its creature comforts, from the adjustable steering wheel and seat, through to the MyIsuzu Co-Pilot Audio Visual unit, with its 10.1-inch touchscreen.

“We think it has a nice stereo and the touchscreen is really easy to navigate,” says Mark.

“When my daughter Piper is in the truck, she always claims it!”

As for servicing, Mark heads straight to Blacklocks Isuzu, despite the five-hour drive.

“I tell Richard about a week before I'm coming, and he will have a loan vehicle for me to drive which allows me to take the day however I please,” says Mark.

“In the future I would love a bigger F Series Isuzu truck… I would get it in a heartbeat if I could.

“In the farming game, there are certain bits of gear that just work.

“Isuzu trucks are reliable for us farmers; they are bulletproof.”