299: Mum of 4 Nikki Lyons on Setting Shearing World Records, Mental Toughness & Motherhood

Nikki Lyons didn’t grow up on the land. She was raised in Western Australia, and only discovered agriculture as a teenager. But by 17, she’d bought her first shearing kit and started chasing work in sheds across the country. More than 20 years later, Nikki is a mum of four living in Yass, NSW, and one of Australia’s most remarkable shearers. In 2024, she set a women’s world record by shearing 395 merino lambs in eight hours. Then in 2025, she made an additional record by shearing 502 merinos in nine hours. After taking almost a decade away from shearing to raise her kids, Nikki found her way back to the shed during school hours, rebuilding her body, her confidence, and a dream she’d quietly held onto for years. In this episode, Nikki shares what it took to return to one of the toughest jobs in the country, how motherhood shaped her mental toughness, and what she hopes her kids learn from watching her chase something of her own. This is Nikki’s story.Mums Matter, a bulk-billed psychology service, supporting women through pregnancy, postpartum, and the journey of motherhood. If you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or simply not like yourself, you don’t have to go through it alone. Visit mumsmatterpsychology.com to learn more or book a telehealth appointment. What if you didn’t have to panic or turn to Google every time your child got sick? The Sick Sense is designed to help parents understand what actually matters in the moment - their baby and kids online first aid course helps you build your own “Sick Sense” with practical, easy-to-understand guidance that fits into real life.  Head to: thesicksense.comhttps://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia