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“Jimmy’s a Charmer”

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Description: The first image in this set is was published in the Manawatū Evening Standard on the 11th of February 1984. The others were not published. The set depicts former United States president Jimmy Carter having a go at shearing with electric shears during a visit to the hobby-farm of Richard and Barbara Walton at Aokautere.

The caption read: "JIMMY Carter tried his hand at shearing sheep on Richard and Barbara Walton's Farm at Aokautere this morning. He took directions from chief Wool Board shearing instructor Robin Kidd. Mr Carter said he'd done it before, but only with hand clippers."

The article “Jimmy’s a Charmer” was written by Warren Barton:

“…

This morning Mr Carter swapped his dark, pin-striped suit for a short-sleeve shirt, faded Levis and gumboots to visit Richard and Barbara Walton's 350 hectare sheep farm at Aokautere.

Mrs Carter matched the former President's informality and they inspected the Waltons hobby deer farm, saw sheep being drenched and shorn and watched a mustering demonstration.

Mr Carter even tried his hand at shearing.

The couple walked under umbrellas from the woolshed through a paddock to watch the mustering in heavy rain that caused the cancellation of an aerial topdressing demonstration.

They later went to the home of Mr and Mrs Walton before attending a civic luncheon in the city.

…”

Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter jnr) served as the 39th President of the United States of America, between 20 January 1977 and 20 January 1981. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 for his work in conflict resolution and advancing human rights in the decades since serving as president. His wife Rosalynn Carter (nee Smith) spent 5 decades advocating for causes in mental health and caregiving support among many others. Together, they founded the Carter Center – which works today to foster world peace and health programmes. Jimmy Carter died at the age of 100 on 24 December 2024. Rosalynn passed a year earlier, on 19 November 2023.