Name: Ben Fisher Course: Certificate in Fencing (Level 4) “I enrolled in the Level 3 fencing course and then went on and completed the Level 4,” says Ben Fisher, NorthTec graduate. “I’d been fencing for a while before that, but I still found it really interesting and informative.” “I decided to do the course to begin with to support the idea, then continued on to do Level 4 because it’s a really valuable qualification to have. It’s helpful to be accredited for many reasons. I

Name: Emile de Greeuw Course: Certificate in Fencing (Level 4) “I cross-credited my prior training and industry experience to be recognised for the Certificate in Fencing (Level 3). Then I applied for the Level 4 course,” explains Emile De Greeuw. Emile is undertaking the Certificate in Fencing (Level 4) through NorthTec | Te Pukenga, which is run nationwide. “I enrolled because I wanted recognised qualifications, and fencing is an industry that is lacking a bit of recognitio

Name: Peter Magon Course: Certificate in Fencing (Level 3) “I’m self-employed and run a fencing business; this will be my third year out on my own,” says Peter Magon. “I found out that the Fencing Contractors Association has been promoting courses to become a certified fencer. Doing this course is the first step to getting fully certified.” Peter, who runs PM Farm Services, is just finishing up the NZ Certificate in Fencing (Level 3) through NorthTec, with plans to enrol in t

The News is Out. Recently, at the Central District Field Days, Minister Todd McClay announced that the Whatever with Wiggy – Stronger Together mental health training programme had secured matched funding from the Rural Wellbeing Fund to the value of $740,000 over the next four years. This was the highest level of investment awarded, giving us the opportunity to deliver a $1.5 million training and support programme across rural New Zealand. Minister Todd McClay Under the Lean

The recent Best Practice Day in Amberley was a great success, with a strong turnout of contractors from all over Canterbury and best of all, a good number of younger fencers getting stuck in and asking plenty of questions. Kindly hosted on the property of Sarah Rodie, the day was held in perfect weather and provided a great setting for some practical, hands-on learning. We kicked things off with a demonstration on repairing and straining up security netting, requested by Tom

Being on the FCANZ Board and based in the lower South Island means I organise the Best Practice Days in this region. I was in Christchurch for the weekend prior, so I drove down to Oamaru from there to organise the day. First up, a call into Farmlands in Temuka to pick up Strainrite irrigation parts, to demonstrate how pivot irrigators can safely cross electric fence lines. From there, I visited Point Lumber, where I was given a tour by Manager Andy Gillespie, who showed me a

In its 20-year history, FCANZ has benefited from the wisdom, guidance and dedication of six different Presidents. WIRED’s Rosa Watson talked to four of them about the challenges of setting up an incorporated society from scratch, gaining traction with members and corporate partners, their individual focuses as President, and the satisfaction of contributing to the Association’s success. Mike Billinghurst FCANZ President, 2016 - 2018 For Mike Billinghurst, serving as FCANZ pre

Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ), the industry body for fencing contractors, has partnered with rural mental health and wellbeing advocate Craig “Wiggy” Wiggins. Wiggy has stepped up as a patron for the Association in a move that is expected to bring greater support to those living and working in rural communities. Phil Cornelius, FCANZ President, says that the partnership with Wiggy is important for the industry and the rural sector. “As an Association

In its 20-year history, FCANZ has benefited from the wisdom, guidance and dedication of six different Presidents. WIRED’s Rosa Watson talked to four of them about the challenges of setting up an incorporated society from scratch, gaining traction with members and corporate partners, their individual focuses as President, and the satisfaction of contributing to the Association’s success. Nigel Broadbridge FCANZ President, 2011 - 2013 Driving recognition of FCANZ was a large pa

In its 20-year history, FCANZ has benefited from the wisdom, guidance and dedication of six different Presidents. WIRED’s Rosa Watson talked to four of them about the challenges of setting up an incorporated society from scratch, gaining traction with members and corporate partners, their individual focuses as President, and the satisfaction of contributing to the Association’s success. Andrew Cave FCANZ President, 2009 - 2011 Getting the accredited fencer programme up and ru

In its 20-year history, FCANZ has benefited from the wisdom, guidance and dedication of six different Presidents. WIRED’s Rosa Watson talked to four of them about the challenges of setting up an incorporated society from scratch, gaining traction with members and corporate partners, their individual focuses as President, and the satisfaction of contributing to the Association’s success. Simon Fuller FCANZ President, 2006 - 2009; and 2013 - 2016 Putting his hand up to lead th

Business name? Fisher Fencing. Based in? Matawai, East Cost. In the fencing industry since: Full-time contracting since 2008. How did the business come about? Went to take 18 months off shearing for a break and spend it on the fence line, and spend a bit of time at home. 17 years later, and still haven't got back to the handpiece like planned! Who is in the team? Allan Spice, Billy Fleming, Kamaia Te Kuni - Ruha, Manaia Reeves. What style of fence is your favourite to build o

WorkSafe New Zealand is urging businesses to take a fresh look at how they store and handle petrol, warning that even small lapses can create serious and entirely foreseeable risks. Petrol is one of the most common – and most underestimated – hazards in workplaces. Its vapours ignite easily, and everyday sources such as heat, sparks, static electricity, running engines, or electrical equipment can be enough to trigger a fire or explosion when controls are inadequate. More tha

It was lunchtime on a bright summer’s day. I was sitting in my parked car, sobbing empty-nest tears. My heart was hurting. I called Shaun. “She leaves in a week,” I managed to say. “Oh,” he replied nonchalantly. “That’s soon, aye.” He was out on a fence line. I could tell he was busy. This wasn’t a priority for him. Our second child was about to leave home. We were about to become empty nesters. A home that is empty. Empty. (Adjective) containing nothing; not filled or occupi

Business name? CPC Fencing Limited. Based in? Northland. In the fencing industry since: 2000. How did the business come about? My husband started it when he returned from America. Who is in the team? Phil, Donna, Harrison, Glen, Orlando and Cuatro. What style of fence is your favourite to build or what do you specialise in? I’m not a fencer so I can’t build it, but Selflock speaks to me. What's the best thing about being a fencer? Again, not a fencer, but I’m told that seeing

Business name? Fully Wired Fencing Based in? Whanganui In the fencing industry since? I have been in the fencing industry for a total of 15 years, and roughly 12 years as a business owner. How did the business come about? Fencing is something I have always enjoyed, and an opportunity arose to purchase a tractor and rammer, with augers, rock spike, blade, etc., and I just decided to go with it. Who is in the team? A full-time sub-contractor and myself. I also have my young son

Adam Miller (third from the right) with the Jones Agri Fencing crew. As a 19-year-old, I have always found myself prone to the odd silly decision, but when I landed in New Zealand, I thought I might have made my biggest mistake yet. I could not have picked a further place in the world to go. However, just a few months into my stay, I realised that this decision had proven to be the best one I had ever made. Back in Scotland, my weeks tended to follow a predictable routine: a

Ed Struna, Derrick Cox (ECFR organiser) and Dylan Herndon, who finished 3rd in the 2025 Machinery competition. With Fieldays fast approaching, the NZ Fencing Competitions’ (NZFC) exchange program is once again set to offer an exciting overseas opportunity. Winners of the 2026 Fieldays Silver Spades will travel to England in July to compete in the Tornado UK Fencing Competition, held in Malvern. It’s a quick turnaround period, and heats entrants are encouraged to hold current

Attendees of the 20th Anniversary celebration event 2026 marked a significant milestone for Wayne & Kathy Newdick and their King Country Fencing Competition. In 2006, they set about starting a fencing competition after some prodding from a group of fencing friends. They were committed and passionate about creating a competition that encouraged and developed young fencers’ skills, and, 20 years later, it sits firmly amongst competitors as one of their favourite competitions on

In the demanding world of competitive fencing, Marton’s Tim Stafford has engineered a season for the ages. At 49, Stafford’s recent selection as a finalist for the prestigious PTS Logistics New Zealand Rural Sportsman of the Year award is a testament not to a fading legacy, but to a reign redefined. His 2025 campaign stands as a masterclass in sustained excellence, a phenomenal comeback that saw him reclaim the sport’s summit a full decade after first conquering it. Stafford’

When plans for the Levin bypass on State Highway 1 were presented to the local community prior to its construction, fencing contractor Dale Poulton saw an opportunity that couldn’t be missed. “I knew it was coming up because they’d been talking about doing the bypass for a long time, so they had some meetings in town organised by the Horowhenua Company,” he tells WIRED Magazine. The Horowhenua Company Limited is the region’s independent economic agency dedicated to driving im

While we have constructed a number of artificial shelter belts and overhead canopies, this golf driving range was a bit of a different contract. At 10-metre-high sports net, 450 metres long and requiring a solution below the net to stop golf balls from rolling under. The facility was a run-down Golf Driving range located just outside Pukekohe, in Paerata. A landscaping company had taken over the facility and decided to rebuild the Driving Range infrastructure (together with i

Ask Toby How what he likes most about fencing and the answer isn’t complicated — it’s the mix of physical work, problem-solving, machinery, teamwork and the visible result at the end of the day. A fence line doesn’t hide whether you’ve done a good job or not. His business – Toby How Fencing - has never chased rapid expansion. Instead, it has grown steadily through reputation, local connection and dependable delivery. Being part of the local community helps — Toby is active in

We’re often really lucky with the weather for our Best Practice Days (including sun on the West Coast!) but it wasn’t to be for our Feilding Best Practice Day. Thankfully, we didn’t have the rain that the hardy souls at the Hamilton BPD endured, but the WIND! So. Much. WIND! Burne Maxted, Wilton Weeks and David Swansson were our demonstrators for the day, and due to the sheer amount of rain the area received in the lead-up to the day, the plans had to be changed at the last m

In mid-September, we hosted the South Island Best Practice Days in Ashburton and Cromwell, two great events bringing together fencing contractors, suppliers, and partners from across the country to share ideas, learn from each other, and showcase best practices in the field. ASHBURTON | 16 Sep 2025 Coming up from Cromwell, I decided to make the most of the trip – catching up with a mate in Geraldine and visiting my parents in Christchurch. I also brought two of our kids, Quin