FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS, ROB SCOOPS AFI AWARD

Contractor
Fencing News Blog
13th December 2025
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One of twelve winners at the recent, prestigious AFI Awards held at Mercedes-Benz World, Rob Bell described feeling ‘proud as punch’ after being named as the Agricultural and Equine Contractor of the year.

Based at Kendal in the glorious hills of the southern Lake District, Rob started out in Business in 1988 as sole trader doing hedge laying and relief farm work.
He commented: “From humble beginnings to feeling pretty humble is how I’d sum up the feeling of winning AFI Agri and Equine Fencing Contractor of the year.
“Having been a finalist in both 2023 and 2024, to get the top spot is a honour. The other two finalists are both class acts and I offer my congratulations to Davis Fencing and Tony Weir Contracting on making the finals.
“It’s a dream I’ve chased for years. I’ve done both hedgelaying and fencing competitions trying to bag a national title
“My dad was a farmer and it was always assumed that I’d farm but, having left school, it soon became apparent that it wasn’t going to work. We kept clashing but one thing my father did manage to do was instill in me was a work ethic that’s stood me in good stead.
“I always remember one of my great grandad’s sayings “early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
“I started fencing by accident. I was a hedge layer and got asked to fence one of the jobs I was on. Next thing I know, I was being asked to do more fencing than hedge laying. I’d no money and was hiring, begging and borrowing kit.
“One day, whilst passing an agri engineer’s place, I saw a post knocker over the hedge and 30 minutes later I had an overdraft and a post knocker!
“A tractor came a few months later. Clare was pregnant and had been made redundant so we used some of her redundancy money to buy a Ford 5610 tractor. I parked it outside my house on the side of the A591 on auction day and we were up and running.
“From the outset I decided I wanted to be the guy doing the best job. I’d started from being a winner of hedge laying comps and that was the level I wanted to fence at. I think I’ve been pretty successful at it.
“After starting as a sole trader, it was decided in 1999 that Clare would come into the business as a partner. The business was growing and she was doing more of the admin and financial stuff.
“In 2015 we went limited and this secured our financial future as we developed a more professional work life divide. It was shortly after this that I was asked to price a very large job that opened the door to other contracts.
“Suddenly I was taking orders 18 months in advance, leading materials with helicopters, 6×6 atvs, increasing the staff but all the while maintaining and improving standards.
“I’ve always tried to give a little back and have worked with NFYFC (National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs) helping with the spec for the fencing for quite a few years. I thoroughly enjoy the reward I get from it and also help at the AFI’s Best Practice Days, again trying to give back to the industry I’ve got so much from.
“A simple dyslexic lad from a hill farm in the Lake district to AFI agri and equine fencer of the year 2025…I’ll take that!” added Rob.