JOHN AND SI’S KIWI ADVENTURE… COURTESY OF TORNADO!
Here’s a fascinating travelogue from John Morgan who recently travelled to the other side of the globe with Si Gibbs to compete in one of New Zealand’s top fencing competitions…
“At the beginning of June, Si Gibbs and I met up at Manchester Airport to fly to New Zealand to compete in the infamous Silver Spades doubles fencing competition at the Fieldays Show in Hamilton. Although it wasn’t my first time traveling to New Zealand, I had forgotten how far it was sitting on a long-haul flight for 26 hours.
“We were lucky to get the chance to travel after narrowly coming second, by 0.3 of a point, to a New Zealand team that consisted of Jeff Joines and Mark Lambert at Tornado’s fencing competition held at the National Sheep Association show in Malvern in 2024.
“The trip was part of the winning prize but since the New Zealand team already live there, they didn’t meet the criteria for New Zealand Fencing Competitions (NZFC) and Fieldays aim of hosting an international fencing competition.
“We arrived in Auckland in a torrential storm with rain blowing sideways and headed down to Glen Murray to meet up with other international competitors and practice with Campbell Bryce of Hill Country Fencing, Nick Liefting and Colin Browne. We didn’t get to practice that day due to the weather so retired to aquatint ourselves with the other competitors as well as Tornado’s poster boy Mark Evans and his employees.
“The following day we had our first practice and got to grips with the big chainsaw driven borers and NZFC judging standards. We travelled from there down to Taumarunui to meet up with Wayne Newdick for more coaching on the techniques to produce the quality of fence expected at top level fencing competitions. We then headed back up to Hamilton for the Doubles Fencing Heats.
“Fieldays is the preeminent agricultural event in the Southern Hemisphere and host to Wiremark’s Golden Pliers fencing competition. The show lasted over four days with the Singles Golden Pliers on the Thursday. We competed in the Silver Spades on the Friday.
“We were definitely ill-prepared for the competition, going up against the best in the world on their patch and with their rules. Although fencing is still fencing wherever you go, the Kiwi competitors have honed their skills to perfection over decades.
“We installed a 6-wire fence with two wires electrified over the 40m course and made a 1m wooden gate with rails either side. All of this had to be done to measurements set out in the spec and in NZFC judging rules.
“We lacked training and preparation but without knowing what you’re up against it’s hard to fully prepare yourself. It was nonetheless, an amazing experience, and I learnt a lot of skills that would make it easier if I was to ever compete there again.
“Well done to the eventual winners Jeff Joines and Tim Stafford!
“After the competition Si and the other international competitors flew home but I stayed on for another 9 days to explore the south of the North Island.
“Some of the judges and competitors very kindly hosted me for a day or two and took time out of their work to show me around. I’ve always been a bit sceptical of the NZ plain wire fences, but the baton fences I saw do produce a formidable barrier to livestock.
“I got the opportunity to visit farms and speak to farmers about the industry as a whole which I found interesting but I also saw a wide range of fences, from deer, plain wire and batons, netting, exclusion fences, post and rail, retaining walls and livestock handling yards.
“I got to learn about what works and what doesn’t. Jeff Joines was kind enough to organise a trip to Mitch Pine timber yard which, was an eye opener, seeing how they produce and treat the timber for fencing and construction products.
“I can’t thank the New Zealander fencing community enough for their time and hospitality and, more importantly, a big thank you to Tornado for giving us this fantastic opportunity!”
www.tornadowire.com
