THE FENCING LIFE OF TOBY ARUNDALE
Based on the Conwy-Denbighshire border amidst the glorious but challenging North Wales scenery, Toby Arundale, a 30-year-old affable Welsh contractor, runs Mynydd Maintenance. His extensive knowledge of and experience within the fencing industry belies his years.
“Fencing has always been a part of my life,” explained Toby. “Right from the age of eight, when I was helping out my two farming uncles, I’ve always enjoyed that thrill at the end of the day when you look back on what you’ve achieved. That feeling of ‘I did that’ is what got me hooked on fencing, and it never leaves you. I’ve now been working for myself since the age of 22.”
Toby spent two and a half years in New Zealand learning the trade with some of the finest fencers on the planet, including the ‘legendary’ competitor Wayne Newdick. “Wayne has been a massive influence on me. He’s won countless fencing competitions, and I still recall him telling me that ‘there’s no tool that exists that cannot be improved.’”
“I’ve embraced that spirit of ingenuity and inventiveness wholeheartedly in my own business,” Toby added, “and I’m always looking at ways in which the machinery I work with can be improved.”
Recently, he purchased an Auger guide—a simple addition that has significantly improved efficiency. “With the amount of drilling to do in the mountains, stopping the auger from wandering away from the guide wire has become more important.”
Toby also created a strut installation tool designed for competing but useful in real life. “It saves abusing your expensive lightweight spades and prevents slippage during strut installation. It made its debut at the Tornado competition with much interest and success, and I’m looking forward to taking it to the APF.”
Like his mentor, Toby has become a regular competitor on the fencing competition circuit and has participated in several events over the past three years alongside competition partner James John, who hails from South Wales.
“We’ve had some good placings,” Toby shared, “and it’s always a great experience to be in the ring, so to speak, with contractors who are operating at the top of their game. You learn something new every time.”
“I reached the national finals for the YFC competitions a few times, but since teaming up with James for the ‘big boy’ competitions, I’ve been quite chuffed with our improvement in just two years. We have gone from placing last in our first competition to 6th in our most recent.”
The fencing game hasn’t always been a labor of love for Toby. “I got sick of fencing around three years ago and decided to take a break. The aches, pains, and injuries, combined with the constant hassles of pricing up jobs for customers, led me to acquire a remote-controlled mulching machine, and I looked destined to change direction.”
“However, the fencing work continued to come in steadily, and despite upping my prices, there seemed to be a growing demand for my services and a recognition of the value attached to what I do. I guess you could say that fencing gravity pulled me back into its orbit, and I’ve not looked back since. It was full speed ahead, even if the enthusiasm might not be what it was back in my younger days.”
Toby, who is getting married next year and has an 18-month-old daughter, added, “In my spare time, I’m either looking after the little one or thinking about fencing. There are always new challenges that require a bit of thought, and as Wayne made clear, there are always ways we can make the job a bit easier.”
“There have been ups and downs, but overall, this stock in trade is giving me a good life. Long may that continue!” he concluded.
The fencing life of Toby Arundale reads like a book, and for proof, just check out Google!
Contact Toby Arundale:
Phone: 07788 100879
