Innovation Awards 2026 Winners Showcase Primary Sector Ingenuity
The bright ideas of New Zealand's primary sector have been celebrated with an announcement of the winners of the 2026 Innovation Awards.
The NZ Fencing Competitions (NZFC), organisers of the Fieldays Fencing Competitions, say this year’s event was highly competitive and showcased the growing strength of the fencing community, with nine new entrants competing in the heats and the first female competitor since the 1980s – Tiffany Garrick.
Tony Bouskill came out on top in the prestigious Golden Pliers by Wiremark Championship final, with judges also awarding him best quality, for producing the highest standard of workmanship, precision, and finish under intense competition conditions.
The competition is judged on a combination of speed, quality, and the overall strength and durability of the finished fence, with the “first off the line” component highlighting how quickly a competitor can complete their work without compromising standards, all assessed by a team of 15 volunteer judges.
Bouskill also took out the Fieldays Silver Spades Doubles Championship with his father, Shane Bouskill. The pair, who also won the title last year, head to the Tornado Wire Fencing Competition at the NSA Sheep Event in the United Kingdom in July.
The Bill Schuler competition, established in memory of the late Bill Schuler to support newer and developing fencers, was won by Kupu Lloyd.
The Fieldays Silver Staples cadet competition went to Smedley Station’s Noah Glasgow and Mark Chambers.
NZFC was formed in 2013 as a committee committed to promoting and governing fencing competitions in New Zealand.
