Fencing excellence celebrated
The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards, providing the opportunity to honour both rising talent and industry stalwarts.
The recent Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) Industry Awards recognises and acknowledges those who exemplify the mission of raising the profile of fencing as a professional trade, delivering high quality work, and adhering to best practice standards.
Awards were presented for Emerging Talent, Trainee of the Year, Level 4 Excellence, FCANZ Legends, Women of Influence and Industry Contribution.
Murray Graham, from White Fencing in Clevedon, won the Emerging Talent Award for under- 25-year-olds in the industry who have shown a commitment to fencing as a career and demonstrated growth and excellence in their workplace. One of three finalists, the judges said Murray was passionate about the industry, and knowledgeable about differing ground conditions and the fencing techniques required.
The Trainee of the Year award recognises a worker who was enrolled in an NZQA National Certificate in Fencing Level 3 course during 2023 and has demonstrated to the tutor that they have excellent knowledge and skills in fence line installation. Martin Tomars from Whangarei took out the honours, with the judges saying, “Martin actively participated well on course days, he listened well and followed instructions. His quality of workmanship has improved since the start of the course with an eye for detail and Health and Safety.”
The Level 4 Excellence Award was new for 2023, recognising the graduate of the NZQA National Certificate in Fencing Level 4 who consistently displayed excellence across their coursework. Canterbury fencer Scott Heasley of Heasley Fencing was the winner, submitting work that constantly improved as he advanced through the programme, demonstrating his willingness to learn and implement knowledge gained.
Sarah Foley-Smith was presented with the first Industry Contribution award for actively advocating for the students within her school who have shown an interest in and aptitude for the fencing trade.
This award was created to recognise and acknowledge individuals who go above and beyond to champion and support the fencing industry’s growth and development.
The award for Women of Influence recognises the achievements of women who have proven their mettle in what is a traditionally male-dominated industry. Recipient Debbie White has been heavily involved in many areas of fencing for some time. She has been on the FCANZ Board multiple times and is a stalwart within the NZ Fencing Competitions organising team.
Many farmers around the country are taking advantage of the high dairy payout to get maximum production out of their cows.
In 2015, the signing of a joint venture between St Peter's School, Cambridge, and Lincoln University saw the start of an exciting new chapter for Owl Farm as the first demonstration dairy farm in the North Island. Ten years on, the joint venture is still going strong.
Sheep milk processor Maui Milk is on track to record average ewe production of 500 litres by 2030, says outgoing chief executive Greg Hamill.
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton is calling for cross-party consensus on the country's overarching environmental goals.
Changes to New Zealand’s postal service has left rural communities disappointed.
A $10 milk price remains on the cards for this season despite recent softening of global dairy prices.
OPINION: Ageing lefty Chris Trotter reckons that the decision to delay recognition of Palestinian statehood is more than just a fit…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly recently met someone at a BBQ who works at a big consulting firm who spent…