90 | Industry recognition for veteran fencer Motueka-based fencing veteran John Noakes (Noksee). Randall Johnston Motueka-based fencing veteran John Noakes (Noksee) won the Legend Award at the 2024 FCANZ (Fencing Contractors Association of NZ) Awards, which were held on the Thursday night of the association’s annual conference. With a varied and very rewarding career, John has travelled all around the country and met some ‘fantastic people’ and the job has kept him physically active well into his late 60’s. He was recognised for the high quality of his work, his flexibility and positive attitude and contribution to training young fencing contractors. He’s been involved in many Best Practice Days and Rural Games and National Field Days held around New Zealand and helped promote and solidify the profession, encouraging the next generation to take pride in and learn as much as they can. Its all about attention to detail and having an open mind to keep learning. “It was a surprise that’s for sure. I’ve been in the industry a long time and met a lot of people and done a wide variety of jobs but you never really expect any awards or anything like that. I am still quite involved in training and am passionate about the industry,” John says. John was also on the Association board for 12 years and involved in organising conferences and Best Practice Days. “I always encourage the young guys and girls to spend a few days at the Field Days and watch the competition fencing. You don’t have to be a competition fencer, but you can still take a lot away from it that will help you in your day-to-day work.” John has done training for Growing Future Farmers, a number of colleges, and many other organisations. RURAL SERVICES » Noksee Fencing He started out doing a bit of fencing with his father, on the home dairy farm just outside of Paihatua in the Northern Wairarapa District, when he was just a young boy and developed an aptitude for the work. “We used to split totara battens out of logs and made our own concrete posts and it just kept growing from there. “I was never going to be a dairy farmer but ended up spending 23 years in the industry, from Management to 50/50 sharemilking and finished up in Gore and decided to go fencing full time when I moved to Motueka. For a change of scenery, in between share milking, he also owned and operated a lunch bar in Warkworth for a couple of years, with a steady clientele of rural workers, truck drivers and more. One of the more challenging jobs in very steep country that he can recall was up on Takaka Hill many years ago, in among limestone and rock. ”We managed to get posts in the ground where people thought you couldn’t get them in. Another one that sticks in my memory is up in the Grampians out the back of Nelson; that is some really challenging terrain. Also up the Able Tasman where we barged materials onto site, to build a deer fence on a property ,to keep the deer out, all done by hand.” Another great and memorable job was working for ex-All Black Garry Knight, a Prop from the Manawatu, who made his debut in 1977 and played until the mid 1980s. He was a great mentor.“He wanted me to help with milking on his dairy farm for nine months and three and a half years later I was still there. He’s probably the best guy I’ve ever worked for.” On the fencing side of things; there are people who have been in the game a lot longer than me around the country, so I’m just one of many really. I really have enjoyed the training and mentoring opportunities I’ve had and that balances NOKSEE WEARS ANDREW FOOTWEAR Providing farmers, fencers, and hunters with handmade Italian footwear @andrewfootwearnz fb.com/andrewfootwearnz www.andrewfootwear.co.nz CONTACT BRENDON ON 0508 927 2824 WWW.WARATAHFENCING.CO.NZ Premium fencing for your farming enterprise! Your farm deserves the best, with post, wire and accessories. Waratah has the complete fencing system for you. out quite nicely with my other work. Still working on the fence-line as well, if not taking other fencing contractors to Stewart Island for rest and relaxation for their health and well being.” John says he is grateful for all the opportunities the fencing industry has given him and says it’s an awesome career for those willing to put in the hard yards, with good money to be made, but always keep an open mind, be positive and you will always learn a new trick. Proud to support Noksee Fencing
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=