98 | Great team of six experienced fencers Horse track fencing. Richard Loader From fencing jobs stretching several kilometres, well designed sheep and cattle yards with the stock in mind, right down to the repair of one single fence post, what gives North Canterbury based Summerfield Fencing the edge is its own farming heritage, and the experience of its people. Summerfield Fencing was born as part of the Summerfield family’s farming business. In the true kiwi spirit of rolling your sleeves up and doing it yourself, John and Dianne Summerfield would do all their own farm fencing and that progressed to fencing for other farmers as an outside income. The first big contract was secured in 1988 for deer fencing in the Rakaia Gorge that ended up spanning 45 kilometres and involved John, Dianne and their young sons Steve and Andrew. The business continued to grow during Canterbury’s famous dairy boom and expanded again when the family farm was sold following Dianne’s death in 1997, and the business relocated to Oxford with a major contact with the Waimakariri District Council, with John’s second wife Carol taking a key role as Managing Director. Still family owned and operated with John involved as a director, management of the business has been vested with Steve and his wife Jean for the last few years. From its Oxford workshop and office, Summerfield Fencing operates throughout Canterbury, with projects occasionally undertaken further afield. A team of six experienced fencers including Andrew are split into three crews, with Steve joining one of the crews or making up a fourth crew as required. “We’re mainly contracted by farmers and lifestyle block owners,” says Steve. “We do all types of fencing including sheep, deer, cattle, dairy, centre pivot fencing - anything that can go on a farm we do including all the under-gate cable work, and water if required. We have four tractors and post drivers which are specifically designed for the kind of ground we work in. Canterbury has some fairly gnarly ground. We also have a new 1.8 tonne digger.” The design, construction and placement of stockyards is one of the company’s specialties, again a legacy from its farming roots. “The design is very important because if the animals don’t flow going through the yards they start to equate the yards with stress and then they don’t want to go back in again. We make our own steel gates for cattle yards in the workshop. Our lifestyle work is much the same, just on a smaller scale. Lifestylers still need decent fencing and a nice little set of yards to control stock.” The diversity of work also includes post driving for vineyards, as well as running wire when RURAL SERVICES » Summerfield Fencing required. Security fencing is also becoming more prevalent, working directly for a client or for a contractor. “We’re also able to build pole sheds,” says Steve. “That’s not a major part of our business but stems from our farming background where we did everything ourselves. Doing everything on our farm gave us a broad knowledge and skill base. We also have great relationships with our clients, our suppliers and with other contractures that we work in with.” Call us now 0800 336 666 THE ULTIMATE IN LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY Proudly supplying New Zealanders with lubrication solutions for over 30 years. www.powerupnz.co.nz Industrial and Multipurpose grease | Aviation grease | Oil Additives | Fuel Additives Fuel Biocide | Penetrating/Lubricating oils and sprays | Full range of oils
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