Journey to fencing judge How do you go from your Trade Certificate in Hairdressing to a Fencing Judge at the NZ National Golden Pliers™ Competition? Marry a highly skilled fencer! (Although Owen was shearing when our paths crossed!)
It goes a little farther back; for sure fencing has been in my blood since I was a young girl.
on his fence lines, whenever we could,
Dad worked outstandingly hard, shearing and fencing, during our farming aligned childhood. He had the patience to teach us well and I was off to work with him at every opportunity. From eight years old, I could hold a spade to the back of Dad’s battens, while he stapled. Memories are of heavy concrete posts, lots of barbed wire, ramming wet, puggy holes, Rangitikei clay stuck to your boots and sandpaper hands!
Previous to starting our family, Owen &
Dad would arrive home from work, I’d hear my name called and know it was time to go and stand on his spade and shovel handles while he diligently sharpened them with a sand stone.
While taking a look at Owen & John’s
Having our own two boys down the track, I am so very grateful for our parents valuable advice... the most important thing is to have your children with you as much as possible. We have joined Owen
46
ISSUE 62 / SEPTEMBER 2021
instilling the same values and knowledge; learning fencing!
I attended the Mystery Creek Fieldays every year, spending many hours
watching the Golden Pliers™ & Silver Spades™ Competitions, before he
entered both and competed for the next
nine years. I was Owen’s number one fan
of course and never left the sideline while he was competing, unaware of how much
knowledge there was to gain, just through being there watching and supporting. doubles line in the Silver Spades™
Competition 2009, two judges asked
if I could step aside, so they could look up the line. I commented they needn’t
bother; they hadn’t got it right this time!
Asking what I thought the problem was,
“their post spacing,” was my reply. A grin was exchanged between the two and I was invited to judge!
WIRED MAGAZINE
