Electric fencing no jolt for Hawke's Bay ace

It could be said that the world fence-building championships in Germany were made for Southern Hawke's Bay farmer and multiple New Zealand farm-fencing champion Paul van Beers.

The contest, on September 1, was held at the Karpfhamer Fest, a German beer festival in Karpfham, Bavaria, and provided yet another win for the 49-year-old, 14-times New Zealand Golden pliers champion.

Van Beers had won the world title once before, in 2001.

He was the only competitor representing a Southern Hemisphere nation, although Aucklander Mick Liesting, also a regular at the New Zealand Fieldays competitions dominated by Van Beers, competed for the Netherlands.

With host-country fence-builder Sven Jakob judged runner-up, Liesting had to settle for third.

In contrast to the post and strainer boundary fence focus of competitions staged in New Zealand, the eight contestants in Karpfham had to erect about 70 metres of three-wire electric fencing.

Van Beers was first to finish, taking about 1hr 40mins, but with judges also considering how well each competitor had done the job and awarding points accordingly, it was about three hours before the result was finally announced, at a presentations ceremony in one of the beer halls.

Organisers credit New Zealanders for initiating the championships, although the regular previous venue has been the Weidefest German Pasture Festival in Schonbronn.

Back home at Te Manga, the family farm near Porangahau, Van Beers said that while the conditions varied from the contests he had dominated at Fieldays in New Zealand, it was no particular obstacle.

"It was my fourth time, I've got a fair idea what's needed," he said.

Apart from wife Wendy, and the New Zealand resident in the Dutch colours, there was not a Kiwi in sight at what he saw as a "very traditional beer festival".

With a flight sponsored by Tru-Test as part of the Fieldays prize package, he was hosted in Germany by farm-goods supplier and championships sponsor Patura.

The prize package in Karpfham was to provide some problem on the way home, blowing the couple's baggage allowance and threatening to add US$300 ($366) to the expenses. Ultimately, the weighty winning trophy became part of the carry-on luggage.

Van Beers has no thoughts yet of retiring, saying he is content to compete alongside 20-year-old son Jason, with whom he does contract farm-fencing in Central Hawke's Bay while his wife and their 18-year-old daughter, Katie, run the farm.