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Conference 2026 wrap-up
20 Years of FCANZ Celebrated in Style!
The official three-day programme could not have started better, thanks to the stunning, if somewhat chilly, weather for the National Fencing Field Day on Wednesday. We were delighted that the sun stuck around all week, giving us some beautiful days and allowing for some cracking photos!
Here's an overview of what delegates experienced at this year's not-to-be-missed event (which you may have missed!).
WEDNESDAY
FCANZ National Fencing Field Day
The sixth annual FCANZ National Fencing Field Day was held on a beautiful grassed area next to the historic Riwaka Hotel, almost an hour out of Nelson. While it was a fair distance to drive, the views were spectacular and, for those still traumatised by the weather in Stratford in 2023, Riwaka put on a beautiful, if chilly, day for the event.
Attendee numbers were slightly lower than last year, possibly due to the location, but there was still plenty to see and do. Various competitions were scattered around the exhibits, alongside the annual FCANZ Games: Guess the Strainer Weight, Distance Pacing and Guess the Staples.
Secondary students from Marlborough Boys College and Motueka High School joined Primary Industries Academy students from Geraldine High School to compete for the coveted Secondary Schools Fencing Challenge
trophy and prizes, thanks to Strainrite and Hautapu Pine.
Once again, we d like to thank Geraldine High's Sarah Foley-Smith for wrangling the schools in the lead-up to the day and running a brilliant event on the day. Fun was had by all, and plenty was learned by this next generation of fencers. We d also like to acknowledge the generous donation of the materials needed for the competition by Summit, Strainrite and Hautapu Pine.
At the same time as the National Fencing Field Day, 12 ladies attended the annual Ladies Who Lunch event, exploring iconic spots and sampling some tasty fare. They were also lucky enough to participate in the first-ever Ladies Who Lunch needlework event, which, by all accounts, was great fun - apart from the big pricks!
Wednesday evening saw most of us head to Lone Star for our famous Mix & Mingle dinner. The space was buzzing, with old friends catching up and new acquaintances being made during a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
THURSDAY
Thursday was a full day - the longest in the Conference programme. FCANZ Executive Director Jaime Bigwood was MC for the day and delivered the Association update, providing attendees with an overview of what had been worked on since the last Conference and what the Board will focus on over the coming 12 months.
The update was followed by the Association's Annual General Meeting, during which members voted to adopt a change to the Constitution limiting the number of terms a Board member may serve to three in total.
Following the AGM, we were lucky enough to have a Community Awareness Training session with Nate and Jared from MATES in Construction, in association with Wiggy and Lean on a Gate. The session provided attendees with the tools and confidence to talk to anyone they felt might not be in the best headspace. The figures related to rural suicides were sobering and a good reminder to trust your gut.
After a late morning tea to absorb the Community Awareness Training message and reset, we moved into the Member Feedback Forum. This space allows delegates to chat with the Board about how the Association is run and share any feedback or ideas about what they d like to see. It s a great opportunity to ask for more information about Association activities, which is why it always follows the Association update and AGM.
A build-your-own-burgers lunch followed the feedback session before everyone jumped on coaches and headed out for a guided tour of the Mac Hops operations. The McGlashen family has been growing hops in the Motueka region since 1900 and now operates a fifth-generation hop farm, harvesting more than 15 varieties across 115 ha and two farms. Kim McGlashen gave the troops the Mac Hops story before a delicious product sampling in the Moutere sunshine.
Thursday night
Our Thursday night entertainment plans had been kept well and truly under wraps, with delegates only being told that the entertainment would be delivered by the inimitable Stephen Caunter. The groan when he announced that we were playing bingo was hilarious but not as hilarious as the groan when we had to stop for dinner! It s safe to say that many bingo first-timers got the bug that night.
Across Thursday and into the evening, we were delighted to give away $2,500 worth of Strainrite gear to five lucky attendees, six UE BOOM speakers from PGG, and $1,000 worth of mystery swag bags and a TV, thanks to Farmlands!
We ended the night with a quick fundraising auction for Lean on a Gate after Warren from Hautapu Pine generously donated the trailer load of gear supplied for the National Fencing Field Day. This prize, along with several others, raised a very healthy $5,000 for Wiggy's work with Lean on a Gate.
Auction items included:
A trailer load of lightly used materials from Hautapu Pine. Holes came for free!
A slightly soiled chilly bin - a re-donated Farmlands swag bag prize
1,000 Beattie insulators and a pair of the best socks ever - twice
A sweet PGG gilet in size large, known by most as an oilskin vest
A hunting trip in Whanganui with Shaun Davies
A Shimano rod and reel, thanks to Summit
The 55-inch TV, thanks to Debbie White, who won it from
Farmlands and donated it back
A fishing trip with the Barakats for up to four people, with an Airbnb
for the night
The final unallocated Farmlands swag bag
FRIDAY
4WD trip
Sadly, despite our best-laid plans, we had to make a last-minute change to the route for Friday's 4WD trip, with the crews instead heading out to French Pass for an explore. While it wasn't strictly four-wheel driving, the winding gravel roads allowed delegates to access areas of the Marlborough Sounds usually only visited by tourists. There were some spectacular views to be had, and we ve seen some incredible photos from the day.
Awards Dinner
We wrapped up our 20th birthday Conference with the fourth annual Fencing Industry Awards and Gala Dinner. Hosted this year by Stephen "Off-Script" Caunter, the awards certainly had a level of levity we haven t seen in the past. It was wonderful to see family and colleagues there to support the three very worthy nominees for the Emerging Talent Award.
As always, it was wonderful to see the effort put into the outfits worn for the evening. It s possible that more of the men made an effort this year than the women, which is certainly a first!
Thank you to everyone who nominated award recipients or submitted a project for the new Project of the Year Award. The awards were created to celebrate and acknowledge the great people we have in our industry, so it is up to our members to suggest recipients and submit entries. Even being nominated is worth celebrating!
Congratulations to all nominees and finalists.
FINAL WORD
A huge thank you to the Association partners and sponsors who supported the Conference and exhibited at the NFFD, and to the members who attended and made the Conference the success it was. We look forward to hosting you again next year.
Photos: Anna Heasley Photography
Published in WIRED issue 82/September 2026 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ
You may also like: Celebrating fencing at Riwaka
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