Competition and Connections Raise Spirits and Standards

A great fence is as good as its connections — from a secure straining post, to long lasting staples. The fencing industry is the same. One event focused on connecting is the Fall Fencing Forum, an agricultural trade show for the professional contractor.

Luke and Leslie Gibson, of Farm Fence Solutions in Indiana, founded the event after their local contractor group mulled over the mutual benefits of their face-to-face get togethers. They saw a genuine desire to connect.

Luke says that, even if you are in a team, there is very little socializing on a fence line.

“Last year we held a great competition," he recalls. "Everyone had a lot of fun, two days full of swapping stories, watching and learning from each other. We have already started seeing the quality of work on contracting jobs really begin to skyrocket as a result of people sharing their knowledge.

“Learning is not a huge ‘aha’ moment. The first time I fenced with a true fence builder was in the United Kingdom, a day’s fencing with Welsh fencers John Morgan and Si Gibb. I learnt I could get wire a whole lot tighter. It is those little pieces we pick up that makes our own style. If we are moving forward, the fences we build next year will be different from the ones we build today. To keep building momentum, we need to kick in together to do this as an industry.”

That’s where Stockade comes in. Luke says the select group of Fall Fencing Forum sponsors making this happen are “class acts.”

“At Farm Fence Solutions, we work with industry leaders and promote the best, the highest quality and the most efficient in the business," Luke explains. "In terms of Stockade, when it comes to putting a staple in a fence post, there’s not even a close second.”

Jim Todd, Stockade’s U.S. sales manager, is thrilled to be a premier sponsor. “Stockade has had a long association with Farm Fence Solutions, and Luke and Leslie’s vision to propel the industry forward by getting together and sharing know-how aligns with our focus of building the global fencing community.”  

The forum will be high energy: post driving, end brace assembly and styles, underground bracing, strength testing, First Aid and CPR certification and a crossover on chain link. Luke says, “Learning to build a fence is really the easy part. It is operating a successful business that challenges us the most.”

Tony Thornton, is the executive director of the American Fence Association, and a keen fencer. He will be running a full day’s Contractor’s Business School at the forum — “A condensed version of the AFA business training to help businesses on the way to becoming a Certified Fence Contractor,” he says.

Tony believes sharing and educating can only improve the industry as a whole, “especially from a professionalism standpoint."

"Bouncing ideas off each other about new techniques and new products helps us understand different ways of working; perhaps more practical, efficient ways that are more cost effective," Tony says. "Stockade, for example, is bringing new processes and product development to the table. It’s that dedication to the agricultural market that helps us raise standards to have a better result for the consumer.”