John Noakes

INTRODUCING JOHN NOAKES

John Noakes, known to many as Noksee, has been an avid fencing contractor for 18 years. He prides himself on having good health and safety protocols and a strong work ethic, resulting in high-quality work on the fence line.

John spent 12 years on the board of the Fencing Contractors Association NZ (FCANZ) and is still heavily involved with Fieldays and setting high standards for generations to come. He trains contractors up to level three through NorthTec in the South Island, and he also does fencing training for Growing Future Farmers. “I like sharing information and being the best you can be at what you do. It might not be everyone’s forte to be a fencer, but if you’re out there doing it and you do the best you can, other jobs can come out of it – it could be sales or marketing, so just get out there and make it happen,” he said.

“I get a real buzz out of training other people and showcasing best practice in the industry. I’ve seen over the last few years that fencing has been lifted to a higher standard, and it’s great to see young people getting involved.”

John will be starting some penguin fencing soon but focuses mainly on rural and lifestyle fencing, with a mix of security, rail work, wooden gates, house piles, horse arenas etc. Anything that you can think of, he can do it! “You can do anything that you put your mind to, it’s the top two inches that counts.”

Before fencing, John worked in the dairy industry for 23 years and said that if he wasn't a fencer now, he'd be going on scenic safaris to Stewart Island to go hunting, fishing, and exploring."It's great for your health and well- being. I enjoy living life on a knife's edge, but sometimes you fall off and you've got to get up and go again," he said.