World champ aims to be first past the post

The organisers of the UK Fencing Contractors Championship, being held at Driffield for the fourth year, have booked a world champion from New Zealand to add interest on July 18.

A £750 first prize and a useful title – plus £500 and £250 for the runners-up – have already attracted a record entry of 10 teams from all over the country for a four-hour event as physically demanding as a marathon run.

Now there is the added incentive of a place at the 12th World Fence Building Championships in Germany to play for.

The Driffield competition is organised by a Bradford-based magazine, Fencing & Landscaping News.

Guest star Nick Liefting of Auckland, New Zealand, a previous winner of the international championships in Germany, has been teamed up with Mike Ford of Tiverton, Devon, who took the UK title at Driffield in 2009 and 2010 and came second last year.

Last year’s Driffield winners were Charlie Hubbard and Ray Baylis, from JS Hubbard & Son of Coventry. Third place went to Dan Critchlow and Anthony Ollerenshaw, from Alan Froggatt Fencing of Sheffield.

Nick Liefting has 38 years’ experience and has picked up the Golden Pliers several times at his home country’s Auckland National Fieldays, one of the world’s biggest agricultural shows, as well as being a winner at the Karpfhamer Fest in Southeast Bavaria. He has already booked his place in Germany for September 1 this year and the top Brit from Driffield will be competing against him there.

Show calendar for the rest of the summer. JULY – 1: Arthington, near Otley; 1: Howden; 10-12: Great Yorkshire; 18: Driffield; 21: Bishop Wilton, near York; 21: Bingley; 22: Malton; 22: Aldborough & Boroughbridge; 22: Crowle, North Lincs; 25: Borrowby, near Thirsk; 28: Cleveland; 28: Birstwith, near Harrogate; 29: Huby & Sutton, at Sutton on the Forest; 29: Weeton, between Harrogate and Otley; 31: Ryedale, at Kirkbymoorside. AUGUST – 4: Emley, near Huddersfield; 4: Osmotherley, near Northallerton; 5: Tockwith, near York; 5: Sykehouse, near Goole; 7: Egton Bridge Gooseberry Show, near Whitby; 8: Thornton le Dale, near Pickering; 10: Hinderwell, near Staithes; 11: Halifax; 12: Ripley, near Harrogate; 15: Danby, near Whitby; 18: Gargrave, near Skipton; 18: Rosedale, near Whitby; 19: Mirfield, near Dewsbury; 24: Egton Horse & Agricultural Show, near Whitby; 25: Bilsdale, between Helmsley and Stokesley; 25: Wensleydale, at Bellerby, near Leyburn; 25: Malhamdale, at Malham, near Settle; 27: Burniston & District, near Scarborough; 27: Farndale, near Kirkbymoorside; 27: Epworth, near Doncaster; 28: Kilnsey, near Grassington; 29: Reeth, near Richmond. SEPTEMBER – 1: Lealholm, near Whitby; 1: Keighley; 8: Penistone; 22: Stokesley; 24: Nidderdale; 24-25: Masham Sheep Fair.

OCTOBER – 20-21: Countryside Live at Harrogate.