It never rained!

True, absolutely true. It did not rain at Waimumu/Gore/Invercargill

I was thrilled.

In fact it was hot, earth parching hot and the best thing there was no cold Southerly to ruin the hot, hot sun.

Dunc and I drove for seven hours to Waimumu - from wintery Canty to balmy Southland - visited with the Waitane Club chair Don and soon to be Mrs Don, Jess at the NZYF stand.

They are a young power team if I ever met one.

Next day, Thursday Dunc dropped me and President Richie

(there are a few Richies in NZYF - this one is a sharemilker from Bay of Plenty who also has kiwifruit and in his downtime is President of NZYF)

anyway we were dropped off at Waimumu Field Days

(in Southland, dropping off means an hour each way - thanks Dunc)

I got to watch my first ever fencing competition.

these are the winners. You'll notice not a sword in sight.

They are Waitane Club members and are not fencing contractors

I think they are dairy farmers.

This upside downness is why I could/would never build a fence,

that and I don't know how.

And kneeling - not my thing at all.

and fiddling around with wire

and having to use upper body strength

and I would get crazy about perfect spacing of the wires or the gate not hanging evenly and you have two hours to get the fence done according to the instructions given so it's not like you just rock up and wack a fence up.

That's what you do on your own farm when it only has to keep stock in.

This was a Otago/Southland Region competition organised by MoffDog

(that might actually be spelt MoffDawg, will have to check)

I would post a photo of him but quite frankly his shorts are too short and have holes in them.

At the end everyone (one girl, yay Rebecca! rest are lads) stands around and has a beer.