The Tornado Wire National Fencing Competition is aiming to find the UK’s top fencing contractors at the NSA Sheep 2008 event on July 30.

Since 1984 this biennial event at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern, Worcestershire has attracted some of the best fencers in the country to compete for the prestigious Tornado trophy and a cash prize.

This year 13 teams will line up, with the winner taking home £1,000 and the respect of their industry peers. The challenge for the two-man teams is to erect approximately 60 metres of Tornado high tensile fencing. The rules state two lines of Tornado Titan Barbed Wire should be fitted above the fence and HT Coil Wire 2.5mm should be added one line below the fence. Intermediate posts can be a maximum of six metres apart. The last competition in 2006 was won by father and son Mike and Garth Bradbury of Hereford-based Garth Bradbury Fencing. They are no strangers to the competition and Garth first took part in the competition in 1986 aged 16 when he came third. The pair won the title in 1988, finished as runners up in the mid-90s before going on to reclaim the title in 2002.

Garth will this year line-up alongside Tornado managing director Kenny Campbell as competition judges – an important role as the challenge is about more than just speed.

Kenny said: “The standard of fencing is always very high which makes our job as judges very difficult. It’s not about being the first to complete the task, and what impressed us last year was Garth and Mike Bradbury’s attention to detail. The quality of their work above and below the ground was excellent – maintaining the high standards set by the industry.

“As former fencing contractors we are very proud to have staged this competition for more than 20 years. This is a great opportunity for the industry to get together and for individuals to test their skills and we are really looking forward to this year’s event.”

The teams hoping to secure glory this year are Mike Ford Fencing, A W R Taylor, Stockton Fencing Ltd, Tony Mears Fencing, Ring Fencing, R S Contracting, RS Agricultural & Technical Services, Jonathan Lean, C Hubbard, Gary Batley, R H & C L Bell, Richard Foxley and Allan Froggatt Fencing.