NATIONAL FEDERATION OF YOUNG FARMERS’ CLUBS

Competitions Programme 2009/10

National Fence Erecting

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RULES

Competition Aim

To provide an opportunity for members to demonstrate the acquired skill in building a stock proof fence and a stile.

Learning outcomes

How to plan the building of a stock proof fence and stile, practical skills in fence erecting, budgeting for materials, acquiring materials, use of hand tools.

1.VENUE: TO BE DECIDED, BUT THE FINAL WILL NOT TAKE PLACE BEFORE 1ST JUNE 2010

2.REPRESENTATION – Counties may enter one team per 600 members or part thereof in Area Eliminators.

English areas and Wales will be represented in the Final by one team per 3,000 members or part thereof.

3.ELIGIBILITY – A team shall consist of three members, one member shall be 21 years of age or under on 1 September 2009 and two members shall be 26 years of age or under on 1 September 2009 and full members of a Club affiliated to the NFYFC.

Competitors are required in person to produce on the day of each round of the competition (County, Area and National) their current and signed Membership Card, with suitable photo-ID, or a fine of £10 will be imposed for non-production.

This competition carries a deposit of £25. A single cheque made payable to NFYFC for £25 will need to be at NFYFC not later than 7 days before the competition final. If the competitor/ team turns up the cheque will be destroyed after the event. If the team does not show, the cheque will be cashed.

4.SUBSTITUTION – If two or more of the original team are unable to go forward to subsequent rounds, then the next highest placed team will represent the Area.

All substitutes must have been eligible to compete in the County Final.

5.HEALTH & SAFETY - All competitions carried out at National level must comply with Health and Safety Legislation and meet the relevant safety standards.

All teams MUST, as part of the competition, submit in advance a detailed Risk Assessment of the planned activity that covers all actions to be undertaken as part of the competition final. Marks are reserved for suitability of the Risk Assessment which will be reviewed and scored prior to the competition final. It is expected that the Risk Assessments will list all safety equipment and PPE to be used.

HEALTH & SAFETY – ESSENTIAL READING/ACTION FOR ALL COMPETITORS

It is essential that all competitors read the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance paper concerning fencing (HSE reference AFAG104) and note is taken of the safe working practices and protective clothing equipment that is recommended in that paper.

The Health and Safety Executive guidance paper ‘Fencing’ (AFAG104) can be downloaded from the HSE website

6. CHILD PROTECTION – All competitions carried out at National level must comply with Health and Safety Legislation and meet the relevant safety standards.

The completion of a Parental Consent form for members under the age of 18, and a form for completion by the accompanying senior member to be completed and returned to NFYFC no later than 5 working days prior to the competition. It is the responsibility of the CountyFederation to ensure these forms are completed and returned in good time.

7.PROCEDURE

  1. The team will be required to erect approximately 13.5m of sheep netted fence with one strand of plain high tensile wire on the bottom of the netting and one strand of barbed wire on the top of the netting (wire spacing to be determined by the competitors). A join in the netting should be made by hand (no gripples) where shown on the diagram. Boxstrainers should be constructed as shown on the diagram, at both ends of the fence and high tensile plain wire should be used to help support the second post as shown below. Half way along, the fence should turn at a 45° angle. The strainer at this point should have one strut to support it which should be angled into the field and should not be along the fence line itself.

Diagram is not to scale and is for illustrative purposes only.

  1. Only the materials supplied by the organisers to be used for Area and National Final (see list of materials below and diagram).
  1. Hand tools only will be allowed and the teams themselves must provide these. No powered tools or chain saws are allowed.
  1. Competitors are not allowed to shorten any of the posts.
  1. The Judge reserves the right to inspect any strut following completion of the task.
  1. All teams are required to dismantle their fence after the Presentation of Awards. Any team not complying with this ruling will be disqualified and their deposit will be retained.
  1. Clearing the ground – teams are required to clear away all debris and any off-cuts of wire etc should not be put down the postholes. Receptacles will be provided for this purpose. Soil will be available to make the ground good.
  1. The team are required to provide a written risk assessment two weeks before the competition for judging. One member of the team will be required to give a verbal risk assessment on the day of the competition.
  1. The Judge’s decision will be final.

8.In the Final competition, NFYFC will supply the following fencing materials:

  1. 3 x 6-8 inch round posts that are no shorter than 6ft 6inch and no longer than 7ft 6 inch (depending on availability)
  1. 1 x round struts (to match posts supplied)
  1. 2 x round props (to match posts supplied)
  1. 6 x intermediate round posts 3-4 inch x 6ft
  1. 15m standard sheep netting
  1. 15m barbed wire
  1. 25m high tensile plain wire
  1. Nails
  1. Staples

9.TIMING – 2 hours will be allowed. Time penalties – teams will be encouraged to complete the task but will lose 1 point per minute over the allocated time.

10.SCALE OF MARKS

  1. VERBAL Risk Assessment (suitability and compliance)25
  2. WRITTEN Risk Assessment (suitability and compliance)25
  3. Construction of box strainers and struts50
  4. Intermediate posts50
  5. Fixing, tying and tensioning wire100
  6. Overall neatness of finished job50

(only applies if teams finish within the time limit).

TOTAL300

NB. The emphasis is on the skills of fence erecting, tying wire, fixing struts etc, and not digging holes. Pointed posts will be used to save time and where possible should be knocked in using a fencing bell or drive-all.

11.AWARDS – Betafence National Farm Skills Challenge Cup, NFYFC Awards and Prize Cards to the winning team.

NFYFC Prize Cards to teams placed 2nd and 3rd.

NFYFC Certificates of Achievement will be awarded to all members of teams placed 1 -10.

NOTES:

1.IMPORTANT: Competitors are reminded to read carefully the General Rules relating to National Competitions if they are taking part in this Competition. These are available from the NFYFC website.

2.This competition WILL carry points towards the NFU Trophy.

3.Members will be disqualified if they are not at the Presentation of Awards without prior permission being granted.