Meet the crew who enjoy the fencing life as much as we do. These professionals invest in the people around them, the fencing industry, and the skills and tools of their trade.
We’re proud to have our Stockade tools in the hands of these high-performing fencers.
Ryan Gray
Cowboy Construction, Washington, USA
Ryan retired in the winter of 2016, closing the book on a long star-studded rodeo career including eight times competing in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The athlete who spent a lifetime gripping onto bucking animals, says he fell, somewhat unintentionally, into his next enterprise. “I have always built fence growing up, for ourselves, our family, and friends”. Speed and efficiency are a massive plus for Ryan as he admits there is not a lot of space on his calendar. Outside of Cowboy Construction, he is building a new home, rearing a pedigree Wagyu herd, and riding horses with his wife Lacy. Then, there’s fishing, baseball and going to the junior rodeo with their three kids. Somewhere in this busy existence, Ryan has hopes for other big plans.
Nick Terry, Custom Fencing
Otago, New Zealand
Nick Terry from Custom Fencing, Waikouiti, North of Dunedin fell in love with fencing purely for the fact you could do a day’s work and stand back and see how little or much you had done. He considers himself pretty lucky living in a paradise where he can hunt, fish and dive within 30 minutes of home – and 9 times out of ten come home with a good feed. Nick is President of the local Eastern Rugby club while still playing rugby himself, his partner Anna plays netball, and with a wee son Alf, winters are fairly busy so there’s not a lot of time for hobbies. He says he’ll have a crack at most things in the kitchen but Fish pie out of the Speight’s Cook book recipe is pretty hard to go past.
Darryn Astill, Ground Up Services
Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Darryn’s favourite spot in the world is down in the caravan at Ohope Beach, Eastern Bay of Plenty but he is never too far away from his cell phone to keep in touch with the fenceline. Fencing found Darryn after a stint farming and working in the family engineering business. Darryn kicked off his own business Ground Up Services doing retaining walls and sheds, but it was fencing that really took off. He found he was a natural and before he knew it, he’d joined FCANZ and became accredited. When he is not working on the business, he is working at home, spending time with the kids, or hunting deer. No surprises, his signature dish is venison back straps with red wine jus.
Ryan Sloop, Sloop Fence
North Carolina, USA
Ryan studied Agricultural Business at university and returned to put in place his knowhow and to run the family farm. Sloop Fence formed to supplement farming income and soon took on a life of its own. Ryan is passionate about building great fences, a great business, and being a great employer – and he is all about building community, sharing, learning and getting out of his comfort zone. The farmer and fencing business owner is a regular attendee at the annual Fall Fence Forum, and enjoys the opportunity to share experience and knowldge openly with such a diverse group of contractors from the USA’s vast and varied agricultural fence industry.
Ryan takes light relief through the little things in life – and also owns up to being a serial prankster – taking joy from pulling someone’s leg when the opportunity for a good healthy prank presents itself.
His motto for life is “Don’t wish you had. Be glad you did.”
Kyle Stender, J&K Agriculture Inc.
Western New York, USA
Growing up, Kyle Stender never imagined he would have a career-building fences – but now the former marine from Western New York enjoys the people he meets across the agricultural industry and loves putting in his ear protection, turning up his favorite sounds and stapling a line of fence.
After high school, Kyle joined the marine corp, travelled around the world, came home, and worked for the Government. Fifteen years later he decided he needed a change of pace and starting up a fencing business came about through a serendipitous encounter when he called a contractor to build him a new fence. Kyle says he’s a people person and likes things neat and clean so with fencing ‘it all just kind of works together. Outside of fencing, he runs a hobby farm and spends time with his wife and two kids.
Murray Graham, White Fencing
Auckland, New Zealand
Life is never dull for Murray Graham from South Auckland. One of Stockade’s youngest fencing ambassadors, Murray is happiest outdoors or getting in and doing something practical. He started off fencing with Tony White as holiday work after Year 12, weighing his options between University Entrance credits or going to University. He enjoyed fencing with Tony too much to leave. When not on the tools, he might be found on the rugby field playing for Bombay under 85s, hunting Sika in Kaweka Forest Park, modifying his Nissan Patrol 1998 and getting it road legal and certified, or admiring his collection of vintage chainsaws.