Highland Games in New Zealand

**Grouse Claw** · 28th October 12, 02:27 PM

New Zealand will be staging a highland games in Hororata, a small town about 50 minutes' drive west of Christchurch, on November 10. I believe it is the second games, the previous event having taken place last year. About 10 thousand people turned out to that one. You can find out more at www.hororata.org.nz. This is the event for which a special tartan was designed. I hope to be there. Apologies if this has already been posted, but I couldn't find a specific reference to the games. The season here is mid to late spring, and settled, mild weather is to be expected. Christchurch is functioning well, though I gather tourist beds are scarce, many hotels having been damaged by the two-year spate of earthquakes. So if you can't get accommodation, visitors should stay with friends or relatives, or stay at other towns, such as Ashburton or Timaru. The quakes are largely over. (That's what we said last time!)

**Downunder Kilt** · 28th October 12, 03:04 PM

Good to see Grouse Claw that other countries in the southern part of the world are starting their Highland Games season. Our ones kicks off on the 1st of December. Have a great time and don't forget the photos, cheers

**Grouse Claw** · 17th November 12, 07:28 PM

The Hororata Highland games were a great success. The weather was warm and participants and public were in a good mood. The Honorary Chieftain was the Right Honourable Gerry Brownlee, the Cabinet Minister responsible for CERA, the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, opening and closing the games. The Champion pipe band came from Balclutha, in Otago Province. I attended and caught up with my Scottish culture, and learned more about just how strong is the Scots connection here. I took many photos, but offer 23 of the best here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandy1f...th/8192099902/

**Downunder Kilt** · 17th November 12, 08:06 PM

Great set of pics Grouse Claw. Looks a great day had by all, thanks for showing us how it's done over there. Cheers mate.

**Grizzly** · 18th November 12, 12:42 AM

Excellent photos . Looks like a good time was had by all. Thanks for posting we do love a good picture or two.

**sailortats** · 18th November 12, 06:37 AM

Really enjoyed seeing how it is done elsewhere. Great pics mate, thanks for posting them.

**OC Richard** · 18th November 12, 07:17 AM

Excellent photos, thanks for sharing! It's always so very interesting to see how Games are done in various parts of the world.

Now the second photo was a puzzler to me... the fellow appears to be Knighting a... well just exactly what is that thing that he's Knighting?

I was very interested to see the female Highland Dancers wearing hats. I've certainly seen dancers wear hats in vintage photos, but not in person either here or in Scotland.

Well I just Googled "highland dancing scotland" under "images" and here are a large number of female dancers at various Games in Scotland, and no female dancers wearing hats

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...w=1920&bih=943

**Downunder Kilt** · 18th November 12, 01:43 PM

O C Richard, the following web page maybe of some interest to you. In Australia and I believe New Zealand there are two distinct dancing organisations.
http://www.balmoralhighlanddancing.c...resources.html

**cessna152towser** · 18th November 12, 02:47 PM

Thanks for the Flickr link. Great pics.
I always enjoy viewing photos of Highland games from around the world.
I am bemused by all the hats, not just on the dancers but also the clan marchers. Are the hats worn for protection against sunburn?

**Grouse Claw** · 7th December 12, 12:49 AM

Sorry, brothers and sisters, I can't answer any of the technical questions about dancing and hats. As for sunburn, we're not all that worried about the rays, so it wouldn't be that. The Honorary Chieftain was given this great blade, and he stepped to the four corners of the official dais and touched each corner. I was in the dark about this too and though I'd better not giggle and spoil the moment for someone to whom the performance might have had some great significance. At the time I didn't ask, so the moment has passed. Maybe it was all made up. (I suspect so.) Still, it bestowed a moment of gravitas. The poor chap, a Government cabinet minister in charge of the earthquake recovery, has had to put up with such a lot of flak recently, so I hope he had some fun with it.