We dropped by the Gumboot Gala at Invermay, a biannual event celebrating winter, the community, and the wellington boot. Video by Joe Colbrook
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00:00Well, it's set to be another boot bonanza as the second biannual gumboot gala takes place at Invermay, complete with the welly-wanging competition.
00:10With a name that sounds like something you'd be arrested for doing in public, welly-wanging, or to us Australians, gumboot throwing, was invented in the United Kingdom sometime in the 1970s.
00:22And despite its whimsical name and nature, it's actually quite serious business.
00:27We're doing everything according to the rules and regulations of the International Boot Throwing Association 2014.
00:34So that's based in Helsinki, and they regulate the entire sport of gumboot throwing.
00:41So we're using their regulations. They're very thorough. There's about six pages of regulations.
00:46The aim is quite simple. Toss a gumboot as far as you can. But what's the best way of doing that?
00:52It's a matter of choice, really, and contention. There's a lot of debate about which is the best technique for throwing.
01:01A lot of the New Zealanders, our cousins over the ditch, prefer a discus-style throwing technique where they'll actually spin around as they approach and try and get a lot of spin on the gumboot.
01:15But really, you know, if you want to just go for the good, old-fashioned heave, it really doesn't matter, as long as you get that distance.
01:22Having never made it as a track and field star, I decided to opt for the good, old-fashioned heave.
01:29There was more to the gumboot gala than just feats of strength and athleticism, however,
01:34with art installations featuring gumboots painted by local school students, and some wearable art, too.
01:40It was a part of an extension from Remade, which we put on in November as part of a sustainable wearable art.
01:48An artist donated a number of these vests, and this was my memories, and it has a coastal water theme.
01:57And then we then challenged artists to create a boot that ties, a gumboot that ties with their vests, so this is mine.
02:06After all that, you're probably still wondering, why gumboots?
02:11And the answer's quite simple.
02:13I think it has a little bit of an element of the swamp, and I think it was a little bit quirky,
02:18and Jeff has a bit of a quirky sort of side to him.
02:22And everyone has a little nice memory about the gumboot.
02:25You know, as a child, you splash in the water, and they don't feel threatened,
02:31and it's quite nice to bring out your gumboots.