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Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Highland Dancing champs reel in the awards

CHB Mail
6 Jun, 2023 06:25 AM5 mins to read

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Belle Ward and Amy Bibby on stage at the Highland dance championships. Photo / Paul Taylor

Belle Ward and Amy Bibby on stage at the Highland dance championships. Photo / Paul Taylor

Highland dancers and their entourages piled into the CHB Municipal Theatre over the weekend to compete and to catch up, as the Highland Dancing Association of Hawke’s Bay hosted the North Island of New Zealand Open Championships 2023.

Championship winner Rebecca Bushett with Miss Tutu’s School of Dance teacher Holly Keir.
Championship winner Rebecca Bushett with Miss Tutu’s School of Dance teacher Holly Keir.

After a full day of hot competition in front of Australian judges Kim Roe, Barbara McCullough and Felicity Gollan, the top accolade went to Central Hawke’s Bay dancer Rebecca Bushett, winning the North Island of New Zealand 2023 Championship Title for 14 and 15 years.

It was Rebecca’s first championship title and a special one, as it had also been won some years ago by her teacher, Holly Kier of Miss Tutu’s School of Dance.

Rebecca was also runner-up in the Julie Appleton-Seymour Memorial Award for 14 years.

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Winners Breeana O’Keeffe (left), Maggie Parsons, Holly Keir (teacher) and Rebecca Bushett.
Winners Breeana O’Keeffe (left), Maggie Parsons, Holly Keir (teacher) and Rebecca Bushett.

CHB dancer Lilly Iremonger was fourth overall, with fellow Miss Tutu’s School of Dance student Amy Bibby sixth overall in the NINZ Championship for 14 and 15 years.

CHB’s Molly Kyle also gained a fifth placing for the Sword Dance in the NINZ Championship component - 16 years and over.

Dance teacher Holly Keir setting up the swords for the Sword Dance at the Highland dance competition in Waipawa. Photo / Paul Taylor
Dance teacher Holly Keir setting up the swords for the Sword Dance at the Highland dance competition in Waipawa. Photo / Paul Taylor

A tired but proud Holly Kier says “it was a privilege to host the North Island of New Zealand Open Championship and Supporting Events in Central Hawke’s Bay”.

“Thank you to everyone who supported our event, we received overwhelming support from the dance community and our local community. It was lovely to perform for a home crowd.”

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Lily Iremonger was amongst the winners on the Municipal Theatre stage.  Photo / Paul Taylor
Lily Iremonger was amongst the winners on the Municipal Theatre stage. Photo / Paul Taylor


Results, JAS Memorial Award:

Maggie Parsons - Novice 12 years and over - overall winner.

Breeana O’Keeffe - Intermediate overall winner.

JAS Special Memorial Award:

17 years and over:

Village Maid, 5th - Jenna Boyd.

Blue Bonnets, 4th - Jenna Boyd.

Flora McDonald, 6th - Jenna Boyd.

Irish Jig, 5th - Jenna Boyd.

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JAS Special Memorial Award

17 years and over:

Blue Bonnets, 6th - Molly Kyle.

Julie Appleton-Seymour Supporting Events

Primary 4 years and under 6 years:

16 Pas de Basque, 3rd - Freya Cameron, 4th - Eva Zub, 7th - Darcie Campbell.

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16 Pas de Basque and Highcuts, 3rd - Darcie Campbell.

Primary 6 years:

16 Pas de Basque, 4th - Pippa MacLean.

Pas de Basque and Highcuts, 4th - Pippa MacLean.

Highland Fling, 1st - Pippa MacLean.

Sword Dance, 1st - Pippa MacLean.

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Beginner 6 years and under 8 years:

Highland Fling, 3rd - Zoe O’Keeffe, 5th - Emerson Groube, 6th - Chloe Campbell.

Sword Dance, 3rd - Zoe O’Keeffe, 4th - Chloe Campbell, 5th - Emerson Groube.

Scottish Lilt, 4th - Zoe O’Keeffe.

JAS Special Award Highland Fling, 4th - Emerson Groube, 6th - Zoe O’Keeffe.

Beginner 8 years and under 10 years:

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Highland Fling, 4th - Lulu Ward, 6th - Pippa Donald.

Sword Dance, 2nd - Lulu Ward, 4th - Natalia Stewart, 5th - Pippa Donald.

Scottish Lilt, 1st - Lulu Ward, 3rd - Pippa Donald.

JAS Special Award Highland Fling, 5th - Pippa Donald, 6th - Natalia Stewart.

Beginner 10 years and Over:

Highland Fling, 5th - Anabelle Tuiloma, 6th - Stevie Schaw.

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Sword Dance, 1st - Stevie Schaw, 3rd - Anabelle Tuiloma, 5th - Aleah Haenga.

Seann Triubhas, 2nd - Anabelle Tuiloma, 3rd - Stevie Schaw.

Scottish Lilt, 3rd - Anabelle Tuiloma, 5th - Stevie Schaw.

Flora McDonald, 4th - Anabelle Tuiloma, 6th - Stevie Schaw.

JAS Special Award Fling, 5th - Anabelle Tuiloma, 6th - Stevie Schaw.

Novice 8 years and under 12 years:

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Highland Fling, 6th - Avis Kupa.

Sword Dance, 2nd - Avis Kupa.

Scottish Lilt, 6th - Avis Kupa.

Novice 12 years and over:

Highland Fling, 3rd - Maggie Parsons, 4th - Taylah Annand, 5th - Isabel Schaw.

Sword Dance, 1st - Maggie Parsons.

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Seann Triubhas, 1st - Maggie Parsons, 5th - Isabel Schaw, 6th - Taylah Annand.

Scottish Lilt, 1st - Maggie Parsons, 4th - Taylah Annand, 5th - Isabel Schaw.

Flora McDonald, 1st - Maggie Parsons, 3rd - Isabel Schaw, 4th - Taylah Annand.

JAS Special Award Highland Fling, 2nd - Taylah Annand, 4th - Isabel Schaw.

Overall winner: Maggie Parsons.

Intermediate:

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Highland Fling, 2nd - Bree O’Keeffe.

Sword Dance, 2nd - Bree O’Keeffe.

Seann Triubhas, 1st - Bree O’Keeffe.

Half Tulloch, 2nd - Bree O’Keeffe.

JAS Special Award Highland Laddie, 3rd - Bree O’Keeffe.

Irish Jig, 2nd - Bree O’Keeffe.

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Overall winner - Bree O’Keeffe.

Julie Appleton-Seymour Memorial Award

Premier 14 years:

Village Maid, 1st - Rebecca Bushett, 6th - Belle Ward.

Blue Bonnets, 4th - Belle Ward.

Flora McDonald, 2nd - Rebecca Bushett, 5th - Georgia Whittle.

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Irish Jig, 1st - Rebecca Bushett, 5th - Georgia Whittle.

Overall runner-up - Rebecca Bushett.

Premier 15 years and under 17 years:

Village Maid, 1st - Caydee Whittle, 4th - Lily Iremonger, 5th - Amy Bibby.

Blue Bonnets, 3rd - Caydee Whittle, 4th - Lily Iremonger, 5th - Amy Bibby.

Flora McDonald, 3rd - Caydee Whittle, 4th - Lily Iremonger, 5th - Amy Bibby.

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Irish Jig, 2nd - Lily Iremonger, 3rd - Caydee Whittle, 5th - Amy Bibby.

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