TE ANAU SCARECROW NAMED BEST DRESSED AT AWARDS NIGHT THAT DID NOT HAPPEN
The scarecrow has a rosette. There was no ceremony. Nobody knows who did it.
A scarecrow in a paddock off the main road into Te Anau has been declared Best Dressed at an awards evening that, on inquiry, did not take place.
The scarecrow, known locally as Lionel, was found on Tuesday wearing a cravat and a rosette. A handwritten certificate reading WINNER — BEST DRESSED 2024 was clipped to his trouser leg. Owner Marlene Boothroyd, 71, said she had no knowledge of any ceremony but was pleased for him.
"He's had a rough winter," Mrs Boothroyd told this reporter. "Lost an arm in August. Crows had a go at his hat. So if someone's given him a rosette, well, bloody good. He's earned it."
A neighbour two paddocks down, who declined to be named on the grounds she "didn't want to get involved", reported seeing "a younger person, possibly a student, possibly on a bike" in the area at around 6am. This reporter notes the description is of ongoing interest to the constabulary.
A spokesperson for the Te Anau community board confirmed no such evening had been organised. "We do a Christmas lights judging," she said. "That's in December. This is October. And it's a scarecrow."
Lionel remains in the paddock. Mrs Boothroyd has indicated the cravat stays on until the weather turns.
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Reader Letters
Garry (Halswell)
Wouldn't have happened in '94. We had standards back then, not this furniture nonsense.
ropeable_dave
mate '94 was thirty years ago what are you on about
MumOf3_Riccarton
Honestly fair enough. Council inorganic is Thursday and my berm is a war zone anyway.
Margaret_F
Gerald would have sorted it with one phone call to the council.
BarryBishopdale
Bloody typical. And while we are at it, the council has been useless since 1987. Cyclists probably love this.
Margaret_F
Reminds me of Gerald. He would have had opinions about the pallet, I can tell you that.
couchgremlin
Lol
long_winded_garry
I remember when the whole street used to argue about whose turn it was to mow the berm and now we cannot even agree on a mattress without someone invoking the Resource Management Act for forty minutes straight like it is a royal commission.