Rural Day simply a slice of heaven
The rain may have driven some to seek cover but the celebration of country life, and an iconic cartoonist, could not be denied. Feilding’s annual Rural Day yesterday honoured hometown hero Murray Ball, who created the Footrot Flats comic strip. Ball was born in Feilding in 1939 and briefly worked for the Manawatu¯ Times. He died last year, aged 78, after suffering from Alzheimer’s. His wife Pam was on hand for the day’s festivities. Alongside the usual petting zoos, shearing and sheep dog demonstrations, dozens of Footrot Flats costumes and decorations marked the town, and there was a mass sing-a-long of Dave Dobbyn’s classic Slice of Heaven, the theme song from the 1986 movie Footrot Flats: The Dog’s Tale. Ball said the day was a beautiful tribute to her husband’s work, and it was touching to see so many people showing a clear love for his creations. ‘‘It was a fantastic day . . . especially when the children were all singing Slice of Heaven as the sun came out, and for a while it was absolutely beautiful.’’ A highlight for Ball was judging the children’s Footrot Flats costume contest. Winner Finn Wishnowsky, 6, not only wore a pitch-perfect Rangi costume, but he had the young Ma¯ori character’s cheeky and adventurous attitude down too, she said. ‘‘I’m glad we could give the prize to him, he was such a little character.’’ John Whitefield said he wasn’t going to let a little rain spoil a great day with his two grandsons, and they had got around almost every activity in Manchester Square. His grandson Cole Isles, 8, said the highlight was getting close to the lambs, calves and llamas. Brother Jax, 6, thought the animals were cool, but the tractor pull was awesome. ‘‘The people who pulled the tractors were really strong . . . I couldn’t ever pull a tractor. Nah, not even when I grow up.’’ Event organiser Raewyn Loader said 40 volunteers were up early to set up Manchester Square, and they were pleased with the turnout – especially when the large crowd drawn in by the morning sunshine chose to stick around. ‘‘A few melted away with the rain, but the hardy rural folk stayed – that’s what we’re like, work or play we’ll keep going rain or shine.’’