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All New Zealand Taihape Gumboot Capital of the World

Gumboot Capital of the World

Taihape's claim to fame is a fictional Kiwi farmer wearing gumboots.

Taihape, New Zealand

Added By
Lew Blank
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  Jennifer Whiting / CC BY 2.0
  Jennifer Whiting / CC BY 2.0
Gumboot with “Taihape” sign   Pia Waugh / CC BY 2.0
The Quilted Gumboot quilt shop   Les Williams / CC BY 2.0
“Gumboot Manor” in Taihape   Wendy Man / CC BY 2.0
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About

Sitting in the middle of Taihape, a small town of 1,640 in New Zealand, rests a gigantic iron boot. This multicolored, climbable gumboot may seem randomly placed at first, but it is actually there as a result of a fictional character that is Taihape’s singular claim to fame.

John Clarke, a satirist from New Zealand, often played a fictional character named “Fred Dagg” in his TV sketches. Dagg represented a stereotypical farmer from New Zealand, or, in Clarke's words, a "Kiwi bloke." As was the case with many of the farmers in the region, Dagg wore gumboots on his feet.

Clarke had to choose a hometown for Dagg, and he decided on Taihape. The small town took its 15 minutes of fame to its full advantage. Taihape was soon dubbed the “Gumboot Capital of the World," and, beginning ten years after Dagg's first appearance, the town began to celebrate “Gumboot Day” on the Tuesday following Easter every year.

Beginning in 1985 and growing in popularity ever since, Gumboot Day revolves around the Gumboot Toss, where hundreds of contestants chuck men’s size eight gumboots as far as they can in hopes of setting the Gumboot Toss world record. Other competitions on Gumboot Day include the best-dressed gumboot and the "shoot the loop" competition.

Taihape's bizarre gumboot attraction has completely shaped the city. The local quilt shop is now named “The Quilted Gumboot,” the tearooms are located in "Gumboot Manor," and a giant iron gumboot rests in the center of town.

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Shoes Clothing Festivals Competitions

Know Before You Go

If you don’t visit Taihape on Gumboot Day, no worries! You can still throw gumboots every day of the year by visiting "The Outback,” home of the official gumboot throwing lane, located directly behind the main shopping center in Taihape.

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Added By

lewblank

Published

October 24, 2016

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Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taihape
  • http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/18981/taihape-gumboot
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Dagg
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington_boot
Gumboot Capital of the World
Taihape
New Zealand
-39.677733, 175.798805

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