Six Horowhenua women will be heading to the Manawatū Tattoo in Feilding this weekend ready to march to their own beat.
Anthea Hale, Julie Crombie, Teresa Cook, Lesley Smith, Roz Wallace and Debbie Brown make up half of the Broadway United Leisure marching team, with the other six comingfrom Marton, Palmerston North, Bulls, Ashhurst and Feilding.
The group are part of the lineup for this year’s Manawatū Tattoo, which is celebrating 150 years of Feilding and District with a two-hour action-packed performance schedule featuring the New Zealand Army Band, guest artists Suzanne Prentice and Carl Doy, pipe and brass bands, Scottish dancers, Hato Paroa College and Bulls School, and military vehicles as well as a display from the Broadway United Leisure marching team.
Coach Sue Webber, who coaches the team with Tara Gowland, said the team had been preparing for the tattoo by perfecting their drills and patterns, while also trying to make their routine exciting and enjoyable for the audience.
Hale, who has been marching with the team for one season, said marching at the tattoo would be a privilege.
“I always thought Broadway were an awesome team, but I never thought I would be able to march with them.”
Wallace, who has only done four marches with the team, agreed that it was a privilege being able to march at the tattoo – but she added that being in the team was an honour itself.
“I still can’t believe I’m marching for my dream leisure marching team.”
Webber said she’s looking forward to seeing the team perform locally so their friends and families could see what they do.
“They train very hard so it’s lovely that they get to show off their skills.”
As a bonus, Webber said it would be wonderful to bring their sport to the public eye.
Webber said there was also social side of the team too.
She said they all encourage each other while learning and perfecting their display at trainings, and during the performance they continue to support each other by keeping their display controlled and together.
Crombie, who has been marching for 10 seasons, said the team members travel to and from practices in Sanson together and have catch-up practices outside of team practice.
“We are friends as well as teammates.”
Brown, who has done six seasons with the team, said they all truly enjoy being around each other, and their time together is often “filled with laughter”.
The team attended the North Island Leisure Marching Championships in Taupo last weekend, and are now looking forward to the Tattoo.
