Shouting Central's praises in Canada

Central Otago Town Crier Paddy-Ann Pemberton exercises her vocal cords in preparation for the...
Central Otago Town Crier Paddy-Ann Pemberton exercises her vocal cords in preparation for the world town crier competition. Photo by Lynda van Kempen.
Paddy-Ann Pemberton will go bell-to-bell and yell-to-yell against her elder sister for the title of the world's top town crier next month.

Representing Central Otago, Mrs Pemberton will be testing her ''gift of the gab'' against 32 town criers from around the world at the competition in Canada. The only other New Zealander taking part is her sister, Caroline Robinson, Palmerston North Town Crier.

''So, as well as the sibling rivalry, we've got the South Island-North Island rivalry happening too,'' Mrs Pemberton said.

''It creates a bit of a stir, having sisters compete and the only other siblings in the competition are brothers, Bill and David McKee, of Ontario, so it's nice having two sisters and two brothers in the event.''

Mrs Pemberton (60) has been a town crier for more than a decade. She began singing the praises of Gore when she lived in Eastern Southland and switched allegiance to become Central Otago Town Crier, after moving to a Millers Flat farm with husband Rod three years ago.

''Caroline and I will be travelling together and there won't be too much rivalry. There'll be fun mixed in with the serious part. We've been sharing the odd thing, but I won't be telling her too much ahead of time.''

The event is the Kingston World Invitational Town Crier Tournament and contestants go through a selection process before the number is narrowed down to 33. Four days of competition begin on August 1. There are sections including prizes for the ''best dressed town crier'' and the best ambassador. The top prize is the world champion title.

Contestants pay for their travel but their food and accommodation are covered by their hosts.

They are judged on clarity, dignity and bearing, the content of their cries and their costumes.

Mrs Pemberton is the only town crier south of Christchurch and is keen to ''spread the word'' about how much fun it is to be an ambassador for your region.

''Ideally, it would be great to have a Dunedin crier and one in Queenstown, Wanaka and Invercargill - the more the better.

''It helps if you're a people person and you have to be passionate about your area, because that's what you promote with your cries.''

She won the best female crier title at the Australasian championships last year and was judged ''best dressed '' at the New Zealand championships.

Her new regalia, which she made herself, includes a wool silk blend traditional coachman-style caped long jacket, coloured ''a pinot noir hue, to capture the essence of Central Otago''. Her livery also features a brocade tabard, patterned with fruit.

Mrs Pemberton leaves in a fortnight and it will be the 10th time she has competed overseas.

- The World Invitational Town Crier Tournament will be hosted by Central Otago in late September 2014. Mrs Pemberton expected 20 to 30 criers to be involved and four days of competition would conclude with them taking part in the Alexandra Blossom Festival parade.

- lynda.van.kempen@odt.co.nz

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