Heather And Gorse Clog Morris Dance At Rixey Park

A Memory of Kingsteignton.

Among the attractions at this year's annual Rixey Park Tractor Rally were the Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers and their band - a local dance team based at Combeinteignhead.

For days beforehand the weather had been absolutely atrocious so the venue at Bellmarsh Meadows, on the Chudleigh Road, between Kingsteignton and Chudleigh Knighton, was absolutely sodden and truly muddy! We had been warned about this so made sure we arrived with our wellington boots.

Fortunately the organisers placed some boards in the centre of the arena so there was a small area of firm ground for dancing! I think this is the only tme in my entire life that I have played my piano accordian in public wearling my wellies!!

All around us were some of the finest examples of classic farming machinery, mainly tractors, but also horticultural machinery, stationary engines, classic cars and motorcycles. The event also marked the 50th anniversary of Massey Ferguson, the agricultural machinery manufacturer, so there were special displays devoted to their products.  

I enjoyed looking around at the exhibits when I wasn't playing music and was pleased to see that the organisers were collecting donations for local charities including the St John Ambulance.  The sun came out soon after midday and made this an enjoyable - but muddy - outing!

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