Tararua pair craft way to national glory

• Author: Dave Murdoch
• Published date: 20 June 2022
• Publication title: Bush Telegraph

This year, the 101st Conference was held in Lower Hutt from May30-31 after a cancellation last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic

At stake in the annual competitions were 12 trophies which attracted more than 200 entries from the best practitioners of the crafts nationwide. Items entered had to have been created in the past year.

Helen Monteith and Elaine Dougherty of the Tararua Federation of Women’s Institutes came home with four of those 12 trophies including the Eva Rennie Tray for best in show, won by Helen.

Helen has been waiting for the day when she could enter in the over-80 competition and these nationals were it, submitting her fabric drawstring pouch which won the Edna Way Cup.

To her astonishment not only was her pouch a winner in her age division but the judges assessed her intricate work as best in show.

Helen was thrilled and says she loves her craft work, which originally helped fill in the hours between milkings on a dairy farm.

She has been in the Women’s Institute for 48 years .

Meanwhile, Elaine gained two cups, the Robert Young Cup she entered on behalf of the Tararua Federation and the Summer Cup on her own behalf.

The Robert Young...