Thirteen year old Abbey Rigby recently took home a collection of awards after she competed for the first time.

Abbey entered the Daylesford Highland Gathering dancing competition, held on December 1, with only five weeks notice and zero expectations.

“We didn’t expect to come away with anything. We just wanted the experience of a competition,” she said.

Although she only entered for the experience, Abbey and dance teacher Melissa Perry, of the Ararat Highland Dancing Club, started practicing straight away.

“We practiced twice a week with lessons and were practicing at home as well when we weren’t at the studio,” Abbey said.

“My dance teacher and I had to both learn new dances so it was a learning curve for both of us.”

The practice paid off.

Abbey came first in the 12 to 14 age group for the Highland Fling on platforms one and two, and first in the Sailors Horn Pipe.

She came second in the 12 to 14 age group for the Flora McDonald Fancy, the Scottish Lilt and the Shean Truis, and she was first in the Highland Fling Dance off for Aggregate Winner.

She also won the Overall Perpetual Trophy and the Robbie Burns trophy for the Under 16 Highland Fling.

Abbey described what was going through her head on the day.

“It was so unbelievably amazing but I was so nervous,” she said.

“My brain was just whizzing with all the things I needed to remember; I’d been practicing for hours on end trying to get all my steps into place but by the end of it, it was just the most amazing experience I could ever go through,” she said. 

Abbey was inspired by her family to take up highland dancing two years ago.

“My dad actually plays the bagpipes and it was always a dream to dance to the bagpipes, but there was no where for me to dance,” she said.

“Then we saw the Ararat Highland Dancing Club advertising, so we went to have a look. 

“Since the first day I joined I loved it.”

There were several things about highland dancing that got Abbey hooked. 

“I love the fact that it’s not very common in Ararat and most young girls don’t do highland dancing,” she said.

“I’m definitely into all of the Scottish culture and stuff because my father’s side of the family is Scottish, so all that side of the family is really into it and really chuffed that I’ve taken up highland dancing, and my mothers side is actually Irish.” 

But those are not the only reasons she loves it.

“It makes people smile and when dancing makes people smile, it makes me smile,” she said.

She said her love of highland dancing has only grown over the past two years.  

“When it came on at the Edinburgh Tattoo, I realised that people really do this for a living. As I sat down and watched it being recorded I realised wow, this is amazing,” she said.

Abbey hopes that more people will take it up. 

“I would encourage so many people to come and join because it’s such a fun opportunity and experience,” she said.

For the time being, Abbey will watch the competition calendar closely.