Gore’s famous giant brown trout statue in Southland, New Zealand, is set to get an official name later this month as part of a town-wide competition.
The nearly 40-year-old sculpture, which shows a trout leaping into the air, has been a well-known landmark for years. It was designed by local artist Erroll Allison and built by a local engineering firm. Now, the Gore District Council is running the naming vote to help promote the On The Fly Festival on the Mataura River.
Locals and visitors sent in lots of suggestions, including the joke name “Trouty McTroutface”. After sorting through the ideas, organisers narrowed the choices down to five finalists. The final names are Trixie, Scout, Trevor, Gordon and Finn. Voting opened on Monday, and people still have time to take part.
Anyone can vote using the town’s social media pages or by texting a local radio station. Organisers say even visitors can have a say, because many people stop to take photos with the statue. The council hopes other towns with big animal or food statues might also start giving them proper names.
