New Zealand Cup and Show Week comes to an end for 2008

20 November 2008

The excitement of New Zealand Cup and Show Week has come to an end for 2008.

The week long festival in Christchurch from 7-15 November was an exciting period for the city and its visitors and Christchurch City Council spokesperson for the Festival says the week is growing considerably with visitor numbers on the rise and new icon events being added into the Festival.

“The Festival has been following a developmental plan over the past two years with an array of additional events to the races and the Royal New Zealand Show.

“With an increasing number of visitors to the week, the city is now not only celebrating the unique character of the region via a well established tradition, but it is also promoting a vibrant and new era of the city and an excuse for people from outside to understand what this carnival is all about,” said Events Development Manager Joanna Blair.

Addington Raceway experienced a terrific racing week with attendances on par with last year, recording over 24,000 punters and spectators on Cup Day. Final turnover figures were slightly down from last year however still compared favourably with the 2006 results.

Similarly, Riccarton Park Racecourse saw great crowds of 17,500 and betting of $1.46 million on Saturday’s Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup Day, heading 2007 figures both of which were records.

Riccarton’s on course betting over the three days was also a new record of $2.57 million reflecting the strength of the week. 

Chief Executive Tim Mills said the result was magnificent for the Club.

“Our industry is in a tough economic environment which was reflected in our off course figures being back on the record levels of 2007.  This makes the way the people of Canterbury and the many visitors who embraced our Cup Meeting this year by attending Riccarton Park all the more rewarding”.

Fashion was as always a major scene throughout New Zealand Cup and Show Week and some of the best of the countries acclaimed designers proved why their at the top at the glamorous and glitzy Style Christchurch Designer Collections Show.

Back on the track, local, Olivia Carville won the Air New Zealand/Millennium Hotel Christchurch Ladies Award for Ladies Best Dressed at Riccarton wearing a Louise Anderson outfit and earning a trip for two to Shanghai.

With Royal visits, top quality Kiwi chefs and world class wine and oils, the A&P Royal New Zealand Show yet again brought the very best in rural life to Christchurch.

Mint Lambs were a talking point and from over sixty entries, Amberley farmers Ken and Judy Tomlinson took the top title with their Composite lamb named the country’s best.

Southern Amp rocked the city with its stellar line-up of New Zealand and International acts with over 6,500 party goers filling the Westpac Stadium.

Then to end the week and round up the mix of traditional and modern chic events, the International Rodeo gave spectators a wild western finale with some of the world’s best cowboys competing on the best South Island bucking broncs and bull.

So as the city winds down after the hype of the festival week, New Zealand looks on to the summer that is here and Christchurch City Council looks forward to next spring’s 2009 New Zealand Cup and Show Week.

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