ROGER MORONEY In a New Zealand first a "kitset" luxury marquee is to feature at next year's prestigious Kelt Capital Horse of the Year Show in Hastings as organisers target the growing and lucrative corporate market. "We have not had a corporate entertainment package for the event before," show director Kevin Hansensaid. "The show has gone more international now and the corporate market is a growing form of event watching." Auckland-based corporate event hosting firm Premier Hospitality and hire company Carlton had been brought in by show organisers to run that side of what will be a globally significant event in the equestrian world. They were working in with an Australian company which is supplying the giant two-storied, air-conditioned and luxury fitted marquee. "It is a case of moving with the times," Mr Hansen said of the international swing toward more corporate involvement in major sports events - despite the fact it was an expensive exercise to set the building up for the three-day event in early March. He would not comment on the cost of the marquee hire, except to say "it's a lot of money". "But you have to do these things to make money." The cost of getting the marquee here would be shared with the organisers of the Hamilton V8 Supercar race a week later. Mr Hansen said the organisers were looking at two options - a 20-metre or 40-metre long frontage marquee. The bigger option houses close to 1000 corporate clients. The upper level splits into separate corporate suites which would be marketed for $7300 (a table of 10) for the full three days. Three-course lunches and full, formal hospitality would be included in the "upstairs" package. The 2008 event has already grabbed the attention of the world's leading show-jumping judge Sven Holmberg of Sweden who had called asking to attend. The reply was an immediate "oh yes" Mr Hansen said. He said that by the time the 2009 event rolled around it would be among the top three international equestrian events in the world.
