KEY POINTS:
Christchurch is a giant carnival with thousands glammed up for New Zealand's big week of horse racing, and the best of rural New Zealand rolling up for the country's largest A&P show.
Thousands of North Island visitors are among the well-dressed throngs at the big daily racing events,
while the races are also drawing many Australians for New Zealand's closest thing to the Melbourne Cup.
The racing events culminate with today's gallops, the $300,000 2000 Guineas race and the $200,000 New Zealand Cup at Riccarton raceway.
The Cup and Show Week's growing appeal had even attracted visitors from the United States, said Christchurch City Council events production team manager Mark Hadlow. In all, about 160,000 people are expected to take part.
"It just keeps growing. And there is a real sense of celebration." With stressful Christmas looming, the week was a chance to relax and party.
It's the sort of excitement Auckland is emulating, with the move this year of its premier racing events from Christmas/New Year. The summer carnival of 13 racedays culminates in the second Auckland Cup Week next March and marks the Auckland Racing Club's 150th year.
Research on Christchurch's big week in 2002 showed it injected more than $23 million into the local economy. About 15,600 people visited for the races or the show, with between 10 and 19 per cent from the North Island, and about 2 per cent from Australia.
The numbers are expected to be higher this year, as the festivities keep growing. Fashion is a big part of the racing week, with best dressed man and woman titles hotly contested.
About 25,000 people turned out to watch the New Zealand Trotting Cup - the highlight of New Zealand's harness racing calendar - at Addington Raceway on Tuesday. Among them was a group of 58 Aucklanders who arrived to support the horse owned by their syndicate.
People at the raceway bet about $2.1 million on the day, by far the largest amount wagered at any galloping or trotting event in New Zealand.
"Some are here for the fashion, some are here for the event, some are here for the racing. There are a whole lot of different reasons why people turn up," Addington Raceway chief executive Mike Godber said.
The Canterbury A&P show - properly the Royal New Zealand Show this year- ran for three days, finishing yesterday. It has been held every year since 1862, and lets people from cities and towns experience the country in the giant arena of the Canterbury Agricultural Park.
There were more than 6000 entries and visitors could see the best quality livestock, equipment ranging from tractors to 10-tonne harvesters, or enjoy the live music, motorcycle stunt riders and other entertainment.
"When you look at the people walking around, there are a full-on farmer types and people who look like they are from the best suburbs in the city," said show spokeswoman Nicola Cull.
"It's an interesting cross-section."
* 15,000 out-of-towners expected
* $500,000 the purse which was up for grabs in the NZ Trotting Cup
* $24m how much money the events pour into Canterbury