The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Melbourne Cup fever about to hit Rotorua

Katee Shanks
By Katee Shanks
Multimedia journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
4 Nov, 2018 10:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Australia's most famous horse race, the Melbourne Cup, has been described as the race that stops two nations.

And while it may not bring the Bay of Plenty to a complete standstill, it certainly attracts local punters to dress up, drink up, and stump up for a bet or two.

This year's event signals the 158th running of the cup and sees a record $7.3 million in stakes on the line – making it the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world and one of the richest turf races.

In Rotorua a number of venues will be playing the race on the big screen.
For the second year The Hits crew will be at Ambrosia Restaurant and Bar from 3.30pm until late with a raft of things to do and prizes to give away.

The Hits Rotorua Brand Engagement co-ordinator Bryce Morris said sweepstakes would be drawn on the day as well as on-air with The Hits announcer Paul Hickey today and tomorrow.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"There's games with hobby horses on the to-do list and prizes for best dressed man and woman and also for the best fascinator or hat," Morris said.

Image 1 of 6:

Clarke's Bar at the Novotel will have a pig on the spit, and also entertainment and prizes for the best-dressed. The Rotorua Citizens Club is also offering punters the chance to dress up and get involved in sweepstakes, snail and dice horse races, door draws and great food.

In Tauranga the fourth Melbourne Cup Charity Auction goes ahead at the ASB Stadium.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Event co-ordinator Sharon Hitchcock said there's no better excuse to get dressed up to the nines as the Melbourne Cup.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to dress up. There's not a lot of events in Tauranga where people can get really dressed up, that's the driving force ... to have a luxurious afternoon and at the same time raise money for charity."

The Melbourne Cup Charity Auction is a joint venture between Tauranga Te Papa Rotary and Zonta. There are fabulous prizes for fashion in the field winners, both male and female. Magazine Designer Clothing are sponsoring the fashion in the field prize for women (plus best fascinator) and Mane Menswear for men's best dressed prize.

There's a chance to win big as well. Sweepstakes will be sold on the day. This year money raised will benefit Homes of Hope and Tauranga Women's Refuge, and other charitable activities of Zonta and Tauranga Te Papa Rotary.

Discover more

The Country - Damien O'Connor edition

02 Nov 01:00 AM

Our Place in Willow St is another Tauranga venue that will be encouraging punters to get dressed up and get involved in sweepstakes, starting at 10am and finishing at 6pm.

The Tauranga RSA is also hosting a Melbourne Cup event for members.

This year's Melbourne Cup Race will be run tomorrow at about 5pm (NZT). As always it is Race 7 on the Flemington 10-race card.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

Woolworths issues major recall of contaminated mince

02 Jul 10:36 PM
The Country

NZ no longer in a state of 'peak tractor'

02 Jul 10:24 PM
The Country

North warned thunderstorms possible as watch issued

02 Jul 09:33 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Woolworths issues major recall of contaminated mince

Woolworths issues major recall of contaminated mince

02 Jul 10:36 PM

Some customers found 'foreign matter' in their meals before the recall was announced.

NZ no longer in a state of 'peak tractor'

NZ no longer in a state of 'peak tractor'

02 Jul 10:24 PM
North warned thunderstorms possible as watch issued

North warned thunderstorms possible as watch issued

02 Jul 09:33 PM
Heavy rain hits with 29 weather alerts across NZ, fibre outage and evacuations top of South Island
live

Heavy rain hits with 29 weather alerts across NZ, fibre outage and evacuations top of South Island

02 Jul 09:20 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP