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Nerula

Tauherinikau Page 1

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COUNTRY RACING AT ITS FINEST

Many early settlers walked over a rough track across the Remutaka Range from Wellington. A daunting slog! We drove over from Wellington Airport to the course entrance on SH2 in an hour and a quarter,

This is the racecourse said to be the most beautiful in New Zealand and we had always wanted to see it. What better day than Waitangi Day 2021.

I parked the rental and we walked past the biggest kahikatea tree I have ever seen. We
are well before the first race and the crowd is building and we walk past the multicoloured bouncy castles line up, at least seven in the near row. Over to the right under the trees is a miniature railway that ran all day, carriages full of happy children.

Back behind the ‘stands’ picnics are already set up under massive totara trees. There is a limit of 6 stubbys of beer or one bottle of wine per adult. No fun police at this place!

Wairarapa Racing Club Secretary Matt Sherry had left us complimentary Members’ tickets at the gate which we were grateful for on this 27 degree day. We took seats in the little old members stand, a light breeze blew through and we watched the day unfold.

History Wikipedia

Neil Miller

The name Wairarapa, meaning “glistening waters” in te reo Ma ̄ori, traditionally stems from an early Ma ̄ori explorer, Haunui, who saw the rivers and lake from the mountains to the west. During British colonial times the region was also known colloquially as The Wydrop.

Rangitane and Ngâti Kahungunu were the resident Ma ̄ori tribes (iwi) when European explorers arrived in the area in the 1770s.

European settlement began in the early 1840s, initially on large grazing runs leased from Ma ̄ori, and with closer settlement from the 1850s.

On 23 January 1855 the strongest earthquake recorded in New Zealand hit the region; it reached magnitude 8.2 on the Richter Scale and caused five deaths among the then sparse population.

From our vantage point (see above pic) we could see most of the 110 acre property. Those distant trees you see in the photo above are on the banks of the Tauherenikau River that feeds into Lake Wairarapa. And the range behind is the Remutaka’s.

The track is kidney shaped and you don’t want a wide draw. That’s what we got in Race 4, but she is a first starter and we just want a genuine try from her today.

The races were interspersed with fun games for the children but first came a pony race that was fair dinkum. It was won by Copper ridden

by Lucy Marshall riding “hands and heels” at a furious pace. That’s the fastest pony I’ve ever seen!

There was a sack race and a 3 legged race, children tumbling before the finishing post. Later an epic “tug of war” then a big lolly scramble in the birdcage that was supervised by several adults. Once again no fun police, just good management and the kids behaviour was impeccable.

A little later two Tiger Moths and a Chipmunk flew slow circuits above the track to preview the pending “Wings over Wairarapa” show.

10 NEW ZEALAND THOROUGHBRED RACEHORSE OWNERS FEDERATION BULLETIN

Lucy and Copper kicking on to win

WAIRARAPA RACING CLUB

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Page 2

COUNTRY RACING AT ITS FINEST

Many early settlers walked over a rough track across the Remutaka Range from Wellington. A daunting slog! We drove over from Wellington Airport to the course entrance on SH2 in an hour and a quarter,

This is the racecourse said to be the most beautiful in New Zealand and we had always wanted to see it. What better day than Waitangi Day 2021.

I parked the rental and we walked past the biggest kahikatea tree I have ever seen. We
are well before the first race and the crowd is building and we walk past the multicoloured bouncy castles line up, at least seven in the near row. Over to the right under the trees is a miniature railway that ran all day, carriages full of happy children.

Back behind the ‘stands’ picnics are already set up under massive totara trees. There is a limit of 6 stubbys of beer or one bottle of wine per adult. No fun police at this place!

Wairarapa Racing Club Secretary Matt Sherry had left us complimentary Members’ tickets at the gate which we were grateful for on this 27 degree day. We took seats in the little old members stand, a light breeze blew through and we watched the day unfold.

History Wikipedia

Neil Miller

The name Wairarapa, meaning “glistening waters” in te reo Ma ̄ori, traditionally stems from an early Ma ̄ori explorer, Haunui, who saw the rivers and lake from the mountains to the west. During British colonial times the region was also known colloquially as The Wydrop.

Rangitane and Ngâti Kahungunu were the resident Ma ̄ori tribes (iwi) when European explorers arrived in the area in the 1770s.

European settlement began in the early 1840s, initially on large grazing runs leased from Ma ̄ori, and with closer settlement from the 1850s.

On 23 January 1855 the strongest earthquake recorded in New Zealand hit the region; it reached magnitude 8.2 on the Richter Scale and caused five deaths among the then sparse population.

From our vantage point (see above pic) we could see most of the 110 acre property. Those distant trees you see in the photo above are on the banks of the Tauherenikau River that feeds into Lake Wairarapa. And the range behind is the Remutaka’s.

The track is kidney shaped and you don’t want a wide draw. That’s what we got in Race 4, but she is a first starter and we just want a genuine try from her today.

The races were interspersed with fun games for the children but first came a pony race that was fair dinkum. It was won by Copper ridden

by Lucy Marshall riding “hands and heels” at a furious pace. That’s the fastest pony I’ve ever seen!

There was a sack race and a 3 legged race, children tumbling before the finishing post. Later an epic “tug of war” then a big lolly scramble in the birdcage that was supervised by several adults. Once again no fun police, just good management and the kids behaviour was impeccable.

A little later two Tiger Moths and a Chipmunk flew slow circuits above the track to preview the pending “Wings over Wairarapa” show.

10 NEW ZEALAND THOROUGHBRED RACEHORSE OWNERS FEDERATION BULLETIN

Lucy and Copper kicking on to win

WAIRARAPA RACING CLUB

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The Wairarapa and Masterton Racing clubs share this venue three days and one day respectively per year.

It is not the original course but the Club shifted to this site in 1874 when the first Wairara pa Cup was run. Those early founders left a legacy of already mature trees as an eastern backdrop and picnic area to be enjoyed for times to come.

This year’s Wairarapa Cup was won by Springsteen, owned by
S J Barber, A Broczek, Jen Campin,
J R Frew, High Trees Park Ltd, C
& J Horner & N P Randles and trained by Johno Benner & Hollie Wynyard. The Stratum gelding was bred by High Trees Park Ltd and ridden to victory by Lisa Allpress.

The following race the Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes saw Tabata owned by Brendan McCullum just get up in a driving finish. Danielle Johnson at her busiest best!

Brendan and wife Ellissa
were there and that’s them
with Stephen Marsh at the presentation. The proud strapper holding Tabata is Sam Wright.

In what is becoming common the girls outrode the boys seven wins to two on the day. Danielle with four wins and Lisa Allpress two wins. And that carried on to the placings as well.

We headed off to nearby Martinborough after this race to reflect on the most memorable race day for a very long time.

We may be back as our trainer says our mare looks like a 2000m horse in the making. Parked three wide in the trip over 1600m she had a crack at the top of the straight then running on empty battled on bravely for fifth.

Maybe we will get to hold the Wairarapa Cup in the coming years.

Owners are dreamers aren’t they?

Thanks to Matt Sherry and the Wairarapa Racing Club for the courtesies afforded us and our group of Owners. As an aside Matt said that the crowd was thought to be 12,000 to 14,000. They know how many adults paid the $20 admission, the many children with entry is an estimate.

The Committee provided a great day serving the communities of Wairarapa and Wellington – and the fraternity that is racing.

WRC president Garrick Emms

and general manager Matthew Sherry with the Community Club of the Year trophy. PHOTO/GRACE PRIOR

NATIONAL

AWARD FOR

RACING CLUB

Wairarapa Age – Chris Cogdale

THE WAIRARAPA RACING CLUB WAS NAMED 2020 NEW ZEALAND COMMUNITY CLUB OF THE YEAR.

The award was presented for the first time at last November’s NZ Thoroughbred Racing AGM.

It recognises the club that races up to six times a year, was best performed based on its service arrangements, hospitality, sponsorship, and community involvement.

The club is over the moon to receive the recognition, its general manager Matthew Sherry said. “We were up against our peers across the country, and for a country club to win this award is brilliant.

“We run a race day that ticks a lot of the boxes. We’ve got everything covered from the racing itself, the sponsorship, the hospitality packages, the kids’ entertainment, and the community backs us.”

Sherry said the Messara Report, a 2018 wide-ranging review of the country’s racing structure, described Tauherenikau as an iconic racecourse steeped in history.

The club has two feature race dates each year. The first on January 2 attracts a big crowd, with many patrons from

the Wellington region, and Waitangi Day, which offers
the club’s feature race – the listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes.

APRIL 2021 11

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Nostalgia.

I first visited Tauherenikau in spring 1973.  I saw a horse by Indian Order win, in a spectacular manner.  Nothing really though, as Indian Order appeared in Timeform with a rating of 53 and was described as a poor handicapper that stays 13 furlongs.  He had been imported by Cliff Parton. 

Two years later that horse, Fury's Order,  won a Cox Plate.

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Wonderful story Nerula.  Tauherenikau has always been one of my favourite places. To sit out the back under the giant Totaras  enjoying a picnic and few Martinborough Pinot Noirs is one of life's true pleasures.

At the new years meeting they start arriving shortly after 6am.

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Back in the day , and Cubes may or may not be mistaken , wasn't Pat Cooper (who the Cubemeister remembers and other 'Cafers may as well as one of the nicest blokes you will ever meet )  the vet ?

Anywhoosit .....

In the 70's , maybe or maybe not , Cubes and his mate Tarquin went the day before and dug a hole and buried a dozen beers only to realise their efforts were unnecessary 'cause anyone could take in whatever they wanted.....

 

 

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