Castlepoint Beach Races 2023

Castlepoint Races is a unique event which has drawn crowds from throughout Wairarapa and beyond. It’s celebrating 150 years in 2023.

A blend of family fun and some betting on the horses, laced with laughter, is on o˜ er. ° ere’s fun for the fashion conscious, the kids, and those just wanting a great day out at the beach.

From day one it’s always been hairy organising horses to race on Castlepoint beach. In the late 1800s, organisers had to ensure some riders were sober enough to negotiate the race, so riotous and raw were the ÿ rst races. Continuous years in the

1990s and 2000s, saw the sand disappear on the beach, and protruding rocks cancelled race a˝ er race.

In 2023, two cyclones bent their fury in the coastal region. Cyclone Hale washed away the sand exposing rocks and Cyclone Gabrielle brought the sand back burying the rocks.

° e stage is therefore set for a great day of beach racing on Saturday 11 March 2023. Racing starts around 1pm.

Buses depart from Farriers car park, Masterton at 10.30am, tickets for the bus can be purchased from the website www.castlepointracingclub.com for $25 (includes bus & entry to the races)

PHOTO: LOTTIE HEDLEY

Sand, sea and hoofbeats.

Horse racing on Castlepoint Beach dates to the early days of pakeha settlement at the coast.

Flying hooves pounded the sand long before there was a Castlepoint Racing Club. First settled by ˜ omas Guthrie in 1848, Castlepoint was one of the main resting places for travellers riding up and down the coast. Its dramatic geography and sheltered bay were a natural destination. Informal horse racing was a popular social occasion for the hardworking farming folk where the horse was a prized and necessary animal. ˜ e horses were importations from Australia, beautiful animals with sturdy constitutions and staying power. “Old Tom” and “Black Turk” were names given to the early racehorses. ˜ e horsemen backed their horses against each other, and bottles of rum were the welcome prize. ˜ omas Guthrie encouraged sporting evenings on the beach front of his station, with the workers taking part in various athletic activities. ˜ e more organised horse racing morphed from these occasions.

˜ ere are no written records until Boxing Day 1872 when racing occurred on John Morrison’s property which is now the Whareama Domain. By March 1873, the Castlepoint Racing Club was established, based ÿ rmly on promoting ‘family meetings’. When Tinui became more populated than

the beach, races were held there instead through the 1880s. Races were also held at Whakataki.

˜ is fragmentation of venues stopped dramatically however, following an incident when arsenic was added to horse feed at Whakataki killing two horses. Noone was caught but it was generally decided competition was getting way too serious.

150 years on, through the Boer War, two world wars, the erection of a lighthouse, depressions, the polio epidemic, storms, and recent e˛ ects of climate change – the Castlepoint Races have gone ahead, whenever possible. From 1914 – 1936 there was the longest continual break.

With the race revival in 1937, the Castlepoint Cup once again was gleefully competed for.

˜ ere was a break again during World War II and later in the 1990s

and 2000s. ˜ e disappearance of sand caused constant cancellations. Many times, rocks would protrude the sand and men would use sledgehammers, picks, and shovels in an attempt to get rid of the obstacles.

From the earliest rum-bottle wagers, there has always been a betting in one form or another. Race dates and times were governed by the tides. Early starting gates consisted of a rubber tube attached to a ÿ shing line.

At the ÿ nish line, judges would elevate themselves either on horseback or vehicle tray to sight the horses passing between a peg and the sea – which was the natural running tail. ˜ e ÿ rst tote was made of pipe frames covered in sacking, erected each race day. Later, wheels were attached for ease of erection.

Initially, the Castlepoint Beach

ÿ ghts on the beach. ˜ e women were fairly tough too – one story telling of how a woman gave birth in the a˝ ernoon and played the accordion at the landing shed dance that night! Women riders have competed in races alongside the men since 1938.

˜ ese days the races are held on the main beach in front of the store. Races vary in length, 800 metres for the hack, out to 1600 metres for the cup.

˜ e meetings have attracted large numbers of bookmakers from all over. ˜ e Whakataki Hotel and the Castlepoint Accommodation House always did a roaring trade on race days.

New book released

The Castlepoint Racing Club is so proud of achieving sesquicentennial status that a book outlining the races over the years has been commissioned.

Entitled “Racing Against the Tide”, Nelson-based writer Matt Philp has recently completed the book, published by Sugarbag Publishing.

course began round the curve of the basin onto the main beach, as the catwalk between mainland and the reef did not exist. ˜ e main beach was bisected by the old landing shed and jetty – the last of which were demolished in the late 1930s. ˜ e races were a masculine a˛ air o˝ en with

˜ e event got vice-regal recognition in 1957 when the Governor-General, Sir Willoughby Norrie, attended. He enthusiastically described the day as “unique.”

• Footnote: ˜ e heading “Sand, Sea and Hoo° eats” has been borrowed from the book of the same name written by Mike Simms in 1972 about the Castlepoint races.

˜ e book runs to 200 pages and about 160 photos, many of the more recent ones being taken by Lottie Hedley, a visual storyteller, with connections to Wairarapa, especially Castlepoint.

˜ e book will be available from Labour Weekend. To ensure a copy pre-orders are being taken at the Castlepoint Races for $50 per copy. ˜ e book can also be ordered via the club’s website www.castlepointracingclub.com

or by emailing jennybalfour14@gmail.com

˜ e President of the Castlepoint Racing Club, Scott Whitehead, says the book has been a huge commitment for the small club and they are grateful for the funding received from MDC’s Creative Communities; Eastern and Central Community Trust; Trust House; and Bryan and Carol Whitehead.

The Wairarapa Racing Club wish to congratulate the Castlepoint Racing Club on this fantastic event and join them in celebrating 150 years. These are exceptional achievements that would not be possible without the dedication of countless volunteers and an unwavering commitment to delivering for the community.

Wairarapa Racing Club 1498 SH 2, Featherston www.tauherenikau.co.nz

Following the devastating effects of Cyclone Gabrielle last month, the resilience of all those involved today is to truly be admired and we wish them all the best into the future.

The Castlepoint Beach Races are one of the region’s most loved racing events and we hope all those in attendance today have fun, enjoy a punt and raise a toast to Castlepoint Racing Club.

Cars jostle for a parking place in the sand dunes at Castlepoint Beach races in 1938.

PHOTO: WAIRARAPA ARCHIVE

On behalf of the Committee and all its members

The Masterton Racing Club would like to congratulate the Castlepoint Racing Club on it’s Race day and achieving 150 years as a club!!!

A big thank you to all the sponsors of our clubs who make racing possible in our part of the country.

Like Castlepoint, the Masterton Racing Club is also 150 years old and will again be holding our picnic raceday at Tauherenikau on the 26th of March

Featuring the Kuripuni Sports Bar & TAB Masterton Club

Entry to the Track is by donation to Life flight Trust so that we can all benefit for the valuable work they do.

Happy Racing and Good Punting everyone.

Place your bets – the Calcutta Cup

˜ e ticket sales create a pool of money called the starting pool. On the night tickets are drawn, for example if there are 10 horses in the cup race 10 tickets are drawn. ˜ ose lucky enough to have drawn a horse are the ‘Horse Owner’. Horses will be auctioned in descending order as they are placed in the race book. Anyone can bid on any horse during the auction.

If the original ‘Horse Owner’ would like to keep their horse, they must have the highest bid. However, they only have to pay half the amount. ˜ e amount is added to the starting pool.

If the successful bidder is not the original ‘Horse Owner’ they must pay the full amount of the bid.

50% of the price paid is added to the starting pool with the other 50% going to the original ‘Horse Owner’.

˜ e successful bidder is now the ‘Horse Owner’.

˜ e pool prize money is therefore

made up of original pool ticket sales and money from horses bought.

If the horse, you own wins the Castlepoint Cup race the prize money is divided up as follow: 1ST, 2ND & 3RD prize.

It’s held on Friday night before race day at the Old Castlepoint Woolshed from 6.30pm, tickets go on sale at 7pm and anyone is welcome to come along.

General betting on race day

Tickets are purchased for $2. Each ticket purchased will have a letter printed on it. Prior to each race the letters are drawn and each horse is matched with a letter. Make sure you write down the letter to each horse in your race book as you don’t want to miss out on a potential win! If your letter is the winning horse you can collect your winnings at the tote!

The people behind the Races

Like any successful event, there’s a team of enthusiastic volunteers who make the event great.

Currently there are 34 stewards who meet four times a year at the Tinui Hall and hold an AGM where nominations

for various roles are sought eg: President, Vice-President, Patron, Secretary.

In the early days, it was quite a formal a˜ air where men were required to come to the meeting wearing a shirt and tie. ° ere were no women stewards

and most of the stewards lived rurally near Castlepoint. In 2023, there are three female stewards and a good mix of local and townresiding stewards who have a connection with the coastal landscape.

PHOTO: LOTTIE HEDLEY

The Balfour Clan

Ian Balfour farmed at Bute Road in Tinui and although he now lives in Masterton, his focus is ÿ rmly on the coastal district he was raised and worked in – and to Castlepoint where the Balfour family have been involved in the race meetings for generations.

° e Balfour’s epitomise many families in the area who have put their heart and soul into the event.

Ian’s great grandfather and his namesake was involved in the early 1920s. ° en came Ian’s father, Peter, and it was only natural that young Ian would begin his passion for the event in the 1970s helping in the tote.

He was President of the club for nine years when there were just two meetings because of the beach condition. Ian’s sons Nicolas and Henry are now very much involved.

° ere’s much fun to be had at the race meetings. In 1973, a beard growing competition amongst the stewards was introduced and in 2023, it’s being held again.

Judging will occur at the ° ursday night function which is a special event being held to celebrate 150 years of the races. In true style, Ian is sporting a healthy growth. Growing a beard has been a sacriÿ ce with some stewards commenting that it has been a natural form of contraception!!

It’s not been popular in some families and it gets very itchy.

Not all horse stuff

• So, if you think the Castlepoint Racing is all about horses, you’d be mistaken. Food, fun, and activities are on tap for everyone. Here’s a taste.

• Child’s games golf ball and spoon race, wheelbarrow race, sack race, 3-legged race where 1st, 2nd and 3rd placegetters can win money.

• Fashion on the beach where you get all glammed up and strut your stu˜ down on the beach. Our very own MP, Hon Kieran McAnulty, will be judging. ° e winner gets a Romantic Getaway at Copthorne – not with Kieran but whom you choose.

• Pony race - where ponies and their beloved owners get to race.

• ° e Undie 100 - for adults (over 16) to wear their underwear, bring $2 to the start line and then they run

like mad. Winner takes all coinage as well as a $50 cash prize.

• ° e day ends with the ‘Big Dig’ where a large truck dumps a pile of sand on the beach ÿ lled with money. A special marked coin is within and if you ÿ nd it, take it to the Secretary’s o˝ ce to get a special prize.

PHOTO: LOTTIE HEDLEY

PHOTO: LOTTIE HEDLEY

VANS

Memorable moments and horses

• ˜ e horse that tried to swim to South America! In 2016, a horse spooked by encroaching waves shucked its rider, then bolted, wild-eyed, to the end of the beach, launched itself full throttle into the lagoon and headed towards ˜ e Gap and the open sea. Race o° cial Charlie White saved the day by waving down nearby boaties and they rounded up the horse before it met a watery end.

• “˜ e Laing Incident” is a legendary race in 1977 when Castlepoint Station manager, Peter Laing, was both starter and rider in the steward’s race on ‘Distant Drum’. Taking o˛ before the others the rest of the horses followed, and ‘Distant Drum’

ÿ nished much to the disgust of many. So angry were some, the steward’s race did not occur again until the race’s 125TH year in 1998. Riding in the hack races was Peter Laing’s ÿ rst association with the Castlepoint races in the late 1940s when he was working as a single shepherd on the Castlepoint Station. He le˙ the area for a time and returned

in 1952 as head shepherd and a˙ er marrying Nan, became the station manager from 1954. Peter always put the Station’s facilities at the racing club’s disposal – the woolshed, yards, paddocks, tools, vehicles, sta˛ – the lot!

• ‘Arakhan’ was a horse that went out pre-post favourite in the Auckland Cup but broke down a week before. It also hurdle raced in Australia and won the Marlborough Cup. It was a great horse to ride at the races but not as a hack around the farm as Bryan Whitehead recalls. As soon as ‘Akrakhan’ heard the Wellington race commentator, Peter Kelly calling a race, he would prance around the yard getting excited. At the

Castlepoint Races, when he lined up, he would get into a crouch position ready to spring. One time the starter was a bit late in letting the horses go and ‘Arakhan’ was so keen he hurdled the tape and headed for the sandhills.

• Aptly named ‘Sea King’ was a great favourite at Castlepoint. He had won more than $1million in NZ and Australia racing, and he won the Castlepoint Cup in 2016.

• ‘Zed Em’ who was locally owned, bred and trained by Kevin Myers and a regular at the races for many years. In 2019 ‘Zed Em’ was Australia’s steeplechaser of the year and also won in excess of $1million.

Castlepoint Holiday Park and Motels