It’s 1923 and the vice president of the Matamata Racing Club has suggested that it be put into liquidation. Fast forward 96 years and they’re about to hold their centenary celebration!

 

Matamata Racing Club held their first raceday in 1919 on Mr Bottomley’s property, a local dairy farmer with a farm on Burwood Road. Although the weather was unfavourable, it was good racing, with the Matamata Cup being the feature race. The minimum riding weight was 44.5kg and stake was £50.

 

Following the success of their first raceday, the club decided to purchase a 95 acre property, at £66 an acre. Albert Hill, caretaker of Ellerslie racecourse, made the trip south to Matamata to help the club with their proposed new racecourse. Hill concluded that more land would need to be acquired to create a safe track. The club purchased 17 ½ acres of an adjoining property, owned by Charlie W and Margaret Green, taking the total land to 112 ½ acres.

 

The first raceday on the newly acquired course was held in March 1920. It was a big day for Matamata, with trains stopping outside the racecourse to let off passengers.

 

In 1921 dairy, meat and wool prices plummeted, decreasing the price of farmland and putting Matamata Racing Club’s financials in a bad way. In 1923, the Club was in such financial turmoil that it was proposed the club be liquidated. They decided to hold a stock drive and offer lifetime memberships at £10 each. The combination of these actions provided enough money to prolong its existence.

 

The first Breeders’ Stakes was run at the Club’s Golden Jubilee meeting, on 1 February 1969. It was won by Just Alice, trained by Ray Verner, who was a big time trainer at the time. Fast forward half a century and the Breeders’ Stakes Day meeting is still a local highlight and has gained national significance as New Zealand’s most prestigious race for 2-year-old fillies.

 

Join Matamata Racing Club at their Centenary Celebration at the J Swap Contractors Matamata Breeders’ Stakes Raceday, Saturday 23 February. Congratulations Matamata on this wonderful milestone!

 

 

Gates open: 10am 

 

First race: 12.25pm 

 

Kids entertainment? Absolutely! 

 

Hospitality packages available here. 

 

We would like to acknowledge and thank Stephen Lindsay for much of the information used in this blog. To read the full story of Matamata Racing Club, keep an eye out for a book being released in October.