While the damage Cyclone Gabrielle inflicted across the Hawke’s Bay region is still being felt by many, Aaron Hamilton and his team at Hawke’s Bay Racing Inc. have developed a wonderful incentive to continue to give back to the community and its revival process.

Their focus now turns to the Power Farming Hawke’s Bay Cup Day on 15 April, with Hawke’s Bay Racing Inc. partnering with the East Coast Rural Support Trust (ECRST) to raise funds for the rural community of the East Coast to support their cyclone recovery.

The ECRST is a charitable trust operating in the East Coast Region and are set up to work with the rural community when times are tough on the farm or for farming families. They also assist during and after adverse events and have been instrumental in supporting the cyclone recovery.

In light of this, Hawke’s Bay Racing Inc. has not only planned a special community day with a great racing card set to be physically held at Hastings Racecourse, but has also made the innovative decision to turn the meeting into a ‘virtual’ event with widespread promotional activities.

Ultimately, the virtual event is a fundraising activity to support the ECRST via a ‘virtual ticket’. These are for people unable to attend the Power Farming Hawke’s Bay Cup in person but still wish to support the fundraising initiative. Virtual tickets are $5 and 100% of tickets sales will go to the ECRST. There is no limit on the number of virtual tickets that racegoers can purchase, so whether you want to buy one ticket or 100, NZTR encourages those to get behind this wonderful incentive by purchasing here.

Hawke’s Bay Racing Inc. are also offering Virtual Corporate Boxes, whereby supporters can purchase a package for $5,000 which includes signage on the home straight at the Hastings Racecourse for 12 months valued at $10,000, a business logo in the official meeting racebook and website, and recognition as a corporate box sponsor of the Power Farming Hawke’s Bay Cup – Virtual Raceday. Purchase a Virtual Corporate Box here.

The largest virtual raceday supporter will also receive naming rights to Hastings Racecourse on 15 April during the event.

Those in the community who can physically attend the Power Farming Hawke’s Bay Cup at Hastings Racecourse will be able to purchase a general admission ticket for just $15, with $5 from each ticket sold being donated to the ECRST.

Hawke’s Bay Racing have set themselves an ambitious goal of selling 50,000 virtual tickets, which equates to $250,000 raised for their rural community.

NZTR are in full support of this program and are incredibly proud of the effort Hawke’s Bay Racing Inc. has put into the cyclone recovery to date. For those who are able to do so, we encourage you to come off the farm, take a day off and enjoy a great meeting.

How to get behind the Power Farming Hawke’s Bay Cup Day and ECRST

• Purchase a general admission ticket here
• Purchase a virtual ticket here
• Purchase a Virtual Corporate Box here