Race day Donation Handed to Hundertwasser Project

Community support for the HAC continues to roll in as the funding deadline approaches. A cheque worth over $16,000 has been presented to the Hundertwasser Art Centre project following the ‘Spring into Racing - Art in Action’ raceday at Ruakaka.

The race was held by Whangarei Racing Club in September 2016 and the cheque donation was handed over on Wednesday February 8 to the Prosper Northland Trust, who raises funds for the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Maori Art Gallery (HAC).

September 10 2016 was the biggest race day of the year at Ruakaka Racing, with 1500 people attending eight races, a fashion show, auction and gala lunch. All aspects of ‘Spring into Racing – art in action’ helped fundraise for the HAC in some way. The fundraising team and helpers painted the grandstand and winning posts in primary colours thanks to paint donated by Dulux. There was a buffet lunch and prizes for the Fashions in the Field Day.

The race day spread awareness of HAC as far as Australia via racing TV channel Trackside, which has an international audience. “It was a significant race day with over $1m worth of bets placed with the TAB and horses competing from across Northland, Auckland and Waikato”, Whangarei Racing Club general manager Bill Colgan said. “TV coverage on the day gave a national and international exposure to the project,” Whangarei Racing Club board director Karen Houlihan added.

The gourmet buffet lunch provided the bulk of the funds raised along with auction items including plants, vases, barrels and letterboxes painted Hundertwasser-style. Other ways money was raised included a photo booth, coin donations, and a share in the winnings of a racehorse owned and trained by local trainer Donna Logan on the day.

The cultural highlight of the spring raceday was Fashions in the Field which this year had a Hundertwasser-inspired theme, sponsored by Steve Haywood Master Jeweller and won by Hannah Carson, who can now go on to compete in the Prix de Fashion at Ellerslie which could then lead to competing at the Melbourne Cup.

A popular item on the day was the fibreglass life size horse kindly on loan from Saddlery Warehouse painted Hundertwasser-style by Heather and Maurice Carthew.

Colgan said the day was about Whangarei Racing Club and Prosper Northland Trust having a common cause in raising national awareness around fundraising to get the HAC built.

“Spring Into Racing -Art In Action fundraising team leader Vicki Currie and her team did an amazing job to make the event a success,” HAC project director Andrew Garratt said. “In addition, Prosper Northland Trust would like to thank Bill Colgan and his team at the Whangarei Racing Club for making the day possible. All comments back to me about the day were extremely positive and people had a great time – they want to do it again!”

The total amount Prosper Northland Trust needs to raise to build the HAC is $16.25m. To date, $13.13m has been raised.

The full list of raceday sponsors who supported the Hundertwasser project:

· Logan Racing
· New Zealand Blood Stock,
· Cambridge Stud
· Marsden Woods Inskip Smith
· Spire Chartered Accountants,
· Kensington Tavern
· Maggie Dixon
· Henderson Reeves
· Saddlery Warehouse
· Homeworld
· Steve Haywood Master Jeweller