Waitangi Day Races at Tauherenikau

It’s Wairarapa’s best kept secret – the Waitangi Day race meet at Tauherenikau. Get your family and friends together, pack a picnic – or enjoy a good-old-fashioned hotdog. The Rose and Smith Event Centre will be open and serving woodfired pizza and handcrafted burgers.

Expect live music, kids bouncy castles, miniature train rides, Zappo the magician, human wheel barrel, tug of war, and three headed races. As well as a fantastic line-up of racing events.

Adults are $20 at the gate, kids 18 and under are free!

Gate’s open at 9am

Eight Races 12:15pm – 5pm (approx.)

Zappo’s magic show is scheduled to start at 2:30

After races one, three, and five, we’ll have on-track kids’ events: tug of war, three-headed race, and human wheelbarrow. 

PUNTERS CLUB

Tickets for our punters club are $10 and must be purchased before race two.

Bets placed for the punters club and results will be announced over the PA system. Results will be displayed on the board outside the secretary’s office.

Any winnings for the punters club will be shared out equally between members, and should be collected at the TAB windows at the end of the day.

ALCOHOL POLICY

The Wairarapa Racing Club holds a license that allows patrons to BYO refreshments on January 2nd and February 6th race meetings. An allowance of 6 stubbie bottles of beer OR 1 bottle of wine per person is permitted. This will be strictly monitored by security at the gates.

There are also fully licensed bars on site at Tauherenikau.

Secure on-site/overnight parking will be available for the event.

• Dogs are welcome but must be on a lead and under control at all times. Please clean up after them.
• Early arrivals are welcome, but please observe venue opening and closing times.
• Ten powered sites are available at a rate of $30 per night and non-powered sites are available at $20 per Motorhome/Caravan for two people.
• Extra adults are $7.50 per night and kids under 15 are $4 per night. 
• All prices include the full use of facilities, including showers, toilets, laundry, kitchen and dining. There is potable water available from all taps.
• You are able to secure your parking space by pre-booking. Sites should also be available on the day for any latecomers.