Punters at the Tauranga Te Papa Rotary Club's inaugural Melbourne Cup luncheon at Tauranga Racecourse yesterday cheered on unfancied Kiwi horse Prince of Penzance. Photo / George Novak
Punters at the Tauranga Te Papa Rotary Club's inaugural Melbourne Cup luncheon at Tauranga Racecourse yesterday cheered on unfancied Kiwi horse Prince of Penzance. Photo / George Novak
Charity and glamour shared the honours as Tauranga punters turned out in their finery to celebrate the running of the Melbourne Cup.
Nowhere was this more in evidence than the Tauranga Te Papa Rotary Club's inaugural Melbourne Cup luncheon.
Best menswear winner Don Edser, with MC Will Johnston, and Fashion in the Field judges Natalie Bridges and Bernadette Rowlands.
Two hundred people seated at 20 tables cheered as the unfancied Kiwi horse Prince of Penzance stunned the racing world with a gutsy finish, ridden by the cup's first winning female jockey Michelle Payne.
With sweepstakes yet to be counted, the glamour event held at Tauranga Racecourse raised at least $16,000 for St John Ambulance, Tauranga SPCA and the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Melbourne cup 2015 at the races. Tauranga SPCA's Maree Brooke.
Jenni Brljevich from the Tabak Business Sales table won the Fashion in the Field, with her summery tulip-styled dress by English fashion house Karen Millen. Appropriately, her black fascinator with added yellow feathers won the prize for best fascinator.
Runner-up Louise Alexander created a lot of interest in her Moschino outfit from this summer's Spanish-themed Bandero collection.
Fashion in the Field womenswear and Fascinator in the Field winner Jenni Brljevich
The bubbles were also flowing along The Strand, with crowded bars and restaurants buzzing with all the excitment of the big race.
Patrons also dressed to impress, with Joel Bartosh sporting a top hat at Cornerstone Pub. "Melbourne Cup is about getting together, getting dressed up, having a bit of a laugh and having a good time," Mr Bartosh said.
His family has strong links with the racing industry, with his father Peter Bartosh a Kiwi and Croatian jockey
"It's an opportunity to get behind local businesses and have a good time," he said.
Melbourne Cup fashion in the Bay.
Jessica Paynes sported a fascinator for her Melbourne Cup pub outing, while Sharon Smith from Gilmours Tauranga also dressed to impress.
A feature of Rotary's charity luncheon was the charity auction which raised $5200, with the highest bid of $975 for a barbecue donated by Palmers Bethlehem. Next highest was $600 for a dinner for six at Somerset Cottage.
The best-dressed man was Don Edser.
Rotary Club president Andrew von Dadelszen said the Melbourne Cup charity luncheon was a test run for something bigger and better next year. "Charity is the winner."
