Okay, we like horse racing. Plus, how can you not love the idea of horses racing on the beach? Every year there is a day of horse racing on the beach next to the Castlepoint lighthouse located on the eastern shore of the lower North Island. This is an event that just celebrated its 151st year. It is a big deal and people come from all over to watch and just to enjoy a lovely day at the beach. Thousands of people line the beach with chairs and blankets and picnic baskets, and parking lots overflow with campers and trailers. It is a family event with kid races and entertainment between races.
A gentleman explained to me how the betting worked. There is no real information on horses. In order to bet on a horse, I had to pick a letter to bet on. That letter was later matched to a specific horse. So the horse I was betting on was totally random. Damn, if I still won. I had one horse place, and I won $22 on a $2 bet. Good times. Matt won one race too.
A Yank Among the Kiwis 