Cavalcade host town raises record sum
Horses enjoy an early morning meal on the Goldfields Cavalcade Les Beattie Horse Trail to Twizel, at Ben Avon Station in the Ahuriri Valley, in February. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Cavalcade hosts will return a record sum to local groups at a ceremony in Twizel next week.
Twizel was the host town for the Goldfields Cavalcade in February this year, and event organiser Terry Davis said the host committee was now ready to disburse proceeds from the event finale.
Mr Davis said this year's event had been a double success as it not only marked the fulfilment of a promise from 2021, but also a record sum raised by the host town, of more than $70,000.
"When I started in about 2010, the cavalcade would raise about $15,000 to $20,000.
"That steadily rose until Waikaia made a record sum of $63,000 last year, which we were very excited about.
"We had originally intended to come to Twizel in 2021, when Covid intervened, but we promised we'd be back, and back we came in February.
"The Twizel committee pulled out all the stops and broke the fundraising record again, so we're delighted for everyone who's come together to make this another world-class event for the South," Mr Davis said.
The cavalcade comprises a variety of guided horse, bicycle and tramping trails following traditional back-country gold-mining routes, ending at a different shared destination each year.
Up to 600 people take part, alongside more than 400 horses, which gather for a fundraising celebration in the host town at the event's conclusion.
This year's finale took place over February 28 and March 1.
Previous economic impact reports had shown more than $1million injected into local businesses from the full cavalcade, Mr Davis said.
In addition, this year's host committee disbursements would go to 10 local groups, and total more than $70,000.
The celebration would take place at the town's Top Hut Sports Bar and Bistro on Monday at 6pm.
Mr Davis said preparations were already under way for the next cavalcade, ending in Middlemarch on March 7 next year.
"The bar has been set high, but I've no doubt Middlemarch will be ready to put on an amazing welcome this summer."
richard.davison@odt.co.nz
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