The Race that stops two Nations!

Today, is the first Tuesday in November, and every year on this day the Melbourne Cup is run in Australia at 5pm. Everyone (well almost everyone!) in Australia and New Zealand stop to watch this race. Everyone is running a sweep for the race...even at Tarawera.

Some wonderful neighbours (who sadly are leaving shortly) host a community party every Melbourne Cup Day. We arrive from 4pm with our liquid refreshments and a plate and a few dollars. I have organised the sweep for the past few years at $2 a ticket. This year we ran 3 sweeps so everyone could have a go with a couple of horses.
Always heaps of fun, and today I stood behind the tele and snapped everyone as the race was finishing, even Angus the dog arrived in to see what was going on. Sadly no dollars came my way, but it was a fun afternoon and by all accounts with the hosts shifting, it appears we will be hosting this next year.

Also fellow blipper Rainie and I managed some placings in the national "Canon on Line" competition which is held bi-monthly. There were over a 160 entries, congrats to Rainie who got 6th, and I got a 10th with this image.

And so delighted with the response to my trip down memory lane with yesterdays blip, it even hit the spotlight for awhile. Many thanks to all the wonderful comments.