Say Nup to the Cup in 2019

Update!

I was a guest on Mamamia’s ‘The Quicky’ podcast to talk aobut my blog post on Nup to the Cup 2019. Click below to listen!

Nup to the Cup 2019 – Kapiti Coast, New Zealand 

There are all sorts of reasons to boycott the Melbourne Cup. I’m an Aussie and the Spring Racing Carnival really bothers me. Last year was the first time I knew about the fact that people all over the country felt the same way, and were organising Nup to the Cup events! It was too late for me to get anything sorted last year, but now that I am so much more in the know, here we are in 2019 and I’m organising my very own thing, right here in Zealand!

Support Nup to the Cup and enter my challenge to win a range of art prizes and experiences. These include three fine art prints, an original artwork and a studio visit where I’ll be inviting six winners to enjoy a lunch here at my studio on the Kapiti Coast on Saturday 9th November. On the day of the lunch, I’ll draw the Grand Prize which is my original artwork pictured left, called Ember. 

Here’s what you need to do to go in the draw to win art prints, and original artwork and an invitation for a studio luncheon!

1. Read my thoughts below on why we should give up the Melbourne Cup for good.
2. Take the pledge on the Horseracing Kills website.
3. Fill in the form at the bottom of this page. My art competition is open to all Kiwis and Aussies, but for the studio lunch, you probably need to be based in or around Wellington to make it to the Kapiti Coast.

Why give up the Melbourne Cup? Here are my top three reasons: 

1. Ladies, it’s not about fashion. Fashion, at any other time, is great. I’m not anti-fashion, anti-style and nor do I have anything against the creative industries – I’m part of the creative universe myself. But it’s a con. Fashion at the Melbourne Cup is to make us women feel a part of the action. Beautiful women at the Melbourne Cup are an attraction for men (we often forget that – women are so often concentrating on what other women think of them we forget about our ability to make men behave a certain way). And the Melbourne Cup needs the men to come and behave a certain way – specifically, to spend money on the horses. It’s important to remember how much of a money spinner the Melbourne Cup is. Just have a look at the Flemington website, where they have a page dedicated to telling you about all of the money the races bring in. Even on this page, see us ladies taking centre stage looking lovely, excited and fashionable. Also notice the feminine branding of Melbourne Cup promotions – who is this aimed at?! They are bending over backwards to tell us how exciting this event is for women and how central we are to the picture. But I, for one, have no intention of part of the party – and I hope you consider giving it a miss as well.

2. It’s not about the social good. Racing carnivals are very keen to ensure you know how much money they bring in to the community. What they neglect to mention is that gambling takes away far more than it brings – the industry that gives you the pizzazz and excitement of the Spring Racing Carnival is the same industry that is luring more and more young men into states of gambling addiction through online betting. It’s the industry that siphons billions of dollars– each year from those men and women in clubs all over that sit at the pokies hour after hour. Gambling takes away from communities and individuals alike; and it makes vulnerable people even more vulnerable. Let’s not give this industry any air, any energy, or any reason to keep making money. Let’s just say no, thank you very much.

3. Horse racing is cruel. To say the least. I’m very pleased to see excellent work being done to bring to light the appalling condition that horses are suffering, not just on the racetrack but after their racing career has finished. The 7:30 report’s investigation on this, if you can stomach it, tells you more than you will ever want or need to know. But we shouldn’t need this amount of detail to know, deep in our hearts, that this cannot continue. We hear, each year at the Melbourne Cup, of horses having to be put down track-side. Those awful green shields that they put up to hide the business of putting a horse down is enough to make you sick to your stomach. I hope you agree! Let’s say Nup to the Cup!

 Prizes:

1. All entrants will go into the draw win one of three of my fine art prints – one large print of Hieime and two small prints of Illumination are up for grabs.
2. Six winners will be invited to a Studio Luncheon at my art studio on the Kapiti Coast on the 9^th November 2019.
3. One winner will win the grand prize of an original artwork – Ember.

Terms and Conditions:

1. My studio luncheon is a fixed date event – if you are invited but cannot attend, the offer will be passed on to the next person drawn. However, you will be more than welcome to visit my studio at any other open day!
2. The original artwork will be awarded on the day of the Luncheon and the winner will be able to take it away with them. The entrant must attend the luncheon to receive the grand prize, as shipping and couriering is not included in the prize.

 Best of luck and let’s do all we can to make the world a better, happier place for humans and animals alike!