Race Day in Paradise

Fashions Arriving at Vila Race Day 2000

Melbourne has its Melbourne Cup.  Auckland has its Auckland Cup.  Louisville has its Kentucky Derby and not to be out done, Port Vila has its Kiwanis Fosters Cup.  Once a year for the past 13 years, a paddock surrounded by road, sea and jungle becomes the centre of Vanuatu’s racing scene.  Never mind that Vanuatu’s “racing scene” is a one-day wonder, thousands, including several international horsy people, turnout in force to watch the horses race and the people parade.  This year we were lucky enough to even have a full-blooded thoroughbred running in the race.

This event is the talk of the town for months before and after the race.  And, the week leading up to the race is full of events, including a swanky Race Ball and a Calcutta Night.  All proceeds from all events go to support various community projects. 

It was the morning after and Rob and I and some friends were sitting around a table in the fabulous Tamanu Beach Club dining pavilion.  We watched as one deep blue wave after another rose up out of the sea then flashed into a bright aqua blue just before erupting into white as it hit the dark table reef.  As the resulting foamy white and black mass of water surged over the reef toward the sandy white beach in front of us we reminisced about the event of the day before.