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Story: Horse and greyhound racing

Anniversary races

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Anniversary races

Horse races were held to celebrate Otago's eighth anniversary in 1856, and were a major feature of anniversary-day festivities in other regions. Racing was very popular in New Zealand from the early days of European settlement, bringing together Māori and Pākehā, and all sections of society.

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National Library of New Zealand, Papers Past

Reference: Otago Witness, 22 March 1856, p. 2

Permission of the National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Mary Mountier, Horse and greyhound racing – Horse racing: beginnings, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/38934/anniversary-races (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Mary Mountier, published 30 November 2012, updated 1 November 2015.