Big sponsorship deal for trotting

Press, 23 September 1983, Page 10

Big sponsorship deal for trotting

A major sponsorship deal between the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, the Canterbury Park Trotting Club and Lion Breweries Ltd, has given a boost to trotting in Canterbury. The manager of Lion Breweries in Canterbury, Mr J. A. Williamson, announced details of the sponsorship yesterday. He said it was the second recent move by his company to assist racing and trotting, and again it was directed at the South Island.

Earlier the company had concluded arrangements which gave the Canterbury Jockey Club its largest sponsorship. This time, said Mr Williamson the arrangement would provide assistance to the clubs and promotional attractions for the public. Canterbury Park would receive a boost to its October meetings, which will include the Lion Brown Three-year-pld Stakes and a

further event in January. The Lion Brown Easter Cup has been considerably upgraded as an attraction and further assistance will enhance events on New Zealand Cup day and two nights of racing in January by the Metropolitan Club.

Mr Williamson said that as with its early Canterbury promotion, it was not possible to disclose the total sum involved, but it was “very much into five figures.” There will also be oncourse attractions for punters with nightly prizes varying from Brewery products to trips to other outstanding New Zealand trotting events. The sponsorship would mean a big lift in the stake for the Lion Brown Easter Cup said the president of the Metropolitan Trotting Club, Mr Murray Taylor.

“What it will involve will be a matter for the programme committee,” he said.