Cameron George: Former New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Board Chair on the NZB Kiwi

There’s the race that stops the nation, and a new one that’s about to. 

The NZB Kiwi will take place for the first time at Ellerslie Racecourse tomorrow – our country’s richest sporting occasion. 

It’s a new race and a new format, with $3.5 million in prize money on the line.  

It’s the brainchild of Warriors Boss and former New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Chair Cameron George, who told Mike Hosking it’s put the industry out in the public domain globally. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Big moves and racing. This weekend, the nzbeeky We has
been run for the first time at Ellesleie. It'll be
the country's richest sporting occasion, new race, new format, three
and a half million dollars of prize money. The brainchild
of the Warrior is Boss and the former New Zealand
thoroughbred racing cheer Cameron George, who is with us Cameron
Morning Mining. I've read the story a number of times
about how it all start and you had a beer

(00:21):
and there you were in Australia, et cetera. The feeling
that it has come to fruition, that it's real must
be quite something for you.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
It's unbelievable, mate, what it's done to this industry. It's
transformed it. It's put it out there in the public
domain globally. It's the richest three year old race in
the world on turf. And you know, to think about
the idea, get a partner News on Bloodstock and bring
it to life and have international competitors come over for
It's just awesome, so very happy.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
So the role of rejuvenating the industry, how much rejuvenation
does the industry need.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
Well, it's well it's truly on its way. Well, you know,
during the years of COVID and before that, it was
pretty hard going. But you know, we reset it and
changed a few things, got and tame investment and the
industry is taken off again. It's going really, really well
and days like tomorrow at Barfoot and Thompson champions Day
is going to be huge for it. It's the industry's

(01:15):
grand final tomorrow. Say, looking forward to.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
It, how hard was it to take it from the
I know we should do this to actually doing it?
Was it difficult to reason?

Speaker 2 (01:24):
It's difficult because you know, everyone wants to have a
say and so on, but sometimes you just got to
put the foot down and go and back your idea
and back yourself and the people around you. And that's
what we did on this occasion. So very happy it's
coming together and you know, I just want to see
it all light up tomorrow and have a good day
for the industry.

Speaker 1 (01:40):
Is the money there? Clearly it's there, But is that
hard to get? What's it say about the economy?

Speaker 2 (01:45):
Look, the money is there. It's very strong in the
bloodstock industry and then the racing industry, so you know,
it's a huge huge industry into the New Zealand economy
and it's you know, it's done very well lately, so
the money is there, people participate and look there's three
and a half million dollars on the line tomorrow in
the richest race, so there's plenty of opportunity for this

(02:06):
industry to provide for the economy and vice versa.

Speaker 1 (02:09):
How many times do you have to run it before
you can globally say this is a thing.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
I think we can say it now because you measure
it on the prize money ad that's on offer, the
global presence that's got already, and the fact that we've
got some of the best horses from around Australia coming
over to compete and it is outstanding and what people
probably don't realize you have to be a ki We born,
bread or Sole horse. So it's very relevant to New

(02:36):
Zealand and we wanted to make that special criteria for
the eligibility of the race to make it New Zealand's own,
and we took the slots to auction like the IPL
We did everything so different and it's all worked to date,
so it's very exciting.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
I hope it goes well for you. Cameron, appreciate your time.
I blew that a bit of broadcast would have left
time to ask about the Warriors, and I didn't. We'll
have to give him back.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
You don't want to ruin his whole day.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
Well, he was so bullish on the horses. I mean,
that's the other side of me. I'm just such a kind, caring,
giving guy that he's going. I just don't want to
wreck it for him, but bloody hell, I'm still angry
about it. For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen
live to news talks.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
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