Christmas at the Races in Invercargill is still going ahead and organisers are looking to introduce vaccine passports for this year’s event.
However, Southland Racing Club president Sean Bellew confirmed to the Otago Daily Times this week the club had decided to go ahead with the traditional event on December 11.
‘‘At the moment so many events have been cancelled for next year but we said no — blow it, we will run our event.’’
The club was awaiting an official announcement from the Government about its vaccine certificate system, which could be operational by the end of the month, he said.
However, he believed the club would need to implement the passport in order to hold the event, along with other health and safety measures.
Staff at the event would also be ‘‘Covid-19-friendly’’, he said.
‘‘It is not a discrimination. It is just practicality and common sense.
‘‘I’m empathetic towards [people who do not want to be vaccinated] but I’m a pragmatic man and my pragmatic nature tells me people will need to be double-vaccinated.
‘‘That is the way the future looks like if you want to go to events.’’
Six thousand tickets had been put on sale online and people would have to provide information for contact tracing purposes.
Mr Bellew said the races would go ahead even if a crowd was not feasible, but he was advocating for the public to be able to attend the traditional community event.
If restrictions were still in place, people would be able to be refunded, he said.
‘‘It is a calculated risk we are taking, but it is one that we need to take.
‘‘I’m going to fight for this event and fight for the people who want to attend the event.
‘‘New Zealand as a whole has had a dreadful year and I want to give them something to celebrate.’’
