General News
1 March, 2024
Amateurs go pro
THE voluntary committee of Cairns Amateurs is standing aside and a new organisation is being created to employ professionals to run the iconic horseracing and social carnival from this year.
A new entity is being formed with a fresh steering committee to lead the highlight of the region’s social calendar. The transition involves Racing Queensland and the Cairns Jockey Club.
Current Amateurs president David Goodman told Cairns Local News that the committee had not quit nor had gone broke.
He said the future of Amateurs would be in the hands of a new committee which would hire professionals to look after administration and event managers to run the annual carnival which turns 66 this year.
Mr Goodman said the new concern would ensure the survival of the carnival.
“Bringing in a new structure and additional people ensures it does continue and grows and has the ability to compete against other events,” he said.
Mr Goodman said Amateurs had become too much for volunteers to run. He said it was extremely time consuming for the committee, all of whom had busy professional lives.
“One year I worked out that I had spent six months of the year solely on Amateurs,” Mr Goodman said.
He said the carnival was facing continuing competition from events such as the Ironman, Italian Festival and even the Cairns Cup which last year was held just eight days before Amateurs.
Mr Goodman said Amateurs cost $1.5 million to run each year with revenue from sponsorships, grants, gate takings, and food and beverage sales.
He said the committee had to construct two precincts for the carnival – one at Cannon Park and at the Esplanade for the ball and high tea – onerous tasks for volunteers. Amateurs would be handing over tens of thousands of dollars to the new organisation, Mr Goodman said.
Mr Goodman said he would not be joining the new committee but wasn’t sure about the rest of the current committee.
He said Amateurs had evolved over recent years to meet the higher expectations and attitudes of younger generations.
“It’s still the premier event and draws crowds from throughout Queensland and throughout Australia and internationally, especially from New Zealand, and has grown to such an extent that it’s very hard to rely on a small committee of volunteers,” Mr Goodman said.
He said the Cairns Jockey Club would have a greater role. It had for many years run the horse racing and TAB sides of the carnival.
Mr Goodman, who has served on the Amateurs committee for the past 15 years and was elected president in early 2021, said it had been an honour to be involved, but the time was right for a new structure to take the carnival forward.
Racing Queensland chief executive officer Jason Scott said the steering committee would feature prominent business and tourism leaders to succeed the Far North Queensland Amateur Turf Club committee, while the Cairns Jockey Club would also increase its direct involvement in the iconic event.
“The Cairns Amateurs Carnival is more than just a race meeting, it’s a celebration of everything that is great about Far North Queensland,” he said.
“It’s a week-long celebration of fun, food and frivolity, set against the backdrop of one of the most idyllic places in the world.
“For more than half a century, the volunteer committee has done a tremendous job running the Cairns Amateurs and by establishing a new steering committee, we think the next 65 years can be bigger and better.
“We’d like the Cairns Amateurs Carnival to preserve its status as the Far North’s must-attend event for locals, Queenslanders and inter-state travellers alike.”
