Hosted by the Rotary Club of Palm Beach, WA, the Channel 7 Rockingham Beach Cup is Australia’s most unique racing experience.
Established in 2016, the now iconic Cup combines two of WA’s most beloved pastimes – a day at the races and a day at the beach – to showcase Rockingham’s natural coastal beauty and WA’s thoroughbred racing industry.
The idea for the Cup was born in the fertile minds of two Palm Beach club members, Laurie Smith and Michael McCafferty, and has become Rockingham’s ‘iconic event of the year’, with crowds of up to 20,000 descending on the foreshore. Watercraft of all shapes and sizes – from kayaks and jet skis to tinnies, motor launches, and massive private yachts — line up in the clear blue water offshore, their human cargoes watching the races in comfort, often diving into the water to cool off.
Race day tickets are available for a licensed beachside area – the Palm Beach Oasis, which boasts a range of food, beverage and entertainment options. The beach racing spectacle can also be viewed from the free Community Carnival in Churchill Park, which features a range of family friendly entertainment throughout the weekend, including live music and the popular Fashions on the Foreshore competition on the main stage, food and artisan markets, and a family friendly Outdoor Cinema on the Saturday night.
The Cup supports the showcase of retired racehorses. As a social race meet for the enjoyment of the community, no betting is available, and no whips are used.
Rockingham Beach Cup committee chairwoman Donna McDonald says the Rotary Club of Palm Beach and the city of Rockingham owe a huge vote of thanks to the racing industry. Without the horses, jockeys, strappers, trainers, owners, and Racing and Wagering WA, there would be no Beach Cup.
“We are so grateful to the horse industry for their voluntary time and passion for safety,” Donna says.
All proceeds from the Cup support projects of the Rotary Club of Palm Beach and its beneficiaries – Australian Alzheimer’s Research Foundation and Variety WA.
The 2022 Channel 7 Rockingham Beach Cup will run from 12-13 November, with racing on the Sunday from 12:40 – 4pm.
For more information on the Channel 7 Rockingham Beach Cup, visit rockinghambeachcup.com.au