Do you know that it is Melbourne cup tomorrow? This year is extra special. The Emirates Melbourne Cup, as it is now called, celebrates 150 years this year.
It was founded in 1861 and has long been known as the race that stops our nation. It is the greatest 3200 metre horse race anywhere in the world and the most challenging to win. It is run at Flemington Green Fields Race course. Melbourne Cup Day has also gained a reputation for fashion and flowers. It is the day to make your strongest fashion statement with an exotic or outrageous ensemble – hats are essential and so is a yellow rose in the lapel.
Horse racing began to become a professional sport during the reign of Queen Anne of England (1702-14), when match racing gave way to horse races involving several horses on which the spectators wagered.
Flowers have almost always been associated with horse racing. Presenting a garland to the winner of a sporting event dates back to ancient Greek times, when the winning athlete would be presented with a laurel wreath to wear. The laurel wreath gradually became more elaborate. The presentation of a wreath of flowers for winning racehorses seems to be a continuation of that tradition. The tradition of winning a garland of roses started at the Grand Derby in the UK and spread to other racecourses.
Various races have become associated with various flowers. Many races has an official flower as a symbol of luck, worn as lapel roses, as corsages or on hats and fascinators for a specific race day, for instance during the Spring Carnival there are a number of races that have official flowers; the Victoria Derby Day on the 30 October has the Cornflower, while as mentioned, the Emirates Melbourne Cup Day traditionally has the yellow Rose, the crown Oaks Day on Thursday 4 November has the pink Rose and the Emirates stake Days Day on the 6 November has the Red Rose.
READY FLOWERS has amazing flower bouquet and arrangement designs available in many different colours or colour combinations. Even if you are not attending the Melbourne Cup event, do as so many; arrange your own Melbourne Cup event with luncheon, sweepstakes, hats and dresses, yellow lapel roses, perhaps flowers to decorate your hats and a fancy bouquet of flowers for the winner of the sweepstakes if you are attending a function wear a yellow Rose or several for luck or wear the colours of the horse and jockey you are betting on!
