Fence-jumpers killed the iconic beach races

The burden of debt from running the festival was so great it "killed” the small family-owned business that put up its hand to run it

The Mackay Airport Beach Horse Races, aone of the kind event and one of the top 10 in Queensland, has been cancelled. Picture: Malcolm Griffin

EXCLUSIVE: THE burden of debt from running the Mackay Beach Horse Racing Festival was so great it "killed" the small family-owned business that put up its hand to run it.

Sarah Annetts, who took on and organised the races last year through her company Purple Betty Productions, has told how fence jumpers (people who attended without paying) were a major factor behind the financial loss.

Mackay Tourism confirmed the premier sporting and social event had been scrapped for the year as it regroups with Tourism and Events Queensland and Mackay Regional Council to develop a "sustainable business plan".

The iconic race was started by the late Mick Pope in 2012 and attracts between 3000-5000 people.

"We had 4500 people in attendance but only sold tickets to 2500 people," Ms Annetts told The Daily Mercury.

"Those people that were dishonest... broke a family and broke a business. We poured everything in, 17-18 hour days, we invested everything we had.

"People just assumed the horse race was run by a corporation, but it's not, we were just really passionate about Mackay and raising the tourism profile."

Ms Annetts has had to close both her businesses, Purple Betty Productions and Brandish Australia, but, she said, the iconic racing event should continue for the benefit of the region.

"There are a lot of people trying to do these kind of events to raise the tourism profile of Mackay," she said.

"We need to be supported, a lot goes into it, we don't come in one day and slap something together."

She told the Daily Mercury she was "emotionally run down".

"When we took it on we were prepared to run at a loss, just not that much," she said.

"It was far more than we were expecting. Taking on the event was never a money driven thing, it was money that killed us though."

Mackay Tourism chief executive Tas Webber said it was time to take stock of the business model.

He confirmed Mackay Tourism was in discussions with Tourism and Events Queensland.

He was hopeful the races would return in 2019 in a "sustainable manner" that will allow the event to run successfully into the future.

Mayor Greg Williamson said the council was not in a position to promise the beach horse racing festival will be an ongoing event.

"There will certainly be a lot of disappointment but the underlying issue is it needs to be sustainable," he said.

"The future is highly dependent on finding an operator who can deliver a sustainable event into the future, and that's where it's all in the negotiation stage at the moment."

Co-founder Chrissy Evangelou, Mick Pope's partner, welcomed the break and said it would be a positive for the event.

"The beach race has always been about putting Mackay on the map."

Ms Annetts has met with the council and handed them a "one-inch thick" report on what she would have done differently and what she believes needs to be changed.

Originally published as Fence-jumpers killed the iconic beach races