NZ Poker Championship At Christchurch Casino

31 March 2009 Media Release for immediate use

Touch of New Zealand Culture for Christchurch Casino’s New Zealand Poker Championships

The Christchurch Casino is showcasing New Zealand culture throughout the New Zealand Poker Championships through uniquely commissioned pounamu.

Christchurch Casino commissioned West Coast carver, Ian Boustridge, to create the pounamu trophies for the New Zealand Poker Championships, linking the unique symbol of New Zealand culture to the nation’s major poker tournament, ensuring competition winners will keep a piece of New Zealand.

Brett Anderson, Christchurch Casino Chief Executive, says the poker players really enjoy the experience here at the New Zealand Poker Championships and the trophies are a great way to highlight that for them.

“We have many domestic and international competitors that come to be part of the New Zealand Poker Championships not only for the chance to win, but for the experience they have here; it’s a uniquely New Zealand experience”.

“The trophies were designed to ensure competitors take away a piece of New Zealand with them and are proud to have them on display – they’re the types of trophies that people will ask about”, continues Anderson.
Boustridge was thrilled to have the opportunity to create such special trophies.
“The New Zealand Poker Championships are a great opportunity to celebrate what makes our culture unique from all others; pounamu lends itself perfectly to this”, says Boustridge.

Supporting the New Zealand Poker Championships’ culture connection is Boustridge’s ‘Maungapounamu’. Weighing in at over two tonnes, Maungapounamu was carved from a massive pounamu boulder recovered from Fiordland over a decade ago.

Boustridge carved Maungapounamu into peaks and troughs, resembling the mountains, lakes and rivers of New Zealand’s South Island.

Maungapounamu is on display in Christchurch Casino’s foyer for viewing and touching throughout April.

New Zealand Poker Championships are currently being held at Christchurch Casino, with the final to the main event being held on Sunday 5 April at 2pm.

Ends.