𝙻𝙾𝙲𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 : tier three , the minister’s box .
𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚂 : open ( @startertms ) .
he carries himself with a confidence not entirely earned / a 𝐇𝐔𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐒 to every graceful , langorous move : case in point when he balances a cigarette on lower lip , lazily snaps his fingers to light it . ( no regard , of course , for hypothetical rules ; who’s going to hold him accountable ? ) ❛ my wife and i , we have our own personal bets as to who’s going to 𝚠𝚒𝚗 . she’ll accuse me of having the damned thing rigged , of course , if fortune favours the bold . ❜ throaty laugh is rich , genuine if slightly restrained / like he’s trying to 𝒈𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏 the sound . ❛ i’ve rather a soft spot for the bulgarian . i suppose you’ve got your OWN favourite , though . ❜
❝ IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN ! the long awaited tutshill derby is finally upon us, and if you haven’t already managed to snap up your tickets for the weekend long event, you better act now - tier two and three are completely sold out, and we’ve been told to warn you all that availability for tier one is going fast ! event runners have worked closely with the ministry of magic to ensure that the eighteen races spread out across the next three days go off without a hitch, but we’ve been assured that the new security measures put in place will not interfere with your enjoyment of the weekend - news our minister is also sure to appreciate, as this weekend is said to be serving as his early birthday celebration ! you might just catch a glimpse of him and his beautiful wife, eulalia from the private booth we’ve been told that they’ll be occupying in the ministers stand - and if you stay tuned until after the break, we here at the wwn have exclusive info on the ministers favorites to win ! ❞
WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE :
holding the honor of being one of the most highly anticipated hippogriff racing events in europe, the tutshill derby is a group 1 land + air race open to four year old colts and fillies. occuring only once every three years due to the time it takes to protect the immediate area surrounding the tutshill racecourse from the prying eyes of nearby muggles - second only to the likes of the quidditch world cup, an event that has in the past taken precedence over the tutshill race, much to the chagrin to passionate jockeys and their teams.
it typically runs over the last weekend of june or first weekend of july and over a distance of two miles, four furlongs and nine yards ( 4,031 metres ) across a course that tests each hippogriff on their skill and endurance both on land and in the sky. it was first run in 1543 and continues to draw steady interest from casual gamblers and hippogriff enthusiasts alike. this year, the tutshill derby serves as an early celebration of the minister of magic’s birthday.
tickets are available in three tiers of various price ranges, and each comes with their own unique set of perks.
TIER ONE tickets are essentially general admission. they’re the easiest to purchase due to their extremely low price and surplus of numbers and provide access to the large expanse of land at the center of the racecourse, referred to as the circle. what started as little more than a cheap option to allow the less well off in wix society enjoy the highs and lows of raceday has really grown over the last few decades into a place where people genuinely want to be - by far the most ‘family friendly’ area of the whole event, the circle now includes a large carnival with a mix of muggle and wix carnival games and contraptions ( the teacups sit between a ferris wheel and a broom flying simulator ), along with food trucks and portable bars set up by the staff of the likes of the leaky cauldron & the three broomsticks. volunteers will paint the faces of little children for the low price of two sickles, and anyone who isn’t that interested in the outcome of the actual races ( or just doesn’t want to waste their money betting with any of the wandering bookmakers available ) is welcome to try their hand at winning stuffed animals, live fish or any number of other wacky prizes available at the different stands. there’s a seemingly neverending stream of colorful bubbles and free flags to be gotten from individuals walking the area, and though the area has no seating, many bring their own canvas chairs or picnic blankets and claim areas all their own. arriving early can ensure some amazing views of the homestretch and clubhouse turn, but spots along the barrier are usually long claimed by the diehard fans when the rest of the crowd begins to arrive.
TIER TWO tickets are a bit more expensive, slightly more limited in number, and provide entry to the grandstand. this area is located along the other side of the homestretch and has its own roofed seating area - with much coveted views - among other specific perks, especially for those who pay an annual membership fee to the tutshill club ( show your badge and gain access to the highest levels of the stand and a private rooftop bar ). where the best tier one can do for food and drink are trucks and beers and wheels that are dotted throughout the circle, grandstand ticket holders have access to actual stands and makeshift bars of a slightly more upscale nature, all complete with their own theme and private seating. they’re also the only people with access to the parade ring, where hippogriffs are led around by their jockets and put on show before each race. bookmakers are located at raceside stands that are usually swamped by the crowd, and their rates are known to be a bit more favourable than the tier one bookies tend to be.
TIER THREE tickets are the most expensive of all and are limited to 500. they provide entry to the large building - the ministers stand - that overlooks the final furlong. you can’t just buy your way into this area, and usually have to be personally invited by event organisers to purchase the very limited tickets, of which there’s usually a max per person. though it lacks an outside area ( and thus the raceside views that many tier one & two ticket holders look forward to ), those that actually do get invited to buy tier three packages are fully aware of what they forfeit in choosing to do so. they’re usually the type of people completely fine with trading the carnival and crowd mingling for the air conditioned bars inside ( complete with golden carpets and impressive chandeliers ) and dozens of private balconies from where they can watch the race in full. food and drink inside of the ministers stand is, of course, free, and of the highest quality, and of course there’s no expectation for anyone enjoying this exclusive area to queue and wait for such a thing - suited servers area expected to take care of the needs of the ticket holders before they even know what they need, and usually perform that action fairly well. the bookmakers inside here are also privately hired, and they tend to offer better rates than the ones found anywhere else, because of course they do.
OUT OF CHARACTER :
this event officially starts on sunday the 10th of july at 6pm gmt. click this link to see what that translates to for your timezone ! the plan is for it to last two weeks, ending on the 24th of july.
as always, no character is actually required to attend, but it’s obviously open to all ! i encourage you to throw everyone into the mix !
this is a dash only event, and the section for derby outfits ( think summer dresses, full suits and fascinators - searching racecourse style on google images or pinterest will help you out loads, if you’re unfamiliar with it ) can be found in the main discord. characters may not go full throttle and that’s ok, but it’s a fun opportunity to do something a bit different, i think ! you are not required to pause any current threads, but please make sure to tag appropriately.
event related starters ( including private ones ) can be tagged broadly with nox.event028 if posted to the dash, but if you’d like to go farther and tag the exact area your character has bought tickets for, feel free to use nox.tier1, nox.tier2 and nox.tier3. the location for anyone who tags it is the tutshill racecourse.
if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please don’t hesitate to send them my way ! and please like this post once you’ve read it !
“do you think i can win a fish?” adora rocked on their heels. they felt out of place. there was no loud music for once. there was no crowd packed like sardines. there was no dim lighting that made making out luca in the crowd impossible. but they felt out of place nonetheless. the suit they wore had been thrifted, and even in the nicest thing she owned, they felt horribly underdressed. everything was so nice. and their childhood home had crumbled because no could afford the repairs. they bit their lip, a nervous habit that not even luca’s chiding had been able to break. “i really want to win a fish. i’ve never really had a pet before. pets are a lot, luca says, and i have to be sure i can handle that. but fish are easy, right? you just have to feed them and keep the water clean?” head tilted to the side in thought, they continued, “but do you think it’s too early to try and win one? i don’t want to carry it around all day and scare him if i win now. that would be horrible.”
“is this in poor taste?” she hasn’t actually thought about it before now, and her eyebrows knit together. it occurs to her ( for the very first time and perhaps much too late ) that betting on the result of a hippogriff race and being there at all might be considered as much, by some people. surely, as draco’s nearest and dearest, she’s meant to hold some sort of a GRUDGE to the species as a whole, though truthfully, his earliest near death experience had been forgotten amidst the rest of them. she frowns at her betting stub and then looks towards theo with bemused expression now glued in place, “do we know why he isn’t here? salazar forgive us - are we making light of his trauma?”
“how much longer is this thing?” henri thanked their past self for having the foresight to wear a jumpsuit instead of their dress that their mom recommended. even then the jumpsuit wasn’t the most comfortable thing, too tight and constricting. they sat there on the ground, legs pulled up to their chest and uncaring about anyone they were in the way of. boredom had a way of zapping energy from them. their chronic habit of late nights and early mornings didn’t help. “are they normally this boring?”
𝐟𝐨𝐫: julius crabbe ( @dolors )
𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: tier one / tutshill derby !
“shot?” tempest wasn’t at liberty to disclose how they’d gotten the bartenders at the leaky cauldron stall to pour her an armful of shots this early in the day, but at least they were sharing. that was real moral fortitude, if you asked them. they’re handsy, immediately trying to snake an arm around julius’ waist, an easy indication they’d downed one or two of the collection before reaching his side. “it’ll make you prettier. promise.”
𝙻𝙾𝙲𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 : tier two , a grandstand bar .
𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚂 : open ( @startertms ) .
it’s the first sign that he’s , perhaps , made a dreadful error : flighty hues keep 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎 back to the bookmakers that flit through the crowds , & even the beer that sweats something tepid against his palm can’t ground his attention . ❛ just ── just out of interest . . . ❜ ( far be it from the world’s most 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐘 opening line ! ) ❛ how much do you think is too much to bet on a filly called frisky business ? ❜ he’s not asking for himself , of course , godric forbid . . .
𝙻𝙾𝙲𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 : tier one , general admission grounds .
𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚂 : open ( @startertms ) .
❛ technically , we’re only meant to be painting kids’ faces . ❜ & despite lighthearted taunt , she’s already wiping a paintbrush on stained overalls , tucking a stray curl back behind her ear ( daubed with 𝙱𝚁𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃 𝙿𝙸𝙽𝙺 paint , the remnant of a prior client ) ── ❛ but i’d be willing to make an exception for an extra sickle or two . ❜ like she’s in need of it , but nothing can quash mattie’s entrepreneurial spirit ! free hand gestures at the rickety stool in front of her ( not made to bear 𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭 weight ) with a beam that borders on devilish . ❛ s’pose painting a massive WANGER on your forehead is out of the picture . this is meant to be family friendly , & all that jazz . ❜
