Scarlet fever and "a wedding or two" are the only things that have prevented Doug Gordon from a perfect attendance at all 60 Roxburgh race meetings.
The 77-year-old trainer, who lives just down the road from the Roxburgh East track, has vivid memories of attending the meetings as a youngster.
He was among about 3000 people who turned out yesterday to support the annual meeting.
It was blustery with occasional showers, but the crowd seemed happy.
Club president Philip Parker was pleased with attendance.
"The locals are always good supporters of this and so are the local businesses.
"It's a close-knit community and everyone chips in, " he said.
Mr Gordon had no horses entered in this year's trots and said he had yet to win on his home track.
"It'll have to hurry up and happen, because I'm coming 78 and it's terrible to never have had a win on your home track."
His record of attendance was pretty good: "I missed one time because I was quarantined with scarlet fever and apart from that, a wedding or two has kept me away - but I think I've only ever missed three days," Mr Gordon said.
It was a shame the club lost its Easter Monday date a few years ago, but the event was still well-supported even though it was shifted to early January.
"It's a very vital cog in the racing system.
"But there was definitely more came along when we had Easter Monday racing, because so many of the people on holiday in Central called in on their way back home after their holiday," he said.
He and trainer Jack Gamble, of Dunedin - friends for years - said trainers never retired.
"What reason would you have to get out of bed in the morning then?" Mr Gamble asked.
The pair said they were mates, rather than rivals, in the racing industry.
The Roxburgh trots attracted "good people" and he reckoned it was always nice to catch up with mates at the event.
Mr Gordon said his family farm had been sold to make way for the Roxburgh hydro dam.
