Only Fools and Horses race co-organiser Steve Tripp said 54 runners and 15 horses with their riders showed up to compete.
The race involved runners and horse riders racing one another in a 40km race, starting and finishing in Wedderburn, Maniototo.
The only similar race globally is hosted in Wales, which has been running for 40 years — in that time runners have come first a mere four times, but it was proof it can be done.
Saturday was not a win for the runners.
"Everyone had a very, very good time ... There was some friendly competition between horses and runners, but unfortunately the horses were too good for us," he said.
First place went to horse rider Jorja Jones, who topped the competition with an impressive time of 50 minutes.
First runner to cross the finish line was Margie Campbell with a time of 3hr and 33min, followed by Richard Campbell a few seconds later.
Mr Tripp said they were planning on hosting the competition again next year.
"Everyone was very happy and the local community was super supportive, but also really, really happy with the kind of atmosphere that it brought to the community and the positivity that it generated.
"Running with horses passing you is quite something — next year we might try and attract some really speedy runners."
One of the competitors, Pascal "the Black Knight" Saker, did not finish first or second, but did manage to "gallop" the 40km on the back of a hobby horse with a black bucket on his head.
