It could only happen in Oamaru.
Members of Alfs Imperial Army were on duty in front of a sentry box in the bird-cage at the Oamaru racecourse, the Wizard of New Zealand was paired with wizard reinsman Ricky May in a celebrity dual sulky race and the Queen of Victorian Oamaru helped release 100 homing pigeons.
And there was even the odd obligatory penny-farthing bicycle weaving through the crowd at the Oamaru Harness Racing Club's twilight heritage race meeting yesterday.
The event celebrated 100 years since the Oamaru Trotting Club held its first race meeting and marked the opening of the town's Victorian heritage celebrations.
There was a village green of mini-marquees and many race-goers dressed in period costume as part of a Victorian fashion-in-the-field competition.
The competition was judged by the beautifully attired Barry and Else Mackenzie, who said it had been very difficult job.
"There's some very fine finery and some very fine unfinery, some very unusually dressed people and there's hats galore," Mrs Mackenzie said.
The winner of the most flamboyant hat, Glenda Guy, said she just "shoved it" together, with bits of fern and other flora after finding an abandoned bird's nest and "went from there".
It also boasted a bird, a snail and a white butterfly but was quite comfortable as it was all mounted on her gardening hat.
Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton triumphed in the dual sulky celebrity race, sitting alongside champion reinsman Dexter Dunn.
Also participating were North Otago rugby player Ross Hay, the Queen of Victorian Oamaru, Julie Walker, and the Wizard of New Zealand.
One of the highlights of the race meeting was the Kidz Kartz race with junior harness racing drivers from Canterbury competing in a race for ponies.
It was won by Cameron Jones (12) driving Hokey Pokey.
Heritage celebrations organising committee chairwoman Sally Hope said the race meeting was a great start to the celebrations and it was hoped to be able to secure another meeting for next year's event.
The Victorian wardrobe had been particularly busy, with many first-time costume hirers wanting to attend the races in appropriate attire, Mrs Hope said.
Results of the fashion-in-the-field:Best-dressed young couple, Nicole and Ethan Scotti; most elegantly attired for the modern age, Lynda Perniskie; most dashing Victorian couple, Maureen and Noel Bradshaw; most flamboyant hat, Glenda Guy; most splendidly attired Victorian lady, Marie Scotti; most superbly attired Victorian gentleman, David Ovens; most scruffily attired pair, Evan Niven and Roger Blackburn; most unusual, Mandy Mayhem.
