Windy and, at times, wet weather failed to deter a large crowd attending the Kurow Jockey Club's annual race meeting yesterday.
The country meeting, scheduled on its traditional date of December 30 instead of early January, is always a popular event on the calendar of holidaymakers staying in the Waitaki Valley.
Enjoying the laid-back atmosphere and staying out of the rain in one of the corporate tents was former Oamaru solicitor and Waitaki MP Alec Neill, who lives in Christchurch.
He and his wife, Di, were spending the Christmas holiday further up the road at Otematata and they were enjoying a day out at the races.
Mr Neill, who is chairman of Environment Canterbury, said he knew little about racehorses, but he had managed a collect on the first race by choosing a horse called Kilpatrick.
"Because I'm of Irish descent, it just sounded pretty good to me," he said.
His two mates were much more knowledgeable about racing, but they had failed to make the right selections, he said.
Mr Neill was enjoying the company and meeting old friends from North Otago.
Any flutters were picked solely on the horse's names.
"I never look at anything else," he said.
Kurow Jockey Club president Simon Williamson was pleased with the day, saying there was a good crowd and good fields.
The corporate tent area - an innovation this year - had proved popular, with 20 sites on the inside of the track.
The annual Kurow market day was also held yesterday, as part of the Kurow festival.
