Several downpours during the early part of the meeting sent people diving for cover, but the weather cleared until another burst just before the last race.
Opotiki woman Suzanne Riesterer was holidaying in the Waitaki Valley and it was her first time to the popular meeting.
"It's fantastic . . . it's a wonderful event," she enthused.
A jazz band entertained the crowd, while several clowns and other activities catered for the children.
Chum Chamberlain, who owns the nearby Kurow Holiday Park, was joined at the event by many of the campers.
On New Year's Eve, 330 campers stayed at the park and the night before the races, just short of 300.
Former jockey Jo Hand was enjoying the atmosphere of the races - "it's a popular country meeting" - and recalled riding to victory in the Kurow Cup aboard Taieri Special, by a very short margin, in the 1970s.
Kurow Jockey Club president Simon Williamson was thrilled with the success of the day and grateful for the support of the trainers.
"What really makes it is the fields . . . the trainers bringing good horses," he said.
The club had built 40 new stalls, at a cost of about $100,000, and remodelled the bar, a big investment for a small club.
It hoped to build more this year.
