Racers hop, canter, trot to finish

Freya Byrne proudly wears her ribbon after securing first place in the hobby horse dash. PHOTO:...
Freya Byrne proudly wears her ribbon after securing first place in the hobby horse dash. PHOTO: EVIE SINCLAIR
Crowds flocked to the Hāwea Picnic Races yesterday for events that featured more than just real-life horses.

A hobby horse derby and three-legged race were among the highlights of the occasion, which was first held in 1946.

After its cancellation last year due to a lack of entries and a shift to a new date, this year’s races featured six heats of harness racing.

Six-year-old Freya Byrne, a winner of a hobby horse heat, said she had been practising.

"I won because I practise on my real horse all the time," she said.

Competitors in the 1500m three-legged race had the chance to win $200.

evie.sinclair@odt.co.nz