Day of frills, thrills and fun at trots

Flutters and frocks ... it was all on at the Narellan Pools Central Otago Trotting Club meeting in Omakau yesterday.

Central Otago Trotting Club president Graham Sinnamon said the crowd was one of the biggest ever hosted.

It was critical to the success of the club, and others like it, as the huge numbers gave racing backers confidence.

The TAB had flown staff in for the day and had 51 people working, Mr Sinnamon said.

Winners of the Fashion in the Field event at the Omakau races yesterday are, from left, runner-up Jackie Cameron, winner Donna Robinson and third placegetter Briar Milne. PHOTOS: JULIE ASHER

The event was a huge effort and relied on the "fantastic" support of the committee.

"We are a bunch of volunteers in the middle of nowhere. We haven’t had Christmas and we haven’t had New Year."

Overcast skies kept the temperatures pleasant and the crowd enjoyed the wide range of food and drink options for sale, while others picnicked under gazebos.

There was endless free entertainment for children with rides, bouncy castle, sumo suits and a scavenger hunt.

Highlands Motorsport Park sponsored a 100m mobile start sulky derby with a difference — it was a family affair, each sulky pulled by adults with a child riding. The Ramsay family — Wayne, Ethan, 14, and Haley, 8, — of Invercargill, won the race and a voucher for a day out at Highlands Motorsport Park.

Bride to be Josie Frew peeks over the shoulder on one of the 15 women on her hen party week who were at the Omakau races. All but Josie wore images of her fiance Ben McKerchar to the races.

Race day means dressing up for many and the Fashion in the Field was hotly contested with 27 entries. Judge Jane Robinson, of Flying with Birds in Alexandra, said there was a country theme and the four judges looked for an outfit which was suitable for a country race meeting with attention to detail and a polished and poised look.

One late entry was Josie Frew, from Invercargill, who was at the races with 15 friends as part of her hen party weekend before her wedding to Ben McKerchar in Winton later this month.

Miss Frew’s hat was a white baseball cap with "bride" embroidered on the front and a short veil and flowers at the back.

Mr Sinnamon said he was grateful for his committee and the way the community and sponsors supported the meeting.

"If we broke one link in the chain this doesn’t happen. It just makes life so much easier. In any house there is a hell of a lot of stuff behind the walls you don’t see."