Several boys cried foul after the girls won this year’s tug o’ war at the Kurow Races yesterday.
The girls won the best of three affair after losing the first pull and then bolstering their ranks — girls jumped the fence and flooded the track to join their female friends and secure the tug o’ war win at the annual get-together for the Waitaki Valley.
Kurow Jockey Club president Simon Williamson said the club took pride in its track, but as the Waitaki Valley town hosted up to 5000 visitors for the races again this year, the day was about so much more than the horses.
"There’s not too many bigger days in the Waitaki Valley that I can think of," he said.
"It’s just a huge day in the Waitaki Valley — it’s more than a race day. It’s a get-together for all the locals, local farming community, local business community, all of the campers. At the end of the day, we’re taking racing to the people and people are all here from Dunedin and Christchurch, camping around the lakes or Twizel, Kurow [and] Omarama.
"See these people here, they aren’t going to go to Wingatui, or they’re not going to go to Riccarton, but they’re happy to come here and enjoy the day with their family and their friends — bring their kids — there’s something for everyone.’’
Mr Williamson said the races drew trainers from across Otago, Canterbury and Southland.
Not only was the venue well located, but it was also a "strategic time of year" as it led into a gap in the racing schedule after two more races in Waikouaiti and then Omakau.
Mr Williamson’s father was once president of the jockey club and his grandfather was involved in racing, so his favourite part of the day remained the $25,000 Kurow Cup.
He liked to see the "joy in people’s faces" after winning races.
