"It was really well supported by the locals and we also had quite a few come up from Dunedin for the day," Strath Taieri Community Board chairman and event organiser Barry Williams said.
"We even got a few carloads of English supporters along, which was great."
A contingent of about 50 passengers took the Taieri Gorge train to Middlemarch, only to be accosted by "robbers" on horseback at Pukerangi.
"The robbers gave away Crunchie bars and collected money from the passengers for breast cancer," Williams said.
Activities at the fair included dog trialling and sheep-shearing demonstrations, walks at Salt Lake, beer and meat tasting and a craft tent.
The highlight of the day was in the afternoon at the Middlemarch Showgrounds, where New Zealand sevens coach Gordon Tietjens and Otago coach Roy Hawker selected an Otago sevens team from a tournament involving sides from Strath Taieri, the University of Otago, Dunedin, Alhambra-Union, Taieri, Clutha Valley, Maniototo and Green Island.
Tietjens also took the opportunity to ride some of the Otago Central Rail Trail and attended the World Cup match between England and Romania at Otago Stadium on Saturday, Williams said.
A secondary schools competition was also held, featuring Otago Boys' High School, King's, Kavanagh College and St Kevin's College.
The competition was won by OBHS, which will now take part in the Condor 7s national secondary schools finals in Auckland on December 4.
