Parikino Sports Club, the Grand Ol' Dame of country fairs, marched on toward her centenary when she celebrated her 91st birthday on March 2.
The celebrations co-incided with the club's annual Parikino Horse Sports and, when it comes to picnic sports days, there are now few around the Whanganui district to beat Parikino.
The club has grown immensely over the years with the sports held annually, except for three years during World War II and several times more recently due to storms in the district.
The event started from the local school sports and grew to the extent of more than 1000 paying at the gates during the 1930s.