The 2019 Dederang Picnic Races will be held on March 16, not the first Saturday in January as in previous years.

Dederang Picnic Race Club committee member Amy van de Ven said the decision to alter the long-standing date came earlier this year after the 2018 meeting had to be abandoned because of weather conditions.

“It was obviously not taken lightly, it was the first time since the 1970s, I think, that we aren’t racing now on the first Saturday,” she said.

“With the extreme heat it was just going to be much better for not just only the race goers but the jockeys and the trainers and of course the horses, so that was our main priority.”

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Miss van de Ven said finding an alternative date required consultation with the many community, sporting and service organisations that staffed the gate and provided catering at the meeting.

“We couldn’t go too late because the footy season starts, there’s still people playing cricket on the weekends,” she said.

“Then of course, consulting with Country Racing Victoria.”

A meeting swap involving Woolamai and District Picnic Racing Club made the new date possible.

“Moving forward I think it will be much more sustainable,” she said.

“March has Albury Gold Cup, there’s a lot of talk around racing in that period.”

Held annually since 1865, the Dederang Picnic Races offer a six-race program, including the feature event, the Milestone Dederang Cup.

The occasion also raises thousands of dollars for charity and the community around Dederang through the efforts of many volunteers.

Miss van de Ven said the day would include all its regular attractions, such as live music, children’s activities, bookmakers and fashions on the field.

“The tug of war and the Madman’s Mile, which are famous for us, two great events that we have, they’ll be still running,” she said.

The committee member said most reaction to the new date had been favourable.

“There’s of course been a few regular holiday makers over that December/January period that are disappointed that we’re not continuing, but overall I would say 90 per cent have been quite positive for it,” she said.

“Especially the ones that will continue to travel up, it doesn’t matter what date it will be on they’ll still make the effort because we put on such a wonderful day.

“And we’re enjoying not having to be hectic after New Year’s is over, that frantic getting organised for that first Saturday of the new year, it will be a nice change.”