While the on-track action at this year’s Kilmore Cup was cut short, the Fashions on the Field event featured some of the closest and highest quality competition in the cup’s history.
Sponsored by Georgina and Co, competitors took part in six different categories for a shot at quality prizes including vouchers and gift packages that could be used at the sponsor’s Broadford day spa and hairdressing salon.
Georgina and Co founder and event sponsor Georgina Clydesdale said this year’s Fashions on the Field was a great success for all involved.
“We had women competing in the same dresses that they competed with in Flemington, and that’s unheard of for that to happen at Kilmore,” she said.
“Our calibre was probably the highest we’ve had in the last seven years that we’ve done Fashions on the Field, so it was overwhelming what went through on Sunday.”
This year’s focus was on having the competitors create their own unique style, something the judges were keeping an eye on as they each had their own specific flair from a versatile range of backgrounds.
The judges for this year’s Fashions on the Field were Ms Clydesdale, Ally Heenan, Kaylene Cruise, Emma Scodellaro and Jo Benifer, while longstanding host Casey Bruce led the way once again.
“It was really interesting having everyone create their own unique style for the criteria because the judges all had their own different flair that they were looking for,” Ms Clydesdale said.
“It meant any age could compete. It didn’t matter if they were 19 or 60, they all would still be in the running on the same competitive platform.”
Ms Clydesdale said a focus for next year would be increasing the number of participants in the Best Dressed Local Lady category – this year won by Jeanette Laffan with Vicki Rogan runner-up.
In a Kilmore Fashions on the Field first, the Lady of the Day category featured a four-way tied heat, a testament to the close competition on show at this year’s event.
Karlie Owen was eventually crowned best dressed lady, with the runner-up Elise Crewes.
Ms Clydesdale said she had also been pushing to do a Grand Mitchell Shire Lady of the Day competition, a category that would bring country clubs together to determine the best dressed lady for the region.
“Maxine, the ex-president of Kilmore Racing Club, said ‘this is the opportunity now to bring all the country clubs together and push to get the Mitchell Shire Lady of the Day’,” she said.
“The winners of each will compete against each other … we’ll work out the criteria as we get closer, but I have been pushing for that for five years, and I finally have got that happening.
“That’s definitely a highlight – I want to get a Victorian Lady of the Day in country racing.”
The best dressed man was awarded to Micheal McAlpine.
