Fashions on the Field, the annual style contest, was arguably just as important as the horse racing. 

Highlands Cobie Sheehan was a double winner on the day, taking out best dressed and best hat in the women’s round with her blue vintage ensemble. 

Ms Sheehan, who has placed as a Fashions in the Field finalist several times in the past few years, said she decided on blue to match The Bowral Dressage Club’s colour theme for 2017. 

“I spent a couple of months planning the outfit, so it’s fantastic [to win], very exciting,” Ms Sheehan said. 

A gentlemen from Bowral won best dressed in the men’s round with his blue pinstripe suit, which emcee Maureen Varnavsky described as “sartorially elegant”. 

Despite a thunderstorm that prevented the final cup from going ahead, Bong Bong Picnic Race Club chairman David Goulder said the club was pleased with the day’s turnout. 

“It’s been terrific. Everyone has been [well] behaved as far as we know.”

This year’s event also included the special release of the club’s history book.

Composed primarily by lifetime club member Alan Chittick, the book documents the colourful history of the annual country picnic races that began in 1886. 

Event organiser Suzannah Cowley said it was the roots of this historical event that the club wanted to honour at this year’s race. 

“There’s been a lot of hard work behind the scenes,” Ms Cowley said. 

“We wanted to make people feel more connected and that’s one of the reasons we shared our history book today.”