Horses to fashion
Family racing tradition lives on for mother daughter duo Sue and Amy Byrnes. Both have been involved in racing for most of their lives and have multiple horses as part of syndicates with local trainers. The fashion side of racing has brought them together
Fashion complements racing, regardless of where you are in the world, a feature race day will always entail both the racing component and fashion
ForSue Byrnes and her daughter, Amy, their bond is strengthened through their shared passion for the racing industry.
Both Sue and Amy have been involved in racing for most of their respective lives.
Sue has more than 40 years of experience owning horses in syndicates and breeding with her husband, Bernie.
Amy’s involvement in the racing industry keeps alive a family tradition, beginning with her great-grandfather who worked as a farrier in Ipswich.
Growing up, Amy spent her childhood attending race meets throughout North Queensland, where she enjoyed not only the horses, but also the fashion and many personalities one could meet on race day.
Racing is a family affair for the Byrnes.
The pair has multiple horses as part of syndicates with local trainer, Alby Molino, and Trevor and Peter Rowe in Cairns.
But it’s the fashion side of racing that has brought mother and daughter together to give back to the community that they’ve so long been part of.
Both joined the Cluden Park Fashion Committee in 2022, with Sue having been a member of the Cluden Park Management Committee for the past three years.
“Fashion complements racing, regardless of where you are in the world, a feature race day will always entail both the racing component and fashion,” Amy says. “The fashion side of racing was never my main priority as a child, with the horse racing holding most of my attention.”
Amy tells NQ Weekend her grandmother often made outfits for her and there are numerous photos of Amy and her mother dressed attending race meets.
“Winter fashion in Townsville often involved Mum dressing me in a pair of tights under a dress that Grandma had made, and other times of the year involved a pair of long white socks with frills. Mum always justifies to me that it was the fashion of the time.”
Sue has been a member of the club’s Management Committee for the past three years, and Amy has assisted her mother by volunteering at different times.
This gave Amy the spark to join the Fashions Committee.
“The diversity of people on the committee allows for wonderful interaction and a range of ideas to be deliberated. Initial ideas on themes are a lot of fun and then seeing the event eventuate is rewarding.”
Sue was more than happy to have Amy join her in their family’s efforts to create race day experiences that all can enjoy.
“I believe it’s very important to have different generations involved as fashion is judged across a variety of age groups,’ Sue explains. “It’s also very important to have some knowledge of the racing industry, which Amy and I have.
“I enjoy working with my daughter on the Fashions Committee filled with inspiring women who have diverse backgrounds in various aspects of fashion.”
For Sue and Amy, their priority as part of the
Fashion Committee is to create a Fashions on the Field experience that everyone can enjoy – from the race day novice to the seasoned fashion winners.
“The day needs to ensure that all can have a memorable experience,” Amy explains. “This year, we’ve chosen fun and accessible themes and criteria, as well as activating the Fashions experience with dedicated areas for contestants to mingle with judges after the event, make use of photo walls, as well as champagne and nibbles.”
Even for those who previously lacked the confidence to enter, the Best Dressed Duo category literally means any duo – this is not a category exclusive for romantic couples.
Each race day in the Cluden Park Winter Racing Carnival is featuring its own Fashions theme. The 2YO Classic (June 10) is going to be a Millinery Showcase, Ladies Day (July 29) is themed High Tea, and will climax at Townsville Cup (August 12) as contestants are encouraged to come Très Élégant – French for Very Elegant.
At the Lawrence & Hanson 2YO Classic, guests can experience a Millinery and Hatter Mini Market. This is an opportunity to discuss and buy designs on display or organise your own headwear for future race days with top milliners and hatters.
“This will be a fun way not only for guests to source inspiration for their next race outfit, but it’s an opportunity to see the talent of North Queensland’s milliners and hatters,” Amy says.
The Millinery Showcase will take the spotlight in the Fashions on the Field competition, with three millinery categories comprising the day’s competition.
“We’re taking the stress out of entering Fashions at the 2YO Classic by having our judges walk around and personally select the Top 10 pieces of Millinery for each category. Everyone’s headwear will be considered, so make sure you can be seen, specifically around the mini market.”
At this year’s Ladies Day, Cluden Park is being visited by special guest judges racing stylist Kerrie and her mother-dressmaker Milva Carucci. Kerrie is a Brisbane based stylist and works for an array of Australian brands. Milva’s studio is based out of Mareeba and has inspired generations of racing fashion.
The Townsville Cup is also following suit and is privileged to have local fashions on the field, multiple fashion event winner, Brittany Tamou and her mother Kerry Mcglone, of Hats in Fashion stylist, judging the fashions on the field this year.
“For Townsville Cup Day we’ve gone with Très Élégant as we want to see class, sophistication and elegance on the track.,” Sue says. The Cup is our major event and it deserves that level of attention alongside our judging panel. This year the Fashions Committee is in full swing to make the event larger.”
Tickets to all Winter Racing Carnival feature race days are available now via Eventbrite. Fashions on the Field categories and criteria will be announced shortly by Cluden Park.
Thestreets of Townsville will come to life over the next three weekends with the sounds of Australia’s best musical acts, from acoustic and alt-rock to rap and RNB and every genre between in a celebration of music unlike the city has ever seen.
Local acts will be showcased amongst charttopping artists and festival favourites including Tones and I, Illy, Pete Murray, Art vs. Science, Ocean Grove, Hurricane Fall, Haiku Hands, Bobby Alu, Horrorshow and JK-47.
Tropic Fiesta kicked off in Kirwan last night with country music star Lee Kernaghan headlining Suburban Sounds, alongside Hurricane Fall and local artist Tammy Moxon.
The event was one of only a handful of paid shows across three weekends full of scheduled live entertainment, with most shows on offer being completely free.
Tropic Fiesta’s General Manager Michelle Connery says Tropic Fiesta is a coup for local musicians and music fans alike.
“NAFA and Qmusic are so excited to be bringing a live music event of this magnitude to Townsville,” she said. “With more than 50 artists playing gigs all around the city, whatever music you are in to, you’ll find it somewhere. It’s a great opportunity for our local artists to play alongside some of the country’s best talent, and most gigs are free – so get amongst it.”
Street Beats and East End Fiesta will bring Flinders Street East to life for three nights next weekend with free events running Friday through Sunday across the main street and venues.
The weekend will kick off with the Street Beats street party on Friday May 19, with local acts Comfort Royale and Late November joining Toowoomba’s Cloe Terare, chart-topper Pete Murray and electronic dance trio Art vs. Science on the main stage.
Art vs. Science drummer Dan Williams says the band is “very psyched” to be returning to Townsville.
“Last time we were there was for a wild show at the Dalrymple Hotel in 2018,” he says. “And before that a couple of Groovin The Moos which were some of the best shows and times we’ve had!”
Williams says local fans will see Art vs. Science at the top of their game on Friday night.
“Expect a slew of the old bangers mixed with some of our more recent fare,” he says. “Maybe a couple of songs with a few left turns and tricks in there. And maybe a cover…”
Throughout Saturday May 20 and Sunday May 21, the nightclub strip will transform into a free choose-your-own adventure style musical odyssey.
From Cairns hip hop collective Water Streets at The Bank Nightclub at 6.30pm on Saturday to Melbourne metal trio Ocean Grove at FLNDRS Bar & Nightclub at 8.10pm on Sunday, there is an eclectic mix of local and national acts to pick and choose from right across the weekend.
Some names pop up on the festival schedule more than once, like local indie pop duo
Comfort Royale.
Isabelle Reynaud and Felix Sampson met performing original songs at a local open mic night, and have not been performing as Comfort Royale for all that long.
“We started writing songs together and it felt really easy and fun and it has just kept on building from that very first jam,” Reynaud says. “We both come from similar backgrounds having danced our whole lives, sang in choirs, dabbled in musical theatre so we both speak a similar and strange language that most people don’t share. We are both pretty chill, silly people and we just want our music to be just that.”
Tropic Fiesta is a game-changer for local artists, Reynaud adds.
“Smaller acts are given the chance to support bigger name acts, exposing them to larger audiences and expanding their reach,” she explains. “This opens up opportunities for emerging artists to make a name for themselves and gain new fans. The eclectic and diverse lineup of music also means that fans will be introduced to new sounds and have a unique and unforgettable experience.”
Former local Genes – who some may remember as Hit 103.1FM presenter Maddy Rowe - will be joining Comfort Royale and
Rowe moved to Townsville from Melbourne in 2019 to start her radio career, and although she has since relocated to Brisbane Rowe says she will always consider Townsville a second home, joking that she genuinely thinks about Annee’s coffees every day of her existence.
“I’m dropping in a couple days early just to jump on a ferry and soak up the sun,” she says. “It feels great to be able to get back up to FNQ and on to the Otherwise Bar stage – it’s the very first venue I ever performed at as Genes, and the live show has developed a lot in those three years so I’m excited to showcase it.”
Rowe remembers her excitement when a bigname Australian artist would perform in Townsville during her time here, and believes Tropic Fiesta will offer a lot for the local music community – both creatives and consumers alike.
“There’s so much talent up north, so events like Tropic Fiesta extend those opportunities out to local artists to be on the same billing,” she says. “Locals crave live music, so I know they’ll be keen for this one.”
Rowe herself is keen to get amongst it and check out some of the other acts on the line-up.
“Greta Stanley is such a babe and an amazing live performer,” she says. “She’s a must, especially if you want to see an amazing outfit! Hallie and Cloe Terare are making some amazing pop music, and if you like country music Sammy White is a vibe… Tones and I and Haiku Hands as well – the girlies are doing it this year!”
Tones and I will headline Tropic Sounds, the final event of the festival on Saturday May 27, along with Illy, Pierce Brothers, Clews and more. Second release tickets have already sold out.
Locals crave live music, so I know they’ll be keen for this one
More information on the full range of Tropic Fiesta events, ticketing and performance schedules can be found online at tropicfiesta.com.au