Hats and horses at the J&B Met

This year's J&B Met, now in its 38th year, was themed 'Made for the Mix' and that everyone certainly did. There was a near constant movement of people in all manners of dress between whatever was happening next in the general Met village. From the stands to the bars to the stage to the races and most definitely to the food stands. It was endlessly entertaining to watch the decadently dressed up ladies wobble on their high heels from one place to the next.

It was a red and yellow J&B branding bomb at the Met. The bars and personnel were decked out in J&B colors, flagging down any thirsty stragglers in need of refreshment. When hungry, attendees visited the circle of food trucks that could satisfy any diet. Choices ranged between deliciously smoked meats, vegetarian friendly Mexican food, gourmet boeries and 'vis and chips', to name a few. All this located conveniently close to the stage where entertainment included a performance from Mi Casa and some DJ prowess in the Schweppes and Good Hope FM Gig Rig.

Most spent their time in the general Met village, including some of the VIP guests coming out to show off their attire. It was a veritable fashion feast. Some were decked out in creative, handmade costumes and some in low(er) key, fashionable ensembles that were 'made for the mix'. There were quite a few couples that stood out in their peackock-ish or steam-punk inspired outfits. Visit the Met gallery to take a look at some of the favorites.

It wasn't all haute couture at the Met though! Once properly entertained, hydrated and satiated, there was ample seating and shade to sit down and watch the races. South Africa's top bred horses competed for a rather impressive R2.5 million. All our congratulations to Futura (the winner of the day) ridden by Bernard Fayd'Herbe and trained by Brett Crawford.