LADIES DAY:ROWDS WERE well up yesterday on day two of the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show when kinder weather attracted thousands to the RDS venue for Ladies Day.
For part of the day, the focus of attention was on the ladies rather than the horses as more than 400 women took part in the competition for the top prize of €10,000
That prize went to Alison Garvey from South Circular Road, Dublin, who wore a cream and black dress from Coast with a hat made from hair.
Her win sparked off a controversy as to whether her hat was made of horse or real hair. The Irish Times, which always tries to get things accurate, can now reveal that it was human hair and it took her best friend two weeks, a lot of glue and hard work, to win the day.
Fortunately the rain held off long enough not to spoil the day, dresses, hats or hair of the visitors.
Ms Garvey's win will involve a shopping and pampering trip for two to Paris and then on to the heart of the French Alps.
The "Best in Pink" went to Mary Tiernan (76) from Navan, Co Meath, who won a Longines watch and diamonds valued at €2,470.
There were prizes too for the Best Dressed Man of the day, which went to Lorcan Hanlon, Killiney, Co Dublin, who wore a grey two-piece suit and pink tie.
Also in attendance was one of Ireland's newest media stars, Ivan Yeats, a former minister for agriculture, who was recording a radio programme.
The Enniscorthy man, bookie extraordinaire, was encamped on the grounds interviewing one and all for his evening programme.
Late last evening it was announced that Eddie Macken, Denis Lynch, Jessica Kürten and Cian O'Connor will represent Ireland later today in the Nations Cup.
Lynch will ride for Ireland and then leave immediately for Hong Kong to represent Ireland in the Olympic Games which will formally open later today.
The Nations Cup will take place later this afternoon clashing with the opening of the Olympics in China.
For those who are here and enjoying themselves, there is no real contest about what they will be watching.
The show continues until Sunday evening.