Attendance blooms as skies clear at Punchestown

Slivers of blue sky, the weekend in sight, the best-dressed lady competition, and a feast of top-class jumping saw a sharp reversal on recent days as people flocked in their droves to the Punchestown Festival yesterday.

With the improved weather there was a real buzz about the place and the 27,219 attendance was 2,000 up on this day last year.

Ladies seldom need an excuse to dress up. However, the first prize on offer for the Coast Best Dressed Lady provided an unbeatable incentive to make an effort. A trip for two, including accommodation and flights taking in three fashion capitals — New York, Madrid and London — and 1,000 dollars, euro and pounds respectively to spend in Coast in each of the capitals was on offer.

It was local Naas lady Jennie Pierce who scooped this incredible prize. Jennie, 31, who is due to get married at the end of the year, wore a black pill box hat atop her striking red hair, a deep green coat over a print dress, a black leather belt to pull it together and bright sky blue shoes to finish the outfit.

The judges, who included Louis Walsh, celebrity stylist Lisa Fitzpatrick, and Ian Galvin, chairman of Aurora Fashion, had to pick from 10 finalists; seven selected from earlier in the day and the three winners of the past three days.