Betty is ‘pretty in pink’ at 92

As always, Day Two of the Dublin Horse Show was a two-horse race between a string of elegant ladies on parade and their less-fancied four-legged counterparts.

Neigh-sayers (of which there are many in the environs of Ballsbridge during Horse Show week) bemoan the focus switching to the horseplay that surrounds Ladies’ Day to the detriment of the main equestrian events.

But there’s no doubting the added buzz that the regular fixture of the Blossom Hill Best Dressed Lady competition brings.

Hundreds of females, clad in their finery, happily joined lengthy queues on the RDS Band Lawn in blistering sunshine to nominate their well-heeled selves and their “no fault” attire.

The judges – Off the Rails presenter, Brendan Courtney; Sky Sports reporter, Rachel Wyse and Love/Hate actress, Susan Lougnane – had a tough job to whittle down hundreds of entrants to select the winner from 10 finalists.

One contestant had a tall hat of giant white feathers that would not have looked out of place on the famous Lipizzaner breed of horse at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. The large display of colourful, elegant, and in some cases, wacky headgear that is typical of such occasions presumably prompted the introduction of the cleverly-titled “Who Wants to Be a Milliner” competition.

However, the winner of the Most Creative Hat was fittingly, Suzanne O’Brien, 25, from Adare, Co Limerick, for her eye-catching creation depicting the RDS clock tower, complete with a working timepiece.

Suzanne, a regular Horse Show competitor who works at Limerick’s Live 95FM, made the headpiece with the help of her father, Tim. “It was a real pick-me-up,” said Suzanne, after faring less well in horse competitions earlier this week.

The Best Dressed Lady prize was won by Ann Marie Blennerhasset, a an accountant from Ranelagh in Dublin.

The 32-year-old Tralee native is on maternity leave having only given birth to her first child – son, Sam – eight weeks ago.

“Today’s my first big day out since the birth. This is great,” beamed Ann Marie who picked up the top prize of a trip for two to New York worth €8,000, including €1,000 spending money.

The victory will ensure Ann Marie can return to the city where she and husband, Jonathan got engaged.

Her winning outfit was a pale green, Grace Kelly-style vintage dress which she bought online from the US, with matching shoes from Aldo, her wedding day bag and a headpiece from the Kerry-based designer, Carol Kennelly.

The Caldwell family from Banbridge, Co Down, enjoyed a double success with mother Angela, 45, winning the Most Colourful Outfit competition for her peach-coloured vintage dress “bought in a charity shop” and daughter, Stacey, 23, claiming the Highly Commended prize as runner-up to best dressed lady.

Stacey’s lace outfit was complemented with the unusual choice of a 1950s-style swimming cap.

The “Elegance is an Attitude” category was won by Danielle Gingell, originally from Yorkshire but now running a dog grooming salon in Claremorris, Co Mayo, for her outfit that paid homage to the side-saddle rider.

The Best Dressed Man prize was one by a Fair City scriptwriter, Brendan Spratt from Marino in Dublin.

However, for many onlookers the real star of the day was Horse Show veteran, Betty Edwards, from Terenure in Dublin. The sprightly 92-year-old, whose outfit included a floral hat that she bought for her son’s confirmation in 1950, admitted it was her first time entering the Best Dressed competition.

Selected as a finalist, Betty proved she was no clothes horse and admitted that she was happy to look “pretty in pink”.