A FORMER Miss Ireland, Yvonne Ellard from Donnybrook, Co Dublin, may have been named Blossom Hill Ladies Day “Best Dressed Lady” of the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show yesterday but she was far from being the most elegant female at the show.
Right enough, Tipperary-born Yvonne, who was wearing embroidered grey silk coat, which she borrowed from her mother, a black belt, a black hat from Debehnams with a grey flower added, and grey shoes from Penneys stole the show and prizes worth €12,000 but she had nothing to show on her top rival.
For myself at least – and I wasn’t alone – the top lady of the day was to be seen at the front of the exhibition hall at the main entrance to the showgrounds.
She had beautiful eyes and no hat and not one feather was out of place.
She was on the arm of a very lucky man called Lothar F Muschketat, a biologist.
The lady in question?
A young female eagle which was born in Germany and now lives at the Irish Raptor Research Centre at Ballymote, Co Sligo with 100 other birds of prey, eagles, hawks, falcons and vultures.
Her favourite food is frozen day-old chicks.
Lothar and his beautiful companion attracted a lot of attention yesterday from the bumper crowd who came to the RDS grounds that were bathed in beautiful sunshine.
The colours were blinding and drove away any idea that the country is in deep recession.
There was a record entry for the event, more than 500 in all, and they took the competition very seriously. There were even a few tears shed by some of the younger non-successful entrants in the nearby bars.
One of the other prizes awarded on the RDS band lawn was the Most Colourful Outfit, which went to Laoise Hughes from Kilcullen, Co Kildare.
She won a Longines watch from its Prima Luna Steel Rose collection worth more than €3,000.
The winner of Best Dressed Man went to Paul Morrissey from Castletroy, Co Limerick. He was awarded a €500 voucher from Arnotts.
Michelle Foley from Nottingham, England, won a voucher for €500 for the Most Creative Hat from Arnotts.
An “alternative ladies’ day” event took place across the road from the RDS where a number of young ladies held a mud-wrestling competition in a plastic swimming pool full of facial mud packs to promote the product and a betting chain.
Speaking of betting, Ireland are second favourites with Britain to win the Aga Khan trophy later today. France at 2 to 1 have been made favourite in the competition. Ireland have been drawn to go fifth in the competition.
It will be attended by President Mary McAleese, who will present the trophy.