Fancy walking away with almost €12,000 euro in prize money, without having to lift a finger, at the legendary Galway Races? All you have to do is dress for the occasion and make a great impression.
If you wow the judges and are chosen as the best dressed lady at the annual Anthony Ryan’s Best Dressed Lady competition on Thursday July 31 you will walk away with a one carat diamond solitaire pendant valued at €8,500, a shopping spree worth €1,500 in Anthony Ryan’s and €1,000 in cash. You will also receive a Lancôme presentation gift hamper worth €500 and a corporate hospitality package for Galway Races October bank holiday racing festival.
Meanwhile the wearer of the “Best Hat” will receive a €1,500 shopping spree at Anthony Ryan’s while the winner of the “Wear Irish” award - for the lady with the most appropriate choice of Irish design or accessories in her ensemble - will get a €500 shopping voucher for Ryans.
This year’s fashion competitions boast a total prize fund of €20,000, according to Anthony Ryan’s. All the finalists at its Best Dressed marquee will be presented with a special collection of Lancôme cosmetics from University Pharmacy, Newcastle Road.
The judges on the day will include celebrity stylist, author and television presenter Lisa Fitzpatrick, Bairbre Power, the fashion editor of the Irish Independent and PJ Gibbons, the editor of Social & Personal magazine.
They will be joined by well known faces from the Galway fashion scene, including Patricia McCrossan, the managing director of Galway NOW magazine and Mandy Maher of Catwalk Model Agency.
Ms Fitzpatrick says she is looking forward to judging the “most glamorous event of the Irish racing calendar”.
“I was delighted to be asked to be a judge at this year’s iconic Galway Races Ladies Day. I am looking forward to seeing the style at Ballybrit. I know from my own experience it is such a great day out.”
Celebrating 105 years in the fashion business, award winning department store Anthony Ryan Ltd has sponsored the Best Dressed competition since 2003.
“As Galway’s longest established independent department store we are proud to continue our association with the Galway Races by sponsoring the Best Dressed Lady and Best Hat Competition on Ladies Day,” says Anthony Ryan, the managing director of the store.
“Last year we introduced a new competition for the lady with the most appropriate choice of Irish design or accessories in her ensemble. We are delighted to continue with the ‘Wear Irish’ award and we hope it will encourage ladies to support Irish design when co-ordinating their ensembles.”
He says the winners of the Anthony Ryan’s Best Dressed competition in previous years impressed the judges with their stylish ensembles which were appropriate for daytime summer racing.
“This year our distinguished panel of judges will be on a quest to find a lady with an innate sense of style who demonstrates the ability to put together a winning ensemble, complementing the wearer and the occasion. Individuality, elegance and true style will be the order of the day,” he concludes.
Women interested in taking part in this year’s competitions are asked to arrive from midday as the finalists will be chosen by 2.30pm. There is no entry required for the competition. Anthony Ryan’s scouts and judges will mingle through the crowd and will invite selected finalists to the judging marquee which is located adjacent to the champagne tent in the race enclosure.
The winning outfits will be announced at 3.30pm at the Anthony Ryan’s Marquee. The presentation of the prizes will take place in the Parade Ring later in the afternoon.
For further details follow it on Facebook - www.facebook.com/ladiesday and on Twitter @ladiesdaygalway
