Winner of Best Dressed last year, at Listowel Races, Joann Murphy. Photo by Dermot CreanLISTOWEL Races has been blessed with dry weather and great crowds for the past four days and now it’s time for the style to shine.
Today (Thursday), sees the first of the big style events with the spotlight firmly on the gentlemen as Ryle Menswear Best Dressed Man Competition returns.
Hosted by owner Michael Moran and judged by the ever-dapper Botty O’Callaghan, the overall winner will receive a custom-made suit worth €1,500, while the runner-up will take home a full Benetti suit, shirt and tie. Ryle Menswear will also provide gift bags for all finalists.
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The feature race is the Listowel Races Supporters Club Lartigue Hurdle in memory of John Molyneaux, of €60,000.
The fashion highlight of the week is on Friday with the McElligotts Kia Ladies Day.
This year’s judges Aoife Dunican, known to her many Instagram followers as The Style Bob, and Raceday TV presenter and content creator Frankie Foster will be on course looking for the most stylish racegoers from 1.30pm.
The Best Dressed Lady will win a luxurious week-long holiday for two at the four-star Hotel Astoria in Sorrento, the gateway to Italy’s spectacular Amalfi Coast.
This year marks the 12th consecutive year of McElligotts’ sponsorship of one of Irish racing’s most prestigious fashion competitions.
There are also generous prizes for individual fashion categories, including €1,000 for the Most Creative Headpiece and €500 for the Most Contemporary Outfit.
The judges will be out and about on course from 1.30pm selecting their ten finalists. The finalists will then be interviewed on the fashion stage, with the overall winners also appearing in the parade ring after the fifth race.
The feature race on Friday is the Ballymore Handicap Hurdle, a €100,000 Listed race. Friday night will continue in style with top DJ Marty Guilfoyle performing in the Marquee Bar.
The Harvest Festival draws to a close on Saturday with a celebration of fashion with a conscience as Listowel hosts its Sustainable Style Competition, organised by Listowel Tidy Towns in association with An Taisce and Listowel Races.
Now in its 15th year, the competition is open to both male and female racegoers and is a Listowel Tidy Towns initiative highlighting waste minimisation, sustainable fashion and the circular economy.
This year’s competition will be judged by top model and influencer Paula Price, together with a representative from An Taisce.
Paula loves timeless classic style, preloved finds and sustainable fashion and will be out and about on the course with her fellow judge from 1.30pm, so make sure to arrive on time
Racegoers are encouraged to re-wear, re-style, recycle and repurpose, whether that means giving a much-loved item from the back of the wardrobe a new lease of life, creating an outfit from an original material or discovering a pre-loved gem in a charity shop. Proving great style has no age—and fashion can be fabulous, conscious and timeless.
There are generous cash prizes and gifts across a number of categories:
• Most Sustainably Attired Racegoer: €500, sponsored by Listowel Race Company. The runner-up receives a goody bag sponsored by the businesses of Listowel.
• Best Vintage / Pre-Loved Attired Racegoer: €300, sponsored by Higgins Waste & Recycling Ltd. The runner-up receives a goody bag sponsored by the businesses of Listowel.
• Most Sustainable Attired Under-16 Racegoer: €200, sponsored by John McGuire Pharmacy. The runner-up receives a goody bag sponsored by the businesses of Listowel.
All remaining finalists will receive fabulous goody bags sponsored by the businesses of Listowel.
New sponsor Higgins Waste will also bring an extra element of fun to the day, with racegoers getting the chance to win €200 by guessing the weight of a bundle of cardboard.
The judges will select ten finalists from the course during the afternoon and all will be interviewed on the fashion stage, with the overall winners presented in the parade ring after the 4th race.
The feature race on Saturday is the Charlie Chute Memorial Steeplechase, worth €50,000. Marty Guilfoyle will also perform in the Marquee Bar on Saturday as the festival comes to a close.
Racegoers are encouraged to pre-book tickets online at www.listowelraces.ie General admission prices are €30 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
