Dublin Horse Show: Family, Fashion, and a Shared Irish Soul
There is something deeply human about the Dublin Horse Show. It is not just about the horses or the prize money. It is about the stories we carry, the clothes we pass down, and the people we bring along. This year, sentimentality won over high fashion on Ladies Day, and the result was a celebration of Irish identity, family, and community.
Pamela Ryan, a Dubliner, took home the €10,000 best dressed prize. She was in shock, she said, after a last minute decision to compete. Her outfit told a story of its own: a golden headpiece and skirt from CompleteLook.ie in Galway, and shoes from a local charity shop. It was a quiet nod to the kind of resourcefulness that runs deep in this country.
Fashion journalist Bairbre Power, who judged the event alongside designer Aoife McNamara, saw something special in the crowd. “What's very clear from events like these is that people love fashion and they cherish family items,” she said. “This year, we saw lots of upcycling and pre-loved pieces that people made their own.”
That sense of heritage was everywhere. Bríd Hanlon, 75, wore a headpiece made by her 12 year old grandson Alex. He had raided his mother's bead collection and crafted it from sequins and polystyrene. “Spending time with my grandmum is the best part,” Alex said. “That's why I know I'd love to work in fashion when I'm older.”
From the West of Ireland, this was their third Horse Show together. Bríd wore a Roisin Linnane dress; Alex wore bits and bobs from Donnellan's, shoes from Next, and socks from the back of the press at home. “It brings us together,” he said. “It's always a good time.”
Diedre Doherty from Longford returned to the show for the first time since she was a child. She competed with a crocheted hat featuring a horse's head, pink flowers, and a bottle of prosecco. “When I was here as a kid, it felt like such an exceptional thing to be brought to the Horse Show. I felt like I was on TV,” she said. “I always said I would come back all dressed up. This was on my bucket list.”
Two sisters from Drimnagh borrowed each other's clothes for the day. Hamdi Hassan wore a dress from Dervans Fashions in Galway, a blazer and shoes from Next, a scarf from Mango, a bag from Chanel, and a headscarf from a small Dublin boutique. “I wanted to participate so I put in a lot more effort,” she said. “I bought a lot of my clothes from Irish stores.”
Even the horse arena carried a sense of history. In the ladies sidesaddle races, riders wore a “habit” from the 17th century: a jacket, safety skirt, silk hat, and veil. Rachel Maher, after her fourth win of the week, said, “It's an elegant competition. You need a balanced horse and be balanced yourself.”
Sidesaddle instructor Stacy Rusic noted that the habit is hard to find these days. “We are a lot taller now that women were back then,” she said. “There's a misconception that sidesaddle was restrictive for ladies, but it's actually the opposite. It was liberating for women in the context of that time. It allowed them to ride with the men at a time when it was unheard of. So we like to keep that tradition alive.”
Other winning titles included Most Creative Hat, The Irish Heritage and Sustainability Style Award, and the Best Classic Elegance Award. But the real prize, perhaps, was the sense of belonging. In a world that often moves too fast, the Dublin Horse Show reminds us that some things are worth holding onto: family, fashion, and a shared Irish soul.