The Dublin Horse Show is a jewel in the racing season and winning Best Dressed comes with sizeable style kudos, so it’s no surprise the competition was fierce in 2026.
Hundreds of fashionable ladies turned out at the RDS in Ballsbridge on Thursday with hopes of impressing the judges with their outfits and taking home the €10,000 cash prize.
In the end, and after much deliberation, it was Pamela Ryan who blew judges Bairbre Power and Aoife McNamara away and was crowned Best Dressed.
Pamela impressed in her cream and orange patterned two-piece with a structured ruffled top which she styled with a stand-out gold headpiece.
The stylish lady, who was also crowned Best Dressed at the Curragh in May, was stunned to have been crowned the winner, telling host Laura Woods that she was ‘in shock’ and ‘can’t believe it’ as she took to the stage.
As for her outfit details, Pamela’s set and headpiece are from CompleteLook.ie in Galway, while her shoes were a fabulous find in a charity shop.
Host Laura couldn’t resist asking Pamela what she’s going to do with the €10,000 cash prize, with Pamela saying that she’d like to treat her husband.
‘I’ve been out of work for a year now so I’d really love to take my husband to a lovely brunch maybe and treat him for being so wonderful to me today,’ she said. ‘Maybe a little trip away would be lovely.’
Making her win even more memorable, Pamela’s outfit almost didn’t make it to the Dublin Horse Show!
Early on Thursday morning, she was knocking on the door of her local An Post depot trying to track down her outfit.
Sharing an update on her Instagram page, Pamela said: ‘I GOT IT!! Thank you so much to the An Post team that searched high and low this morning for my dress and hat.’
As for why Bairbre picked Pamela as the winner, she said: ”I spotted the gold disc hat, and then I couldn’t believe the rest of the outfit. I love how the fabric story is told differently, and it was a fun outfit.
The curious thing for Aoife and myself is that the winner and the runner-up came literally up [to the stage] side by side.’
As well as bragging rights as the Best Dressed lady at the Dublin Horse Show, which runs until August 9, Pamela will take home a €10,000 cash prize sponsored by Poretti.
As well as the overall Best Dressed prize, there were four other awards up for grabs, including the runner-up title, sponsored by The InterContinental Dublin. The runner-up will receive a two-night stay in a one-bedroom suite with dinner for two on one evening in their new restaurant Simmons.
The Most Creative Hat Design award came with a €2,000 Ireland’s Blue Book luxury gift voucher prize, while the winner of the Irish Heritage & Sustainability Style Award sponsored by Jack Murphy received a €1,500 voucher.
The lucky winner of Best Classic Elegance sponsored by Cashel Palace Hotel won an overnight suite stay for two with dinner in the Michelin-starred Bishop’s Buttery and a €100 voucher for The Boutique.
See more photos from the Dublin Horse Show below:
