The Fashion Form

Your daily news update on the Style Stakes … from the Listowel Harvest Racing Festival.

Our UMM team are on the ground co-ordinating the fashion events for this legendary fall festival and will bring you daily updates on all the fashion and fun.


Day 7: Saturday 23rd of September. Listowel Harvest Racing Festival

Sustainable Style Saturday was a huge success on the closing day of Listowel Harvest Racing Festival

Cathy Troth (centre) the overall winner in the female category with Imelda Murphy, Listowel Tidy Towns and Pat Walker, MC and top model. Photo JK Photography

The overall winner of Sustainable Style Saturday organised by Listowel Tidy Towns and An Taisce, and supported by Listowel Race Course and the local traders was Cathy Troth (Firies) and John Barry (Listowel). They both received a cheque for €300 kindly sponsored by Listowel Race Company and McCarty’s Brokers Listowel.

Vivian Amato (first runner up female category), Helena Halpin and John Barry (winner male category)

The first runner-up in the female category was Vivian Amato (Clieveragh) and Richie Power (Listowel) who both received a Clarins hamper worth €100 from Oonagh of Chemco Pharmacy. 

All remaining finalists received a goodie bag sponsored by local businesses. Thank you to the businesses of Listowel who have continued to generously support this event for the past 10 years.

The event was superbly mc’ed by top model and vintage lover Pat Walker - who also delighted the audience by giving out lots of spot prizes throughout the event. 

Listowel was the first town in Ireland to host a sustainable fashion event on a race course, and were way ahead of their time, as sustainability is now the big conversation in fashion as pre-loved, up-styled and vintage are now very much in vogue!


Elvira Fernandez Zebo with fellow judge Don O’Neill and winner of the McElligotts Kia Ladies Day, Kathleen Flaherty. Photo MacMonagle

Day 6: Friday 22nd of September. Listowel Harvest Racing Festival

So who won at Ladies Day at Listowel Races?

A snapshot of all the style and the winners below. More to follow !

Elvira Fernandez Zebo, who is represented by Upfront Model Management, joined international fashion designer, Don O’Neill to judge the McElligotts Kia Ladies Day

The winners of the McElligotts Kia Ladies Day were …
Kathleen Flaherty from Kilmorna, Listowel, was declared the McElligotts Kia Best Dressed Lady at Listowel Races Ladies Day this afternoon (Friday 22nd of September). She won a trip for two to New York staying in the iconic Fitzpatricks Hotel in Manhattan. The winner of the Most Creative Headpiece was Anne-Marie Corbett from Mitchelstown, Co. Cork who received a cheque for €1000 and the winner of the Most Contemporary Outfit was Nhung Pham Thi McNamara from Ballybunion and she received a cheque for €500 which she has donated to Crumlin Children’s Hospital. Judged by international fashion designer, Don O’Neill and top model and businesswoman, Elvira Fernandez Zebo, huge crowds attended ladies day in Listowel for what is now recognised and celebrated as the fashion highlight of the new Autumn season. Tomorrow is the last day of this most successful harvest meeting and in addition to an all-national hunt card, fashion lovers can enjoy Sustainable Style Saturday in association with Listowel Tidy Towns and An Taisce and watch the Ireland v South Africa game on the big screens post racing. It is the place to be! For more visit www.listowelraces.ie or follow #listowelraces

Winner Most Creative Headpiece, Anne-Marie Corbett

Kathleen Flaherty wore a hand crochet sky blue jacket with matching skirt and accessorised with a silver headpiece and silver courts from Footprints in Listowel. 

Anne-Marie Corbett wore a striking fuchsia feathered headpiece by milliner Carol Kennelly and a bespoke matching midi-length fitted dress by Phoenix V in Cork.

10 finalists in the McElligotts Kia Ladies Day. Photo MacMonagle

Nhung Pham Thi McNamara, who is originally from Vietnam and now married locally, wore a handmade traditional Vietnamese Áo dài in the most vibrant shade of sunshine yellow embellished with embroidered flowers. 

This is the 9th year of McElligotts sponsorship of this prestigious fashion event and prizes were presented to the winners by Declan O’ Hara, Managing Director of McElligotts Tralee. 


Our team at Upfront Model Management were once again delighted to manage the fashion events and PR at Listowel Races for their very successful harvest festival.

Elvira Fernandez Zebo wore a headpiece by Aoife Hannon and she re-wore a jumpsuit she bought for the afterparty of her wedding last year to husband Simon Zebo. Photo MacMonagle.



DAY 5 : Thursday 21st of September : Listowel Harvest Racing Festival

Back by popular demand, the Best Dressed Man’s Competition is on this afternoon and sponsored by Ryles Menswear Tralee. Judged by the very stylish Nathan McDonnell, there is an overall €2,000 value prize fund.

This is the second year of Ryle Menswear’s sponsorship of this much-anticipated fashion event. The overall winner will receive a custom-made suit from Ryle Menswear valued at €1,200 and the first runner-up will receive a full Benetti suit, shirt and tie. Last year hundreds of dapper gentlemen dressed to impress and organisers are expecting another stylish event. Anyone wishing to enter should be on course by 2pm and the finalists and winners will be revealed in the parade ring after the 5th race. 


DAY 3 : Tuesday 19th of September : Listowel Harvest Racing Festival

Young Race-Goers take Centre Stage in the Style Stakes as top DJ Marty Guilfoyle entertains the crowd!

Young Race-Goers turned out in style today on the third day of the Listowel Harvest Racing Festival and dressed to impress to win a total cash fund of €500 sponsored by the Race Company. The overall winner of the Best Dressed Man was Jason Burke and the Best Dressed Woman was Megan Gaughan. Each received €150. The winner of the most Sustainable look was Sean Woulfe and the Most Creative look was Tallula Bella Courtney. Each received €100. Top Irish DJ Marty Guilfoyle entertained the crowd for free and the 3 times British Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy secured his first winner on his local track as he sealed the deal aboard Dragon of Malta for Pat O’Donnell. All in all, a brilliant day at the races with four more days of serious fun and serious racing to look forward to over the week. Visit www.listowelraces.ie for more information and follow the hashtag #listowelraces on Facebook, X and Instagram for updates and to join the conversation!

Racing continues tomorrow with an all national hunt card and the feature race is the Guinness Kerry National Steeplechase €200,000 (Grade A). Listowel Race Course will also host the Chairman of Royal Ascot His Majesty’s Representative, Sir Francis Brooke and some of their Directors, who will be visiting the course as guests to reciprocate the hospitality shown to the Listowel Directors over the past few years.

For the dedicated followers of fashion, there are still 3 more super stylish events to go! Men get the chance to strut their stuff on Thursday at the Ryles Menswear Best Dressed Man, Friday is the McElligotts Kia Ladies Day with a trip for New York for the best dressed and the closing day features Sustainable Style Saturday sponsored by Listowel Tidy Towns and an Taisce.  

Tickets for Listowel Harvest Racing Festival can be purchased online or at turnstiles on the day for €25 Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, with a 20% discount for groups of 20 or more. Visit www.listowelraces.ie


DAY 2 : Monday 18th of September : Listowel Harvest Racing Festival

Forever in Blue Jeans sponsored by O’Connors Hardware & Farm Supplies

One of fashion’s most iconic and versatile pieces of clothing - denim - was celebrated in style at Listowel Races this afternoon (Monday 18th September) with the return of the ‘Forever in Blue Jeans’ competition! It was generously sponsored again by O'Connor's Hardware & Farm Supplies and judged this year by top model and actor, Timmy Dowd. The overall winner in the male category was Paul Scanlon and the overall winner in the female category was Shauna Russell. Each received a cheque for €200. This was the second of 6 fashion competitions over the week, and tomorrow Tuesday is an opportunity for young racers under 25 to dress to impress for a €500 cash prize fund! For more follow @listowelraces #listowelraces

Racing continues Tuesday with an all-flat card, music with top Irish DJ Marty Guilfoyle and the 3 times British Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy will ride at Listowel.

Visit www.listowelraces.ie for more information and follow the hashtag #listowelraces on Facebook, X and Instagram for updates and to join the conversation!

Photos John Kelliher



DAY 1 : Sunday 17th of September : Listowel Harvest Racing Festival

Big crowds enjoy action packed day on opening day of Listowel Harvest Racing Festival 

Raymond and Gillian Gilbourne, from Milltown, County Cork, were the overall winners of the Lyrath Estate Best Dressed Couple Competition judged by Kristin McKenzie Vass, on the opening day of the 7 day Listowel Harvest Racing Festival. Stylishly co-ordinated in Autumn hues of mustards and golden browns, the couple won a luxury escape to Lyrath Estate Hotel in Kilkenny including an Estate view guestroom with breakfast on both mornings and dinner in the Grill Restaurant on an evening of their choice. The runners-up were Mary and Philip Woulfe; Kristy Collins and Sean Keating and Elish and Jimmy Lyons who all won an overnight with breakfast in Lyrath Estate Hotel in Kilkenny. There was also a special judges prize for a very fashion-forward mother and daughter duo, Karen Kelliher and Shauna Russell, who wore identical houndstooth jackets with matching red lace-up boots and they received a luxury afternoon tea in Lyrath Estate Hotel and two tickets to the 2024 Listowel Racing Festival. For more follow #listowelraces

There was a fantastic atmosphere on the course for the first day of this much-anticipated harvest festival in Listowel and the weather Gods got into the festival spirit and the rain stayed away to give racegoers a dry and warm afternoon. Sunday was also family day sponsored by Garvey’s SuperValu and highlights included the free Wooly Farm with chicks, guinea pigs, hens, ducks, rabbits, lambs, piglets and pygmy goats and Winnie the Donkey and a mini Disco, face painting, free balloons and Coco Melon & Mickey Mouse! Racegoers were also treated to a spectacular performance by Superbly to end a wonderful first day at the Listowel Harvest Races. 

Judge Kristin McKenzie Vass with sponsors and winners in the Lyrath Estate Best Dressed Couple Competition. Photo Credit: John Kelliher

Racing continues tomorrow with an all-national hunt card. Top Model and Actor, Timmy Dowd will also attend the races to judge ‘Forever in Blue Jeans’ fashion competition sponsored by O'Connor's Hardware & Farm Supplies. The second of 6 fashion competitions over the week, it is a great excuse to wear your favourite jeans and style them up or down as you wish! The winner in the male and female categories will each receive a €200 cash prize !

Tickets for Listowel Harvest Racing Festival can be purchased online or at turnstiles on the day for €20 Sunday, Monday, Tuesday & €25 Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, with a 20% discount for groups of 20 or more. Visit www.listowelraces.ie for more information and follow the hashtag #listowelraces on Facebook, X and Instagram for updates and to join the conversation!

Orla Diffily

Style, Shoots, Shows, Leaves

https://www.orladiffily.eu
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Listowel Harvest Racing Festival 2023: What You Need to Know