30/07/2026
The Real Story Behind Ladies' Day at the Dublin Horse Show
Every August, the Dublin Horse Show bursts into life with magnificent horses, world-class show jumping, and of course, the spectacular hats that have become synonymous with Ladies' Day.
But did you know that Ladies' Day wasn't originally about fashion at all?
Its roots lie in something far more significant – celebrating women in sport.
The Dublin Horse Show has been a cornerstone of Irish equestrian life since 1864, yet for many years women were not permitted to compete in the prestigious show jumping competitions. That all changed in 1919, when the Royal Dublin Society introduced the very first Ladies' Jumping Competition.
For the first time, women took centre stage in the show ring, and crowds gathered to cheer them on. Society ladies attended dressed in their finest attire, complete with elegant hats, as was the fashion of the day. Wearing a hat wasn't a special rule for Ladies' Day – it was simply what fashionable women wore to important social occasions.
That Thursday quickly became known as Ladies' Day, not because of a fashion competition, but because it celebrated the achievements of the women riders who were making history.
The first winner of the Ladies' Jumping Competition was Florence Garth of County Meath, riding her horse Motor Car. Remarkably, just one year later, women were allowed to compete alongside men in all jumping classes – a progressive step that placed equestrian sport among the few disciplines where men and women competed on equal terms.
Over the decades, the social side of the event grew. The elegant hats became larger, the outfits more glamorous, and eventually the spotlight shifted from the arena to the fashion. By the late twentieth century, Best Dressed competitions had become one of the highlights of the Show, and today many people associate Ladies' Day almost exclusively with style.
Yet behind every beautiful hat is a story worth remembering.
The tradition began as a celebration of pioneering women who broke barriers in Irish sport. Their courage and determination paved the way for generations of female equestrians, while the hats became a lasting symbol of the elegance and occasion that surrounded that historic moment.
So, as we admire the fabulous millinery at this year's Dublin Horse Show, let's also raise a hat to the remarkable women of 1919 who inspired the tradition in the first place.
Sometimes the best stories are the ones hidden beneath the brim of a hat !
At Luna Accessories, we're proud to continue this wonderful tradition by helping women find the perfect hat or fascinator for race days, weddings and the Dublin Horse Show. This Ladies' Day, wear your hat not just as a fashion statement, but as a tribute to the pioneering women who made history over a century ago.
