The annual Yorkshire Post Ladies Evening at Wetherby next Thursday (May 29) combines glamour and racing when racegoers can sip champagne, admire the latest collections of six top Yorkshire milliners and fashion designer, James Steward as they showcase their latest collections in the fashion shows on the catwalk between races in the ‘Life & Style’ marquee – which is open to all racegoers – in the Paddock Enclosure. The milliners are Jenny Roberts, Beth Hirst, Justine Bradley-Hill, Marie Halewood, Rhian Kempadoo Millar and Claire Spooner. Wetherby will be rolling out the red carpet for the ladies, although gentlemen are also invited! with the gates opening at 3-30 p.m. and the Fashion Shows starting an hour later. 

This is Wetherby’s final meeting of the 2013/14 Jumps season and the seven-race programme starts at 6-00 p.m. with The Mini Cooper York Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. One of the main events of the afternoon is the ‘Fashion Stakes’ involving the ‘Best Dressed Lady Competition’, the judging of which will take place during racing in the winners’ enclosure. The competition is supported for the third year by James Brindley, the interior design specialists with stores in Harrogate and Wetherby. They will provide £600 worth of retail vouchers for the winning lady and there are also James Brindley vouchers to the value of £150 for the lady adjudged to be wearing the ‘Best Hat’.  In addition, the winner of the main competition will receive automatic entry into the Grand Final to find Yorkshire’s ‘Best-Dressed Lady Racegoer’ competition held at Doncaster in October, which is the culmination of a special competition linking all of the individual ‘Ladies Days’ staged this summer on the Yorkshire racecourses.

 The highlights on the track are The Yorkshire Post Magazine Handicap Chase, The James Brindley Best Dressed Lady Competition Handicap Hurdle and The Life & Style Novices’ Hurdle. 

A special ‘Racing Ladies’ package is available at £37-50 booked in advance – details can be found on Wetherby’s website www.wetherbyracing.co.uk 

The giant screen will enable racegoers to see all of the action on the track. 

There’s a free shuttle bus service between Wetherby Bus Station and the racecourse prior to racing, with the reverse journey up to an hour after the last race.