50 hours worked and it paid off: Ilse wins Mini Cooper at Waregem Koerse with ‘priceless’ hat | and diet

Her entourage was so excited when Els van der Strikt was allowed to take to the podium on Tuesday evening as the winner of the Willie Nices tent. The family just jumped in with them, they were very happy. The teacher at Bernardus College in Oudenaarde scored the best in terms of originality, creativity and style. It took Ilse between 30 and 50 hours to finish her hand-stitched red-orange hat on a black background, including shades of khaki and blue in detail. “Just tightening the corners as tightly as possible was very difficult,” she said.

Cute details: Ilse used real horse hair as decoration. But it didn’t stop at the hat alone. Because Ilse wore an elegant, homemade dress in the same colors. On top of that, she had her own purse with a dagger handle as a handle, also in the same colours, and she wore earrings used to fasten horseshoes to horses’ hooves. Another cute detail, the make-up on her right jawline enhanced the effect of her hat. “I think it is above all an original and personal hat.

“A hat is also invaluable because family, friends, neighbors…help inspire me and shape the concept. I felt a great deal of connection while making my hat,” said Elsie van der Strikt, who comes from Mater. Which we hear from her family will show up in class with the hat. The winner is on the first day of school, but she denies it with a laugh: “They’re just telling you something.”

It was her first hat-trick. Winning it right away, which is a great achievement. So Ilse Van Der Strieckt was shivering on her legs on stage. She, her husband and two children are looking forward to the first ride in the new 5-door Mini Cooper. Willie Niceness, gave the car, and thought it good. The 82-year-old laughed the entrepreneur: “Although it may be a little less in 2022, the first prize is in the next hat cup.” As tradition dictates, Willie Niessens took Ilse Van Der Strieckt in his chariot for a ride on the hippodrome between races on Waregem Koerse.

Professional jury, the quality of many hats was very high, she made a difficult but according to many unjustified decisions. There were well-known names on the Hat Trophy jury, such as Miss Belgium Kedist Deltour, art expert Bie Baert, Showbizz Bart and ballroom dancer and chairman Davy Brocatus.