Alison Clarke: brains, business and beauty

Alison Clarke is a familiar face for many reasons. She’s a former Miss Northern Ireland winner, founder of ACA Models, married to golfer Darren Clarke and the eldest child of the Smyth family who are renowned on the showjumping scene.

In fact, her brother Peter was 14-years-old when he won a gold medal with the Irish pony team at the European Championships in Germany in 1984, riding Mr Boogie.

Irish Country Living caught up with Alison at her parents’ home farm outside Strabane in Co Tyrone and hearing how it all began, it’s safe to say that Alison can take a bit of credit for producing some of Ireland’s most successful riders.

“This is where my dad was brought up so when his parents passed away, we moved here. My dad milked for a number of years and he had beef cattle.

“The first pony that dad bought would have been for me because I was the oldest, so I was the one who started it off. It began as a hobby and has become a big part of our lives,” says Alison.

“I have four siblings. I’m the eldest, then it’s Richard, Pauline, Diane and Peter, and as they all got older, they got better than me. I did showing, the rest of the family did showjumping. I did do a bit of jumping, but I was not the best, I was too much of a scaredy cat. I enjoyed the social aspect of the shows but once I was 16 and out of ponies, that was the end of it for me, but I can still ride.”

City living

After finishing school, a job offer lured Alison to Northern Ireland’s capital. At this time, the Troubles continued to dominate the headlines.

“I used to get the bus after school from Abercorn Square in Strabane where Ulster Bank is. One of my friends was going in to get an application to join the bank and I said: ‘Get me one too.’ I had applied to Coleraine to study maths, but then the bank offered me the job, which started before my A Level results came out. So with the offer of money and no more studying, I opted for the bank and got posted to Belfast.

“The only time I had been to Belfast was for the Balmoral Show. When I moved, it was 1979 and it was in the height of the Troubles,” says Alison. “There were bombs and bullets, it was dangerous. You couldn’t get into the city centre unless your handbag was searched and you were frisked by security. Checkpoints and bomb scares were part of daily life.”

Miss NI

Alison shared a house in Belfast with a Portstewart native and when Miss Northern Ireland came to the coastal town, she was persuaded to enter.

“I used to spend weekends in Portstewart with Judith. There was a heat of Miss Northern Ireland on in the Strand Hotel and the local people encouraged me to enter. I won that and got through to the final of Miss Northern Ireland 1982. It was good fun and it’s probably the thing that formed my life the way it is now.

“I went to Miss United Kingdom. In those days you had to win that to get direct entry into Miss World. I got Miss Northern Ireland direct entry into Miss World from the year 2000. It was all to do with government politics, but I had to go to Miss UK in London. I came second, which was a huge thing because nobody from here had featured in the UK before. To me that was like winning the lottery.”

Competitions such as Miss Northern Ireland can gather mixed opinions, but any negative comments may be linked to a lack of understanding, argues Alison.

“I was Miss Northern Ireland. I am not embarrassed or ashamed and I never did anything that would let my family down. The competition has emerged into the 20th century, it’s about looks and intelligence, and a lot of young girls see it as a career move. I know that this sounds a bit cliché but you do a lot of charity work for the NI Hospice and the Children’s Hospice in Belfast.

"A lot of the former winners and I are ambassadors for the hospice. I have always tried to do my bit to help,” says Alison.

“To anyone who would say that Miss Northern Ireland is old fashioned, I would ask them to learn about it. The current winner is Katharine Walker, she’s a children’s nurse and works in intensive care in the children’s hospital in Belfast. She is an amazing ambassador. We also have a Mr Northern Ireland, so it’s not sexist.”

ACA Models

ACA Models is now the longest-running modelling and promotion agency in Northern Ireland. The business has helped to launch the careers of many, including TV presenter Zoe Salmon.

“I started organising Miss Northern Ireland in 1987. I did that as a hobby and then I realised that people were looking for girls and guys to do promotions and modelling.

"So I left the bank on the 31 October 1990 and set up ACA Models the next day. Working in the bank was a really good, well paid, pensionable job and I went from that to nothing. I set up the business myself. I had some savings, which I used to buy second-hand furniture, there was no internet and no mobile phones. You worked from answer phones and pagers.

“At the start it was pretty slippery because you’re relying on so many people to give you work, but I managed to set a standard. Once you make it to three years, it gets much easier. ACA Models has grown and grown and now we get applications from all types of people, from all over Ireland. We provide models for fashion shows, advertising shoots and sales promotions to name a few.”

Me, myself and I

Wearing numerous hats, Alison is open minded as to how people will recognise her.

“We’re all known by different things. People know me as Jim and Helen’s eldest daughter. I’m Stuart and Phillip’s mother and Conor and Tyrone’s step-mum, and I’m married to Darren. The models see me as the boss,” laughs Alison.

“When I met Darren I had my own business, I love it and I have no plans to give it up. I enjoy work and getting out, and I brought my kids with me where I could. I wanted to be independent, I wanted to have my own salary and I didn’t want to have to ask for a penny. The last time I asked a man for money was my dad for pocket money. I thrive on getting there myself.”

In earlier years, life was hectic. Now three of Alison’s boys have flown the nest with one preparing for university in September, but Alison has taught them a few things that will stand to them wherever they go.

“I juggled everything. I was the last mother at school to pick them up. I was running from one thing to the other, now my life is so much more relaxed. I have taught the boys the farmer’s daughter way of life; to be thrifty and save for a rainy day and when dealing, always ask for discount!”