Nicola Norris has reigned as both Derby's Rose and the UK Rose for a year now. It's time to pick a new Rose though and Nicola hands over the sash on Friday May 9th. This year there are 12 contestants contending for the coveted title.
 Click here to see this year's contestants. They range in age from 18 to 25 and all have the magic ingredient - each of them can boast Irish ancestry. Last year the Derby winner went on to win the UK heat in Newcastle. This meant that she went on to the International final in Tralee in the South of Ireland. If you missed our coverage of the contest don't worry, look back through some of these links to get a real idea of how exciting the festival in Ireland is.
This year's local competition is being held at The Spot on Sacheverell Street on Friday 9th May.
Click here to see this year's contestants. The winner of the Derby Rose contest wins a trophy and a cash prize and goes on to compete in the National Rose contest which is being held at Pride Park Stadium on July 5th. | 
