Hi! I’m not sure if anyone’s asked this recently, but I am unexpectedly doing my first National Hunter Derby this weekend and am super excited! The only thing is: I don’t have a shadbelly or white breeches (like the rules state you should wear). I don’t want to shell out $400+ for a shad that probably won’t fit me (I have extremely long arms and not a large torso) and I won’t use too often but am not sure if I should get some white breeches to wear with my normal coat or just go in my tan/buff breeches with a normal coat. Anyone have some advice? I can’t remember what people wore at the last one I watched, ha! Thanks!
White breeches are actually not appropriate formal attire for women, as they are for men. A shadbelly is not required, and a navy/black coat with tan breeches and a crisp white shirt is ALWAYS appropriate.
2 Likes
Thank you! I didn’t want to stand out!
What Tha Ridge said. Navy coat/tan breeches/white shirt- always correct for women in the hunter ring.
[QUOTE=Tha Ridge;6932039]
White breeches are actually not appropriate formal attire for women, as they are for men. A shadbelly is not required, and a navy/black coat with tan breeches and a crisp white shirt is ALWAYS appropriate.[/QUOTE]
Completely agree. This is how we outfit a rider for a class like this when a shadbelly is not an option. Good luck!!!
1 Like
The only one who should be wearing white breeches in the hunter ring is someone who didn’t have time to change after their jumper classic.
No white breeches in the hunter ring, please.
I agree with the above posters. A dark jacket, tan breeches, and a white shirt will be completely acceptable.
1 Like
I agree with the above advice but just wanted to add that some tack shops will rent shadbellies for an event.
[QUOTE=teddygirl;6932449]
I agree with the above advice but just wanted to add that some tack shops will rent shadbellies for an event.[/QUOTE]
Do you know which ones will do this? I’d love to have a shad for junior hunter finals, but don’t want to buy one since I rarely do hunters.
Hi everyone! Along this same thread, I am considering doing my first 3’ derby for amateurs/juniors. I am an older woman and have a nice dark-blue-almost black hunt coat, beige breeches and a white shirt. I do not own a shad belly but would love to wear a stock, to create a more formal look. Can I wear a stock with plain gold horizontal pin with my dark coat, or do I have to have a shad belly to wear the stock? Many thanks!
I wouldn’t wear a stock tie unless you’re wearing a shadbelly. But that’s more because I think it looks weird and not for any formal reason.
Really? You think it looks weird? Darn. Thanks for your input!
Just my 2 cents, from someone who hangs on to tradition desperately…I don’t mind the look of a properly tied stock tie with a black hunt jacket, but I loath the pre-tied fake stocks…
2 Likes
No shadbelly, then no stock tie. Dark coat, white shirt, black gloves dark belt, and beige breeches. Good luck and have fun! 
1 Like
I have never heard the stocks only with shadbelly thing, but then, I am used to wearing a stock with a short coat for hunting and then also for the dressage and XC phase of an event. Why wouldn’t you wear a stock with your hunt coat?
And if you’re not wearing the stock, what distinguishes your turnout from your regular show turnout?
4 Likes
A white stock tie is fine for formal attire with just a dark coat (HU128 3.), shad are not required as “formal”. If you are doing a derby- go wear the freaking stock and rock on if you want.
As a field hunter “dabbler” and old school hunter, it does not look weird at all. What “I” think is weird- little kids in shads… but I digress.
11 Likes
Welcome to hunterland :D. That’s just it, there are 2 turnouts for hunters, regular and formal. Regular class turnout (men and women) is a collared show shirt, tan breeches and a show jacket. Formal attire is reserved for special classes like a derby or a classic. For women, that consists of a shad with a stock tie and tan breeches. Men don’t wear a shad, but I have seen some wear white breeches when formal attire was called for, I’m not sure if that is considered formal attire for men?? Someone else can answer to that better than me.
And after all that, your regular show attire is still allowed when formal attire is requested :).
1 Like
“Back in the day” (1980’s and 1990’s) we wore stocks with regular coats when in a formal attire class. Back then, not as many people wore a shadbelly. I like the look and think it distinguishes your outfit versus what you’d wear in a regular class. With that said, I have not seen people wear a stock without the shad recently. I even made this comment at a show recently and someone looked at me like I was crazy. What I have seen, is women wearing white pants with blue coats when they are riding younger horses who may not like a shadbelly flapping. I don’t particularly like this look as I think it looks jumpery.
2 Likes
But, but, but…I’m originally from Hunterland, back in the day. Like when it was still the AHSA not the USEF or the USE. At our local year end show, run in the Classic format, they required formal attire. Those that had them wore shads, everyone else just wore stock ties with their most conservative show clothes. Which was a lot of fun because I had to run around and tie a lot of stocks for people who had never worn one. (As someone said earlier, pre-tied are an abomination and never look right.)
ETA: Thanks, SCI, that’s what I remember. You wore your plain black or navy show coat, no pin stripes, no bling and a stock with buff breeches.
3 Likes
Check eBay if you ever decide you want one - I scooped one up for our local derby for $50!
According to HU128.3 stock ties SHOULD be worn in formal attire classes…
- Formal Attire. Riders are required to wear scarlet or dark coats; white shirts with white stock; white, buff or canary breeches. Members of the Armed Services or the Police may wear the Service Dress Uniform.
1 Like
