Pennywell,
The first time I was at a big 4 day show and saw a tiny kid in tall boots and a shad, I thought I was at the circus instead.
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No, it’s not weird at all. Look in the hunt field, at lower level dressage riders, or eventers. It’s perfectly correct to wear a stock with a black coat. A stock tie isn’t traditionally correct with a navy coat, but I would say that is less true than it used to be.
McGurk- we probably are in the same time frame from starting the horse world. I love the comments from not knowing or reading the rules. “Nooooo- never a stock with a hunt coat” um… ok. Maybe not in everyday wear at a hunter show but still perfectly acceptable. Sigh.
Love the circus comment. It looks ridiculous. Oh- and when they are in jods and a shad- how special [sarcasm font]. And I have a cute kid on a fancy pony that hopefully will head to PF and no- she won’t be in a shad. If adults like them- have at it (I personally do not).
Poster who wanted to wear a stock- it will be perfectly acceptable, though not common (like people who rock the browns etc). I’m an older ammy and I still wear my (gasp) custom pull on boots. 
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My personal pet peeve: for the love of little green apples, why are people still pairing shadbelly coats with low rise breeches!?!?!
Seeing that pouf of white show shirt poking out between the shad points and belt is tacky beyond belief! Nothing ruins the classic, formal look for me more than that.
<scurries back to eventer-land with my soapbox>
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You’re not alone, but I think that battle is lost. As I watched the clip of Tori Colvin’s winning round, I was distracted by the expanse of white shirt showing between her shadbelly and her low-rise breeches. But I’m sure I’m in the minority now. And she does ride beautifully, so maybe it doesn’t matter. People’s ideas of what’s appropriate, expected, or correct change over time.
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Thanks everyone! I am the poster wanting to wear my stock tie with my black coat for a derby. I too have gotten “you gotta be kidding” looks at the shows when I pose the question. I will go with my white shirt sans stock tie and black coat, would rather have my round turn heads than my stock tie. On another note, anyone remember “Appointment classes”? I remember women wore “bowler” derby hats… yeah, I’m old.
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That’s just not true. Stock ties are completely appropriate with a dark/formal coat in a class like this. Every fox hunter out there wears a stock tie, and that is what this attire is based on.
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Mulligan,
I have two drop dead good looking black derbies with the leashes in an upstairs closet, they are on a shelf next to my old velvet hunt cap sans harness. I only wore the derbies hunting; never in the show ring, but the black velvet hunt cap saw a lot of show ring time. I remember appointments classes too; white string gloves under your off side billets in case of rain, sherry in your flash, sandwich cut diagonally. I have actually worn the Minnie Mouse gloves hunting. The new technical fabrics do a much better job holding on to a wet rein.
Heck, I’m so old I remember boot garters!
Good luck in your Derby, whatever you wear!
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McGurk, I had to laugh about your black derbies with leashes sitting pretty on a shelf. I do remember the white string gloves. Judges would line the horses up after their rounds and actually check the flask and sandwich. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
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