GPA Speed Air in the hunter ring...opinions

[PalmPony]

Hey all,
I have been a die hard Charles Owen fan for years, but it was time to replace…I had been wearing an AYR8 and loved it, ended up getting a OneK to school in and then with covid, never replaced the CO.

Anyway…a couple days ago, someone accidentally pushed my OneK off my trunk and when it it the ground the shell cracked in several places. In addition, the matte finish had come off and was sticky on the top:( the manufacturer said it may have been because it got hot (i ride in the sun, multiple horses a day, so yeah, probably!) Anyways, I just haven’t been happy with the One K, although the fit was good, and similar to CO, the look was decidedly not cute haha.

So today I went helmet shopping. Ended up with a GPA Speed Air 2x and a Tipperary Royal Matte. I was pleasantly shocked to find some of the new Tipperarys look similar to the samshields without the cons I find of the samshields (i.e. they don’t fit me)

Much to my surprise, the Charles Owen did not fit me at ALL, sat on top of my head or was too big, tried on both the round and oval, all different sizes, all the different styles. None fit properly. I was honestly shocked and disappointed.

In the past GPA has not fit me at all. Apparently my head has magically changed in the past 5 years.

So my question after this novel…how cringey/inappropriate do we find the GPA bug helmet in the hunter ring? I’ve seen it worn here and there but curious on opinions.

I’ve always wanted one and since it fit like a glove, decided I could school in it and do my jumpers in it, and use the tipperary for hunters, but curious on opinions. For the record, both the GPA and the Tipperary fit properly and well, so the question truly is a bit of a fashion question. Feeling grateful to be in the position for it to BE a fashion question!

[endlessclimb]

This thread is a perfect example of why hunters is not my jam. I get the whole “dress for the party” thing, but dang.

I can’t imagine a judge dinging you for a piece of safety equipment, so long as it isn’t hot pink.

[Renn_aissance]

It is perfectly fine.

Pretty sure Tori Colvin wears one and no one clutches any pearls about it.

[staceymc]

Seriously OP, I promise you NO ONE cares what brand or style of helmet you wear in the hunter ring. I promise. I’ve been back showing A circuit hunters for 10+ years and the only time I have ever heard someone comment on a helmet in the hunter or eq ring is when someone rode in a big class with one of those shiny/reflective Samshields. I have also had a conversation with a steward about a junior I saw with a GPA that was so poorly fitting that it was falling back off her head over every fence and I didn’t care to witness a TBI right in front of my eyes.

So please, for the love of all that is holy, buy something that fits. That is the most important thing. If you look at enough riders, you will see someone in every brand and style out there. And yes, Tori does wear the GPA First Lady.

[trubandloki]

@endlessclimb

I can’t imagine a judge dinging you for a piece of safety equipment, so long as it isn’t hot pink.

The thing is, no judge is going to actually ding you so no reason to actually hate the hunters.

[endlessclimb]

Well then, hot pink it is!

You can’t see the scorecards, so who knows what they’re scoring you on.

[trubandloki]

@endlessclimb

Well then, hot pink it is!

Laughing!
Well, no hot pink. I meant all the regular helmet options.

Hot pink would be so much fun, though!

[hairystockings]

I spent the last couple years showing in a Samshield that had the shimmer top in eq and hunters. No one cared.

[TheJenners]

@PalmPony

Much to my surprise, the Charles Owen did not fit me at ALL, sat on top of my head or was too big, tried on both the round and oval, all different sizes, all the different styles. None fit properly. I was honestly shocked and disappointed.

This doesn’t make me happy. I was worried the MIPS would change the fit of the COs, which is why I searched high and low last year for one of the old ones that fit like they were made for me alone. Sigh.

[weixiao]

I showed all over in a Speed Air for many years, including WEF, won plenty, and had no issues with the Speed Air. Still my favorite helmet I’ve had. So light and comfortable and fit me the best.

[PalmPony]

I was a bit disappointed honestly. CO had always fit me well in the past. It has been almost 6 years since I had tried a new one on, but I’m not entirely it is the MIPS

[mroades]

THIS THIS THIS!!! I am a hunter judge. I DO NOT CARE what helmet you wear into the hunter ring as long as it fits. If its flopping around, I will call the steward to chat with you about it. It will NOT affect your horse’s score.

[DMK]

To add to the chorus of “it doesn’t matter” I wore one in the hunters when they first came out and were more “obvious” than other more traditional helmets (when most people were still wearing the velvet type approved helmets).

Nobody. Cared.

Ok that’s probably not true, I’m sure there was some busybody on the planet who got their knickers in a twist about it, but whoever that person was, they were not a judge.

Revised: Nobody that mattered cared.

[DawgLady]

I said it once, I’ll say it again…

If you find 8 good distances and 2 good lead changes in an amateur class, you’ll get a good ribbon.

The helmet will absolutely not win or lose you the class.

[Credosporthorses]

Another vote for it doesn’t matter. I regularly ride with a carded judge and she told me she cares more that my helmet fits my head than what is on my head. I show in a First Lady

[Moneypitt]

Gosh, where we are, they have been wearing the Speed Air Lady styles GPA helmets for over a decade in the hunters.

I remember thinking they looked like bug eyes when they first came out pre First Lady as Speed Air. But the comfort of the airflow in a hot climate trumps a different look. My old GPA, now retired, was an uncomfortable suede covered black bucket.

Just wear it.

[worth_the_wait08]

It doesn’t matter- I’ve shown in GPA speed airs for years in the hunters. They’re the helmets that fit me best and don’t make me look like a mushroom head. It’s a non-issue.

[EmilyM]

can we start a rumor that judges give the best scores to those who wear the highest safety rated helmet, preferably with MIPS?