Polo shirts for dressage - as sported at NAJYRC

[Blugal]

At first glance I couldn’t believe it - but at the Young Riders Champs they are wearing polo shirts for dressage.

You know what? I am FOR this. They look neat and tidy, and like they are not about to pass out from heat exhaustion (a common theme of shadbelly-wearers, myself included).

They actually look like athletes in the summer.

Now that we’ve accepted the ear bonnets for horses, and you can wear polo shirts for some one-days and for doing jumpers at H/J shows, I think we should move towards the polo for dressage and stadium. What do you think?

[quietann]

They look great, and much more realistic for summer riding than those (@^()^$ coats! (Note: definite bias here as I will ride dressage in a polo unless absolutely forced to do otherwise.)

[asterix]

Correction, you can wear polos at ALL one days. It’s been a rule for several years. I love it.
I am so glad to see this change being accepted. Yes, the full outfit makes a very pretty picture, but this is a sport, and when competing in the summer, good lord!
They all look tidy and like athletes. In some ways it puts more focus on the horse, which is great.

[tle]

[QUOTE=asterix;7086330]
Correction, you can wear polos at ALL one days. It’s been a rule for several years. I love it. [/QUOTE]

First time I did that I had 2 horses at a local schooling show. After my 2nd ride, the judge stopped me and told me I should be wearing a coat. After informing him of the new rule, he said “well, I didn’t know that it was now a rule… but you should still be wearing a jacket.” Good grief.

With the temps being what they are, I am thrilled that the YRs are able to concentrate on riding and not on not passing out from heat exhaustion.

[curlykarot]

I’m all for polo shirts in the heat.
What I find interesting is the giant number 3 on the polo and the color. The other week I was part of a conversation with the president of the ground jury who had spoken to some riders at recent events because of their choice of polo in the dressage. The PGJ referred to the rule book (http://useventing.com/sites/default/files/Rule_Book_2013.pdf) page 32:
“Shirt—white or light color”
and page 33:

“EXTREME WEATHER. At temperatures above 85°F, a heat index above 85°,
or at the discretion of the Ground Jury or the Organizer, competitors will be
permitted to compete without jackets, in the dressage and/or jumping tests.
In such cases, competitors must wear either a long or short sleeved shirt of
conservative color without neckwear.”

To this particular offical, a black polo was not a light color even if it was conservative. And the giant 3 on the back wouldn’t have been acceptable.
Is it because this is a team/championship competition that this is allowed?

[eqsiu]

I read that as show shirts under coats must be a light color, while polos worn when coats are waived must simply be conservative. So Navy/hunter/black etc would be okay.

[Appsolute]

I am 1000% for allowing riders to dress like athletes as we compete in athletic competitions outdoors - rather than dressing as if we are men attending formal balls.

I think the tide will slowly change - and I am ALL for it!!

[Badger]

There is so much confusion on the color thing. I do wish they could define it a bit more clearly. I see all kinds of stuff come down centerline when I’m scribing and competing, and there is no reason this rule can’t be defined more clearly. “Conservative” is quite clearly open to interpretation if you look around at events or talk to dressage judges.

Many people default to white shirts since there isn’t much clarity and some judges I’ve spoken with do interpret “conservative” as white. However, to be brutally frank, white is not necessarily the most flattering color to give a tailored appearance over sweaty skin and bra straps and fat rolls. Those navy polos in the picture are way more flattering to a lot of riders.

[kmwines01]

I’m pretty sure it’s a team thing as all the ppl helping out around the one girl all have numbers (look like 3’s, could be 8’s) on their polos and they are all the same color.

[Blugal]

[QUOTE=kmwines01;7086388]
I’m pretty sure it’s a team thing as all the ppl helping out around the one girl all have numbers (look like 3’s, could be 8’s) on their polos and they are all the same color.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. And don’t forget this competition is not run under USEF rules - it’s FEI. (I haven’t read the FEI rules in a while. I am guessing this was a ground jury decision.)

[eponacowgirl]

I think it looks really smashing with the DARK polo shirts.

Don’t understand why we’re subjected to wearing white polo’s tucked in with light breeches when our coats are dark.

Would be much more flattering to wear dark polo on top. I might start that trend. It says conservative color, right? My dressage scores suck anyway, might as well not look like Shamu in my white on beige.

[Blugal]

[QUOTE=asterix;7086330]
Correction, you can wear polos at ALL one days. It’s been a rule for several years. [/QUOTE]

*In the US, it’s been a rule for several years. In Canada, the rule is that the ground jury can waive jackets in extreme heat (Rule 114.6).

I don’t have much insight on one-days because we haven’t had them in the Pacific Northwest of Canada/US for many years.

[NeverTime]

[QUOTE=kmwines01;7086388]
I’m pretty sure it’s a team thing as all the ppl helping out around the one girl all have numbers (look like 3’s, could be 8’s) on their polos and they are all the same color.[/QUOTE]

The 3 is what Joules brand puts on their shirts, basically a giant logo. I have no problem whatsoever with polos, but I’d much prefer to see plain ones than these with the giant logo on them.

[supershorty628]

[QUOTE=NeverTime;7086468]
The 3 is what Joules brand puts on their shirts, basically a giant logo. I have no problem whatsoever with polos, but I’d much prefer to see plain ones than these with the giant logo on them.[/QUOTE]

At NAJYRC, those are the zones (or regions, doesn’t eventing do regions? Areas? Sorry, I’m crossing over here from h/j land.)… they’re the team polos.

[NeverTime]

Ha! I stand corrected. Funny that it’s the same font & everything.

[purplnurpl]

I figured that was Area 3.

Polos are OK I guess. I’m still a die hard coat wearer for dressage. At schooling shows I wear a BLACK polo. It gives the outer color of a coat. I think black is far better than white.

Also, if the numbers are to go on the back of the polos for area teams I much prefer roman numerals–if we are trying to stay true. A big ol 3 is pretty tacky.

[pegasusmom]

[QUOTE=Blugal;7086457]
Agreed. And don’t forget this competition is not run under USEF rules - it’s FEI. (I haven’t read the FEI rules in a while. I am guessing this was a ground jury decision.)[/QUOTE]

Unless it has changed, FEI doesn’t have a provision for waiving jackets. When my son went to Young Riders in 2008, it was beastly hot, and several of the dressage kids passed out. Ground Jury would not let the eventers wear their shadbellys, and fell back on USEF rules to waive jackets. Interesting that the kids were given no choice, as in you will NOT wear a jacket or you will face elimination.

[Blugal]

[QUOTE=pegasusmom;7086482]
Interesting that the kids were given no choice, as in you will NOT wear a jacket or you will face elimination.[/QUOTE]

This would have ensured a level playing field, or at least the impression of a level playing field. If they hadn’t done this, 75% or more of the kids would have worn shadbellies because they or their coaches would worry that they wouldn’t give the correct impression to the judges - regardless of how much worse they probably would have ridden, being overheated.

[RacetrackReject]

I thought the number 3 on the back was related to actual polo. Position #3 is sort of like the quarterback in football for polo.

[EventerAJ]

[QUOTE=RacetrackReject;7086527]
I thought the number 3 on the back was related to actual polo. Position #3 is sort of like the quarterback in football for polo.[/QUOTE]

True.

Area III just took advantage of the Joules polo shirt 3. Area II has the traditional Roman numerals on the back of their polo shirts.

I get that they are all wearing “team” polos. But why are there 3 or 4 teams all in navy? It’s hard to distinguish among them.

I’ll also go against the grain and say I thought the white polo shirts looked better than the navy, but maybe I’m just used to seeing a white show shirt when coats are waived. White would seem to be cooler as well, considering it’s been in the 90s here with humidity.