Show Jumpers Attire in the ring

[eidyn]

I can’t believe the OP’s post!! How disgraceful to the judges and everyone who showed up ready to perform. And mobiles in the ring?!! haha. Unbelievable.

In Ireland, the local and lower rated circuit jumpers can usually be expected to show up in tall boots, various shades of cream - brown breeches, a lighter coloured polo, and hair up or braided/bun. Pony kids of course have paddock boots and gaiters. And really, paddock boots and half chaps would be fine at that level. Higher rated and national level shows, then you’re in coat, show shirt, light tan or white breeches, gleaming boots and tack, hair done. You might not be marked on it, but seriously - there is a dress code for this sport! Revolving fashion choices - another story for another day.

For Hunter shows at any level, you’re expected to be wearing your hunter plaid coats, white shirt with four tie collar and pin, tan breeches, show cane, etc but in more performance hunters or classics, a dark coat, white shirt with stock collar (sometimes even pinned), light tan breeches, shiny shiny boots, ‘well controlled’ hair, and gleaming tack and horse is de rigeur.

I have longish hair but it is still easy enough to put up, and I wear it the same way every time I ride. My helmet is fitted to that. It was my understanding that your helmet should be fitted to how your head (and hair) is normally. For my trainer at least, lessons wear is minimum schooling show attire. It’s respectful, it shows you spend some time with your horse and tack, and if you are always in decent enough clothing, it’s not weird or restricting to suddenly have to wear long show shirts and jackets and tight boots. I usually train in a collared short sleeve or long-sleeve shirt that I don’t show in but is basically the same, tan breeches, same boots I would show in, etc. It’s just easier than buying tons of everything!

[ParadoxFarm]

Also, I was just really noticing, as I watched the Geneva show live streaming, how much coats have changed. They ALL have rather large and bold brand names stitched on them now. I am not saying I’m for or against, really I don’t care either way, but it is a recent change! (As with sponsor names running up the legs of jockeys.).

[eidyn]

[QUOTE=ParadoxFarm;7318052]
Also, I was just really noticing, as I watched the Geneva show live streaming, how much coats have changed. They ALL have rather large and bold brand names stitched on them now. I am not saying I’m for or against, really I don’t care either way, but it is a recent change! (As with sponsor names running up the legs of jockeys.). :)[/QUOTE]

I agree. I remember when it was just a small logo, perhaps on the sleeve or the saddle pad. But now, many of them look like our football and rugby kits - hardly any free fabric left after the sponsorship names and logos

[Kat]

meh. I usually show in tan breeches and a long sleeve shirt (even in the summer I wear long sleeves all day to avoid tan lines). On the weekday at big shows I’ve been known to break out colored breeches. On the weekend, or later in the week I’ll make a point to wear nicer clothes (I also show in the hunters so it works out for me) but honestly I don’t think it matters that much, I personally like to look nicer and only dress in conservative colors, but what someone else does (esp. in the jumper ring) doesn’t effect me or anyone else

[Meany]

[QUOTE=Sarah616;7316294]
Hair out drives me BONKERS. especially in big classes. If you’re wearing your white pants and jacket, don’t ruin the look with a ponytail flapping down your back.

Dirty boots drive me nuts too. I was watching the big child/adult nighttime classic in Ocala last year and saw dirty boots, too short boots, ill fitting clothes, flapping hair… I think I even saw a cell phine still attached to one rider’s belt.

At the local level, or even the level or weekday classes at big shows, I follow the belief that you should dress well. That way, even if you muck up in the ring, you at least look the part of the winner.

Fun story. We had two girls showing this summer who would show with their hair down. One had beautiful, long, smooth hair that looked relatively neat, even when down (still drove me nuts). The other had kind of frizzy hair, that was never neatly pulled back, and looked messy. Well, we were at dinner with a jumper judge one night, and he went on a RANT about girls showing with their hair down. He said not only was it unattractive and distracting, it was also a safety hazard! The very next morning, all hair was tucke neatly under helmets. And wouldn’t you know it, those helmets fit snugly and comfortably! :lol:

This same judge will give warnings or excuse riders at our local shows for not having their shirts tucked in. Definitely excused for not having a collared shirt or having a cell phone when in the ring.[/QUOTE]

Looking at your location, I feel pretty sure I know who this judge is.
If it’s the older gentleman I have in mind: Love him.
Loved him from the day he made a girl from my barn stop before she got down to the first fence. She was on a really envy-inducing GP horse in the 2’6" ring at a show our barn was hosting. He told her to tuck in the polo shirt before she came into his ring.
And really, truly fell in love when he finished up the flat phase of our Eq class – in the summer heat and direct sun – by having us drop our irons at a rising trot until he had a winner.
Years later, he yelled at me when my radio batteries died in the middle of a show he was judging and I was announcing. It could not destroy my love.

[skyy]

Interesting timing for this topic. Did anyone get the mass email from ESP about dress code in the jumper rings at WEF this year?

[supershorty628]

[QUOTE=skyy;7319921]
Interesting timing for this topic. Did anyone get the mass email from ESP about dress code in the jumper rings at WEF this year?[/QUOTE]

Do you mind sharing what it said (for those of us who don’t go to WEF)?

[BAC]

[QUOTE=skyy;7319921]
Interesting timing for this topic. Did anyone get the mass email from ESP about dress code in the jumper rings at WEF this year?[/QUOTE]

Yes I received it and was just about to mention it but you beat me to it. I totally agree with it and judging by the OP’s post it is just in time.

[BAC]

[QUOTE=supershorty628;7319931]
Do you mind sharing what it said (for those of us who don’t go to WEF)?[/QUOTE]

Its too long to quote but if you PM me your email I will forward it to you, it’s very detailed. I don’t ride at WEF and have no idea why I am suddenly getting all these emails from them but I enjoy reading them. The emails are coming from equestriansport.com and you can sign up for them on their website.

[MHM]

Or like them on Facebook. The dress code and horse health requirements were posted there today.

[MHM]

[QUOTE=Feeltheride;7316797]

Someone brought up the Cell Phones hanging on the Belts. That really Urks me to see this especially when it goes off, which I have heard one do. The judge excused that rider. I thought I read a rule that no cell Phones allowed on the belt when you enter the ring.[/Quote]

The USEF rules say the exhibitor “may” be eliminated. Meaning it is at the judge’s discretion. See JP 111.7.

https://www.usef.org/documents/ruleBook/2014/18-JP.pdf

[skyy]

Here’s the jumper attire part of the WEF email from ESP

New Formal Attire Requirements for Jumpers

New formal attire requirements will be enforced in the jumper divisions in 2014, so please make sure you are dressed according to what class you are entered in.
Classes requiring Formal Attire are any Grand Prix or special class offering at least $25,000 in prize money. Formal Jumper Attire: Dark, muted or similar colored, or red (scarlet) coats are required; white or fawn breeches; a white tie, choker (unless the shirt, by design, has the choker built in for its intended use) or hunting stock, and a white or lightly colored shirt must be worn. Shirts must have a white collar and white cuffs. Shirts must be fastened at the neck and tucked in. Boots are required. Half chaps are permitted as long as the color matches the paddock boots being worn. Members of the Armed Services or the police may wear the service dress uniform with protective headgear. (See General Rules, GR801.2)

Classes requiring Proper attire are any classes in the International Arena where Formal attire is not required and also any Classic. Proper Jumper Attire: Coats of any color are required. Breeches must be a light color (white, fawn or canary). Pastel and dark colored breeches are not allowed. Shirts, light in color, must be tucked in and fastened at the top of the neck. Ties or chokers of any color must be worn (unless the shirt, by design, has the choker built in for its intended use). Boots are required. Half chaps are permitted as long as the color matches the pad- dock boots being worn.

All other classes will require Standard attire. Standard Jumper Attire: Coats are not required. Breeches of any color are permitted. Shirts (polo shirts are permitted) must have collars and sleeves (sleeves may be either long or short), and must be tucked into the breeches. Sleeveless shirts and shirts with exposed hoods are prohibited. Boots are required. Half chaps are permitted as long as the color matches the paddock boots being worn.

In extreme weather conditions the use of jackets, sweaters or raincoats can be allowed by management and/or permission from the jumper jury. Permission must be granted before entering the competition ring.

In cases where the above requirements are not followed, the penalty will be either a possible warning (for the first offense) or elimination. Please note that competitors are responsible for their own clothing. A wardrobe malfunction (eg. magnets, zippers, buttons) is not an excuse for improper attire.

[Snowfox]

I think polo’s make people look like fast food employees. It’s kind of funny that our SPORT uses the same clothes as McDonalds.
And yet if a person wore an actual athletic wear shirt it would probable be looked down upon.

[jse]

[QUOTE=Snowfox;7321976]
I think polo’s make people look like fast food employees. It’s kind of funny that our SPORT uses the same clothes as McDonalds.
And yet if a person wore an actual athletic wear shirt it would probable be looked down upon.[/QUOTE]
Um…polo’s are athletic wear. Hence the name “polo”…they are definitely worn while playing polo which is a sport the last time I checked…

[annaelizabeth]

^ I always thought of polos as one of the best suited clothing apparel for our sport.

Also often worn by golfers, fishers and most athletes that train outdoors.

[Snowfox]

Actually Polos started as tennis shirts at the turn of the 20th century so yes made for sport but a 100 years ago.
Just saying our sport is bog downed by trying to look like it’s part of the country club, but now that fast food and most minimal wage jobs have taken the polo as their uniform for pretty much the same reason it just kind of funny.
Wear what ever you want but as a History professor I get a kick out of “where” it all comes from.

[Mardi]

[QUOTE=hunterrider23;7316175]
I’m not sure what show’s you’re going to but I have never seen that. [/QUOTE]

Go to HITS Thermal and you’ll see all sorts of casual garb and shirts unbuttoned down to there in the show ring. And it has nothing to do with the weather. If Victoria’s Secret made bras just for amateur jumper riders who like to show a little somethin’ under their show shirt, VS stock would skyrocket overnight.

[hunterrider23]

[QUOTE=Snowfox;7321976]
I think polo’s make people look like fast food employees. It’s kind of funny that our SPORT uses the same clothes as McDonalds.
And yet if a person wore an actual athletic wear shirt it would probable be looked down upon.[/QUOTE]
Probably part of the reason you don’t see riders wearing athletic shirts is because if you see the athletic shirts made for women (honestly the majority of riders), most are thin, skintight, and cleavage bearing. And most athletic sports don’t have the prospect of sand-burn when you wipe out.

[PNWjumper]

The WEF jumper rules are just a reiteration of USEF rules. I don’t see anything unique or different, though I do know a lot of people who aren’t aware of the full USEF detail.

[lrp1106]

[QUOTE=PNWjumper;7322179]
The WEF jumper rules are just a reiteration of USEF rules. I don’t see anything unique or different, though I do know a lot of people who aren’t aware of the full USEF detail.[/QUOTE]

I think this is the first year it has been email blasted to the riders. It’s not any different from USEF rules, but they want to make sure everybody sees it and gets it so there are zero excuses.