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Updated USEF Attire Rules - What Breech Colors Qualify?

I’m very excited about the new options for breech colors this year! Does anyone know what’s included/excluded in “light” and “dark”?

1.4 Breeches and Jodhpurs. White, light or dark colored breeches or jodhpurs are permitted in competition. Bright colors or patterns are not permitted. Contrast piping is allowed.

On a fun note, what breech colors are you thinking of showing in this year?

I suspect anything solid and somewhat conservative will be fine - black, white, navy, hunter, grey, beige, khaki, burgundy, etc. Hot pink, lime green, etc. would probably get you called out for being “bright.”

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I have no plans to show but if I did, it would be in black breeches, black jacket, white shirt. My horse is black with some chrome. Black tack, white saddle pad. This rule change is a fat girl’s dream come true lol

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Have a listen to this interview, they go into depth on the rule and what you should try and what you might want to avoid, and why! Good tips

https://dressageradio.horseradionetwork.com/2021/12/18/647-usdf-president-lisa-gorretta-style-tips-and-a-trainer-tip/

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I’d been wanting a pair of light grey, but they’d been difficult to find. Since this rule passed, I was planning on showing in a medium/charcoal grey pair, at least at schooling shows. Previously, I was usually wearing beige for schooling shows, because white is too much of a PITA to keep clean.

Which naturally meant I finally found a pair of light grey, in my size, on clearance half-off, last week :joy:

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@JenEM :slight_smile:Love it!

@Jealoushe - thanks for the podcast link. There was some excellent info on there.

FYI for anyone else that hadn’t realized this yet - It pointed out that the shirt rule has changed as well if jackets are waived. They seemed to say a stock tie WITHOUT jacket is now okay and polo shirts or open collar shirts are not.

It sounds like there’s no definitive line on breech colors, so that’s helpful to know. I’ll likely stick to black or grey, but appreciate having more options if I’m feeling bolder.

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What was the shirt wording previously? The changed attire rule on shirts reads:

1.5 Shirts and Neckwear. Shirts with tie, choker, stock tie, or integrated stand-up collar are required. Ties, chokers, or stock ties may be any color. If jackets or coats are not worn per DR 120.1.2 and DR 120.2.1, shirts must be without bold pattern.

1.2 and 1.3 just refer to shirts having discreet accents like crystals or contrasting collars.

It does read like a waived coat would now allow for neckwear, but it doesn’t sound like it would be required. Which is good, because I use an integrated collar shirt and don’t bother with a stock tie.

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I got so excited about this and kind of went insane:). Light gray and dark gray, navy, then I was like, what about rust? Rust was the best! I have French Blue, and I even got a dark green. I want a dark burgundy/plum, but haven’t found any that aren’t too red yet. I am SO excited to see what people do with the new rules!!!

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I have a charcoal mesh coat and I think dark blue or black breeches will look good. Last year I bought a mesh shadbelly but they only had black so prob would pair that with dark blue breeches.

I’m soooo excited to not wear white! Thank goodness the rules have finally relaxed

No open collars? I’m gonna die. Is that for real because I was really looking forward to a pretty polo and Grey breeches and some tacky boots.

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@LilyandBaron Ooh - nice! What color jackets are you thinking of pairing them with?

@MapleBreeze - That’s how they explained it on the USDF podcast @Jealoushe linked to. Listen to it if you get a chance. It sounded like sunshirts, etc. with a zipped collar are okay, but polo shirts (open collar) are not.

Being a nit-picker here, but white was never an actual rule. It is the fashion police who insist on white. Let’s hope people go wild because white is an insane colour choice anywhere near a horse.

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I’m not so sure it has anything to do with the fashion police. I think somewhere along the line, white did became the fashion, and then almost everyone went along with it. I know a few people who have always shown in buff breeches and no one has ever said a word about it.

I showed in cream or buff breeches in the 90s and it was always fine.

I have shown in light grey or beige breeches for many years with no issues.

The new jackets-waived shirt rule is completely illogical as written. If it’s too hot to wear a jacket, then it’s usually too hot to have a whole bunch of stuff done up round your neck (especially if you are like me and cannot find a shirt that does up without throttling you or being two sizes too big.) And stock ties are now OK without a jacket? Weird.

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Where I live, jackets are normally waived at the shows I attend, so I’ve bought more shirts than anything - light gray, navy, white, and am still obsessing/debating over some others. I have a black jacket which actually “works” with all of the breeches - the green have a subtle black silicone pattern almost like snakeskin. But I want a plum jacket and maybe navy as well. I’ve seen some burgundy jackets but again, like the breeches, I want that more gray/purple tone. I don’t know about quality, but saw the brand Fair Play at a vendor at the RRP at KHP and then looked online - they have a ton of variety!

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Was the intent of that rule to avoid eliminating people who don’t realize they’re not supposed to wear stock ties? I’ve always felt it was silly to eliminate someone over being more formal, even if no way I’m wearing a stock when I don’t have to.

That shirt rule makes no sense to me, though. A polo shirt feels far more formal than my sun shirts. As do my sun shirts with buttoned collars (Romfh) vs the ones with zippers (smartpak, Kastel)

Does a polo shirt work if it is buttoned all the way up?

From the podcast, polo shirts are a NO GO.