updating our dress code....as athletes

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show_jumper

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hi everyone...

i just thought i'd see what your views were on this....

the dress code for equestrian competition... has kept with tradition for decades now..... but dont you think, as athletes... its time we updated the look to something more modern and appealing in the public eye, in a sense, too....?
i am by no means saying we should be getting scruffy - im just talking about making it look a tad sportier.....

your views?
 
I personally love all of the traditional attire and would be very sad if it ever got changed.
I like a little bit of subtle bling but I don't really like non-traditional or bright colours unless it's for x-country.
 
Ive been thinking about this- and I feel that we are one of the last sports to avoid being plastered with brand names and major sponsorship across our chests. I love the way equestrians dress. Whilst we make look traditional, all the clothes and equipment is as high tech as hell nowadays.
 
They tried coloured blouson style jacket a few years ago , didn't take off
Cross county colours and sweatshirt are brightmand sporty though?
 
to be honest its one of the things I really like about equestrian sports. nothing against endurance riders as for them it is purely practicality and comfort but put an endurance rider next to a traditionally decked out showjumper and the showjumper will always 99 times out of 100 be the more appealing to the non horsey eye.

Showjumping tried ner jackets and personally I think they look hideous, the only people they look even reasonable on are the ultra slim and I still think those people look better in a traditionally cut jacket anyway.

Thankfully although the overall rules remain the same there are changes in fashion and advances in design etc. You only need to look at the changes to hats, high topped leather boots (or even the allowance of gaiters!) and clothing fabrics never mind the bling! Also competing without your jacket in the summer heat would previously been a major no but is now often common place never mind the 101 colours of showjackets you see these days although did i hear the BSJA had put rules in place re traditional showjacket colours?! Oh and don't forget the sponsors logos creeping in! "accenture" plastered down the YR and JNR Sj team's breeches is hard to miss...
 
I think its a no no . I like the elegance of correct dress and there have been and are advances in materials technology... Lycra for example that make jckets , breeches etc more 'sports' wear.
The shirts that we wear the gloves and the boots also.
I too hated the blouson jacket thing that showjumpers tried, it looked like a collecting ring work out and they just looked like a whole load of horse dealers.
I think logo's and sponsorship details should be kept low key as what should shout is not the bling but the athletic ability of our riding and our horses.
i never forget that tennis player a few years ago, Anna Kornankova[sp!!!] she was more famous for her adverts than her tennis , she never even made any major finals if i remember.
I would'nt like equestrian sport to go that way.
 
Same here the attire is one of the things that i love about competing getting dressed up all smart in my jacket and jods and stuff (even though i have been told i look like st trinians on horseback lol)
 
With the advent of new fabrics the 'traditional' show jackets are alot lighter, better fitting & more comfortable to ride in & still retain the 'traditional' smartness that is associated with show jumping/ dressage etc.

The show jumping jackets that were introduced some time ago didn't take off, I believe because they were too casual, looked more like a tracksuit top & cost a ridiculous amount of money, far more than many show jackets.

Cost apart, I didn't think there would be a stampede to buy the new jackets, the vast majority of riders like to dress up for a show. After being in smelly old clothes mucking out etc it's nice to be clean & smart for a show.

As for advertising, I accept there has to be some to bring money into the sport however it should be kept to a small logo on a saddle cloth & possibly put into the name of the horse i'e' Fresh Direct ? Putting anything else on either horse or rider I don't feel would be acceptable. OK, Moan Over!
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After being in smelly old clothes mucking out etc it's nice to be clean & smart for a show.

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I think you've put your finger on it. Exercising and training hard is not glamorous, but most athletes don't get covered in poo at the same time

*resists temptation to make cheap joke about Paula Radcliffe*

As riders, we probably get muckier and smellier in the normal run of things than most other sports people, so its nice to get dressed up and smart when you do compete.
 
I think it should be kept as it is, I personally don't like the look of some of the new hats used in show jumping, (ie - Puissance Vented Show Jumping Hat or GPA-Speed Air Helmet) I just don't find them as appealing as the traditional velvet covered ones. (ie - Charles Owen Showjumper XP).
IMO the change woudln't be for the better, I wouldn't find it appealing at all.
 
A resounding no from me too.

There are some more modern and colourful sj jackets available which still keep the traditional silhouette, dressage gear uses new fabrics and shapes to be fashionable and even in showing, there's a great range of tweeds etc.

I've just bought a barbour show jacket on ebay and I love it, the cut is sooo flattering.

Interestingly I also ride western, and although there is a pretty liberal dress code at competitions, most people aspire to a smart, flattering appearance in the UK. We don't do the fringes, stars & stripes and excessive bling seen in the USA -it's just not British!!!
 
Am I the only one who prefers the look of the show jumpers to the dressage people?

The Show jumpers it's easy to sport who's who and you see the differences in coat colours and numnahs etc whilst all still being smartly turned out.

Dressage though look like a bunch of clones and it's hard to spot who's who. Think BD should allow a little bit more variation.

As for dressing like athletes erm sorry I know a lot of riders are very fit and are professionals but ermm they don't tend to have an athletic build that would suit skin tight lycra
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Am I the only one who prefers the look of the show jumpers to the dressage people?

The Show jumpers it's easy to sport who's who and you see the differences in coat colours and numnahs etc whilst all still being smartly turned out.

Dressage though look like a bunch of clones and it's hard to spot who's who. Think BD should allow a little bit more variation.

As for dressing like athletes erm sorry I know a lot of riders are very fit and are professionals but ermm they don't tend to have an athletic build that would suit skin tight lycra
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Baaaaaa
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I've often thought it'd be nice if, instead of the 'jacket & tie' look, equestrians wore polo shirts or [old style] rugby jerseys. They could be in muted colours for ordinary competitions and national colours for international competition. There's no need for logos all over the front and back of the rider, there's room on a saddle cloth for a neat sponsor logo They are comfortable, and generally suit all body shapes
 
I hate the traditional look. I think it just keeps the "snobby" image of equestrian sports. We need to be seen as competitors, and it as a sport. Every other sport uses the latest technology in clothing, we dont! We just seem to want to LOOK good!

I love my BSJA jacket (the new ones) as they are far more modern and I wish they were cheaper so more people would wear them!
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This is the sort of thing I think should be introduced into all disiplines - modern fabrics etc. & more practical yet keeping a nice tailored shape.

What's weird is that I watched some high-level show jumping (ie. Beezie Madden was there etc.) in Florida and because of the obvious heat, they competed in beige jods and just a nice coloured stock shirt. I thought it still looked neat but was far more practical. After sweltering in heat (occassionally!) here in a stupid show jacket - its crazy!!
 
I think that competition clothing should focus on safety not looks. Jackets and ties may look nice, but that is not the priority when riding. It amazes me that the the various governing bodies have not mandated body protectors and medical armbands as you can just as well fall off on your head and need medical treatment doing dressage as eventing.
 
It would be madness to insist on body protectors for dressage, there would be revolt!
I like the attire and have no problem with it, what would you change it to! The new bsja jackets look cheap imo, not as nice as traditional attire.
 
Eventually someone will have a serious accident in a competition (e.g. a dressage warm up area) and sue the organisers, who will refer the matter to their liability insurance company. After having to make an enormous payout, the insurance company will insist that all the show organisers that they cover mandate skull caps and BPs. The other insurance companies will quickly follow.

Competitors will not have a say in the matter.
 
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