Saddle Seat Focus with Becky DeRegnaucourt
by Channing Turner
The Do’s
When picking out fabrics for a suit combination, Becky shares that the shirt, vest, and tie are more about the rider since they are closer to their face. But it is also possible to highlight the horse’s coloring in the accent pieces. She always suggests something simple, as “less is more.”
An ideal look for Becky is when the rider and horse blend together to make a seamless pair. Selecting colors and patterns that showcase the horse is ideal. She stated that often you will not know what it is about a particular horse and rider; you just know that you love the overall picture. This is likely because the artform of apparel has been chosen and implemented successfully.
The clothing an exhibitor wears in the show ring is just as important as how their horse performs. As we begin a new series on fashion do’s and don’ts in the show world, the Times reached out to Becky Veltema, owner of DeRegnaucourt Ltd., specialists in saddle seat apparel for Arabians, Saddlebreds and Morgans.
Horse Show Fashion Trends
When she helps a customer, Becky usually tries to avoid trends because they are temporary and ever changing. She would rather see her clients go for a more timeless look like a classic suit with custom trimmings, which can help showcase a great horse. She also says that contrast show coats are still popular and give a unique look that really market a horse and rider as a recognizable team.
The Don’ts
A show attire pet peeve Becky shared was a rider overshadowing the horse. If the rider is small or large, it is important to minimize the attention that is drawn to them. Additionally, being too extreme like having too many colors mixed can cause the rider to become the focal point rather than the horse being judged.
Tips and Tricks
When asked about her preference for day coats versus suits, Becky said that she likes both! She said either one done in the right way is stunning for different reasons. She likes the look to be unique, which can be harder with a suit but absolutely possible.
A fashion trend Becky was glad to see go was light colored and contrasting hats on women. During the 1980’s it was very popular for women to wear contrasting hats in Dove Gray, Cream, and Beige. Looking back now, she wonders, “What were we thinking?”
Most important to making your show attire look better is to make sure your items fit the best they can and get your hats cleaned and shaped.
Becky’s final piece of advice to exhibitors regarding show ring fashion is to be open minded. Just because you like a certain color or think you look good in something, does not mean it is the best choice for your horse or the show arena, but selecting something different from trends or popular colors that you see in the ring may help you stand out in a unique but subtle way.
***
Stay tuned for more on show ring fashion, when we speak with Melissa Holmes of Show Season.
