As experts in Luxury PR, we take a tongue in cheek look at what to say and wear at…
DRESSAGE
Dressage is about breeding (the horses mostly but some gossip does get around), and while you don’t have to be posh you do need to look posh if you want to fit in with the dressage crowd. A designer bag or pair of shoes is essential. Team with a uniform of dark denim and a classic white shirt and over sized shades and you are halfway there. Mentioning that you know ‘Carl’ (Carl Hester – top international dressage rider for those of you who don’t know) and ‘Char’ (as in Charlotte Dujardin and equally as famous) are key name drops. While watching horses at the higher level, you need to say things like “wow, look at the power in that hind leg’ and ‘stunning, that piaffe was to die for”. Although we’d recommend, you google piaffe first because if you get it mixed up with ‘passage’ there is no getting out of that dressage faux pas.
SHOWJUMPING
If you love bling, sparkle and pink, then you’ll fit into this luxury PR event perfectly. Show jumping spectating can be glamorous but you need to follow certain rules: Don’t dress practically, dress to impress and certainly don’t forget heels, hair and perfectly manicured nails. Name drop Nick Skelton & Big Star and include the term ‘Legends’ and talk about Ben (Maher) and Scott (Brash) as ‘real talent’. The Whitakers are a big show jumping name so again worth casually mentioning. Talking about strides (steps the horse takes between jumps and not trousers) will have them nodding in agreement, and it’s also important to note that a ‘jump off’ is a tie-breaker NOT horse and rider departing company.
EVENTING
Tweed/Barbour/Wellies form the eventing spectators uniformed look. Take a Fedora hat (complete with feather hat pin accessory) sharply tailored shirting; elegant jewellery teamed with knee length country boots and a black Labrador. The oversized handbag should be filled with everything but the kitchen sink for a day out. In this tardis like handbag, you should have something for every eventuality from a Pac-a-mac, sunscreen, wet wipes and a full picnic complete with a full dining set.
Terms to note when chatting: all things eventing include ‘penalities’ which are not parking fines and a ‘bounce’ which has nothing to do with emails.
