Each year that we run this best dressed competition, I'm so touched by the Morgan horse community. From fellow exhibitors casting votes for their hunt seat barn mates, to grandparents over the moon with pride at their grandchildren's first magical trip to Oklahoma city, riders who won, riders who didn't pin, riders who weren't even being judged- but what I always find most touching is when I see submissions from people who do not know each other at all, from different parts of the country (or Canada!) but are admiring each other and their style from afar. Mostly because I've been that young aspiring rider. One who idolized the amateurs when I was a junior exhibitor. I've been that groom, dreaming of trotting down the shute myself. So this year I've decided to share a few of these messages of kindness with the intended compliment recipient, and I am working on ways to spread this kindness even further next season.
Yet in spite of all this Morgan Horse magic, there seems to be an influx of social media negativity around the show every year. From the last minute stress of things that go awry and misplaced blame, to negative comments about results, but the most unfortunate in my opinion, are the ones with ill-directed passion that comes out as negativity. So I'd be lying if I said that these messages of kindness toward riders unknown have only further inspired me to make this breed I love so dearly an even better, kinder, more welcoming and progressive industry.
This competition might only be a drop in the bucket, but if you know me, then you know Alden Customs isn't my only efforts to give back to the breed who's given me so much. And each year I'm humbled by your support, motivated by your kindness, and inspired by the goodness in each of you. But enough sap, I know why you're really here. This year I received a whopping 576 entries (I so sincerely appreciate your patience while I compiled them, especially as this year took me longer as I battled the flu). So without further ado! The People's Choice, Morgan Grand National & World Championship best dress hunt riders of 2022!
10. Bella Beale & WGF Printed In Color
This tiny trotter was shining from head to toe from her glowing smile to the sheen of her poly-blend jacketing. This youthful lilac was a hit in OKC, garnering her a 10th place best dressed finish and the adoration of her parents and grandparents!
The pale pink and purple pairing is age appropriate choice for a lead line or walk/trot division and all the added bling added to her dazzling princess look.
Get this look! These lilac fabrics are youthful and fun for your tiny trotter!
9.Ellie Stevens & Tomeri Antoinette
Ellie Stevens is quite familiar with the winners circle in her life long career in the Morgan industry, but we were especially happy to see her nominated for our best dressed competition for a handful of reasons! I've personally known Ellie for over 15 years as fellow barn mates, and watching her grow up and thrive as an instructor and now new Mother has been an absolute pleasure. But the most touching part of her nomination is that the majority of her votes came from her beloved young riders in her lesson program.
Some of the notes attached to her nominations admittedly made me misty, like this one which read "Ellie is not only the best riding instructor EVER, but she's my role model and the ultimate fashionista. I hope to be as stylish and as talented of a rider as Miss Ellie some day." and this other nomination from a parent who wrote "While I admittedly voted for my own child too, I also HAD to vote for Ellie as she has been our guiding light in this new venture of horse showing and our role model for all things show ring etiquette. My child wouldn't be competing at the World Championship if it weren't for her guidance and I know she'll continue to be the shining example we want in our daughters life. She looked stunning head to toe and earned my vote!"
Ellie expertly selected a trainer appropriate navy blue with a subtle texture with sheen and black undertones. Paired with black and silver accents to tie the whole look together. Ellie also shows restraint in her pairings and jewelry as to not be too gaudy, allowing her stunning fabric and beautiful ride to speak for itself. The look was timeless while remaining fashion forward in a competitive junior horse division her flawless ride earned her the blue ribbon and our 9th place finish in the best dressed competition!
Get this look! We love these trainer appropriate shades of blue with sheen and black undertones!
What we'd pair it with? As we mentioned Ellie really showed restrain in her accent choices, which goes a lot further than you may expect when walking the fine line between being eye-catching and over the top! We'd recommend #1, #3, or leaving the top collar plain is always a safe bet!
8. Diana Harding & Epona's Mo'o Lio GCH
For the second year in a row Diana Harding and Epona's Mo'o Lio GCH are our 8th place finishers! This talented horse in his long career has consistently carried some of the most fashionable and steady riders to spotlight victory passes and this year was no exception. We adore this look and so did the voters. One voter wrote "I LOVE THIS HORSE AND I LOVE THIS RIDER'S OUTFIT! I unfortunately don't know the rider's name but I sure know the horses and I'm always so happy to see such a stunning rider (both in her performance and her attire) mounted on him each year! Even happier they earned roses!"
The silk brocade fabric was a genius choice to bring out the copper undertones in Lio's coat. The copper colored silk brocade transforms in different lighting from a vibrant rust to a more muted bronze depending on the light. Silks can either be woven in their natural color and then dyed after woven into many different colors with the same pattern, or the thread can be dyed first and then woven. Brocades which are more intricate designs or patterns often feature two or more different colors of thread woven together which help the fabric appear more iridescent or transformative in different light. This also can make them more expensive as solid colors can be produced in bulk and then dyed various colors, whereas multi-colored thread brocades are usually made in small batches.
We're also HUGE fans of her expertly paired ratcatcher shirt which utilizes the same material as her jacketing fabric. This is precisely why we discount shirts or dickies at the same time as jacket purchase, so that we can use the scrap material from the jacket for a very intentional accent on your piping or center patch on your shirt collar. Diana completed this look with stunning brown boots, cap, and gloves for a show stopping look!
We made a similar look for one of our clients which also features a silk brocade, but in a copper and black weave instead. This color family also allows you to pair it with black or brown allowing the rider to change up their boot, cap, and glove choices!
Get this look! These stunning multi-colored silk brocades will catch the judges eye and reflect their undertones in various light allowing for some outfit versatility!
7. Tatym Harrington & Graycliff Whiskey Girl
This tiny tot may not have being judged in their lead line class, but she sure made an impression on the voters who could not get over how absolutely precious this rider was. One voter wrote "This leadliner was so cute I had to cast my vote for her! She looked like she could have been in a walk trot class with how solid her equitation was for such a small rider, and she sat up so proud in the saddle with that smile glued on her face! Her little purple coat was so cute and her matching jewelry and number pin set made her look like one of the big girls! I hope she wins!"
I'd bet purple is this young riders favorite color, and it sure suited her well! The plum poly blend fabric with sheen was age appropriate while remaining traditional and eye-catching- but her genuine happiness it what really makes this look flawless! We cannot wait to watch this young rider grow up!
Get this look! These silk and silk/wool blended fabrics are solid shades of purple in varying tones, all featuring sheen from the silk!
6. Audrey Morgan Flynt & RJMF Hudson
Audrey Morgan-Flynt is another junior rider who rocked a youthful palette with a fun yet distinct, pink and emerald green plaid hunt coat! We were also very flattered to have made this for Audrey!
One of the cutest ballots cast this year was for Miss Audrey and said "I'm graduating out of academy next year and I can't wait to wear a coat. I hope mine looks just like this girls, it was my favorite outfit all week. I love pink! I hope she doesn't mind if I copy her! She's so cool!"
We selected a small print plaid for Audrey's jacketing fabric to be suitable for her small frame and not too distracting to the judge! Audrey loves pink so we made sure to highlight that in her accents using the same hot pink piping on her dickie as well as the piping on her jacket. Another feature we included in this jacket is the square front panel so that as Audrey grows taller the length can be let out and still fit her! This is always a good idea if there are parents shopping on a budget, or have a young rider who is rapidly growing. This ensures that you'll at least make it through one whole show season, but possibly even two! It will also help when it comes to resale value should you consign the coat as it will be easier to fit to a variety of riders!
We were so happy to make this for Audrey and even happier to see the voters liked it too! Congratulations Audrey!
Get this look! These green and pink plaid in varying sizes are youthful and eye-catching with a touch of sheen!
5. Kara Brooke Hose & Merriehill Dark Knight GCH
Kara Brooke Hose needs no introduction to the best dressed list as she's been a top style icon nearly every year we've run this competition. The crowd cannot get enough of her, and we understand why! From her flawless rides, to her top ribboned horses, to her fashion forward outfits she's always on the top of the judges cards as well as ours!
The color blocking effect this outfit has is so unique with a solid black bottom with a lighter toned icy grey hunt coat it really puts the horse as the main focus, with Kara being just the cherry on top! As one voter wrote "[Kara] always has an amazing style! It’s fresh and young." and we couldn't agree more! Kara is always on the fore front of flashy, striking show ring trends
Kara rocked a darker silver dickie with a pop of sheen, and an accenting trapezoidal center patch with a nod to the art deco era. This shape is flattering to the neck and compliments the lapels of the jacket, as well as leading your eye to the riders bright smile! Just a beautiful pair from head to toe, and we're so happy to see her back here again this year!
Get this look! These light gray and silver fabrics with varying levels of sheen will all pop against dark breeches and still provide contrast against the white walls in Oklahoma rings!
4. Kimberly Miller & HyLee One in a Millennium
As this competition has grown over the years, so has Alden Customs and we're always beyond flattered when the people speak, and tell us they love our designs! Kim let us take complete control on this glittering burgundy look that ended up being a crowd favorite! We paired this stunning jacket with a custom dickie to match her piping identically. The dickie is made of a polyester and cotton blend for a subtle sheen without being too distracting- allowing the glittering effect of the jacketing material to be the main focus!
This 84% Super 120's Worsted 16% Lurex luxury fabric glitters in the light giving it a show stopping effect in the Jim Norick arena. As one voter wrote "Kim trotted into the ring, and while I didn't know who she was at the time, I couldn't take my eyes off her! The tasteful shimmering fabric commanded attention! Her stunning horse and quiet seat and aides earned my respect and compelled me to cast my best dressed vote for her!"
At Alden Customs we strive to never outfit two riders in the same division in the same fabric, so we won't remake Kim's outfit- but good news this material comes in other colors, as well as similar materials with a higher lurex content for a more affordable price tag!
Kim and her 3 year old had a wonderful first trip to Oklahoma together, and we're unbelievably proud of her as an amateur competing on her baby horse, (in addition to being proud to call her a client, and just an overall lovely human!) Congratulations Kim!
Get this look! These stunning lurex blend fabrics will sparkle and shine like the diva you are!
3. Annabelle Crotty & Valley Acres Who Dat 💛🏆 WINNER!
Annabelle Crotty won over the voters with a strong 3rd place finish, as well as the judges with her impeccable rides and timeless fashion in this powder blue jacket with buttery golden undertones. The silk blend material adds a pop of sheen, and the contrasting tones create an almost opalescent effect. One voter wrote, "Taylor River always has me drooling over their horses AND their riders, and this rider's outfit was my favorite this year! It was such a pretty fabric color that only complimented her beautiful horse!"
This is another example of a rider utilizing scrap material from her jacket to perfectly tie together in her ratcatcher shirt collar with simple yet traditional monogram. This creates such a cohesive look, and intentional is a key word to remember when outfitting any top rider. Nothing should be an after thought- and clearly this team had thought through every last detail of this outfit- even down to the warm tones of the suede on her knee patch to compliment the golden tones in the jacketing.
And how could we forget those bold accents of the royal blue top collar, and wrist accent choices! The wrist accent under the buttons isn't just a fun way to add a pop of color- it strategically highlights a quiet wrist and proper angle from the bit, through the reins to wrist, and up to the elbow. A "pleasurable" ride isn't just about how good the horse looks, its also about how the ride appears- and a rider with a soft wrist, not bracing against contact is pleasurable and definitely something to highlight to set you apart from the crowd!
But aside from the strategy your outfit can provide to the overall picture of horse and rider together, accents like this are fun! I far too often see clients turn down a jacketing material because they think it is too boring- but they totally forget they can jazz up a look with bold accenting options like this! Remember, limiting is key in fashion. Wether your every day office wear or in the show ring- limit your accessories to not over do it. Have a more subtle or traditional jacketing material? Have some fun with bolder accents! Whereas if you have a bolder jacketing material, tone down the rest! Annabelle really showed restraint in her choices from head to toe all while still remaining fashion forward! We stan!
We applaud Annabelle for beautiful rides, and a keen sense of style and so did the voters of this years Best Dressed competition! Congratulations on a top three finish in the Best Dressed competition Annabelle!
Get this look! These silk and silk/wool blend fabrics have dimension with their two toned powder blue and golden undertones.
As for suede options, #3, #13, or even #21 would all be great matches for top collar or wrist accents!
2. Hyelim Shin & Key Constellation ❤️🏆 WINNER!
Hyelim Shin came in with a strong 2nd place finish and broke a record for TWO of her outfits being in the top 10 of the best dressed riders for the Morgan Grand National & World Championship 2022, and gosh are we flattered to have made both of them!
Hyelim's first outfit she rocked was an olive green silk, with golden undertones, which was paired with a brown top collar, gold piping down the lapel, and unique woodgrain buttons. One voter wrote about this outfit "Everything about Hyelim's ride was classy. From her stunning horse who I had pinned at my winner, her rock-solid seat, and striking olive jacket! I'd always ruled out olive for myself thinking it would be too bland, but dang she made me reconsider! It had that WOW factor without being too "look at me"! Everything was understated yet still demanded your respect! Love, love, love!"
Her second outfit, was bright turquoise open weave blend with a touch of sheen. She paired this with a black velvet top collar, and white piping as well as black buttons for a contrasting look. When Hyelim asked if we could make her a matching stock-tie I said "What the heck, I've never made one before but let's try it!" and it gave me the opportunity to match a lighter material satin perfectly to the jacketing material, and it sure paid off as the voters lover this look. Another voter wrote "Usually I HATE a stock-tie with a hunt coat in the pleasure ring as I myself am a dressage rider, but this tie felt modern and didn't billow out from under the coat the way so many others do becoming distracting or looking sloppy! This tie converted me." and I have to agree with this voter. I'd never personally cared for the stock tie/hunt coat look as always thought it looked like an afterthought or an effort to look more formal without opting for a shadbelly- but I think Hyelim might be trend setter with this lower profile design and we were so excited to help bring her vision to life.
We couldn't be happier for Hyelim with both her flawless rides and what a dream client she was to work with, but also that the voters loved these looks as much as we did! Hyelim has now set the bar higher than ever to be our first nominee with TWO outfits in the best dressed coming in 2nd and 3rd favorite of the competition, but out of fairness she'll be taking home one gift card from us and the 2nd place finish in the Best Dressed competition! Congratulations Hyelim, we can't wait to see what you'll dream up next!
Get this look! We included one olive silk, one teal with olive undertones, and one turquoise to be inspired by Hyelim's two outfits!
1. Evie Peterson & Saralin Rex Harrison GCH 💙🏆 WINNER!
Drumroll, please... We are proud to introduce this year's best dressed hunt rider of the Morgan Grand National & World Championship- Evie Peterson! This outfit was so throughly thought through we applaud the rider and trainer for putting together such a show stopping outfit! Evie's look is traditional while remaining flashy. And can we talk about the color theory going on here?! If you've never heard about color theory it's the colors that work best for your skins undertones, and this rider has selected a color palette so appropriate for her fair complexion this outfit is working in her favor!
One voter wrote "If I were to see each individual item of this outfit by itself, I might think that it would be too subtle to get seen in the deep classes, but all together it really blows you away with how cohesive and striking it really is! She looks like she just stepped out of the English countryside!", another voter adorable wrote "Evie rides at my barn and I can't wait until she outgrows this so maybe I can wear it! It's my favorite". Every last detail of Evie's outfit works together to create an stunning look, and her attention to detail all while remaining restrained allows her beautiful horse's performance to take center stage- which, after all, is the entire point of a pleasure horse.
Every minute detail of her outfit has been planned and executed to a T. The deep chocolatey brown velvet of her helmet, boots, and gloves, pair perfectly with the autumn color palette she has going on here, with accenting rust and mint adding complimentary warm and cool tones! Even her makeup is done to match in this color palette and is the suitable color palette for her skin's undertones. Classy, classic, and a complete show stopper from head to toe in this look.
We're big fans of Evie, and the whole Peterson gang and couldn't be happier to see her crowned this years BEST of the Best Dressed, and our winner of the $100 gift card this year. Congratulations Evie, you ROCKED this look!
Get this look! We included some mint plaids in varying sizing, as well as a plaid that had rust as the main focus and mint as the accent color for a reversal of Evie's look, where you could rock a mint shirting instead!
What we'd pair it with? We secretly LOVE a plain top collar, but should you wish to do her look a little differently, #8 or #11 would work to continue complimenting the chocolate notes, or to match that pale blue! We would also love a little rust piping added in to both the shirt collar and maybe some edge piping on the jacket in a corresponding rust tone.
Each year we run this competition, we're always floored and humbled at its response and continued growth year after year! We love that this competition serves as community recognition for the riders who've worked tirelessly all year long, and maybe didn't come home with roses but still served us with some fierce show ring fashion. We love that EVERYONE is eligible, no matter the age division, ribbon placings, or maker of your garment- because we want to celebrate the community spirit found at this show. Some call it MGN magic- and we agree! The Best Dressed competition also greatly helps us calibrate trends going into next season. Helps us keep what you want in stock and have our eye on what will be big next year. There were dozens of riders we wish we could all award and mention- as you all looked so incredible! If you were a top three finisher, please email us your address to claim your prize.
Huge shout out to The Morgan Horse Magazine, The National Horseman, Kelly Proctor and all the incredible, hardworking photographers for these photos! And finally we say this every year, but we mean it- at Alden Customs we're always here to assist you with all things outfitting, whether you are a client of ours or not. The world of horse showing might not always feel so welcoming, inclusive, or kind, (especially on the internet), but we hope to be one small part of changing that. Always cheering you on over the rail, or from our couch watching the live feed. We're your biggest fans, even if you haven't met us yet! Looking forward to seeing you all next year, and making your new favorite outfit. Ttyl.
With kindness and empathy,
Bethea Alden Phelan
Owner at Alden Customs
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