When Does Youth Makeup Cross the Line From Arena-Appropriate to Beauty Pageant?
By: Brittany Bevis
In the horse show pen, you only get one chance to make a first impression. As a result, today’s savvy competitors look for every possible advantage to turn the judges’ heads.
In addition to a sleek and shiny horse, having the perfect show ensemble with a tightly shaped hat, boots buffed to perfection, and a tailored outfit is crucial. With the final touch of a neatly coiffed bun and smiling face, you’re well on your way to earning top marks for presentation before you even leave the start cone.
Discussion has arisen lately regarding how much is too much when it comes to makeup on certain aged equestrians, namely the youth in our industry. What’s a good rule of thumb as to how old a youth should be before they wear show pen makeup, and how much is appropriate? Should small fry competitors be off limits, or is a little lipstick and blush ok, as long as its tasteful? What about the recent trend of using professional makeup artists?
For the answers to these questions and more, we sought out the expertise of horse show parents, trainers, and judges.
As the parent of a youth exhibitor, Jacquie Ochs utilizes the services of a professional makeup artist for her daughter at major events. “My daughter does get her makeup done by a professional, but only at the Youth World and Congress,” she says. “We try to keep it classy and age appropriate. I will admit that at times it has been a little too heavy.”
“I personally like having a professional doing Sydnie’s makeup at the majors. Do I like the cost? Absolutely not, but if you want to save money, you shouldn’t be showing horses. I think the makeup artists give good advice on how the youth can do their own makeup at smaller shows.”
Jacquie doesn’t believe there’s an age limit per say, regarding show ring makeup; however, she thinks the amount of makeup and colors used should be taken into consideration. “Small fry exhibitors should keep it simple. Maybe at the Congress or a bigger show, a little more could be acceptable.”
As a general rule, horse show parent, Ann Moorhead Forney, believes the decision regarding makeup is a personal one. “In this particular instance, it should be a decision that’s between the youth exhibitor and her family, along with the professional input of the youth’s trainer. With that said, my daughter, Elizabeth Forney, didn’t wear makeup as a small fry exhibitor. That’s a look that we didn’t care for on a very young child, and she wore very limited makeup as a 13 and under. That was a personal choice our family made – one that we saw fitting for her age.”
“As a 14-18, her makeup usage became heavier for the show pen. She sought her trainer, Brad Kearn’s, professional advice, which was to look professional and confident in the show pen. He said everything from hair, to clothes, to makeup needs to look that way. Nothing should be a distraction from the overall presentation.”
Tina White is a judge with seven different breed associations and has seen the gamut from fresh faces to fully made up glamour. “First, I think it’s a decision to be made by the parents. What I like may not be what any given parent likes. Having said that, I will say I very much appreciate age appropriate show outfits and makeup. I do cringe when I see very young girls wearing full makeup. It’s much like what we see in the children’s beauty contests. If the mom likes it, then I can’t say anything against it, but I do very much like the younger contestants wearing little to no makeup. Will it influence my placings? No.”
Price’s opinion that makeup application should, first and foremost, be age-appropriate, continues even when youth move up into the 14-18 division. “I also cringe when I see young teenagers looking to be in their 20s due to their makeup. To me, it’s a fine line with the sexualization of children, so it does bother me when it’s overdone. I do realize that showing is a special thing, and everyone wants to feel her most confident. So, again, it’s up to the parents. If they want to use a professional, great, but I prefer to see it age appropriate and tasteful.”
“While I want everyone to feel fully prepared and confident, I would hate to think that young girls feel they must wear heavy, professionally applied, makeup to be competitive. I prefer to see a young girl, or teen, who is confident, prepared, that lays out her performance, and backs it up with all the hard work she’s put in. Poise and grace is not found in a makeup bottle.”
Mandi Knowles is both an exhibitor and mother of two young equestriennes. She sees no problem with young competitors getting “a bit dolled up,” as long as the makeup doesn’t get too dark or dramatic. “I feel that it’s all based on the age of the youth and what they’re comfortable with. If they’re feeling like a million bucks, they’ll show with more confidence. I don’t like a very dramatic, dark look on the little ones, but just enough to add that extra sparkle and pop to the picture. After all, who doesn’t melt when the small ones are dressed to the nines!”
Furthermore, Knowles doesn’t believe that small fry competitors should be off limits when it comes to show ring makeup, and she thinks professional makeup artists can help to save time during a hectic show schedule. “I think they’re just adorable with a little makeup on. But, ultimately, it’s what the parents feel is appropriate for their child.”
“I think having a makeup artist at the shows is outstanding! I, myself, use it to my full advantage. It’s one less thing I have to worry about on show day. If it makes my daughter feel more prepared and confident, then she will walk into the pen feeling ready to take on the world! Being in the pen is about a clean, crisp, complete look, and it’s up to the competitor to decide what they’re comfortable with.”
GiGi Bailey was a trainer and exhibitor in the industry for many years and is now a respected judge. “I appreciate exhibitors who take the time to attend to all details, including dress, hair, and makeup. However, I also appreciate young girls looking their age. After all, we are there to judge their abilities, not their makeup.”
As a judge, she prefers to focus on the aspects of a rider’s performance that she can mark on her scorecard. “I feel it’s important to keep our eyes on the correct objective, the child’s riding abilities, not their fashion sense. Riding skills will continue to grow throughout a child’s career with the proper encouragement.”
Horse show parent, Elizabeth Brahler, is the devoted mom of a teenager, and the discussion about makeup is something that has come up more than once in their household. “This is question has been floating around the tack rooms and hallways since Lydia became a youth,” she says. “As her mom, I believe, in this rare instance, that less is more! I prefer more natural makeup on the rider. I think a pop of lip color can be nice, depending on the rider’s outfit. Lydia likes a more dramatic look, and it’s a subject that feels like we’re just now finding a middle ground on!”
Brahler is a fan of preserving the innocent and natural beauty of small fry exhibitors and believes their makeup, as well as show outfit, should be minimal. “I think going into the youth division is a good rule of thumb [for starting to wear show ring makeup]. It’s also about the time that you might have started talking to them about tweezing their eyebrows or how to start wearing makeup outside the home and to school.”
Brahler had another idea she’d like to include, a knowledge-sharing opportunity regarding show ring makeup. “It would be great to have several of the older youth and/or female judges meet and discuss this subject and perhaps offer a webinar for the youth and their parents to be a part of! Something light and fun!”
If you’re looking for tips on horse show makeup application, The Equine Chronicle wrote an informative article in our August/September 2017 edition offering advice from professional makeup artists. The experts chatted about using makeup as a method of personal expression and how to utilize different color schemes to put the finishing touch on a seamless show ring presentation. They also informed our readers how horse show makeup is meant to highlight the features that can easily be hidden on the rail under the shadow of a dark hat.
