Donned in multi-coloured jackets adorned with bold patterns made from stripes, polka dots, checkerboards, stars or shamrocks; they look like they belong in the circus not on the race track. Each jockey is wearing a uniquely designed uniform, one that will help spectators follow their favourite horse as it speeds around the circuit. The official name for the comical outfit is “racing silk” and they have been part of the sport for over 275 years.
By the mid 1700s, horse racing had become a popular pastime in Great Britain. As enthusiam grew for the sport, so did the number of horses participating in each race. The British Jockey Club made it mandatory for jockeys to wear identifying colours so that it was easier to identify the entrants. Jockey silks were initially made from solid coloured, light weight silk. As the number of registered owners and horses multiplied, patterns and colour combinations were introduced into the designs. Traditional family crests and insignias helped add personality to the jockey’s garb.
In America each horse owner or stable must register their designs with The Jockey Club and no two racing silks can be the same. Between the U.S.A. and the U.K. there are a total of 31,000 registered silks. In America, one must adhere to strict guidelines when designing a new racing silk. The front and back are required to display the identical design. To establish some semblance of order, The Jockey Club provides 38 patterns to choose from. For additional customizeation, 19 different sleeve patterns are available. Racing silks are limited to a total of four colours, two for each the jacket and the sleeves. Nowadays, satin is seldom used to craft the garment, nylon or a lycra/polyester blend are the preferred fabrics. And in the UK, when a jockey is given new silks, the tradition is to throw them on the ground and stamp on them. They say it’s better they hit the ground, so the jockey doesn’t. Sounds like that might be just another dirty rumor.