Athletic performance gear has come a long way in almost every sport, but the equestrian world always seems one step behind, with traditional plain cotton shirts and unyielding, stiff jeans. But incremental improvements to rodeo gear took a leap forward with Ariat’s newest line of men’s shirts, jackets, jeans and boots.
The line of clothing, aptly named Relentless by Ariat, comes with an added authenticity claim: the rodeo performance line was developed, tested and approved by Trevor Brazile, 23-time World Champion.
“I was in the lab with motion sensors all over my arm, going over the same movements I did in the arena. So the shirt was built to enhance the movements, not just tolerate them,” Brazile said.
The process started with Brazile in the Ariat lab in the fall of 2015. The team applied sensors and cameras to Brazile while he went through all the actions he would perform in the arena including running, swinging a rope and more. Based on Brazile’s movements, the Ariat Product Development Team improved on Ariat’s already stellar reputation for performance gear. After that, Brazile beta tested all the products with his horses in his practice arena. This process, totaling about three years of research and development, fed into tweaks to the products to make sure they are perfect for the rodeo athlete.
“The testing was very involved and thorough, covering every part of athlete performance and sport-specific testing,” said Susan Alcala, Ariat’s vice president of partnership marketing.
The Relentless line is less about improving on previous products and more about completely rethinking what’s important to athletes while they’re on the road, riding every day and competing with the best.
For example, the team found that rodeo performance shirts need significantly more arm mobility for swinging a rope and competing in rodeo events. This information—fueled by the sensors Brazile wore in the lab and his feedback from the arena—prompted a shirt design that riders won’t notice in the arena so they can focus on the task at hand instead of feeling constrained by their shirts. Additionally, the shirts are easy on the traveling competitor, thanks to wrinkle-resistant fabric.
Similar conversations revolved around the other products in the line: jeans that won’t chafe the insides of a rider’s legs; boots with well-placed grip for security in the saddle and a quick dismount; jackets for comfort and durability. The line also includes items for boys, with the same technology and features.
“If it’s something that could potentially make an athlete better in the arena, then by all means, let’s try it,” Brazile said. “I actually get to obsess over the performance details with a partner that’s devoted to making riders better athletes.”
And as competition in the arena gets tougher, the little details can make the difference between taking home a buckle and leaving empty-handed.
