For Haley Roth, who grew up in Aiken, the Spring Steeplechase is “like the Kentucky Derby, but make it small-town and everyone knows everyone.”
Roth was joined at the highly anticipated equestrian event on March 21 by friends Anna-Kathryn Fleenor and Megan Childress, who had never attended before.
“I don’t know what I was expecting, but this has exceeded what I was envisioning,” said Childress. “It’s really cool.”
The trio wore their best horse show attire. Roth took a moment to discuss what Steeplechase style is all about. “If you’re going to come to Steeplechase, you might as well go all out,” she said. “It’s very Southern, old money fashion, very spring. Half of Steeplechase is just walking around and seeing what the women are wearing and what fun pants the guys have on. Brighter colors, fun pants. There isn’t a pattern that’s too much. And the bigger the hat, the better it is.”
Also new to Steeplechase was Eric Ellen, who was attending with a large group of friends and his girlfriend, Courtney Lyles. The pair made sure to coordinate their outfits, wearing matching shades of blue and green.
“Life’s been good here in Aiken,” said Ellen. “This is my first time at Steeplechase. I’ve always known Aiken to be a horse haven, and I haven’t seen a whole bunch of it. So for me, I’m excited to see what that’s really like in person.”
As for the fashion, Ellen described it as “preppy, tacky-but-beautiful, and fun.”
“You can almost be a peacock, in a way,” he said.
When at Steeplechase, you’ll notice that the colorful style of dress isn’t the only thing that draws people to the races. It’s also prime time for tailgating.