Author:  Lisa Thomas

What an evening at the 2019 Devon Arena Eventing, with a big win for Contestor and his breeders, Denise Lahey and Pierre Colin from Stony Brook Farm, in New Hampshire!   Cortez's win in the 2019 Devon Arena Eventing class was so gratifying for Boyd, as these owners have been long time supporters and are truly dedicated to this horse's career.

We are also grateful that the Devon Horse Show continues to pull together the sponsorship support to host these sort of spectator friendly events.  These competitions offer event riders and horses the opportunity to compete in a challenging environment under the lights, showcasing the thrill of our sport to a broader audience. 

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Tsetserleg Waltzes Into the Top 3 After Dressage!

Author: Lisa Thomas

This morning, when asking Silva about Boyd’s and Thomas’ preparation for this year’s test, she said, “I don’t want to jinx it, but we may have a top 3 finish.” Clearly Silva is clairvoyant…..or perhaps she and Boyd have been working pretty hard towards today’s score of a 27.9, which was good enough a press conference appearance as the scoring top American!

Since Boyd’s dressage test was near the end of the day, we also had the opportunity to visit with a few of our sponsors in the morning. In the wind and the rain, hearty event fans lined up at the Ariat booth and with Majyk Equipe at One Stop to grab a snap and autograph with Boyd (please check out all our photos and videos on Facebook and Instagram).

Upon the conclusion of dressage and the press conference, there was an interview with NBC and Donna Brothers (of Triple Crown color commentary fame). Then we were off to our annual Smartpak Course walk, where we were greeted by throngs of enthusiastic fans who joined us at the Head of the Lake. Boyd took us on a tour of several of the complexes, and we were very grateful to our young volunteer Mia - who willingly walked all the questions while Boyd commented on his plan of attack for tomorrow.

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It’s been a little over a year since Duck Head relaunched.  More specifically, a relaunch of a relaunch.  It’s fair to say that they finally hit the nail on the head, and are starting to making their mark on the #menswear scene again.  Personally, I’m really happy about it, and I believe that most of you are.  Duck Head is a personal issue for a lot of us, judging by the passion in the comments in multiple blog posts.  Red Clay Soul was founded with an old pair of Duck Heads as part of the inspiration.  The big labels are still a point of discussion, and I think the idea of selling these pants at $40 a piece has finally passed.  The bottom line is this: Duck Head makes a great pair of chinos at a good price point.

I’ve gotten to know Bill Thomas over the past couple years, and have really enjoyed our conversations about the brand, which has recharged my passion for the pants.  I have a pair of the Gold School chinos which I wear quite a bit, and I have a pair of the Gold Glory chinos, which are the USA made pants that I would call a ‘heritage’ nod to the old WWII officer’s pants.

I reached out to Bill about doing a check-in post, and he was all about it.  Safe to say that things are on the up and up:

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In business and in life, there are very few “matches made in heaven” but we can’t think of a better one than Bill Thomas (the creative and charismatic founder of Bills Khakis from 1990-2015) joining Oxford Industries as brand director of the Duck Head relaunch.

Duck Head is one of the oldest apparel brands in the U.S., dating back to the Civil War when the O’Bryan brothers began making work clothing in Nashville from Army surplus tent material. Explains Thomas, “Duck Head broke into the mainstream in the 1980s when Sales Director Dave Baseheart introduced Duck Head chinos to better specialty markets. The brand was quickly discovered by Southern college students and grew organically throughout the U.S.” Thomas attributes the company’s untimely demise in the 1990s to a series of ownership changes. “But for the generation that wore Duck Head to college, church, and work, the brand remains a beloved and sorely missed piece of their past. Oxford Industries intends to return Duck Head to its roots by targeting its original customers through independent specialty channels, elevated product, and exceptional value.”

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As told to Jess McCuan

Bill Thomas bought his first pair of khaki pants at an army surplus store near Denison University, in Ohio, in 1984. When that pair--deep-pocketed World War II uniform pants--wore out and he couldn't find another like it, he sensed a business opportunity. He also came to believe, after a few years working in the advertising world, that durable, high-quality products were the relics of a bygone era, and that a modern company selling anything intended to last a lifetime was increasingly rare. In 1990, with a small loan from his mother, Marge, he founded Bills Khakis in his hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania. Now his $9.5 million, 26-employee company distributes 200,000 pairs of pants and shorts annually to more than 500 retailers around the country. Marge, who is 84, keeps an office in the company's headquarters, a late-1800s brick building in downtown Reading.

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