It turns out that the Americans aren’t the only ones who feel passionate about their headgear. The judges of the traditional hunter classes in Great Britain have taken a stand against a new rule for 2006, which required them to don approved helmets instead of the traditional bowlers and silk hats.

In these classes, judges ride dozens of strange horses, determining which would make the best field hunter. The judge may be in the ring for hours trying various horses.

Their arguments sound familiar as judges complained about how the approved helmets didn’t fit correctly and were uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time.

One judge told Horse And Hound that a head injury received in a car accident meant she couldn\’t wear anything but a custom-fit helmet without extreme discomfort.

Judges also proclaimed their right to choose for themselves as adults.

So now judges will be allowed to sign a disclaimer acknowledging that they may not be covered by insurance if they fall off and are injured while wearing unapproved headgear.

No one is really sure what will happen if a judge does fall off and sustains a head injury while wearing a bowler. They’ll have to wait until someone makes a claim to find out.

But even with the disclaimer, judges still must follow the rules of the showgrounds or association holding the show, and some do require all riders to wear approved helmets.