Calling all clotheshorses

Israel’s nascent equestrian team, which has its sights set on competing in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has announced a $1,000 cash prize for the best redesign of its team equestrian blazer.

The contest, dubbed Blaze of Glory, is being sponsored by The Equine Athletics Mission Israel, AKA T.E.A.M. Israel, a nonprofit organization committed to growing a love of horse riding and horse culture in Israel. At the core of T.E.A.M. Israel’s mission is supporting and cultivating a top-rate equestrian team that will offer Israel its first-ever chance to ride in blue-and-white at the Olympic Games.

Contest organizers hope Israel’s design students and fashion schools will get in on the competition and offer up ideas for a “fresh, innovative and patriotic take on the traditional equestrian blazer,” according to a release from the organization. To enter, participants must submit a 250-word description of their design concept, accompanied by a sketch of the design and a photo of the fabrics they would use to construct it. The deadline for submission is January 26.

“We want every Israeli to get excited about what we are doing and to see the athletes wearing these new riding jackets as their team,” says Deb Schultz, CEO and co-founder of T.E.A.M. Israel. “Israel is known for its ingenuity and innovative design.”

The top five designs will be picked by a panel of judges including Schultz; Danielle Goldstein, an award-winning show jumper who made aliyah from New York City to build Israel’s equestrian team; Dror Ben Shaul, a member of the Israel Equestrian Federation’s board of directors and the national trainer for the Israeli Paralympic Equestrian team; Israeli designer Adam Gefen, a designer known for his sporty, colorful menswear.

Finalists will then be posted on the official T.E.A.M. Israel Facebook page, and the ultimate winner will be selected by a public vote. The winner may very well see his or her design unveiled on the Olympic stage.