One of my very favorite souvenirs from any sporting event is a t-shirt. I have shirts from the Triple Crown races I’ve attended, the racetracks I’ve visited, and more, enough to wear over a solid couple of weeks or so. Fans everywhere like to wear their joy for their favorite teams or horses, so much so that whole stores are devoted to the perfect jersey for a NFL football fan or the coolest hat to show off their love for their favorite NBA team. For horse racing fans to find that perfect shirt, they need to look no further than one name: Old Smoke. For #MakerMonday, here’s a look at this company’s wide variety of shirts and other gear for horse racing fans everywhere.

With a Little Help from My Friends

Kurt Rossner, Adrian Szamereta, and Kurt Hoover grew up in the Saratoga Springs area, so they were exposed to the track from their earliest years. From that grew an understanding of what fans of the sport like, especially when it comes to the gear they like to wear. They parlayed their love of the horses and the sport’s accompanying pastimes (tradition and pageantry with a side of betting and bourbon) into Old Smoke Clothing Co., based in Saratoga Springs.

Since 2018, they’ve been offering shirts, hats, outerwear, and more for fans everywhere. They’ve also partnered with America’s Best Racing, the Kentucky Derby, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, and more to offer a variety of designs, some of which give back to the charities involved. Old Smoke also offers custom options for those who would like to have a shirt or a line of clothing for their organization.

What to Wear?

I guess you can call me partial to Old Smoke: in 2019, we partnered to create a Sir Barton t-shirt in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first Triple Crown. But, before that, I was already an Old Smoke fan, so much so that I now have a dozen of their shirts. These are well-made shirts that are soft and hold up well to washing. The colors stay vibrant and the designs are both contemporary and classic, playing off of many of the horses and places that permeate racing, like the Graveyard of Champions shirt, which is next on my list of must-haves. Horses from Secretariat to Knicks Go get their tributes as well as familiar names like Mike Smith and the Daily Racing Form.

In addition, you can find beanies and ball caps as well as hoodies and households items (coffee mugs and posters). Old Smoke has something for every racing fan, literally. My husband and I both have shirts that love wearing, and one day soon I’m going to get him a ball cap too. (This one is my favorite.)

While you’re exploring Old Smoke’s offering, consider looking for their Chari-TEE of the month. If you purchase the chosen t-shirt during that month, part of the proceeds goes to that charity. For February, the Chari-TEE is the Old Smoke logo t-shirt; buy one to benefit Racing for Home, Inc. I can’t wait to see what next month’s choice will be!

Want to know more? Follow Old Smoke on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

So Many Shirts, So Little Time

If you’re an Old Smoke fan, share your favorite shirts with us in the comments! Let us know what shirts you think they should make next. I am personally hoping for a Gallant Fox or Omaha shirt to go alongside my Sir Barton shirt. I know 2021 will bring us more fantastic designs from these fellow racing fans.

If you know of an artisan making horse racing related items, message me and let me know so I can feature them in an upcoming Maker Monday.