What style of headstall for Playboy?

I agree and say a one ear would look dashing! What a handsome boy!!!

I'm on the one ear bandwagon as well. Since it's for foundation shows what about something with rawhide trim? Be a bit more "bling" while still traditional and no silver.

This one is from Schutz Bros

COWCHICK he rides in a high port bit..Almost like a spade but not quite.

And that's for the complements y'all!! I'm sure they are going to his head.
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I'm with the one-ear suggestions. You don't want to cover up that beautiful head!

Mango, because he is riding in a shanked bit I say a split ear. This is personal preference, but I prefer a split ear over over the single ear slide style, they seem to stay pretty good. Don't get me wrong, I have a couple of the slide ear styles, but the split ear is my favorite for a "using" headstall.

I think traditionally browband headstalls are used for snaffles and some prefer them for spades. Once the horse graduates to a shanked bit they should be with a one ear, two ear(more of a show pen style) or the split ear.

The ones pictured below came from J.M. Capriola's, one of them is older than me and the newer "fancy" one is a couple years old. Both I have used in ranch horse classes with no problems with the excessive silver rule. (minus the bit pictured). However that may be different where you are at and what assoc. You are showing.

Your horse has a pretty head so I wouldn't go wide and bulky. I think he would look lovely with a finer simple headstall in a color that matches your saddle. But make sure your rein width matches your headstall width.

Oh gee.....this might be something I'm unaware of, but I use brow band bridles with my horse and ride him in corrections bits and a cathedral for showing.....am I not supposed to do that? I love the one ear bridles, but haven't found one I like yet and I also like the 'security' of the brow band and cheek-strap bridles (ie. Hard to pull off!)......is there a protocol for reining shows and bridles vs what bit type?....just curious.....

I found it fairly typical for shows(cow horse mostly) but not necessary.
But with guys I have cowboyed with, yes, browband headstalls for snaffles and spades, split ears(or one ears), with no throatlatch for shanked bits. Double ear headstalls seem to be a show deal, not ranch.
It may be regional, but it was what I know :)

Can I use a throat latch at home with a shanked bit? Is it just an eye-appeal thing or does it have some impact on the horse or the way the bit works? So I could just pull the throat latch strap off before a show? Sorry, haha I come from a TB racing background, you know, safety first! Tight girths and all!!!

It won't matter if you ride that horse in a bale twine...he is STUNNING. Love love love that face, that blaze and his color.

I like the idea of the bit of rawhide myself.....it will be traditional - I had a rawhide set my horse Dashing Big Red. He had a big blaze like that and was that blazing red color. It looked good on him!

Sure you can use a throatlatch with a shanked bit. I think for where I grew up it had more to do with what was "traditional". I never seen a split ear headstall with a throatlatch until I got the internet...didn't know they even made them...LOL (same with a one/double ear slide style). Like I said, It just may be a regional thing.