If they are violating an lawful order, their insurance coverage most likely won’t cover them…
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Yes, a PM to you doesn’t provide satisfaction to the rest of us!
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I was not who reported this. If you have concerns you should reach out to the legal counsel for the county, that is who provided guidance is my understanding and it appears her name is Kathryn Kase.
Here is what I have to say:
So what I understand from the person who reported this is that because it was a private facility and the orders are on the governor level, the local county couldn’t do anything to enforce the governors actions. This was considered a “mass gathering”, all horse shows are and if you look at the usef guidance they’re calling horse shows mass gatherings. Rated horse shows according to USEF will not happen without the governor approving the mass gathering according to the guidance they’ve released, so I guess if usef shows can’t happen June 1 we will know the final answer for TX. It’s sad to me that the management feels they’re above the law. I do know of people who work for trainers that were forced to go essentially, they said the news and cops were called by the neighborhood. Running an event illegally because the trainers and staff want to make a buck while endangering the greater community should not be tolerated and it’s sad our government is broken to be unable to properly police events like this in this stage. Glad I live in Dallas. And to be honest, my friend who reported this was not the first and only one. The local county government had received a lot of emails and calls about this they told her. If there is a subsequent outbreak GSWEC will look like the spring breakers in Florida moving forward.
I personally don’t think any horse show or event should happen illegally and we should all be smarter than that. But as I told @inca, I guess we will know if there are problems and an associated outbreak or cases within the next few weeks as a result. Although, doubtful they’d notify anyone of anything.
Wow. Spoken like a truly privileged individual. “WANT” to make a buck? How about those that NEED to earn a living?
No participants at this “mass gathering” with only a handful of competitors were forced to go. If this was truly illegal, I’m quite sure it would have been shut down, as you so emphatically state.
I’m wondering now if you were actually the one who reported that poor hair dresser in Dallas who was just trying to feed her kids, or as you would call it - she was just trying to ‘make a buck’ - but instead went to jail because of some over zealous law enforcement officers and an idiot judge, all of whom got called out by your governor, btw. The leading authority with jurisdiction over events/happenings/openings in our great state.
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There is so much hostility all around on here when it comes to horse shows. Complete aside to whether this was particularly legal to have a horse show in Katy, I have no clue and wondered but didn’t go because of a multitude of factors with the primary driver feeling it was too soon with no data. I do think people have to get creative on how to make money in this environment, horse shows are certainly not the only industry hit. I have a friend that is a bartender that had to go be an instacart delivery person in the meantime. And honestly that may be what people have to do for awhile. And some people may have to adjust their lifestyle for awhile when they’re not making what they were used to. This sucks for everyone I think we can all agree on that - it’s impacted everyone in one way or another. Just seems so much hostility isn’t the way to find the answer to this issue. Horse shows will eventually come back and be fine, just like most other industries, but it may require people finding other types of side work in the meantime.
On the legal part, it would be nice if there was more guidance out there on things like this. The OP is correct to say that USEF has referred to horse shows as a mass gathering though and all of the guidance they put out from the WHO and CDC are regarding mass gatherings. USEF has a link which includes all of the information: https://www.usef.org/media/covid19-toolkit
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I doubt many people whose livelihoods revolve around working at horse shows, or taking clients to horse shows, can just so easily go out and find other types of work.
“And some people may have to adjust their lifestyle for awhile when they’re not making what they were used to.”
If trainers all over the country suddenly decided to adjust things to make up for the lack of horse show income because they can no longer take clients to shows, I’d be alarmed at what could suddenly happen to the level of horse care in the industry.
We, as clients, some of whom are 1%'ers can certainly adjust lifestyles. I am certain that not too many who live pay check to pay check working concessions or vendors or grooms or ring crew, etc etc have THAT much wiggle room in their lifestyles. Those are the very same people who may not find it so easy to just go out and find other work suddenly.
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I have not heard of trainers in this area up charging clients to make up for no horse shows. But I am a haul in client. However, I’m 98% sure my trainer has not done this.
In Texas, there are many companies laying people off. Unemployment is quite high. We have the double whammy of the oil & gas market being in the crapper. Not so simple to just go find another job. Would be nice if it was truly that easy.
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I’ve happily paid an increase that amounts to 20% per month since we are now paying tack/untack fees since this started. Tack/Untack is currently mandatory until things seem safer. For me, it was a satisfactory price to pay to be able to continue riding and lessoning mostly uninterrupted by Covid 19. I don’t know the margins for most boarding/showing barns but I would think that hardly amounts to the amount of income lost in day care/training/ring ride fees pros make at horse shows if I just add up the simple math on that.
If there is going to be an ongoing closure of horse shows situation, that 20% upcharge is not nearly enough to make up for normal operating income for most barns I am aware of. Not to mention the lack of horse sale commissions happening now b/c people are not traveling for trials as well as some people are in a holding pattern on major cash expenditures.
I absolutely think there are SOME that will be able to go out and find other work, as your bartender friend has so adeptly done, but I for sure think there are MANY that wont be able to just flip a switch and change gears so easily. Skillsets are not always adaptable and jobs are not plentiful, as evidenced by the current unemployment numbers.
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To answer your question about the herpes virus notification to exhibitors, no. They do not tell us what barn or classes. Below is the information the facility/horse show manager posted on their FB page regarding the recent incident over the Winter Series. No details about who or where on the grounds whatsoever. Whether or not they were releasing that information to individual trainers, is another question entirely. When my barn’s email went out to the clients, there was no detail there either about who and where on the grounds the sick horse was located. I only learned because the gossip tree is strong. My ammy friends who ride in other barns also heard through the grapevine.
Horse people are notoriously secretive about ailments related to their horses, for obvious reasons. I’d have little faith that should a Covid-19 case be attributed to the horse show taking place that anyone would be adequately and effectively be contact traced.
Great Southwest Equestrian Center
February 14 ·
Please call our office with any concerns, as our show management team is better able to assist than our social media team.
Amy Uniss, GM - 281-578-7669 or auniss@gswec.com
You may also call our show vets Dr. De Cillo or Dr. Quast at 979-826-2852.
Thank you
Ah but this is the American way, is it not? The company you work for implodes, oh well, sucks to be you.
I mean - don’t get me wrong - it does suck. I hate that we structure things this way. I think it’s destructive. But I also think people in the horse industry aren’t uniquely screwed here, and if anything, horses are always a dicey way to make a living. I have been there and done that myself, and y’all, we need to remember working in the horse industry means we’re just one accidental kick away from losing our livelihood. Or heck, even a bad step. You lose your job, and you lose your health insurance, if you had it, in the same moment.
It’s not just horse people either. It’s sure a lousy time to be a musician, just as an example. Or even an executive at a large retailer. Some of those people may never get that work again either.
What will make the economy come back is getting the virus under control. The more careful we are, the sooner and stronger the economy will come back. There is no other way. Simply telling businesses to reopen does not mean customers will come. This is a group project and we will be graded based on the worst person in the group.
People in the horse industry should be acutely aware that government restrictions are easy days compared to no one having disposable income to ride horses or show. Every one of us depends on the people we serve having money to spend with us. As a lack of demand ripples through the economy, even upper income people may stop showing, depending on their personal situation. People who are normally secure, like university professors, are at risk. People who keep their jobs may end up with less leisure time as they try to hold their organization together.
Horse show workers temporarily out of work may be able to find jobs doing deliveries and the like. Or, it might be time to consider if this is the right path to hold to forever.
Really, it sucks for everyone. But you can’t reason with a virus. All we can do is isolate it and shun it and block it until it is no longer a threat. If we can do that while having horse shows, that would be lovely, but it will only work if everyone is really thoughtful about everything they do, which includes not only the mechanics of entering the ring at the show grounds but also restaurants and public restrooms and the rest. We all need to look out for each other.
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@poltroon I’ve hated group projects ever since I got stuck in a loser group in the third grade. We were supposed to make a wikiup to add to the class Chumash village. Realizing that we were never going to finish the dang thing, I suggested to the group that we pose our villager as though he was working on his partially-completed wikiup. The teacher was NOT pleased; apparent she had counted on me being the motivating force in the group. Sadly, I don’t have a similarly brilliant idea for the current crises.
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It’s really too bad life is a group project, and we’re all stuck with being brought down by the worst in the group. I’m with you. Group projects suck.
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I agree it has little to do with the individual US citizens, and I really didn’t mean to imply that. Nor do I mean to say exery state has responded poorly. I’m referring to the broader state and federal governing bodies on average. It is not one small show really. There have been whole states (with the worst numbers) that have fully reopened. The public attitude on average, especially in certain states, appears much more cavalier about Covid as a whole. Even the states that have tight regulations, as you stated, took way too long to respond to the crisis. It starter much later in Canada, which is why we may not seem that different. However, this is definitely a generalization and there are areas/individuals who are being incredibly careful and courteous. Similarly, there are Canadians who are acting like idiots during this. At times it is important to make generalizations. Quebec as a province has handled this crisis poorly in my opinion but the vast majority of Canadian policies have been far better than most US states.
I’m just pointing out that your state approving certain activities DOES NOT MEAN it is actually safe or in any way evidence based. Do your research from credible sources.
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I was there and reported early on. This was my takeaway from the whole thing:
[LIST=1]
So, I think there is a way to horse show, but I also think it’s going to be a lot of baby sitting for horse show management & officials. If I had the option to sit it out, I honestly would. Not worth the money. Not worth the time. Not nearly as fun (and this show was pretty $$ for a schooling show). However, if you have to go or WANT to - it can be done & you do sort of get used to it.
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Thank you for that detailed report! I’m probably waiting until the fall and hoping things have settled into some sort of new routine that isn’t too bad.
Grooms having to wear masks for 10-12 hours per day is tough. I wonder if they would consider allowing them not to wear masks while in their own barn aisle (and hopefully observing social distancing.) Once outside their own aisle, definitely require masks.
Yes, I thought it was strange that this show was pretty much the same $$$ as an A show. A little cheaper but not that much.
It was my understanding that they were going to try to do more of the longer schooling shows this summer. Did you get a sense that the trainers who attended thought the show was worth it and would support more shows of this nature?
Oh, well, that is a description of the abysmal (but not surprising) behavior that is bound to occur when people are willing to ignore CDC guidelines in the first place.
Just sickening to hear.
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I don’t think the - not following rules - thing is specific to CDC guidelines. How many threads do we have about stuff like dogs not on a leash or people lunging where they are not supposed to.
In a large group there will always be some who do not think the rules apply to them. Even when the rules are from the CDC.
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she wants to do another next week, actually before Tyler as well. If it’s the only option - yes, people will attend & they are just hoping the guidelines loosen. However, most I talked to still have out of state summer plans like Tryon, Chicago, Traverse City, and KY right now until those cancel. And if those don’t go - I think there could be more people going to GSWEC if it wasn’t too hot.
Very sad to hear about the poor behavior of all involved. The horse community is going to look so incredibly ignorant and privileged when (not if) an outbreak occurs at a show.
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