A question for hunter/jumper folks - show pricing

[Spudsmyguy]

I saw an advertisement on FB for a jumper only non-rated show coming up and checked out the prize list. The number of fees involved just shocked me. The ones that really floored me was the “mandatory schooling fee” of $50 whether you schooled in the ring or not and the post show stall cleaning fee of $50 as well even though competitors were expected to muck their stalls (as they should).

I added up all the fees and guessed at 4 classes (at $40 each) and two bags of shavings for a two day show and all told it came to $550! Holy crap! Is this normal? I posted a comment about it and was told this was pretty much the way it is. This isn’t even a rated show but I hear they’re very well run and have great prizes and I should give it a shot. Yeah, no.

[DawgLady]

I must not be following the math. If you’re doing $160 worth of classes, and two bags of shavings are maybe $20, then you’re saying that the stall + fees equals $370 for a two-day unrated show? How much is the stall alone?

[wanderlust]

Can you go for just a day and work off the trailer? Do you need a stall? Unclear what the other fees might be, but with schooling shows I’ve found you typically get what you pay for. The well-run ones are not inexpensive, but they usually come with good footing, well-designed courses, good prizes, etc.

[Spudsmyguy]

It’s actually a 2-1/2 day show. Stalls are $225, bagged shavings are $13 each, oh and the stall fee for post show is only $35 for shavings and manure disposal, $40 for the mandatory schooling fee, dry camping for the weekend is $100, No haul in’s allowed so can’t just go for one day, $50 office fee per horse, and a 3% credit card “convenience” fee.

[StormyDay]

@Spudsmyguy

I saw an advertisement on FB for a jumper only non-rated show coming up and checked out the prize list. The number of fees involved just shocked me. The ones that really floored me was the “mandatory schooling fee” of $50 whether you schooled in the ring or not and the post show stall cleaning fee of $50 as well even though competitors were expected to muck their stalls (as they should).

I added up all the fees and guessed at 4 classes (at $40 each) and two bags of shavings for a two day show and all told it came to $550! Holy crap! Is this normal? I posted a comment about it and was told this was pretty much the way it is. This isn’t even a rated show but I hear they’re very well run and have great prizes and I should give it a shot. Yeah, no.

The prices don’t seem that high, but what is weird is the mandatory fees on a non-rated show and that they aren’t allowing haul ins. Even really prestigious rated horse shows allow haul ins.
Are you sure they don’t allow them? Usually there’s a haul in fee.

[Spudsmyguy]

@StormyDay

Are you sure they don’t allow them? Usually there’s a haul in fee.

Yep, I’m reading the rules on my other monitor:

17. HAUL-INS: Haul ins will not be allowed.

[Night_Flight]

The mandatory schooling fee wouldn’t bother me too much.

My late mare actually did best at most shows when she wasnt schooled in the ring ahead of her classes, but I’ve been grateful for the opportunity on other horses.

I’ve worked as an in-gate tracking entries on schooling days, and I’ve worked in the show office, and it can be a headache to keep track of how many trips each horse did in the schooling, argue with the person paying the bills about how many schoolings need to be paid for, etc. Sometimes it’s just easier for everyone, competitors included, to just open it up and stop tracking it all. If you don’t want to use it, then you don’t use it, but the opportunity is there for everyone.

[Night_Flight]

I also wonder if the rule about no haul ins is standard procedure, or something designed as a short-term solution to decrease chances of transmitting EHV, etc.

Obviously there’s a risk of exposure regardless, but haul-ins end up grazing all over the place, compared to horses waiting in stalls for most of the day.

[BellaFortuna]

The mandatory schooling fee does not surprise me. Seems to be a norm nowadays. The haul in rule seems odd though; rated shows allow haul ins!

[Spudsmyguy]

This venue discourages haul-ins for all their shows and even for one day shows, requires people to have a stall. Of course there are many who don’t and work out of their trailer (myself included) to get around the stall fee. This show is larger than their normal schooling shows so no working out of the trailers allowed.

[StormyDay]

Interesting. I’d say that the prices aren’t over the top, but the fees they are tacking on make it so.
Also, if they are charging a stall clean out fee, why would you bother cleaning it out yourself? Very strange.

[Mander]

Given that it sounds like they give good payback, it would seem they’re trying to make all of their actual money on stalls.

It’s a shame, because if the venues make money and it’s worth their time, they’ll host more shows. The down side is that people going to local shows are generally those of us who don’t have huge amounts of disposable income to throw at showing. Being able to haul in for a day (or half day even) and enter 2-3 classes and save on stalls/shavings is a really valuable option for a lot of us.

[Spudsmyguy]

I think it’s for the disposal of the manure and shavings once they’re in the bin after you muck out. I guess it’s starting up the tractor, scooping the poop up, and loading it into a container and shipping it out.

[StormyDay]

@Spudsmyguy

I think it’s for the disposal of the manure and shavings once they’re in the bin after you muck out. I guess it’s starting up the tractor, scooping the poop up, and loading it into a container and shipping it out.

Oh my. That’s certainly a strange thing to be charging so much for, but I guess if it works for them….

[DawgLady]

Well, that’s not cheap, but it’s comparable to our little C circuit. They were 2.5 day shows, and I typically had to pay the office around $500 for one horse (and I stayed at home, so no camping/lodging expense).

Sadly, the facility was sold. No more local shows for us. Now we go to A shows and pay a zillion dollars per outing. Le sigh.

[173north]

Some shows in my area aren’t allowing haul-ins right now because of EHV, which I get, but I seriously PRAY this does not become a standard thing.

[Scribbler]

@Spudsmyguy

I saw an advertisement on FB for a jumper only non-rated show coming up and checked out the prize list. The number of fees involved just shocked me. The ones that really floored me was the “mandatory schooling fee” of $50 whether you schooled in the ring or not and the post show stall cleaning fee of $50 as well even though competitors were expected to muck their stalls (as they should).

I added up all the fees and guessed at 4 classes (at $40 each) and two bags of shavings for a two day show and all told it came to $550! Holy crap! Is this normal? I posted a comment about it and was told this was pretty much the way it is. This isn’t even a rated show but I hear they’re very well run and have great prizes and I should give it a shot. Yeah, no.

I expect this reflects what it costs to run a nice show plus make a modest profit which is the whole reason a barn runs a schooling show.

Realize that every commodity including gas and shavings have skyrocketed. And if they need to bring in an extra dumpster for the show shavings that in itself is over $400 here plus fuel surcharges.

I expect the stall mucking fee and no trailer showing are lessons learned in past years about how to reduce chaos.

They charge more, have better prizes, and run a better event. You get what you pay for.

[tatertots]

I know the show you’re talking about, and am attending. I thought it was quite affordable for the experience. It will be my young horse’s first show. It’s well run, fun and attracts a good/professional crowd. Horses get 3-4 days of experience, depending on when you arrive (can arrive on Thursday which is my plan.

Compared to a USEF or even USEF Outreach show, it’s MUCH less expensive!

[Night_Flight]

Also, a lot of competitors these days see that there are shows out there with modern, fancy footing, and decide that they only want to compete at venues with modern, fancy footing.

It’s difficult for the smaller venues (small either size-wise or frequency of shows-wise) to keep up with the fancier places that can afford to inject millions into facility improvements in one shot, especially when the same competitors who want fancy footing get upset about entry fees going up to pay for facility improvements.

[skydy]

I would guess (and hope) that the stall cleaning fee may include the price of disinfecting, as much as is possible, after the horses leave.