American dressage show question from a non-American

[KyrieNZ]

Hiya

I’m a New Zealander and while I have been to the States, I have questions. I love dressage, and love learning more about it, whether it be training, or how shows are run in other countries. So, if you don’t mind, after reading your prize lists*, I’d love to know the answers to these questions:

How many arenas are in use? I see two judges are named. We usually have about 6 to 8 arenas running depending whether it is a local one day event, or a two/three day festival/tournament. Nationals, North/South Islands and Horse of the Year are three to five days long.

Nightwatch - I’m guessing this is stable security? I love that idea!!

RV hookups - can you stay on the grounds without hooking up? We have a lot of trucks and trailers with accommodation, and most are self sufficient so don’t need to book a powered site.

Sharps disposal - what. the. actual? Or are the majority of riders diabetics and need insulin?

We don’t tend to yard or stable at a one day show, just tie up to the trailer with a haynet when not competing. Is that an option at one day shows, or are ALL horses stabled at all shows?

How do you guys afford to compete?? Looking at one prize list, I estimated it would cost me $387 to do two tests. That said, I found a festival where three tests would cost me $513 which I strangely don’t think is that bad in comparison (yes, I’m blonde, sometimes my logic is flawed).

Why do you have to pay qualifying fees?

I’m sure I’ll find more things to ask about.

• we call them schedules or programmes

[Fiesta01]

Haven’t shown in years. Just wanted to say hi and that I’m sure someone knowlegeable will chime in when the East Coast wakes up.

ETA - When I showed, Nightwatch was checking on horses well-being. I always just tied to trailer for 1 day shows. I don’t know how anyone affords to show now. It used to be no more than $25 per class back in my day. Never had need for sharps disposal then either. Who knows why it would be so common now. I wouldn’t normally have been giving maintenance type meds at a show ground.

[sheltona01]

The number of arenas depends on the show. Some have 1 some have 8 or more.

Nightwatch is someone who checks on the horse in the middle of the night to make sure they are good. Sometimes will give additional hay.

We don’t really have horseboxes here, so things have to be plugged in or have a generator. Hooks up also include water.

No the sharps boxes are for any needles and such.

Most people don’t haul into shows for a day. Even if they do, they get a stall. I use to haul into dressage shows and I was the only one out of several hundred competitors that would leave my horse in the trailer. It is also dependent on the level of show and if stalls are available. If it is a 1 day schooling show, than most would do the same. Otherwise it was a lot easier to have a stall for the 2 to 3 day shoes.

When I showed, I budgeted at least $800 per show including travel cost.

[soloudinhere]

Our favorite night watch team will also feed horses in the morning, so your piggy horse who feels he needs to be fed first before anyone else will not take the barn down and start his day all in a tizzy.

[Mersidoats]

Some shows have only one arena, some have 4 or more. Our regional and National comps have many arenas.

Some people bring an RV or a trailer with living quarters. You have to pay for a hookup if you bring an RV. I suppose your could try to boondock, but that might make you persona non grata with the show management. Others just show off the trailer snd take themselves and the horses home for the night after showing. You usually have to pay a grounds fee if you don’t get a stall. Some of the bigger shows make stalls required for the duration. That can be expensive.

Qualifying fees are paid if you want to submit your scores as qualification for regional championships - only for the last test of the level, and you have to hit a certain score. So if you don’t make the score, it’s $15 down the drain. Kind of sucks.

I think sharps disposal is required per insurance…? Most of us are not jabbing our horses left and right.

How do we afford to show? Credit cards

[joiedevie99]

[quote=“KyrieNZ, post:1, topic:771091”]
How many arenas are in use? [/quote]

Anywhere from 1 to 10 depending on the show.

@KyrieNZ

Nightwatch - I’m guessing this is stable security? I love that idea!!

Yes, they check on the horses every few hours. Most will fill water or throw hay too.

@KyrieNZ

RV hookups - can you stay on the grounds without hooking up?

This is up to show management. Oftentimes, no.

@KyrieNZ

Sharps disposal - what. the. actual?

This is for whatever you need - humans or horses. It used to be fairly common to see people giving Adequan or Legend or an NSAID at the big shows, where horses are often stabled for a full week without turnout.

@KyrieNZ

We don’t tend to yard or stable at a one day show, just tie up to the trailer with a haynet when not competing. Is that an option at one day shows, or are ALL horses stabled at all shows?

This is up to show management. Many multi-day shows in my area require you to pay for a stall. Some allow you to show off the trailer if you pay a ship-in fee. Some of our local shows don’t offer stabling, so everyone shows off the trailer. It’s really area specific.

[BrendaJane]

@KyrieNZ

Sharps disposal - what. the. actual? Or are the majority of riders diabetics and need insulin?

if only…

[Janet]

Sharps disposal-
The USEF (US National Federation) requires “sharps disposal” and ALL shows ( regardless of discipline) run under USEF rules , from Andalusian to Western. They are for disposal of any needles, but in most cases they are for injections given to the horses. At some shows (not typically Dressage shows) horses are on the show grounds for 6 or more weeks in a row, so it could be anything from vaccinations, Coggins draws, IV fluids, antibiotics, local anesthetic, to tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, and steroids.

[JenEM]

I’ll answer as someone on the US east coast who does usually ship in to dressage shows. I’m generally only doing 3-4 recognized shows per year, and all are under 90 minutes of where I board. I just did the math on my GMO’s spring show, and it would cost me roughly $180 to ship in and show for the day, doing two tests. (Not counting my personal truck/insurance/fuel costs.)

Where I am, it is more common for people to ship in for the day, due to proximity of shows–that’s probably less common somewhere like CA or TX, where people are hauling much farther. But many people like the option to show both days of a weekend, so they stable rather than hauling back and forth; many weekend shows here operate as two separate shows (ie, Spring Show 1 on Saturday and Spring Show 2 on Sunday) so that competitors can use scores towards year end or championships qualifying more easily.

Number of rings varies per show, usually based on the number of entries the show has historically had, or the ring space available. The big charity show here every June usually runs 5 rings because it’s at a massive facility with a lot of ring space. Other local recognized shows have 2 or 3 rings, depending on space.

As Janet posted, the sharps container thing is a national governing body requirement. I don’t think it’s as commonly used at dressage shows, where horses are often only staying for 1-2 nights over a weekend, as things like hunter/jumper shows, where they often stable for a whole week and often get some kind of NSAID.

[poltroon]

When I lived in Los Angeles, I often shipped in for the day to the multi-day shows at LAEC, which was quite near our barn. For a multiday show, I’d do something like sign up for tests on Friday and Sunday. The prize list had a grounds fee if you didn’t have a stall, but it was much more convenient for me not just for the direct costs to the show but because then I didn’t have to pay to bed the stall or spend my time setting up, and my tack was conveniently located on my trailer.

I also always did one day local shows from the trailer.

However, none of that would have been convenient (or even possible) without my own truck and trailer. If I had to hire hauling, a stall and staying for the whole show probably would have been necessary.

Whether hauling-in will be a comfortable or pleasing arrangement can depend on the logistics of the venue. Not all parking areas are created equal. Ask someone familiar with the specific location about whether hauling in is practical, or visit another show date before entering.

[KyrieNZ]

@Mersidoats

I suppose your could try to boondock, but that might make you persona non grata with the show management.

What is boondock? One horse show venue in New Zealand has EIGHT power plugs so most of our trucks & trailers are self sufficient.

[soloudinhere]

Staying on someone’s property without hookups.

Self sufficient is fine but some properties do not have insurance that allows for people to camp there. Some towns don’t allow it. We don’t do temporary corrals or any of that sort of thing at horse shows here as there is rarely any room to do so.

[eightpondfarm]

@soloudinhere

We don’t do temporary corrals or any of that sort of thing at horse shows here as

i wish it was more of a thing. i sure would prefer it.

[lorilu]

RE Temp paddocks: I think it depends on the discipline. At the Florida Horse Park, there are temp corrals set up when there is a combined training event, or a competitive trail ride/ endurance ride. Have not seen them for dressage shows, but lets face it, how many of us would trust our horse in a temp corral over night?

Some show grounds have paddocks you can use; I know there are now paddocks at the FHP and WEC also has them (and I see many posts on facebook asking if there is one someone can use for a day, or someone has one they arent using this week…)

[eightpondfarm]

i think they do them here…temporary pole stalls underneath a temporary tent top. And …compulsory to rent a stall, where you tack and keep horses overnight. (because once a horse escaped and ran through the streets and there is no perimeter fencing). Personally, i would trust my own construction around my own trailer more than a would that of a contractor. And at this point, i’m sure i would trailer home at night and come back in the morning even IF i had a ‘stall’ rented.
…but them’s the rules

[KyrieNZ]

Oooh, so much to learn!

Many venues here have permanent pens (small yards) - some covered, some uncovered - with limited stables. We’re all self sufficient when it comes to getting to shows so all gear is kept in trucks/trailers and carried to and fro to horse to tack up.