yaya, you’re absolutely right. I hadn’t thought of the incredible heat down south. Why couldn’t we have the southern regionals at an earlier time of year when the weather is nice? The problem is that Florida’s weather is completely different from South Carolina’s. It complicated… 
I totally agree with those who noted that 60 degrees is really nice weather. Sounds perfect to me - with your dressage jacket on, one should be plenty warm enough. Especially once you begin riding.
I also agree that our country is just too big to find a location that everyone will be happy with. This might be one of the reasons that we didn’t have Dressage National Finals for so long.
There are just too many miles between the Pacific and the Atlantic.
If they decided to hold the show in California or Massachusetts, a lot of us just couldn’t go that year but we’d have to accept that and I’m okay with that. I’m not sure there is any one solution that would make everyone happy. . .
[QUOTE=Shagyas Rock;8928120]
I totally agree with those who noted that 60 degrees is really nice weather. Sounds perfect to me - with your dressage jacket on, one should be plenty warm enough.[/QUOTE]
But it will be closer to 32 degrees at 8:30 am for the people with 9 am classes outdoors, where most of the adult amateur championships are. And the outdoor barns don’t warm up much, so if you don’t luck out with the indoor barn lottery, you’re spending a lot of time outside in 40 degree weather taking care of your horse.
I agree that a location that works for everyone is pretty much impossible, but at least they could get weather that works for everyone. Coming from 82 degrees and asking my horse to perform his best in 32 degree weather (that he’s never experienced before) isn’t going to happen again. I’d rather ship or fly from Florida to California to have better weather!
[QUOTE=SerenaGinger;8928248]
But it will be closer to 32 degrees at 8:30 am for the people with 9 am classes outdoors, where most of the adult amateur championships are. And the outdoor barns don’t warm up much, so if you don’t luck out with the indoor barn lottery, you’re spending a lot of time outside in 40 degree weather taking care of your horse.
I agree that a location that works for everyone is pretty much impossible, but at least they could get weather that works for everyone. Coming from 82 degrees and asking my horse to perform his best in 32 degree weather (that he’s never experienced before) isn’t going to happen again. I’d rather ship or fly from Florida to California to have better weather![/QUOTE]
FYI I was just out feeding my horses this a.m. 26 degrees. I did put a sweatshirt on over my polo shirt. Otherwise, didn’t need a jacket.
I suspect my horses would suffer greatly right now having to go to 80 degree temps.
Best to adjust by putting on more blankets and more coats. Than sweating to death
[QUOTE=mjhco;8928351]
I suspect my horses would suffer greatly right now having to go to 80 degree temps.
Best to adjust by putting on more blankets and more coats. Than sweating to death[/QUOTE]
Oh, I definitely didn’t mean that we should find a place that is in the 80’s in November!!! I was just giving that as a perspective, that we are adjusting to 50 degrees colder. We almost never get into the 30’s ever (except maybe three days in January or February), and that going to Lexington in November we are adjusting to temperatures we don’t experience at all, not just the wrong time of year for them!
Somewhere in the middle would be nice, like not getting below 50 and not getting over 65. I think most horses and riders could handle that. Anyone have a magic wand?
[QUOTE=Velvet;8925914]
One place, and have the convention at the same time, in the same place. Why not just FL or Tyron, FL? I know people in CA will freak out…[/QUOTE]
Yep , those folks in California do tend to freak out when the majority of large national and international dressage events are held on the opposite coast. They pay membership dues just like everyone else. California is home to at least 6 Olympians, and has one of the largest GMO’s in the country. Flying to and fro is expensive and many cannot afford it. How many from the east coast would fly to the west to compete, and enjoy great weather ? I can’t think of any who have made the trip…
The West needs to find a suitable site to host the championships! Last proposal was Thermal. Contact your GMO reps.
[QUOTE=Mardi;8928665]
Yep , those folks in California do tend to freak out when the majority of large national and international dressage events are held on the opposite coast. They pay membership dues just like everyone else. California is home to at least 6 Olympians, and has one of the largest GMO’s in the country. Flying to and fro is expensive and many cannot afford it. How many from the east coast would fly to the west to compete, and enjoy great weather ? I can’t think of any who have made the trip…[/QUOTE]
When the high is 59, that means that at 3:00, for an hour, its going to be nice. But your first ride of the day, that you need an hour warm up for, is going to be downright cold. The low for Saturday night is 32. Fun for those stabled outside, especially…
[QUOTE=AZ TD;8928828]
The West needs to find a suitable site to host the championships! Last proposal was Thermal. Contact your GMO reps.[/QUOTE]
You too !
[QUOTE=Mardi;8928665]
Yep , those folks in California do tend to freak out when the majority of large national and international dressage events are held on the opposite coast. They pay membership dues just like everyone else. California is home to at least 6 Olympians, and has one of the largest GMO’s in the country. Flying to and fro is expensive and many cannot afford it. How many from the east coast would fly to the west to compete, and enjoy great weather ? I can’t think of any who have made the trip…[/QUOTE]
It’s not the USDF’s fault that we have so few good venues. If you notice, I did agree with the locations in the middle of the country.
You our need to be willing to travel in a very large country like ours, or move for your sport. It is just how it is. Many west coast people go to FL for the winter to be a part of the winter CDI circuit. It’s just how it is. I’m not making it that way. And unless you’re a billionaire who wants to build a new playground that attracts even top European riders to spend their winters on the west coast, you have to go where the show facilities are.
I still think if people get real, like they do in other horse sports, you’ll realize not everyone can be accommodated by location and if it’s important, you’ll save and plan for it. There are so many other sports where people just suck it up and go. Thinking about eventers.
There is an answer to make people happy - rotate locations, West, Central, East. And there are facilities. We (in the West) host a 300+ Championship every single year. We rotate it North and South. LAEC and MEC. Both have been hosting large shows for years and years. USDF made a decision to not honor the original plan to rotate the Nationals, and then made up facility criteria that make it impossible for it to be anywhere else - believe me, our GMO has tried. It is a hot topic of discussion. Thermal was an attempt to meet the USDF criteria - it is not our best show facility, we are all aware of that.
Mardi is absolutely right - we pay dues, we have a large % of membership, and we are blown off. Every single year. For every single event. Many of our members have dropped their PM - they will only join if they are going for All Breeds or USDF Regionals. We have some of the best riders and horses in the US - look at Young Horse Championships. Even though we were not in the majority in that competition, TWO of our riders took championships, and several were in the top placings. At Nationals, the handful that do go are usually in the top ranks (and many are wild cards!).
This is a sore point for many of us - we pay dues, we financially support these programs, and the organization does not support us. There was a time when USDF was located in a slightly more central location - they made the decision to move south-east without considering how that would affect membership.
If the Western regions split off and created their own Federation, it would be devastating to USDF. Just saying, the western states shouldn’t be totally ignored…
You are supported, you are invited. They tried to centralize it at an international facility that is in their backyard–to help defray costs. I hear the complaints, but I know that for everyone it’s expensive and time consuming unless you actually live in KY. The problem with CA, and yes, FL, is the cost for the humans as well as horses. In KY it is a LOT less expensive once you’re there. The hotels and motels in the region are always prepared for major events, and it costs less than many other places in the US. Now that we have a really nice facility in the middle of the country (in Omaha) maybe we could move them there. I think the costs would be lower and I think that having people from KY go there for that show (organizers) would not be as large a financial burden as in other locations. I think the problem will still be the time of year. I still think it should be in the middle of the year. Have the qualifying show season run from July to June of the next year. Then it could be in the middle of the summer! 
[QUOTE=Velvet;8929065]
I still think if people get real, like they do in other horse sports, you’ll realize not everyone can be accommodated by location and if it’s important, you’ll save and plan for it. There are so many other sports where people just suck it up and go. Thinking about eventers.[/QUOTE]
This is my issue with the timing. I saved and planned to show in a world show as a teen - but was qualified the previous year, and knew what I needed to qualify. Now, you may only have two weeks notice and suddenly have to have the money saved up. Qualifications and the competition itself should be far enough apart to plan. This year, our regionals were earlier relative to the championship show, I think - but they were something like 18 hours away by trailer. If they were close together in timing, it would be unfair to the horses to trailer there THEN trailer to Nationals just after, and spend so much time in a trailer. You can prepare when you know ahead that you are qualified. Set a score at regionals which will qualify rather than just first and second plus some range of “higher scores” who are also invited, and set nationals in the spring with fall qualifying. We all show lower than we train anyway, right? I guarantee you I could do better at the levels lower than where I am now than I could when I was at those levels. So nationals scores should just be expected to be pretty high…
[QUOTE=Velvet;8929270]
You are supported, you are invited. They tried to centralize it at an international facility that is in their backyard–to help defray costs. I hear the complaints, but I know that for everyone it’s expensive and time consuming unless you actually live in KY. The problem with CA, and yes, FL, is the cost for the humans as well as horses. In KY it is a LOT less expensive once you’re there. The hotels and motels in the region are always prepared for major events, and it costs less than many other places in the US. Now that we have a really nice facility in the middle of the country (in Omaha) maybe we could move them there. I think the costs would be lower and I think that having people from KY go there for that show (organizers) would not be as large a financial burden as in other locations. I think the problem will still be the time of year. I still think it should be in the middle of the year. Have the qualifying show season run from July to June of the next year. Then it could be in the middle of the summer! ;)[/QUOTE]
Have to disagree. Not included because of the distance and cost. No invitation is “realistic” when I have to travel all the way across the country. USDF has done plenty of surveys over the years and found the biggest impediment to events is travel cost/time. The biggest cost of going to Nationals is transportation of horse and rider. I don’t know what you are talking about with other costs - stabling is pretty much the same at all these facilities. Hotels - I use the hotels near MEC to house clinicians and faculty for events all the time - $89/night for a nice hotel with free parking, excellent hotel restaurant - so what am I going to save by going to KY? $20/night? That offsets the cost of transport? Not even close. And that is why Nationals will never truly be “national”.
Reality - the cost of moving a few USDF staff around is WAY less then the cost of moving all the horses and riders around. And USDF already does that for their annual meetings - they beebop all over the US - look at their travel costs, it is not a huge part of their budget. The only real way to make it fair is to rotate locations - that is reality.
Member organizations need to take care of their MEMBERS to be successful. Look at any member organization - they all recognize that.
We disagree. Period.
And NOW USEF is going to hold the NAJYRC in SAUGERTIES for 2017
I guess USDF Region 8 was successful with their boycott of the NAJYRC in Colorado.
So, no one even likes the idea of Omaha, based on another posters review that shows it is nearly in the middle? You want it in your own backyard or you won’t play? Is that what I’m hearing?
I should add, not talking about the timing and planning, just the location.
[QUOTE=Velvet;8929543]
So, no one even likes the idea of Omaha, based on another posters review that shows it is nearly in the middle? You want it in your own backyard or you won’t play? Is that what I’m hearing?[/QUOTE]
I must have missed the post which showed it had enough stabling and arenas for this.
Omaha does not have a facility to run all those rings they need for the Finals.
Why is this show even an issue? The people who go from my state are only the wealthiest, not the best, competitors. This is a show for those who can afford a $6-7,000 horse show! It is not a competition of the best of the best.
A double stall will cost you about $800, plus the mat rental ($200) plus the shavings (small bags at $10 per bag–last year people bought 20 bags)($200), plus the show fees (600?) plus the hotel (at least $150 per night for 4-5 nights), plus the shipping ($3,000+) plus meals ($200 minimum) plus trainers costs and expenses (if you bring one and most did), plus gas or car rental (?) plus if you want to buy a table or seats for the dinner. Some people pay more (I heard that a few people flew their horses in for the competition and some flew in family members and/or themselves). Who can afford this? It was a crazy idea in the first place!
I like TwoRoads’ analysis. Do the travel times account for traveling over the Rockies? Even if they do, I have to assume that’s a much harder drive than driving from the east coast.
In addition, given the size of California, I would imagine there are more GMO members there than in all of New England. It does seem that the west coast members are being left out in the cold (pun intended, based on the comments on the weather).
