I guess the point I was making wasn’t geared towards green horses, but more like, a trainer wasn’t going to put three rides on your horse all year so you could show up and pose on a totally finished ride. And that is what I see a more of these days. And I get it, even with money, time can be scarce, I just think it’s creating a rider pool with fewer skills and thus, 2’6” and/or first level is where 90% of riders top out.
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The author of the article asked a professional their opinion. The professional gave their opinion. The author used as an example a friend who worked 4 jobs in order to show. The author felt it wasn’t worth it for herself. It wouldn’t be worth it to me. But apparently it’s worth it to that friend. That doesn’t make working 4 jobs right or wrong. Without knowing who the professional was we cannot know their background. Many good horse people are not good with words. I don’t think I can criticize them for a brief response to a complicated question from a journalist.
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The main cost driver for rated shows is the weeklong format and the associated costs of providing a home away from home for the horses: stall, tack/storage/grooming splits, day care, hay/bedding (at marked up prices), etc. There is just not much room to get creative within the confines of this format: if a competent competitor doesn’t have to work and can be there all day each day, one could opt out of day care, stable by oneself to avoid splits, and bring one’s own hay/bedding, but that is about it. Even if your horse arrives on a Friday, you still have to pay the for the stall for the full week. The weeklong format in and of itself makes rated shows vastly more expensive compared to recognized dressage shows, recognized eventing, and unrated h/j shows. And it is not necessary: the other Olympic disciplines and the unrated h/j shows have weekend-only or one day shows, so rated shows could adopt that format as well. I acknowledge that rated shows are big business and as long as they have enough competitors, the shows will resist changing. But, if they lose enough volume they will be motivated to innovate, and changing to a weekend format would automatically lower costs for competitors at no loss of quality of the showing experience: the majority of the juniors and amateur competitors are already only there on Sat/Sun anyway.
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Yes! Europe does it well. I get so jealous hearing how they can trailer in, pay 15-30 euro for a class, and that’s it! I know people who buy young horses for cheap and pay to keep it over there for training before importing it because they get loads of experience for a fraction of the price.
It can be done for our discipline and it’s just so incredibly frustrating that we can’t seem to make it happen over here. (Granted Europe does have the luxury of lots of horse infrastructure and show grounds within daytrip travel distance, especially in the winter)
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A lot of rural things have been gobbled up. I remember as a child in Atlanta some of my school friends and church friends had horses in their backyards. They’d hack to the local shows.
Lesson barns in suburbia.
As a young adult I saw these backyard barns and pastures start disappearing, along with the suburban lesson barns, which moved farther and farther north until I said that before many more years they’d all end up in Tennessee.
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The thing is, we did have it over here. For decades there were rated local and lower rated regional shows that were the prime training grounds for riders and horses alike. Local shows held classes beyond the 3’6" level and could be quite competitive. The “set up at a single show grounds for months” model is the (relatively) newer model. There was a time when riders could trailer in, show, and leave within a day or two. There was no need for what amounts to a mobile boarding situation that exists at some show or another 80% of the time.
A few years ago the Chronicle ran an interview, “A Conversation With Katie Prudent: U.S. Show Jumping Has Become Dummied Down,” that was, in some ways, a backhand to every amateur who could and did still ride but couldn’t afford to show at the higher levels. In it, Katie seems to say that showing today is about trainer coddling and who has the most money. https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/conversation-katie-prudent/
Jennifer Baas brilliantly responded in her letter, “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: An Amateur’s Letter To Katie Prudent,” To quote Jen:
"I was crushed because I finally realized that riding at the level I wanted to simply wasn’t possible for someone with my limited financial means.
When you talk about needing to have riders who have had a background in hard work, horsemanship, and the experience of sitting on a ton of different horses, I want to wave my hands and say “I was here! I’ve been here all along! And so have many of my dear friends! You just never saw us!” https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/amateurs-letter-to-katie-prudent/
The reality is that it’s the show world that changed, not us. Ann Glavin mentioned the belief by some in the show world that all we need to show is to “work harder” and find a creative solution to an insane modern system. I dare say many more of us would still be showing today if the model hadn’t so radically altered from what was available not that long ago. We could train our own horses, have our lives, and still get our show kicks at quality local and regional shows. Instead, we live in a time when a week of showing is in the five figures, horse prices have sky rocketed out of control, and trainers who stay home long enough for us to take lessons are becoming more and more scarce. Work harder… to gain what, exactly? Debt? Health issues?
It’s so frustrating that working amateurs who dropped showing are considered (by some in the show world, at least) unambitious and lazy. That the decision to forego a life of ramen and sleeping in trailers or years as hardworking grooms who may someday get to show was the smarter option to building a career and living with horses as a bonus, not the primary driver. I’ve come to the realization that it’s a case of, “if they really wanted us, they’d find a way.” They clearly don’t want us, so why should we run ourselves ragged trying to keep up?
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Wow - yes. That 2017 article has really got my blood up. I’m close to A shows (they’re not hacking distance, but about 5 minles away), but no longer show. When I realized the cost of campaigning a horse in the hunters for a year, I realized how much more good I could do with the same money. That realization has no bearing on my work ethic or horsemanship, but rather on just how expensive horse showing (at least in hunter/jumpers) has become.
There was the year at HITS Thermal when I was mid-circuit reserve champion. The only thing I got from that show with the date on it was a pair of socks. Not the ribbons, not the cooler. Why should I bother, really?
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And as was mentioned, the wealth doesn’t always have the natural talent. It won’t help anyone in the hunter divisions, but once our jumpers (and dressage riders and eventers) prove that they’re not the most talented despite their money, the national organizations may begin to care because we won’t be able to field competitive teams for international competitions. Maybe at that point, the grassroot levels will become important, and funded, again.
ETA: Not talking about our current competitors who appear to be doing quite well, but as they age out of the sport, the PTB may find the current system untenable for our international goals.
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Somehow, everything in this country just keeps getting bigger and fancier and corporatized and more expensive with more rules and fees and memberships and we can’t seem to get enough of it.
That Pruitt article and rebuttal were written in 2017 and nothing has changed, it’s just gotten worse. I can’t even stand to spectate at a rated show anymore—it all feels so fake and gross and stupid, actually, to me, the whole thing of horse showing at that level just seems so stupid.
I didn’t renew my COTH subscription when a few years ago they we’re covering big eq and a medal winner who rode at a famous big eq barn, who owned a few horses, who I won’t name because they were 17, said ‘we don’t have money…’ And I just thought, ‘sweetheart, if you can walk in the door at that big eq barn you have money, trust me.’ The disconnect in the show horse world to the real world is so fundamental, and so messed up, I didn’t want to associate with it anymore. It’s like a weird cult or something.
Anyone read the recent article in the NYT about a woman making over $70k a year in Seattle who along with her daughter was homeless because she couldn’t afford an apartment? They slept in the car in a church parking lot and showered in bathrooms at parks. One day (the reporter was following them) there was a horse show at the park and the description of the teenagers in fancy boots leading around horses with meticulous grooming while the homeless woman walked to the bathroom to shower was so cringe-inducing. And I immediately identified with the homeless person.
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This is a huge part of it–prices on a lot of things have gone up exponentially since 2017, and salaries have not. Things where providers like barns and vets and farriers and shows are able to set their own costs to reflect what it’s actually costing them have gone up accordingly, but that salary I make has gone up roughly 3.5% a year which doesn’t touch a lot of those other increases.
So while at one time I was able to do half a dozen or more rated shows a year–enough for a couple of Zone awards on my previous mare–I’m going to stick with doing mostly local stuff with my current horse, and pick a couple rated shows a year (Upperville and MD Horse & Pony, probably). Because I am, thankfully, somewhere with a lot of good local shows, often at the same facilities as A shows–why should I pay A show pricing when I can haul in for the day and show, for less than just fees at the A would cost me? Doing that, I can afford to show almost once a month, and spread my fun throughout the year.
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Roger Brown’s annual Brownwood Halloween show was last week at Willa, run by CCO. To your point, GA has it going on! The local shows sell out, there is a HUGE community effort to stabilize and renew Wills Park (the new footing is phenomenal), there were 2 well attended local shows last week - HJ Fox was at the usual GIHP and Brownwood was at Wills. What is. nice about the Cheryl and Co (CCO) shows is that they use the same jumps at local shows as at rated shows, so it’s a great place to expose your green horses and riders to gain some affordable experience. I love how all the Georgia Show local show managers (and even the rated) celebrate champion/reserve champion with a ribbon + something else. The classic win awards can also be quite nice. Last week there were 15 or 16 horses in the modified - it’s been really fun to take my green horse and see how he’s coming along. There’s no need to pay rated entry fees if he’s NQR as far as lead changes and those little things that make the difference between a 75 and an 85, and the local shows have been a great proving grounds for us. Bonus points that the new GGT footing is truly phenomenal. I love our thriving GA show scene!
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Ah yep, looks like the barn did both and did a single Show Post on instagram so I was confused about HJ Fox. I keep up with most GHJA stuff through instagram these days lol.
Suffice to say, the local show scene is thriving in Atlanta right now - but that is not the case everywhere. Perhaps as people start to cut back on expenses due to inflation, we may see a resurgence of local stuff. NCHJA just held its first C finals this year, so I’m hoping to see that thrive!
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I do too (also totally expect it not to pass) - I believe it could potentially help revive the B/ C shows which would (hopefully) drive the costs down somewhat. We have loads of lovely schooling shows here that I think could be rated with little effort if some of the extraneous requirements were repealed (well the mileage rule may have to go too for that to work). Sigh - it’s a pipe dream but I think it would be worth a year or two trial to see how it effects the grassroots level / if it raises participation significantly.
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I’ll add another issue. I live in an area with a thriving local circuit. However, if you want to go to a barn that attends those they will be a lesson mill. Now they may be a GOOD lesson mill, but that means when I get off work I either cannot ride, or must ride around a group lesson of 4-6 students, who may or may not be able to steer. I get it that’s how they make their money, but it’s NOT fun if you just wanna do a flipping circle and work your horse, or when you spend 1/2 your ride standing in the middle as they do a course.
So my choices are. Full service A barn that’s lovely and wonderful but damn near a mortgage. Or do it myself, and now I need a truck trailer (truck used is gonna be over 50k if you can find one), find a trainer I can trailer to or just don’t show. I don’t know, I’m planning to do one season as an Adult Ammie so I can say I did it. Then probably that’s it.
I understand the above the shows don’t really care, and they don’t really need to. It may be that they won’t realize until it’s too late, or it may be that we’re all just ticked we’re getting pushed out but we’re not actually needed. Not sure which it is really. Guess we’ll find out.
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Oh, you ride REAL hunters.
(Sorry, couldn’t resist.) 
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This is what I’ve noticed in my area. It wasn’t that the show organizers didn’t want to offer the reasonably priced shows - it’s that once a facility two hours away invested millions in upgrades (due to the owner having money), the trainers wouldn’t come to the local shows anymore until they matched the footing at that venue two hours away.
Local shows aren’t making enough money to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in one shot putting the latest footing technology in 3 show rings. They tried to entice riders with prizes and fun classes, but in the end, the numbers dwindled because the trainers took their clients two hours away instead, and the local shows died out.
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Exactly this. I like taking greenies to the horse park for a local show to get the rated atmosphere- but sometimes Get On and Off The Trailer and Trot Around The Warmup is all we are actually trying to practice. That’s perfect for a one day local show - and ours used to be packed with kids half leasing a lesson horse for the day. We had so much fun!
There’s a few little day show circuits around here, and yeah the courses can be a little weird but I call that Equitation Practice. Or Trot Fence Practice. It’s totally fine, and worth it to get off property for the day IMO.
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When I was still showing, I think this was a big reason why I enjoyed dressage so much more. In my area, there are still pretty low-key dressage shows (I do understand the logistics are less cumbersome than shows with jumping), and it’s nice for people just starting out get off property to do some simple tests and go home. I mean, I don’t wanna go to a big fancy show to do Intro C and Training Level 1.
I run, and most people get their feet wet (no pun intended) at local races doing 5Ks, 10Ks, then a half-marathon, then maybe move up to a marathon. I’m willing to bet fewer people would be running marathons if there were nothing BUT marathons, and only big city marathons (which have costly entry fees and require travel) at that. But in a lot of areas, especially h/j, that’s pretty much how it is, and I also think the stress of a big venue, plus the cost, is why people are so obsessed with everything being perfect.
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I know! I remember riding our horses from the barn near Jones Bridge Road/Old Alabama Road all the way to Wills Park to show - and then riding them back home! And spending half a day or more riding through all the woods and fields in the Alpharetta area - almost all of which are now built up with estate homes or subdivisions or shopping centers or office parks, as are most of the farms I boarded at through the years. There are only a few of the very high end barns left but they are surrounded by suburbia and remain only because they are priced too high for developers to “repurpose.”
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I think one of the aspects that makes this sport so expensive in the US compared to Europe is the complete and paralyzing dependence US riders have on trainers and being in a “program”.
Show expenses double when you factor in paying a trainer, required grooming, required “splits” that rarely benefit you, hotel and expenses for staff, trailering, tipping, etc.
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