It doesn’t just feel that way, mathematically, is is. Just for kicks, and because I have a work schedule what would easily allow me to take 2-3 weeks off and go play in the sun, I pulled up the prize lists for both WEF and a local winter A show (Swan Lake) and added up the costs. Doing the Adult Amateur division, the TB Hunters (the 2 Take2 classes at WEF, the TB Hunter division at SL), and a 3’ Adult Medal over the week, plus office, USEF and dry stall fees added up to $948 at WEF and $498 at the local A. That obviously doesn’t include things like trainers fees, daycare, braiding, hay and bedding, etc. But it’s nearly twice the cost to show there versus showing locally at an A, even without the other factors.
But it’s actually not infeasible for me, an average person, if I was to do all my own hauling and care for a week or two, and save up over the year before to pay for it. Now, granted, as an average person on a budget, I would think more than twice about it, and would probably choose to save my money and show at some of the lovely old A shows here later in the year, like Upperville or Rose Mount. Because I could do two of them for what one week at WEF would cost.
Maybe a better question isn’t how to budget, or whether its affordable for the average person to go do, but whether it’s worth it for the average person to go do. Unless you’re in a national division the points don’t count for you, and if you want a nice time in the sun, you’d be better off spending that $948 on a plane ticket to the Bahamas.
