Can we talk numbers for a second? Every junior wants to be apart of finals season, but so many are left out due to financial reasons. Realistically, how much would a weekend at equitation finals OR medal finals cost you? (on your own horse) Harrisburg or Maclay type.
I don’t think the cost of the finals is necessarily the issue (unless possibly coming from the west cost). It is the cost of training and competing to get to the finals that prices many out,
I can’t speak for the weekend but just the cost of travel is significant. Not that I would have been competitive anyway, but I elected NOT to try to qualify for the Maclay my last two junior years. Our regional was held in Florida and even if I had driven my own truck and trailer, with gas at $4/gallon, the cost of getting there from Baltimore was absolutely prohibitive.
I was glad to see a sponsorship available to a West Coast rider to bring horse and rider east for Indoors. I imagine that for the left coast the shipping is as much as the horse show.
Straight cost for the USEF Medal Final tomorrow at Harrisburg for a stall, entry fees, and office fees comes to more than $700. That does not include feed or shavings.
Then factor in travel, hotel, braiding, trainer, groom, etc. It adds up fast.
Harrisburg prize list:
http://ryegate.com/SHOWS/PNHS/prize%20list.pdf
If you are from the west coast, or someplace else far away, there is also cost associated with keeping the horse on the east coast/KY for the indoor season, or whatever portion of it you participate in. They can’t be stabled at a show the entire time, so one needs to find a barn where you can keep the horse and the horse can remain in work. And then transport and house the support staff in addition to the horse.
Depending on the cost of a lease, you could spend less money by leasing a horse for the class and not transporting your own from the west coast, or you could spend more. A friend whose daughter did the Maclay had a barn mate that leased a really nice horse one year and she said that horse’s lease fee was probably more than the expenses associated with getting her horse (the horse flew) there.
There’s a reason for the geographic distribution that you see on the start list for the medal tomorrow. If you are coming from the west coast, you figure you have a pretty good chance, you are quite wealthy, or someone is giving you a really nice present. Much easier to show for the sake of doing it if you’re closer.
If you have to ask, you can’t afford it, this is monopoly money territory.
I was forever grateful that my daughter’s trainer paid all the horse cost for both the USEF/Pessoa Medal and the Maclay. I only had to pay for her airfare and entry fees. My daughter was a working student for this trainer during her junior years. She would of never been able to attend if it was not for this trainers generousity.
The eq is less than the hunters or jumpers. Equitation fees are about double what they would be at a regular A show. I think the real cost is getting there: doing the shows to qualify and then transportation to the show.
It’s the hunters that are really insanely exorbitant at $1200.
[QUOTE=Soaponarope;8893734]
The eq is less than the hunters or jumpers. Equitation fees are about double what they would be at a regular A show. I think the real cost is getting there: doing the shows to qualify and then transportation to the show.
It’s the hunters that are really insanely exorbitant at $1200.[/QUOTE]
Apples and oranges, since there is prize money for the hunters and jumpers.
Plus that’s a division fee and they’re showing in more than one class, although that still isn’t cheap!
money
Some riders bring a few backup eq horses… lots of cost 
I just had this conversation with my parents a few weeks ago. As it’s been 10 years now since I qualified for Maclay regionals, we randomly had a sincere talk about it. I had always wished we had leased a better horse for Regionals - not that that would have gotten me qualified for sure, but going in on a horse in their first year at 3’6" at their first indoor show was certainly not putting luck on your side. That being said, in our recent talk, my parents quite openly said they were relieved when I didn’t qualify for finals. The cost of going would likely have been prohibitive.
[QUOTE=MHM;8893801]
Apples and oranges, since there is prize money for the hunters and jumpers.[/QUOTE]
Well sure there is prize money. But it really only makes a dent in the bill of the top two. The others win a nominal amount. The other twenty people pay full price.
I would say just having the horse and training alone would significantly narrow the field. Buying or leasing a “made” eq horse is expensive and paying for a trainer that could take you there is another added expense. Even if you have that, there may be little money left to qualify. Definitely have to have the financial backing to get you there.
[QUOTE=Soaponarope;8894365]
Well sure there is prize money. But it really only makes a dent in the bill of the top two. The others win a nominal amount. The other twenty people pay full price.[/QUOTE]
Yes, but everybody who enters thinks they could be the one to win back some prize money. :lol:
My big eq kids always have a spare horse at a national finals. Braided and warmed up to the last minute. The parents have always understood this rule - I learned from my own BNT to always be prepared. This adds enormously to costs, especially as we usually fly our horses. My stock answer is $20-25K per horse for the equitation finals. Some of our kids stay East for a month, that adds to the cost, while others fly home. Depends on their school.
Handwalk, out of curiosity, do you bring a spare eq horse for each, or a couple of spares for the barn? I know the top barns always have available backup rides in case.
[QUOTE=handwalk;8894696]
My big eq kids always have a spare horse at a national finals. Braided and warmed up to the last minute. The parents have always understood this rule - I learned from my own BNT to always be prepared. This adds enormously to costs, especially as we usually fly our horses. My stock answer is $20-25K per horse for the equitation finals. Some of our kids stay East for a month, that adds to the cost, while others fly home. Depends on their school.[/QUOTE]
Were you in Harrisburg today?
[QUOTE=Soaponarope;8893734]
The eq is less than the hunters or jumpers. Equitation fees are about double what they would be at a regular A show. I think the real cost is getting there: doing the shows to qualify and then transportation to the show.
.[/QUOTE]
Way back in the early 90s, the junior jumpers at Harrisburg were actually free. No entry fee; stall was complimentary. Not sure if it’s still that way.
Alicat, no, our one finalist could not go this year. All the kids want to focus on regional events.
