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Eventing Pet Peeves?

Eventing
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#61

Oh god, that drives me nuts. BNRs have this air of entitlement and think the rules don’t apply to them. The competitor’s program and info specifically said NO DOGS for GMI this weekend, and there had to have been at least 10 loose dogs running around the stabling area. When one of my volunteers pointed out to a groom that her dog was being a nuisance and that it said “no dogs” in the program, she snidely responded, “rules are made to be broken.” Srsly? Get over yourself!

One little ankle-biter kept trying to sneak into the riders’ tent (where the catered food was), and we were constantly shooing him out. The sheriff was sitting right in plain view and could call up the health department to fine the caterer for violating health codes by allowing animals in an eating area.

[QUOTE=FitToBeTied;8743510]Related to volunteers it is a pet peeve that some eventers including many BNR/BNT never volunteer. I’ve know some people that in 20 years of eventing never volunteer. I know and have heard all the excuses about you don’t have time, etc. because it will cut into your competition schedule but I saw some of these very same people walking around Great Meadows this weekend. So you have time to come watch and do the parties but not time to volunteer.

It really irks me to hear eventers complain about volunteers when they are not willing to do it themselves. I heard this several times on Sunday.

This is what drove me out of volunteering about five years ago and seeing that nothing has changed means it may be five years before I do it again. So next year, I’ll take up the invites to the tail gates instead of volunteering.[/QUOTE]

Ditto. It makes me see red when I hear complaints from these BNRs who have NEVER volunteered a day in their lives. Don’t get me wrong, some are very gracious and courteous, but lately I’ve noticed more and more of them are becoming spoiled brats who think we’re only there to serve them. I got maybe three "thank you"s at the end of the weekend at GMI. Instead, I got attitude from dear Boyd Martin because I wouldn’t let him have his passports back until he settled his tab with the show. Never mind the fact that I personally took unpaid leave from my regular job to do this, and many of the volunteers used up vacation time to drive up and stay in hotels just so they could help out… oh no, we are only here to make YOU happy, BNR.

It makes me truly sad to see our sport becoming this way.

#62

[QUOTE=FrittSkritt;8743688]

It makes me truly sad to see our sport becoming this way.[/QUOTE]

We wanted prize money, and we wanted the horses to be more valuable, we wanted sponsors and owners and then we wonder why we are now basically the same as the sports where those things are the norm.

#63

As a graduate Pony Clubber, I can’t stand dirty tack at a competition. I’m an amateur that works multiple jobs to finance my horse addiction, so I can relate to not being able to clean it after every ride at home, although I do make an attempt to clean it somewhat regularly at least … But when you’re at a competition, you need to show up with reasonably clean tack.

That said, other than the occasional offender at an unrecognized event, I think most eventers at least wipe their tack off when they compete!

#64

[QUOTE=soloudinhere;8743607]
I haven’t volunteered recently because it seems like events are starting to shortchange volunteers even more than they used to.

You can throw a competitor party complete with a catered meal for riders, but I get an $8 lunch voucher for standing in the sun from 7am to 4pm?

You used to get t shirts, an invite to comepetitors party, or a free entry to an event/clinic with a rider/ free xc schooling, or sometimes all of that. Now you get issued one bottle of water, a radio, and told to find your way out at the end of the day. Maybe you get fed if you’re lucky.[/QUOTE]

This is on the venue then, not eventing as a whole. I volunteered a LOT on the West Coast and each time was given a nice lunch, a ride to (and if possible, from as well) the general area of my XC jump, sunscreen, and a voucher for the facility to use for schooling or show fees.

#65

I think brown dressage saddles have an “eventer-y” feel; to me they evoke that whole independent-minded, anti-hunter “everyone looks the same theme”. Plus some horses just can’t wear black :lol:.

#66

[QUOTE=AKB;8741604]
Grace, I have to disagree with you on the value of clean tack. Some eventers work a lot of hours. If you are working 60 hours per week, riding the horse takes priority, in my mind, over cleaning tack. My friend used to not ride her horse during the week before an event because she had to clean her tack. Her prioritizing clean tack over riding the horse was one of my pet peeves. As long as the horse is well cared for, fit, and well shod, dirty tack doesn’t bother me.[/QUOTE]

You’ll only feel this way until the moment your billets wear out or the stitching on your stirrup leathers gives way over a jump on XC. I run my own business, am busy raising two small children, and have horses and home, and I still find time to clean my tack. It’s a safety issue as much as a point of pride.

#67

[QUOTE=Fergs;8743770]
You’ll only feel this way until the moment your billets wear out or the stitching on your stirrup leathers gives way over a jump on XC. I run my own business, am busy raising two small children, and have horses and home, and I still find time to clean my tack. It’s a safety issue as much as a point of pride.[/QUOTE]

Yes – going over your tack daily (which I do, which I admit is somewhat OCD) or at least once a week you will notice frayed stitching or loose ends and catch it before it becomes a catastrophe. BTDT! Had one of my stirrup leathers break during an XC clinic while I was landing from a training drop :eek: I was a teen and suitably mortified… I think that’s when the somewhat unhealthy obsession of keeping my tack spotless started. :lol:

#68

[QUOTE=soloudinhere;8743607]
I haven’t volunteered recently because it seems like events are starting to shortchange volunteers even more than they used to.

You can throw a competitor party complete with a catered meal for riders, but I get an $8 lunch voucher for standing in the sun from 7am to 4pm?

You used to get t shirts, an invite to comepetitors party, or a free entry to an event/clinic with a rider/ free xc schooling, or sometimes all of that. Now you get issued one bottle of water, a radio, and told to find your way out at the end of the day. Maybe you get fed if you’re lucky.[/QUOTE]
There are still plenty of events that do that. The event I was at this weekend had T shirts, heavy snacks/light meal at the end of the day, good bagged lunch, free schooling, drinks delivered/offered at least once an hour for the volunteers. Every event I have been to this year had a decent bagged lunch, and periodic drinks runs.

#69

[QUOTE=Fergs;8743770]
You’ll only feel this way until the moment your billets wear out or the stitching on your stirrup leathers gives way over a jump on XC. I run my own business, am busy raising two small children, and have horses and home, and I still find time to clean my tack. It’s a safety issue as much as a point of pride.[/QUOTE]

FWIW, the only time I have had a billet fail was the day after a full tack cleaning. Luckily it failed as I was taking the saddle off, but cleaning your tack doesn’t guarantee you will notice a problem.

#70

At great meadow, if i hadn’t brought my own drinks i would have had nothing. When they brought lunch around 12 they had bottled water.

#71

[QUOTE=Dance_To_Oblivion;8741826]
Pony tails, braids, any kind of flapping hair that makes it harder for the jump judge to see your number on cross country. It isn’t cute or attractive. Jump judges are volunteers that events can’t run without, making our jobs harder is incredibly frustrating!!! Every chance I get when I am not competing I jump judge and I seriously want to hang out in warm up and cut pony tails off![/QUOTE]

I concur, I hate trying to read your number under your flapping pony tail.

My other pet peeve is people acting like studs are only for the upper levels. In the words of Jimmy Wofford, “People ask me at what level do they need studs. I ask, ‘At what level do you want your horse to stop slipping’?”

#72

[QUOTE=NCRider;8743305]
I think the warmup stewards are either too starstruck or afraid to confront the rude BNR’s and the BNR’s know it. [/QUOTE]
Yes, but the TD is PAID to NOT be starstruck.

What I have found effective is to go up to the steward and say: “Could you please check with the TD, because I think “doing that” is against the rules.”
where “doing that” could be “warming up in draw reins” or “schooling over an illegal fence”. (Even if I KNOW it is against the rules, I still ask them to “check with the TD”.)

#73

for those of you complaining you don’t get a free lunch/shirt/water/whatever – let me ask you something.

are you volunteering because it is the sport you love? or are you doing it for the shirt/lunch?

i get that it’s nice to have water/food when you’re out in the sun, but you’re capable of bringing your own lunch. sure, it’s a perk to get shirts but shirts and promotional items are expensive - i would rather have a well run, successful event than any old shirt… any day.

lunch/sandwiches for all volunteers is tremendously expensive – if it is provided at an event it is usually provided ‘pro bono’ from a local restaurant/catering company.

in the end it comes down to organizers spending their money wisely – if they blow it on shirts/promo items and lunch, they arent going to be able to use the pittance they made from the show to do facility improvements - in the long run, how long is that event going to be around?

i bring a cooler every time i jump judge. almonds, ritz crackers, cheese, proscuuitto/moz sticks, sandwiches, chips, etc… water and gatorade and some wine for after the judging/celebration with other friends. enough for me and whoever is with me and whoever stops by and wants a snack.

#74

[QUOTE=beowulf;8743812]
for those of you complaining you don’t get a free lunch/shirt/water/whatever – let me ask you something.

are you volunteering because it is the sport you love? or are you doing it for the shirt/lunch?

i get that it’s nice to have water/food when you’re out in the sun, but you’re capable of bringing your own lunch. sure, it’s a perk to get shirts but shirts and promotional items are expensive - i would rather have a well run, successful event than any old shirt… any day.

lunch/sandwiches for all volunteers is tremendously expensive – if it is provided at an event it is usually provided ‘pro bono’ from a local restaurant/catering company.

in the end it comes down to organizers spending their money wisely – if they blow it on shirts/promo items and lunch, they arent going to be able to use the pittance they made from the show to do facility improvements - in the long run, how long is that event going to be around?

i bring a cooler every time i jump judge. almonds, ritz crackers, cheese, proscuuitto/moz sticks, sandwiches, chips, etc… water and gatorade and some wine for after the judging/celebration with other friends. enough for me and whoever is with me and whoever stops by and wants a snack.[/QUOTE]

That’s great, but events don’t run without volunteers and if you don’t even say thank you with a sandwich, you’re not going to have any more volunteers.

If I have to get myself there, take time off work, feed myself, provide my own chair, and then stand there getting yelled at by competitors for a whole day, we have officially exceeded “giving back to the sport” (which I would think my $200+ entry fee would be doing, since I could be riding but instead I’m standing in a field starving and getting sunburned) and have entered the realm of “taking advantage.”

I highly doubt that an event that is getting $20,000+ in entry fees for one day can’t spring for sandwiches for 50 people. I do corporate catering orders all the time and you would be talking $500, maybe. But of course, there’s plenty of thank yous for the competitors - prizes and free drinks after dressage and a catered competitors dinner. It seems that it is more “supportive” of the event to just enter it.

Hell, I would even be willing to pay $15 to volunteer if it meant I had good food and a break during the day and some appreciative people around.

Treating volunteers well is NOT what is going to bankrupt events.

#75

[QUOTE=FitToBeTied;8743799]
At great meadow, if i hadn’t brought my own drinks i would have had nothing. When they brought lunch around 12 they had bottled water.[/QUOTE]

:eek: :eek:

Wow. Extremely disappointing…

#76

[QUOTE=runNjump86;8743333]
Oooh, I’ll bite!!!

As a volunteer, my biggest pet peeve is the BNR/BNT who are convinced the rules do not apply to them, such as “all dogs must be on a leash”, yet they have their dogs out on XC WHILE IT IS BEING RUN, with their dogs off leash. Thankfully the TD threatened them with a yellow card and they took the mutts to the barns.[/QUOTE]

The rules say (emphasis added):

GR1301.6. Dogs are not permitted to be loose on competition grounds and must be held on a leash or otherwise restrained.Individuals must not lead dogs on a leash while mounted. Dog owners are solely responsible for any damages, claims, losses or actions resulting from their dogs’ behaviors. Dog owners failing to comply with this rule will be issued a Yellow warning card may be subject to penalty under Chapters 6 and 7.

“Will”. Not “May”.

#77

[QUOTE=Janet;8743797]
FWIW, the only time I have had a billet fail was the day after a full tack cleaning. Luckily it failed as I was taking the saddle off, but cleaning your tack doesn’t guarantee you will notice a problem.[/QUOTE]

I’ve never had any tack fail because I keep an eye on it and replace when needed! Thank you, Pony Club!

#78

Like runNjump86, I had an issue with a BNR who believed he was above the law when I volunteered. This was way back when riders had to carry 165 lbs and had to weigh in. I was the volunteer at the weigh in. Once weighed in, the rider was not allowed out of the roped in area. So BNR, who I swear I smelled alcohol on him, comes up without tack. Does not weigh 165. I tell him I can’t sign off because he doesn’t meet the weight. He starts screaming at me: “You’re going to make me go get my tack to make weight? Do you know who I am?” I said “You are the guy who doesn’t make the weight and I can’t sign off on you.” I wasn’t about to give him the pleasure of saying I knew who he was. So he gets tack, weighs in, I sign off. And watch him promptly leave roped area. So I cross out my sign off (As I was told to do my the organizers). He should have gotten a technical elimination, but it was waived. He was such an a$$. (He actually fell and I giggled to myself).

#79

[QUOTE=soloudinhere;8743849]
That’s great, but events don’t run without volunteers and if you don’t even say thank you with a sandwich, you’re not going to have any more volunteers.

If I have to get myself there, take time off work, feed myself, provide my own chair, and then stand there getting yelled at by competitors for a whole day, we have officially exceeded “giving back to the sport” (which I would think my $200+ entry fee would be doing, since I could be riding but instead I’m standing in a field starving and getting sunburned) and have entered the realm of “taking advantage.”

I highly doubt that an event that is getting $20,000+ in entry fees for one day can’t spring for sandwiches for 50 people. I do corporate catering orders all the time and you would be talking $500, maybe. But of course, there’s plenty of thank yous for the competitors - prizes and free drinks after dressage and a catered competitors dinner. It seems that it is more “supportive” of the event to just enter it.

Hell, I would even be willing to pay $15 to volunteer if it meant I had good food and a break during the day and some appreciative people around.

Treating volunteers well is NOT what is going to bankrupt events.[/QUOTE]

treating volunteers well is saying “thank you so much for helping” with a smile and a nod. sandwich is just a bonus. besides being deprived of the sandwich, were you mistreated? did at any point the other volunteers not treat you well?

i’m glad you’re volunteering because i love this sport and appreciate other volunteers, but you are going to be sorely disappointed if you expect a sandwich every time you go out.

have you ever orchestrated a show? it is very expensive and time consuming to make lunch for ~50 people. maybe next time you be in charge of the making lunch if you want to ensure it happens. $500 for a cater for these people is expensive. most shows do not have that budget. have you ever been in charge of any sort of show’s finance? seen how little money shows make after the fact? how much money the officials are paid? maybe the huge venues make $20,000 but around here (and we are in the same area, area 1) most of them don’t make much profit at all. what money they make immediately goes into the upkeep of the facility which is not cheap.

how about how expensive all the show equipment is - the railings for rings, jumps, cross country fences, reseeding/repairing the turf, landscaping, etc. these things are NOT cheap and the profits from shows go to improving the facility, not padding someone’s pockets. after the show, the cleanup is incredible; i have personally seen the amount of money it takes to ‘restore’ a venue and $20,000 is not nothing after you factor in tractor/farm equipment, labor, removal, landscaping, repairs to fences, jump maintenance, ring maintenance, etc.

i only ask these things because i’ve been on that end of the stick with show organizers - it is so exhausting and time consuming volunteering to organize these events and while it is nice to have a lunch there for all volunteers (in a perfect world i’d pay for five star catering for them) sometimes it is not economically feasible.

obviously for big events where they make more money, it is certainly a consideration… but throwing show organizers over the coals at smaller venues for not providing a lunch is not that far from entitlement. i’ve volunteered at almost every venue in area 1 and almost all of them provided water and at least chips/snacks. the smaller venues just don’t have the budget to support catering companies for volunteers - if they did, they wouldn’t need the volunteers in the first place.

#80

[QUOTE=beowulf;8743877]

have you ever orchestrated a show?[/QUOTE]
Yes

it is very expensive and time consuming to make lunch for ~50 people. maybe next time you be in charge of the making lunch if you want to ensure it happens. $500 for a cater for these people is expensive. most shows do not have that budget
.
Yes, it can be expensive- though this is one area where you may be able to get sponsorship in return for publicity.

But even if you can’t, without the volunteers there is no Horse Trial, so that is one budget item I would never cut. And I would CERTAINLY prioritize “food for volunteers” over “food for competitors”

have you ever been in charge of any sort of show’s finance? seen how little money shows make after the fact? how much money the officials are paid?

Yes, I have been in charge of the volunteer portion of shows that LOST money, as well as the Treasurer of the organization that runs the events, and no one ever suggested cutting out the volunteers lunches.

Not sure how relevant the official’s fees are. I know how much I get paid, and it is less than the cost you quote for lunches.

i only ask these things because i’ve been on that end of the stick with show organizers - it is so exhausting and time consuming volunteering to organize these events and while it is nice to have a lunch there for all volunteers (in a perfect world i’d pay for five star catering for them) sometimes it is not economically feasible.

But is just as much “not economically feasible” to run a HT WITHOUT the volunteers.

obviously for big events where they make more money, it is certainly a consideration… but throwing show organizers over the coals at smaller venues for not providing a lunch is not that far from entitlement.

Maybe it is different in Area I, but in Area II even the smallest venues manage to provide a bag lunch.

the smaller venues just don’t have the budget to support catering companies for volunteers - if they did, they wouldn’t need the volunteers in the first place.

Not following your logic here. If you had to pay the jump judges by the hour, it would cost a WHOLE LOT MORE that the cost of lunches.

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