Horse showing in the time of Covid ... My Experiences

[Peggy]

This whole mask thing sounds a lot like trying to get students to wear their goggles over their eyes in chem lab. I probably spent hours over my career asking students to wear goggles, wear them over their eyes as opposed to on their foreheads or around their necks, explaining how to adjust the goggles so they they didn’t fog or leave (the horror!), marks on their face after lab, handing out goggles to students who forgot them, and explaining that they needed to wear goggles even if they were “just” cleaning up or were done with their experiment but others were still working. At one point in grad school I completely lost my voice and got through teaching a lab by carrying around a sign that said “wear goggles.”

What worked to get students to wear goggles and leave them on? 1-Taking points off–a lab citizenship score from which points were deducted for, among other things, not wearing goggles. 2-Students knowing that I meant business about it. 3-Being consistent with having students know they had to wear them at all times whenever anyone in the lab was working with chemicals.

I have heard that mask compliance has been good based on reports from friends who have shown. I have not been to any shows to observe in person because my horse is re-habbing yet again and the local shows aren’t allowing casual spectators, at least in theory. One management group allegedly allows only one parent of a minor child–no owners who aren’t showing, no parents of adult children, etc.

[ynl063w]

@APirateLooksAtForty

One thing I noticed that would have helped immensely in following protocol was if the shows had actually been closed to spectators. Saw several from the general population who either didn’t know the rules or didn’t think they were important enough to be followed. Never once saw the spectator rule being enforced.

You really seem like the Gladys Kravitz of the horse show world. For those who aren’t familiar, this a a reference to the Bewitched TV series where Mrs Kravitz was the incredibly nosy neighbor who was always spying on Samantha and Darren.

If you have this much time to follow horse show officials and others at the horse shows and then report here on what they are doing all day, you probably shouldn’t be at the horse show yourself. Honestly, you sound like the spectator from hell. Just stay home.

[vxf111]

@APirateLooksAtForty

One thing I noticed that would have helped immensely in following protocol was if the shows had actually been closed to spectators. Saw several from the general population who either didn’t know the rules or didn’t think they were important enough to be followed. Never once saw the spectator rule being enforced.

Okay but that has nothing to do with snowflake grandma with her coffee on the rail. That’s changing the subject entirely. Yes all the rules should be enforced but that one was broken does not justify giving up on the remainder. How much time does the mask meanie have to wander the ground dealing with, by your own account, multiple people violating multiple rules. Sounds like people just can’t or won’t follow the rules so maybe we’re collectively not responsible enough to show now?! Now can you understand how this could be frustrating?

[FitzE]

It sounds a bit like grandma was using simply having a coffee cup in her general vicinity as an excuse not to wear her mask. Had it been in her hand and she was between sips, fair enough. If it was on a rail then she was in the wrong. Why does the steward need to look to see if there are food stuffs to hand? How would the steward know that that cup on the rail belong to grandma and not someone else or maybe it was even left there a couple hours ago by a forgetful trainer. People who don’t want to wear masks come up with all sorts of work arounds. If I’m an anti-masker and know I don’t have to wear one if I’m eating or drinking, I get a cup of coffee and nurse it for an hour mask-free. If grandma had been sitting for some time near her cup and not masked and also not actively drinking, I am not surprised at all the the steward was testy eventually.

Also, the steward sitting it out for the rest of the season does not necessarily mean s/he is, “Clearly not cut out for the extra layer of stress in these uncertain times.” It could easily mean that people like sweet grandma and worse make it simply not worth the extra layer of stress they create for stewards. Saying the steward is clearly not cut out for their job is also not kind.

[MHM]

@FitzE

Also, the steward sitting it out for the rest of the season does not necessarily mean s/he is, “Clearly not cut out for the extra layer of stress in these uncertain times.” It could easily mean that people like sweet grandma and worse make it simply not worth the extra layer of stress they create for stewards. Saying the steward is clearly not cut out for their job is also not kind.

The steward could also have her own health issues that mean she has to literally risk her life every time she has to repeatedly ask people to wear their masks. I wouldn’t blame anyone who decided to stay home instead.

[trubandloki]

@APirateLooksAtForty

One thing I noticed that would have helped immensely in following protocol was if the shows had actually been closed to spectators. Saw several from the general population who either didn’t know the rules or didn’t think they were important enough to be followed. Never once saw the spectator rule being enforced.

So wait. The same person who has their panties in a huge wad about the people in charge enforcing the mask rule (when someone is clearly not drinking their coffee that is sitting on the railing) is OK with them enforcing some other rule and finds them at fault for not enforcing it like they want them to.

[APirateLooksAtForty]

Nope. I want all rules enforced. I can’t understand why they were enforced effectively and KINDLY (key word not one of you seems to be reading) at 9 of ten shows. Yet one steward decided to be rude, insulting and antagonistic and you all seem to find that ok ?? if one of the office staff were rude, insulting and antagonistic in enforcing the rules, would that be ok? I am all for enforcement. I am all for masks (there seems to be some presumption here that I was the one being called out … I never once was). I am also for kindness and grace in this scary and uncertain time, and when children and older people are involved Im all for one calm yet firm reminder and then you are asked to leave per USEF rules. I am NOT for yelling, name-calling or tears (yes there were tears on the part of this one steward, who proclaimed several times she wasn’t cut out for this job). Where it was handled well, the steward did so with class and grace and then turned it over to the USEF if the person didn’t listen, which is as it should be. Repeated yelling, insults and condescension are never ok in the enforcement of any rules by a USEF official, ever.

[APirateLooksAtForty]

An example of grace: I’m back showing again this week. I just saw a groom for another trainer so out of the truck upon arrival, and I’m not sure if his mask had slipped down or what was going on, but the covid steward just went to speak with him. He clearly speaks no English and didn’t understand what she was saying. She calmly went to the office, found a Spanish speaker, brought him over and he explained the rules in Spanish. There was no emotion, no drama, no outward frustration with this man. Just a normal explanation and then Everyone could love about their day, hopefully in understanding and adherence to the correct protocols.

[vxf111]

@MHM

The steward could also have her own health issues that mean she has to literally risk her life every time she has to repeatedly ask people to wear their masks. I wouldn’t blame anyone who decided to stay home instead.

This is a point I can’t believe is getting lost in the shuffle.

People who aren’t complying with the COVID rules are LITERALLY going to someone else’s place of work and making that other person less safe.

[vxf111]

@APirateLooksAtForty

Nope. I want all rules enforced. I can’t understand why they were enforced effectively and KINDLY (key word not one of you seems to be reading) at 9 of ten shows. Yet one steward decided to be rude, insulting and antagonistic and you all seem to find that ok ?? if one of the office staff were rude, insulting and antagonistic in enforcing the rules, would that be ok? I am all for enforcement. I am all for masks (there seems to be some presumption here that I was the one being called out … I never once was). I am also for kindness and grace in this scary and uncertain time, and when children and older people are involved Im all for one calm yet firm reminder and then you are asked to leave per USEF rules. I am NOT for yelling, name-calling or tears (yes there were tears on the part of this one steward, who proclaimed several times she wasn’t cut out for this job). Where it was handled well, the steward did so with class and grace and then turned it over to the USEF if the person didn’t listen, which is as it should be. Repeated yelling, insults and condescension are never ok in the enforcement of any rules by a USEF official, ever.

Why don’t you follow your own rules and give the cranky mask meanie the same kindness you expect her to show others. You don’t walk in her shoes. You don’t know how much BS she had to put up with. Since you’re pro rule following why don’t you volunteer to spend a day at a show being a mask meanie and see how you feel at the end of the day and then report back?

[Peggy]

Back to my lab goggle analogy (post 40). I get less kind and more sarcastic if I’ve already told several people to wear their goggles and more so if I’ve already told the current offender multiple times. so maybe that tenth steward had already asked multiple people, some of whom may not have been pleasant about it.

[trubandloki]

I really like @vxf111 's post above. @APirateLooksAtForty you so should volunteer for this job at the next show, instead of showing.

Here is my thought on cranky difficult to deal with people at shows (not saying this steward actually was, just going along with the theory put out there by the OP) - If I do not want to have to deal with them then I go out of my way to make sure I am not doing anything that will cause me to have to interact with them. So in this case simply wear your mask always, like the rules say. Then the horrible mean mask person will be no issue to me since I am complaint. (And again, having a coffee cup sitting on a railing is not drinking your coffee. If that was how it worked I would never have to wear a mask because heck, I usually have a bottle of water with me.)

I do agree that people should be nice to each other. That includes grandma following the actual rules.

[foursocks]

I am a little confused about why the OP is confused that mask enforcers might get fed up every now and then. We have been in this situation since March. It is now August. No one has any excuse to go out milling around in public with other people and not wear a mask. Well, no reason other than that they just don’t care/believe science/perhaps hate their fellow humans. Those are not good excuses. If you can’t wear a mask don’t go out to a sporting event.

It’s ridiculous to place such a burden on people and then be shocked and aggrieved when they are not robots and sometimes get pissy. If I had to go around reminding ADULTS all day long, over and over and over, to pull up their masks I’d be hard-pressed to keep my tone polite.

[enjoytheride]

I was at a show last weekend. Many competitors brought grandma as their “groom”

While almost everyone who was out and about was wearing masks we had extremely low compliance in the stabling area, and out walking XC. I actually messaged an official for another show to give them a heads up about enforcement in the stabling area. Yes, you need to wear a mask inside your own stall while braiding. Do I think it’s ridiculous? YES, but it’s the rule and if we want to horse show that’s what we do.

We also had to enforce a zero spectating rule, even if you were already at the show competing. The jump judges were tasked in forcing anyone “spectating” off the course, no easy job when the spectator is a kid’s mom. Or trainer, or barn mate. The TD had to remove people from the course by threatening to eliminate them from the show.

In my personal opinion banning spectators who are already at the show off of XC is STUPID, but we were getting warning calls from the USEF that people were reporting non compliance and the USEF was saying they would shut the entire show down in the middle of it.

The officials were overwhelmed with the usual show stuff as well as COVID enforcement, and I am certain some of them got cranky.

[trubandloki]

Interesting about the spectators. The way it was explained to me was that if I was already at the grounds (in my case as a volunteer), I was allowed to spectate, keeping my mask on and social distances, during those times I was not volunteering.

[Tiramit]

@enjoytheride

I was at a show last weekend. Many competitors brought grandma as their “groom”

The horse world: where people reserve the right to skirt the rules in the most creative ways possible and bitch mightily when they’re caught.

[enjoytheride]

@Tiramit

The horse world: where people reserve the right to skirt the rules in the most creative ways possible and bitch mightily when they’re caught.

This is not unique to the horse world in any way. Try going into any restaurant or retail establishment with a mandatory mask policy.

I’ve seen video and reports from other horse shows that aren’t under the umbrella of USEF. Almost zero masks, from competitors to officials.

There was spectating allowed (or at least not enforced) in dressage and SJ

At other shows nobody cared about not wearing a mask in the stabling area.

How do you tell the difference between someone walking their XC course, and someone spectating on the move?

How do you tell the difference between someone holding a coffee in their hand to avoid wearing a mask and someone drinking coffee?

It’s a tough tough situation to be stuck between people calling USEF at the first sign of a competitor with their mask below their nose because they don’t want shows to continue, and people who think it’s all a conspiracy.

[ladyj79]

Some people take anyone asking them to do anything they dont want to do as an affront, and rude, and mean, regardless of the tone that it is presented in, because people hear what they want to hear.

Also I thought no spectators, so why is anyone hanging out at the rail drinking coffee anyway?

When you’re the trainer or groom, you arent drinking a coffee when youre at the in gate or your rider is on course.
So tell grandma to put her ring bag and her mask on, and shine up some boots.

And that’s where horse showing in the time of covid becomes a cluster, because everyone becomes about skirting the rules.

[vxf111]

New idea. No one allowed on the show grounds anywhere without a number (a sticker or pin). Anyone without a number gets the police called on them for trespassing. Anyone with a number caught violating the COVID rules has to show the number-- and the rider with that back number is disqualified from the show. In the case of a trainer/groom the disqualification applies to all riders entered with that name as trainer/groom on the entry blank. If rider is the one caught, same penalty.

Bet you people would magically discover they understood and could comply perfectly with the rules. Trainer would watch and instruct grandma and someone would explain to the spanish speakers what the expectations were. If there were CONSEQUENCES for the people showing I bet they would suddenly start singing a different tune.

[trubandloki]

@vxf111 Do staff and volunteers get a number too in this system?