How to get a barn sponsor/banners for horse shows?

[JumperMare]

Hey all,

starting my new training adventures at a farm I really adore and am quite excited. They are in need of a trainer to really start getting their kids out to shows- they want to go to away shows and were asking about saddle sponsors or banners for the set up at away shows. I’ve only been an assistant, so this is new to me. We have quite a few smartpak, devocoux, and charles owen customers but how do you even approach them for “sponsorship?” I’m fortunate to be a decent rider (only at local prix level, but I really just work on greenies so it’s not like my show record is wildly impressive which I could care less about* But I really want to help this place out. Sorry for the silly question lol

[ladyj79]

I think you get your name and your farm and your students out there successfully first, and then seek sponsors.

I also think you start much more locally with regards to whom you seek sponsorship from, local tack and feed, other local small businesses are going to be your best bet, and I would expect you to be doing some kind of community/civic work to best increase your barn’s chances at attracting sponsors.

[541hunter]

My trainer is younger and really starting to establish herself in our region. She was approached by a large saddle company last year about sponsorship, which has since blossomed pretty nicely. I would say for those bigger companies that sponsor a lot of riders the best way is to get to know your regional rep. Make a point of talking to them when they’re out at your barn fitting saddles, for example, or seek them out at shows to say hello. They’re people too and a personal connection goes a long way. Not to mention they want their sponsored riders to be personable, since that makes it more likely that you’ll be out actively promoting their product. They don’t only want the big names; they’re interested in reaching the local market too, so being from a smaller barn won’t necessarily disqualify you.

Do realize that most saddle companies anyway aren’t doing a straight “give you free product” sponsorship, unless you’re of the BNT/BNR ilk. Usually sponsored riders from smaller barns are paying something for the first saddle, just discounted or trading in their current saddle. Then you can often trade up every year for free, or you get credit for every client who buys something from the rep, etc. Sometimes free tack here and there (breast collars, girths, that kind of thing).

[TPF_Hunter]

Bust your ass, grow a successful business, and get noticed for the right reasons - that’s how you gain the big time sponsorships like saddle companies.

It blows my mind the mentality of young trainers these days thinking that by them being a product or brand “ambassador” on social media is anything close to a sponsorship - then its rubbed all in the faces of their youthful followers thinking that’s its the norm to represent a brand just by posting pictures with clever captions.(its genius for the companies …they gain hundreds and thousands of views of “ambassadors” using their product for virtually no pay out, pure marketing genius!)

OP - I know you’re asking about sponsorships in particular, but this just strikes a nerve with me. Since when was it normal to think you can just go solicit sponsorships when having no career success (yet)? Order a stall banner, cover it in well deserved ribbons from hard working clients and then seek sponsorships - or they will come to you!

[JumperMare]

@TPF Hunter

Bust your ass, grow a successful business, and get noticed for the right reasons - that’s how you gain the big time sponsorships like saddle companies.

It blows my mind the mentality of young trainers these days thinking that by them being a product or brand “ambassador” on social media is anything close to a sponsorship - then its rubbed all in the faces of their youthful followers thinking that’s its the norm to represent a brand just by posting pictures with clever captions.(its genius for the companies …they gain hundreds and thousands of views of “ambassadors” using their product for virtually no pay out, pure marketing genius!)

OP - I know you’re asking about sponsorships in particular, but this just strikes a nerve with me. Since when was it normal to think you can just go solicit sponsorships when having no career success (yet)? Order a stall banner, cover it in well deserved ribbons from hard working clients and then seek sponsorships - or they will come to you!

I dont know what the animosity is for- Not once have I done any things listed and mentioned by you, or do you know if I have a non successful career? This is why I am asking such things. Nor do I have such a “mentality.” I see very much where you are coming from with the ambassadorship nonsense but again not my situation.

I genuinely would like to thank those who took time to answer thoughtfully. Hard work is THEE whole world of this business- but sometimes its just not quite enough, and some get things easier than others with not as much “hard work.” There for I am asking a question. Thanks

[Sueby]

@541hunter

Do realize that most saddle companies anyway aren’t doing a straight “give you free product” sponsorship, unless you’re of the BNT/BNR ilk. Usually sponsored riders from smaller barns are paying something for the first saddle, just discounted or trading in their current saddle. Then you can often trade up every year for free, or you get credit for every client who buys something from the rep, etc. Sometimes free tack here and there (breast collars, girths, that kind of thing).

That and having your students buy that brand of saddle goes A LONG way to getting sponsored. It’s how our BO got sponsored. Having 11 people buy saddles all at once got her a free saddle and a huge discount on future purchases.

It would be awesome if she shared that discount with us, but no such luck.

[TPF_Hunter]

@JumperMare

I dont know what the animosity is for- Not once have I done any things listed and mentioned by you, or do you know if I have a non successful career? This is why I am asking such things. Nor do I have such a “mentality.” I see very much where you are coming from with the ambassadorship nonsense but again not my situation.

I genuinely would like to thank those who took time to answer thoughtfully. Hard work is THEE whole world of this business- but sometimes its just not quite enough, and some get things easier than others with not as much “hard work.” There for I am asking a question. Thanks

You asked the question yourself about how to approach a saddle company for sponsorship, then self admittedly said you mostly ride greenies and have gone to the local prix level. So I think it was safe to assume that you don’t have any large scale career success yet, or enough to gain large sponsors like the ones you mention in your original post. Your questions are reflective of the same mentality that many other young trainers have that reek of entitlement. You’re not the first person I have seen or heard or spoke to that was a young trainer with a young program that thought having sponsorships was important at that stage of the game. I think what strikes a nerve the most is these young trainers are thinking about the materialistic aspect of the sport instead of what steps they need to take to be successful. Thank you social media!

[findeight]

I agree with those who pointed out, based on what you have posted, as if you don’t have a clear understanding of how major national/international brand sponsorship works. That’s not personal or judgemental. Are you the new head trainer for this barn or a client? Not clear.

If this barn is at the local or regional level, somebody from the barn needs to approach local or regional businesses and pitch what their banner will do for them in increasing their visibility and attracting more customers for them in the right demographic to afford their products.

Think, also, you might be assuming things from these sponsors that they don’t really do. Been a client in barns with some well known sponsor banners, they didn’t give the barn any money or freebies for all the clients. They MIGHT give a small discount on a 4K saddle or $400 helmet If trainer sends them enough client business, limited number of small samples of some supplement or other to the barn clients if that’s their business. That’s it. Trainer might get a free saddle or helmet but it doesn’t trickle down to directly benefitting clients or reducing the cost of showing.

[poltroon]

This kind of question is well older than social media. People were asking it in print horse magazines when I was a child.

OP, the answer is that you are going to need to pay for your own first set of drapes, or your direct clients will. In general, one’s first set of drapes won’t have a sponsor on them.

The thing to remember about sponsors is that it is not free money. It is an exchange, and you are meant to create that value back in some way. If a saddle company gives you a $500 discount as sponsorship, they are expecting that this action will generate more than $500 in additional revenue for them. So how will you accomplish that?

Thinking this way is important if you want sponsors.

All that said, in truth small sponsorships may be more trouble to you than they are worth. If you’re putting in 50 hours of work to be worthy of that $500, you might be better off earning the money directly in some other way, like by braiding. The transaction needs to make sense for both sides.

Your clients are your best sponsors. Treat them well, spend their money as frugally as you’d spend your own, and that will be your best path forward. Truly, I have always felt a little yuck about being asked to buy or chip in for show decorations that I don’t own and won’t be able to use if I stop riding with that trainer. If they have the client’s name or farm name on them, the client should pay, but if they have the trainer’s business name on them, the trainer should pay.

[findeight]

Good points…and that $500 discount would be for the individual sponsored rider or trainer, not their clients…and on a purchase of way more then 500.

As a client I did get a small (single digit %) discount on the new 4K saddle and a single box of free calming paste tubes I never used from sponsors who hung their banners on the drapes.

If OP is looking for ways to reduce the cost of showing for clients? Energy is best spent elsewhere.

[RAyers]

I got my sponsorships (in terms of donated products) by busting my ass and being competitive at the national and international levels. I never approached a company. They approached me because they saw something that they felt they wanted. But, it was me doing everything on my own for decades before it happened.

[gottagrey]

Not sure exactly what the OP is asking for? From the trainers I know that have saddle “sponsors” basically they traded their then current saddle for a new one of the sponsored saddle company. THey got some free baseball caps and maybe a jacket or vets, offers for other tack but one I know turned down as she didn’t need or want at that time. Some of her clients have bought that brand saddle others have not. None of her clients are reaping any benefit of the saddle sponsorship except maybe getting on a fitter’s calendar faster and easier.

If getting the barn’s name and trainer’s name out there the best thing is to go to shows, make it a point to get your clients to/in the ring promptly without holding it up… displaying all those ribbons is of course a given. if they’re lacking in jump crew - volunteer to help raise/lower fences during a course change. Those things don’t go unnoticed. If there’s a local show association - most have board of directors or a volunteer committee - see if you can sign up (or better yet, because you’ve been so nice and helpful at shows, you might be asked to be part of their board or committee.

[JumperMare]

Sigh, there is nothing entitled about me sadly. Though, I do greatly wish that. Thus why I work on greenies (local prixes are on “younger” larger prix prospects, none of these horses are my own because you know, not entitled enough to own such a horse and I suppose im underselling myself here but i’m not going to put my accomplishments on blast. Excuse my humble way of being. It’s not much to do with my question anyways.) I will be going to shows and getting the name out and working on establishing contacts and being personable. That was my question… I’m not looking for handouts, or free tack or large discounts. I was genuinely asking how does that happen in the future and the people who suggested clients buying tack, or making connections, and taking time to explain to me possibilities and where to go to further myself I genuinely appreciate.

I suppose being vague on here opens you up to animosity, yikes. Thanks again all who actually answered and didn’t get their panties in a bunch!

[ladyj79]

No really it’s not all animosity. It’s a hard industry. If you read other threads on the subject you can see where I discuss my multiple time Olympian who has zero sponsors. I actually know personally, like I lived with them, a handful of Olympic show jumpers who have no sponsors. And then I know people who show A TON but aren’t great but do have sponsors, and my girlfriend whose dad is friends with a bigwhig at equiline so she’s a “social media ambassador” and gets like free stirrups and appears in instigram photos because even though she barely shows and isn’t good, she is pretty, and again, her dad knows people.

it’s not just so easy as work hard or even be good. Companies really expect someone who helps sell their products.

[HALCWST]

A couple of things, and some of these just might upset a few of you.

1 - We live in an age of social media, any smart company will know that social media is one of the best places to market a product. CWD knows this very well, as do many smaller and smart vendors here in Southern California. This is going to make people turn in their grave but, your follower count matters. You can decide what’s easier, building a solid clientele base who can all purchase the same saddle (I’m talking at least 10 clients or more) or building a solid follower count on Instagram (I’m talking 30,000 or more).

2 - Know the difference between becoming an ambassador and getting sponsored. Some smaller companies are very generous to their ambassadors. Other larger companies are not, because they know that many younger riders, and young trainers like you would live to display a banner whether they’re receiving an exchange of some sort or not

3 - You can always just ask for a banner if you want to be really brave. I would suggest taking a look at your business from an outsiders perspective though. Do you have an outstanding setup at horse shows? Do you have a group of clients who are doing well or stand out in a positive way? If you answered yes to both of these questions, go out on a limb and just ask. This isn’t something I would do unless I knew the brand rep, but sometimes you have to go after what you want.

4 - I am going to safely assume that you are wanting the banners just as much as you’d like the sponsorship, if not more. You can deny it, it’s ok, any young trainer has been there and envied the person next door with the 735 banner. Banners from different companies are attractive, people walk by and see them and they are impressed, you can deny that this is true but it is true for many people at the horse show. Whats even more attractive is seeing a good trainer, hard working clients, a beautiful setup and a great personality. Everyone wants to ride with the BNT next door, not everyone can afford him/her, they remember you though from what they saw at the horse show.

Just work hard, start with smaller companies after you have established a decent sized business. Approach your local tack store, email some lesser known companies. Best of luck.