Looking for some ideas or feedback on what would draw you to (or even turn you off of) a fun show. This is a multidisciplinary pleasure and speed type show (Western, English non jumping, speed, and gaited classes). Historically, the speed classes have been a big draw but we are looking to diversify our crowd a bit. We offer year end prizes and rosette style ribbons for each class placing 1-6. There is a “mystery” class at each show which can be egg and spoon, pairs with tape, or other fun challenge style classes. There is 1 large arena and 1 warm up arena. We do have lights. We offer concessions and often do a 50/50 raffle. Maybe some sort of entertainment for younger kids who are not riding since we focus on attracting families?
Payback for some classes seems to get people to come out.
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Maybe a nice little exhibitor party/bbq/potluck? Those are always fun.
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If the ring doesn’t have decent footing, I don’t care what you do for the kiddies.
The last 1 day fun show I went to moaned and groaned about having to drag the ring AFTER* the class for my driving horse. They won’t have worry about it again. It’s kind of a shame because its within 30 miles of the barn.
*Most shows drag BEFORE a driving class
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Make sure the show is well organized and well run. There is nothing worse than a chaotic show and not staying on schedule. I did a schooling show once and the warm-up class was supposed to be from 8-9 AM. It ran until 11 AM. That was horrible. I went to the show secretary, got my check back and went home.
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I was at a fun-day dressage show that had a pole weaving (only about 4 poles) class and a horse rider lookalike contest. I thought my horse and I should have won the lookalike. 
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Our family sponsored and ran a charity show at the local fair grounds for a few years. One thing we did to attract entries was offer “first class free” (entry fee waived) for the riders in their first class of the day. Our assumption was that if someone came for the free class, they would pay to enter others and bring someone with them who would do the same. We also had trophies and ribbons --and some classes were payback with money added. We always had good participation. We quit sponsoring the show after our granddaughter left for college. It was fun, but a lot of work.
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A couple of in hand classes for those that can’t ride anymore are always nice. I’m thinking Agility/Trail/Obstacle type of thing and maybe a Halter or Showmanship class.
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We are redoing the arena entirely this year, though this show is known for being on (well kept) dirt. This is a very unofficial show - saddle/ riding club type of deal where the whole show costs under $25/ person. So facility improvements are on the list but we are looking for low cost ideas too!
Our added money jackpot barrel race is a big draw (or has been). I like the idea of offering a $ amount per blue ribbon where the $ amount can be used towards concessions or future shows but isn’t paid out necessarily. Hoping that will encourage people to keep coming back though maybe that is redundant with the EOY awards as it would be the same people benefiting from both right? Hmm.
We are redoing the class schedule and start time to address some of the issues we’ve had previously with the class schedule not being coherent or leading to incredibly long shows.
I like the lookalike contest! I’m thinking more ideas along those lines (silly/ fun “contests” that aren’t about the best horse or rider in an event).
I like the idea for golden oldie focused classes too. We do have halter, showmanship, and walk only lead line so we have a fair amount of older mostly retired horses that already attend that we could offer more to. Maybe we can add an in hand option to our trail obstacle class.
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I usually won the dollar under the knee class. I forget what it’s called. No saddle, the ring steward puts a dollar under each competitors knee (the rider is not allowed to touch or re-set) and you do walk, trot, and canter as announced until only one rider is left. My horse was so smooth!!! I’d usually win the dollar and the egg/spoon classes.
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Ride-a-buck! Such fun. Growing up I wad at a barn that did a lot of games at their schooling shows. Egg & Spoon, Musical Poles, a fun Team Relay, etc.
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I know it requires obstacles, and it can take up a lot of time, but in-hand trail seems to be popular at the local open shows. You get people with minis, ponies and yearlings/2-year-olds as well as people who don’t ride anymore.
Also, ranch riding classes have become very popular. You don’t have to offer a slate of classes, just integrate ranch pleasure and a ranch pattern class among your western classes.
For a fun class, our state Paint club had western pleasure/country pleasure bareback classes, split into junior and adult riders, both walk-jog and w/t/canter. I was surprised at how many people entered!
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Alcohol, a decent taco truck and a nice sitting area that encourages socializing with other spectators (ie not bleachers). I’m a simple creature.
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We have bleachers and picnic tables - what kind of seating helps to encourage socializing? Sorry if that’s a dumb question!
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I think you might get some overlap, but I still think it is a great plan to offer show bucks as a reward for that blue ribbon.
It truly might get someone to come to another show that they were not originally planning to go to.
Or, if nothing else, it might get someone spending more at the concession stand.
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Something just showed up on my facebook that I thought was pretty funny. It was a “dad’s class”. A leadline class where the kid (and their mom, if needed), lead dad around on the horse.
The caption was “making sure dad knows where all the money is going” or something along those lines.
Maybe not suited for what you’re trying to do, but it was really cute.
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Oh, this reminds me of something. Years ago, I was a part of a western drill team. We had so much fun, but us five adults always lost to the kid teams. 
But we had fun anyway. At one show one of big teen teams had a parent drill team class. About fifteen parents had to ride a drill that they learned in one day. This was on TN Walking Horses. They invited two of the husbands on our team (mine was one) to join the parents. What a hoot. They did a great job with their drill! And I know they all had a blast, and all of us drill riders cheered them on. I have a video of this somewhere… what fun!
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I was a member of a jumping drill team! We all rode pure or part-bred Trakehners and performed to music over a single jump designed like a wheel with 4 spokes. We could jump across the center as well as the “arms.”
Some sort of competition would be fun, but needless to say requires a lot of time and planning.
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Seating that encourages socializing at a show, for me, is any area with decent shade. Arrange the tables end to end, lengthwise, or family style, so people are more likely to sit near each other. Make it a cute area with some themed decor like straw bales and wide ribbon bows.
And always a big draw out here: Hire a snow cone or slushy machine and park it by the tables.
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Here, at Fair, before the Driving classes, they send out the Boys With Toys guys who drag the bejeesus out of the sand arena & water it to Swamp. Fun driving my VSE in that mess.
One of many reasons I gave up showing there 
OP:
Mixed discipline classes where tack can be either Western, English or whatever.
Fun classes like:
*Sit A Buck < bareback with a dollar bill between riders’ lower leg & horse, winner keeps the dollar in place longest, can be W/T or W/T/C
*Bribe Your Pony - Liberty class where you can set a simple course of X’s to see if handler can get horse to follow them over
*Costume classes are always a draw
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