Look I think Upperville puts on a great show, don’t get me wrong. However, I (and others who competed) were SHOCKED to find out that the low adult and child jumpers were required to pay the $225 nomination fee. What in the world? I’ve never heard of fences at that height requiring a nomination fee. Yes they offered prize money but nowhere near the grand total of $15,000 some dollars they will get from all of the riders who competed in those classes. 40 plus some in the low adult. 20 some in the low children’s. I can understand having to pay something additional when you compete in classes offering prize money. But $225? Really?
I’m sorry for the venting. I was honestly just extremely shocked by this.
Not sure about Upperville specifically, but a lot of shows/venues were really hit hard last year. The most logical thing I can think of is maybe they’re trying to recoup some of those losses.
Agree that it’s definitely not common for the lows to pay a nominating fee.
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Let’s see if they drop the fee next year. (I am going to guess they won’t.)
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The low child/adult is a zone division and if it offers money in the non classic classes chances are you will see most show management ask for a nominating fee for the division. Someone got to pay for the money in the higher classes it usually comes from the lower divisions with more horses in them.
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I keep line item spreadsheets for each show I attend 
and I paid a $200 nominating fee in 2016 and 2017 when I competed in the lows, so it’s not new this year.
Edited to add: 2016 was the year that they earned FEI 4* — maybe there is some correlation there.
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Just guessing, but this year that are not charging admission for spectators, which is something they typically do. So there has to be some compensation for that lost revenue as well.
Wasn’t there a thread about rule change about this? I don’t think this is Upperville specific but might be a USEF and/or USHJA change for some shows. Please correct me if I’m wrong
