What?? Anyone has the RIGHT to show (assuming correct memberships, vaccinations, etc). Having a “Right” to do something does not ensure you CAN do something - it might be cost prohibitive, for example. But you certainly have the RIGHT to show.
And if you are referring to qualifying scores to move up levels, you still would have the RIGHT to show - just not at the level YOU think you should be able to show.
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But it will–through increased costs of the local shows and from having to pay those membership fees to participate. I can’t think of anyone I know who would want this.
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Because their response is so tone-deaf it’s not even funny anymore.
The biggest complaints that come up about USDF (at least on these forums) are the convoluted memberships and the ever-increasing fees. So their response to “help” the grassroots?
A program that involves yet more fees (whether the schooling show pays them and passes them on to members or people who want to participate pay them… someone is paying some fees) and yet more memberships (because many people showing in schooling shows don’t bother with even GMO memberships and will have to in order to participate in this).
Talk about sending a crystal clear “we aren’t listening to a thing you’re saying” signal.
This, like the qualifying score increase, is USDFdeciding they know what’s best for the membership with complete disregard for what the member base is actually saying.
If they think Yet Another Year End Award is the answer (because score certificates, medals, All Breeds, etc. are not enough variety?), then why aren’t they looking at their own entry-level competition structure and slapping the year-end awards on the Opportunity Classes? Aren’t those supposed to be the bridge between schooling shows and full rated classes? Isn’t that the logical place to focus their efforts?
But it’s not like USDF can force the schooling shows to support their program, so ultimately the riders in every area will be the ones who determine if there is enough interest in this for the schooling shows to jump through whatever hoops, pay whatever fees, etc. If it’s an area where people tend to move between schooling and rated shows pretty fluidly already, I can see it being a popular addition and doing well since many people would already have USDF memberships. If it’s an area where there is a pretty stark line between the two, I can see schooling show participants shrugging their shoulders and saying they don’t really care enough to join USDF and deal with the fees/paperwork and it will languish in those areas.
It’s not going to get me to rejoin USDF, but if it makes some subset of the showing population more excited? More power to them.
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Many show venues have series awards for their own schooling shows. A regional award system run by USDF isn’t necessary. It wouldn’t add anything but fees and annoyances.
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My concern is that in the future the USDF will try to start controlling the local shows. They start with just offering awards but then start requiring things not just of riders but show management etc. to get those awards.
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But perhaps the way to fix that is to get your show organizer to NOT participate. If ALL the costs are borne by the competitor who wants it (which is what region 3 members indicated they wanted at the convention when discussing this), why not? If it doesnt impact YOUR costs, why prevent someone else who WANTS a ribbon from participating?
Those may be the biggest two, but there’s also a very frequent complaint from a lot of people on these forums that they don’t show because they don’t get enough back in terms of recognition, awards, and are disappointed in the quality of awards.
It seems to me that this idea does address that complaint directly. It’s about adding more and broader awards, and at a level other than the more costly recognized shows. It does seem a lot of people are interested in garnering awards.
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From where I sit, I would say that the biggest complaint with USDF is the fact that the leadership seems tone-deaf to what the bulk of the membership wants.
This was obvious by the way the freestyle qualifying score rule was slipped in bypassing the standard rule-making process.
By using the extraordinary rule process, (and justified by some questionable handwaving) the USDF decision makers managed to exclude the voice of the members.
The USDF is a member-supported organization. It is not the Judge’s Committee or the Freestyle Committee.
It seems the interface with the membership occurs with the GMO officers and the Regional Directors…who should be the leading any charge for any change.
I have attended region meetings. There is no nascent movement from the masses to raise qualifying scores…as a matter of fact the suggestion that the qualifying scores were to be raised was not discussed at those meetings.
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How can it not raise costs when he show secretaries have to keep track, or verify, somehow these scores and account for them to USDF? It can’t be a complete honor system among the riders, can it?
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You could have those who want the awards send in copies of their tests along with their awards fee. This puts the onus on the person, not on the show management thereby keeping the costs for the schooling shows at a minimum.
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I have problems with this discussion…
in the beginning I joined an organization in order to participate with my horse in shows… BTW at that point I got no disclaimer that I should consider not to do it because of excessive costs waiting for me… and that it’s more an exclusive club for billionaires…
OK I joined the club, I showed a little then I found out that I will go broke if I continue to do this.
Nobody supported my concerns so far but only told me that riding horses is expensive and I should ride only in schooling shows if I cannot afford it… I still think USEF and USDF should have disclaimers about the costs on their webpage about the costs… but so I switched to mainly show in schooling shows…
Now USDF considers to offer a spiked up version of schooling shows for members who want more then schooling shows… (why is this even necessary, aren’t they responsible for the needs of their members? If I join, shouldnt I have the opportunity to show even if I am not a Billionaire?)
but now the people wanting to participate in this spiked up version are required to pay for it and do all the work… I guess you could do your own series with the same result, What do you need this club for?? Just for the name?
Yes this is probably a bit exaggerated but IMO there is a lot of truth in it…
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How about a little personal responsibility?
You know how much the dues are before you commit to joining. Show fees are clearly published in the show premiums.
Nobody is forced to join USEF, USDF, or even a GMO. If any individual doesn’t want to join for whatever reason, then don’t.
I don’t think this post is any more exaggerated than others. :rolleyes:
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I think you’re misunderstanding the conversation.
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When I was showing (last show 3 years ago), since I only do one-day, in and out, two classes, no show more than 2 hours away - I could keep showing affordable, even though all the memberships (USEF, USDF, CDS, ApHC and at one time ApSHA) were a little pricey. Then the class prices went up, the drug fees went up, venues that never had before started charging haul-in fees (really, I’m there max 3 hours most shows), stall fees escalated (one show wanted $100 for my 3 hours on their grounds). But I kept plugging on and maybe could get out of there for under $200, especially if I wrangled a friend to video, rather than pay the professional videographer. I just aimed at local GMO awards and All Breeds.
My ROI: A piece of paper I was told to print off the internet and (maybe) a ribbon. At least when they first gave the awards it was a parchment paper with a gold seal and ribbon. In actuality, not much more than what you could print off the internet, but it showed a little more interest in acknowledging someone’s accomplishmentt. And then the business of the other awards - like Master’s Challenge - gotta PAY more for that, or a Performance Certificate, gotta PAY for that (in each case a fricking piece of paper!) - even though you’ve paid the dues, paid to participate in the shows, etc.
I’m not happy my horse is more or less permanently injured, but, you know, it got me off the show $$$$$$$ Merry-go-round, and though I miss showing (a little), I’m almost happy I’m not driven to do it any more. I’ve dropped ALL my memberships. Friends who still belong/show pass on USDF Connection and the GMO newsletter so I can sorta keep in touch, and sometime I go and read tests for friends at nearby shows. Long view: USDF does/did nothing for me and even if I can someday (not likely, but who knows) get another horse, I think I’ll stick to trail riding.
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THIS^^^^ Exactly.
USDF is a member organization. The leadership should be celebrating the membership’s accomplishments.
But no…Instead of looking in the mirror and reflecting what the leadership could do for the membership…
They charge to recognize the member’s accomplishment…and then diminish those accomplishmentjs by infering that the accomplishment was not sufficient…and jack up the scores to get said accomplishment.
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I was responding to a specific post complaining about not getting “disclaimers” about the costs associated with joining USDF/USEF and the costs of showing.
My understanding of the conversation writ large is that people, some not members, feel that USDF does not do enough for them. This particular thread is about a USDF proposal to recognize schooling show achievements. People are concerned that this will come at an additional cost to them; they are likely correct.
Others continue to discuss the merits or lack thereof of having qualifying scores to ride freestyles or to move up the levels. Both topics discussed at length elsewhere.
Pretty sure I’m not misunderstanding anything, I’m just not in agreement but hey, everyone gets to have their own opinion. I just pointed out that nobody has to belong if they don’t want to, or whatever reason. We’re not all on the same path and that’s OK.
Sorry to hear your horse is injured. Been there; and it sucks big time.
Nothing wrong with trail riding. Who as a little girl dreamed of riding 20m circles?
Yes, but @atlatl prices certainly have increased beyond the means and/or interest of many members, and more every year, as membership and even more participation continues to decline year after year.
I’m not sure if you’re aware that Manni emigrated from Germany, where national shows cost around 15 euro a class and show fees are incomparably less that at US national shows. Because our fees are pretty out of whack when compared to Euro national show fees, regardless of whether we all know what the fees are.
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What I don’t understand is why this should be tied to schooling shows. If they want something more than National awards, why don’t they either do what Hunters do, which is Zone awards, or what some of the other disciplines/breeds do with Regional awards? Leave the GMOs/schooling shows out of it and just award those via USDF like the USHJA does with the Zone HOTY awards. Maybe they could make those available to those with GMO-level membership if they want to encourage a little stepping up to recognized shows?
I mean, I’m a giant ribbon 'ho (the gianter the better!) and even I think this sounds like an unnecessary idea.
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Besides getting the competitor to send copies of tests and pay all fees necessary (which is a recommendation that has been made), most schooling shows use some sort of computer program to record scores; if not a formal show program like FV, at least a word or ExCell document. As I usderstand it, just about any form of data will be accepted. I asked this question specificly in the meeting where this topic was discussed.
