NEWSFLASH: Horse showing is expensive

[Nickelodian]

I know. It’s surprising. People who put on shows are putting them on to make money. People who participate in horse shows do so with the full knowledge that they are using their expendable income on a hobby. The more money you have, the more you can spend, and the more you drive the prices up.

People pay to win, this is not different than any other driver in a market or capitalist economy. If a false ceiling was put on the market to control costs, then demand would exceed supply. As long as people pay the prices to show and support the market, the market will continue to fulfill itself. When the consumer is truly priced out, the market cost will drop allowing for more participants and a new equilibrium price.

Welcome to economics 101.

Horse showing is the sport of kings. It’s akin to sail boat racing or race car driving.

You can either find a way to afford it, or you can’t. But don’t blame the people who are in the market to make a profit for driving up price as much as possible until their supply of entries drops. They are looking to maximize their profits. It’s one of the rare few true free market economies left.

Me? I haul my own horse, bring my own hay/feed/shavings, and up until a year ago did my own work and didn’t participate in the splits to make it work. And before that I showed locally. I have a wonderful husband who supports my decisions on how I spend my money. I work a full time job and I plan a lot and am as frugal as possible (see the crock pot meal I currently have cooking for tonight). It’s what I love, it’s what I want to do. Yes, I wish I had a billion dollars and could just ride the circuit every day all day. But that’s not me. I’m just a working rider who understands the economies of riding.

I do wish that there were areas where people didn’t have to mark up things (shavings, stalls, etc), but I also understand that that’s the economics of the multi billion dollar BUSINESS that I’m a participant in.

[AffirmedHope]

The only reason the fees keep stacking up is because we’re dumb enough to keep paying them.

[mroades]

Yabbut…back in the day, the shows were almost exclusively staffed (including judges) by volunteers!
Shavings were a by product not a commodity.
Footing schmooting…
etc, etc,
Its just different now…industry vs sport.

[Dinah-do]

Along with the yabbut… I can afford it ,My husband is ok with it but I refuse to pay the money to chase after ribbons. To pay splits when I don’t want to and all the rest of the charges which make me feel cheated because no one ever says thanks. Not the trainer, the show office , the photographer or anyone else. Tired of it and slowly done with the whole scene. A donation to a charity comes with a thank you letter and a tax receipt. I rather like that. Actually eventers are a lot better than the H/J world.

[RockinHorse]

@Nickelodian;7427053

It’s one of the rare few true free market economies left.

Except for that pesky milage rule…not exactly free market.

[Nickelodian]

[QUOTE=mroades;7427086]

Its just different now…industry vs sport.[/QUOTE]

Is there any sport that isn’t an industry? I can’t think of a single one. I’m 34, for the duration of my life as a rider it’s been an industry.

Dinah-do - If more were like you, the price would come down. That’s exactly what I’m trying to say…

[RanchoAdobe]

Ditto mileage rule - until USEF promotes free market it’s hard to swallow the supply/demand model.

[Nickelodian]

The mileage rule would just dilute, not force free market. There’s enough horse shows that are reachable via hauling on any given weekend. And all the shows charge similar fees. Honestly, I’ve shown several different places and they’re all similar. Soooooo…I still say that in general, showing as a whole is a free market. You can go if you want or spend your money elsewhere.

[lockedoutalter]

[QUOTE=Nickelodian;7427260]
The mileage rule would just dilute, not force free market. There’s enough horse shows that are reachable via hauling on any given weekend. And all the shows charge similar fees. Honestly, I’ve shown several different places and they’re all similar. Soooooo…I still say that in general, showing as a whole is a free market. You can go if you want or spend your money elsewhere.[/QUOTE]

No, the mileage rule stops anyone else from starting up a new show series and keeps feeding the beasts. Dates are owned and no one else can even start to creep into the market to offer affordable options. It’s become a Monopoly and they know it.

[BITSA]

I can afford it–within reason–but I think its sad that it so limits who can show. When I was a kid (yes in the 1980’s) you could show on the AQHA circuit in California and it might cost a few hundred dollars a show, maybe a thousand (Del Mar) stabling two horses there for a week. Now, its $1500 just in entry fees for the most basic classes. I realize its a business, but it would be nice if it werent so limiting to so many financially.

[DMK]

yeah, got to disagree on the free market aspect. Some of it is the mileage rule and date protection, some of it is just the economics of large show grounds, but a free market it is not.

Arguing whether it should be or could effectively be a free market is a different topic, but I cannot in any business sense of the world, define it in its current state as a free market.

Sincerely,
The Free Market

(LOL I’m listening to our year end earnings recap, feeling immersed in the real free market!)

[ParadoxFarm]

Heck, horse OWNERSHIP is not exactly cheap. Goes with the territory, I guess. But I only do local schooling shows that I can afford and I can afford to enjoy without the stress of spending so much money. I’m fine with that.

[RugBug]

[QUOTE=DMK;7427551]
yeah, got to disagree on the free market aspect. Some of it is the mileage rule and date protection, some of it is just the economics of large show grounds, but a free market it is not.

Arguing whether it should be or could effectively be a free market is a different topic, but I cannot in any business sense of the world, define it in its current state as a free market.

Sincerely,
The Free Market

(LOL I’m listening to our year end earnings recap, feeling immersed in the real free market!)[/QUOTE]

Yep. Horse shows are not a free market.

@Nickelodian;7427260

The mileage rule would just dilute, not force free market. There’s enough horse shows that are reachable via hauling on any given weekend.

You’re viewing showing through your own filter/experiences. Some of us do not have enough horse shows that are reachable on any given weekend.

Also of note: the ability to allocate resources to an expensive hobby involves a lot of variables such as: the quality of the job, the area you live, if there is a second income, are their children, etc.

I, as a one income/single person household (that is over the national median household income), cannot afford A shows. I suppose that just sucks for me…and I’ve pretty much come to terms with it. That doesn’t mean, however, that I think the system is just fine and dandy.

I agree with parts of what you are saying. Horse shows will try to maximize profits and until enough people stop playing in that sand box, nothing will change.

But the mileage rule means others shows can’t compete even if they wanted (and had a facility to use). Quality showing (which means decent footing, safe stabling/courses/ with good judges to me…it does NOT mean jumbotrons and exhibitor parties and vendors) is a not free market.

So I play on the local scene at the one or two places that have decent enough footing and walk the courses before I ride just to make sure they are rideable and not dangerous. When I win, I know it’s nothing like winning at an A, but I take what I can get. (Losing at a local probably feels even worse than at an A, )

[222orchids]

Ok, I will probably get flamed for this and I am ready…note that I am NOT in horse show management or production; just an amateur weekend warrior who does this for fun at local and a few rated shows, offering a bit of perspective on the cost of this hobby. Think about this: If you take a ski vacation, it costs a lot. If you go to the islands to SCUBA dive, it costs a lot. And if you are an amateur rider or even local professional going to some horse shows, it is going to cost a lot. This is an expensive hobby. But bear in mind what you get for the money you pay to show (I have WEF in mind): Spectacular footing, beautiful jumps, miles of board-feet of fancy ring enclosures, water trucks and heavy equipment for dragging the ring, ring crew, grounds crew, an in-gate supervisor with computer system at every ring keeping track of results, starting times, order of go, etc., show office staff, ribbons and trophies, prize money, judges, stewards, porta-potties, emergency medical personnel, announcers, etc. And show management pays for things that you might not think of to make it all available, like real estate taxes on the facility, fees for legal, accounting and other professionals, website design and management, publicity, and insurance, which alone must be a fortune. Show managers, judges and crews do this for a living, not for your enjoyment. They, too, have homes to pay for and families to feed. That has to come from somewhere.

I’m not sure that qualifies as highway robbery, without providing anything in return. This is an expensive sport. That’s the bottom line. There are many costs to putting on a show and I suspect management is not just raising costs to see how far they can push this community before it breaks; these costs are real and they probably go up every year. But as many of you have stated, you CAN always “vote with your wallet” and not attend those shows that you feel are unduly expensive.

I can afford to keep my horse boarded, shod, fed and healthy, and go to a few horse shows a year. I really do hope everyone gets to ride in horse shows at a level they can afford, and has fun doing it. Alright, go ahead. Flame suit is on and zipped up tight!!

[ybiaw]

:applause::applause::applause::applause::applause:

[merrygoround]

Nickeodeon-“Horse showing is the sport of kings. It’s akin to sail boat racing or race car driving.”

Sorry dear, It’s racing that’s the sport of kings, and it’s even more expensive. :lol:

[eclipse]

Yes horses and horse shows are expensive, but there’s no reason why they cannot go back to putting certain divisions (cough ammie hunters) onto one day! If shows actually went back to doing this, I’d probably do MORE shows!

Yes, I’d still have to pay the dreaded drug fees, admin fees, etc etc but I’d be saving on stabling and more importantly, I wouldn’t have to use vacation time from work to show…thus more shows would be available for me to actually go to! As it stands now, I don’t have many show venues to choose from in Calgary, and the ones that we do have run over multi days usually starting on Wed or Thursdays and spreading out a division over 4 or 5 days…just not doable to the average joe! I pick and choose very carefully as to what weeks I can take off from work, if I could show on a weekend I could go to more shows…a win win for organizers and exhibitors (our adult and amauture hunter classes are very low in entries here and I believe it’s because of the time factor more than anything).

[marginall]

Not to start a war, but I find married women who have husbands that pay for a bulk of their living/horse expenses if not all of their expenses don’t really “get it.” I know a lot of married women who don’t know what things cost because they don’t pay the bills.

In a perfect world, showing would be affordable so more people could enjoy the experience. Unfortunately, the world is far from perfect.

What is doable, is to be more sympathetic and compassionate to people who love horses, riding and showing but don’t have the financial means, or the dumb luck of being born into the right circumstances, to enjoy what so many people take for granted.

[Nonsmom]

[QUOTE=marginall;7427882]
Not to start a war, but I find married women who have husbands that pay for a bulk of their living/horse expenses if not all of their expenses don’t really “get it.” I know a lot of married women who don’t know what things cost because they don’t pay the bills.[/QUOTE]

Spoken like a single. Ignorance is bliss. :rolleyes:

[snaffle635]

[QUOTE=222orchids;7427849]
Ok, I will probably get flamed for this and I am ready…note that I am NOT in horse show management or production; just an amateur weekend warrior who does this for fun at local and a few rated shows, offering a bit of perspective on the cost of this hobby. Think about this: If you take a ski vacation, it costs a lot. If you go to the islands to SCUBA dive, it costs a lot. And if you are an amateur rider or even local professional going to some horse shows, it is going to cost a lot. This is an expensive hobby. But bear in mind what you get for the money you pay to show (I have WEF in mind): Spectacular footing, beautiful jumps, miles of board-feet of fancy ring enclosures, water trucks and heavy equipment for dragging the ring, ring crew, grounds crew, an in-gate supervisor with computer system at every ring keeping track of results, starting times, order of go, etc., show office staff, ribbons and trophies, prize money, judges, stewards, porta-potties, emergency medical personnel, announcers, etc. And show management pays for things that you might not think of to make it all available, like real estate taxes on the facility, fees for legal, accounting and other professionals, website design and management, publicity, and insurance, which alone must be a fortune. Show managers, judges and crews do this for a living, not for your enjoyment. They, too, have homes to pay for and families to feed. That has to come from somewhere.

I’m not sure that qualifies as highway robbery, without providing anything in return. This is an expensive sport. That’s the bottom line. There are many costs to putting on a show and I suspect management is not just raising costs to see how far they can push this community before it breaks; these costs are real and they probably go up every year. But as many of you have stated, you CAN always “vote with your wallet” and not attend those shows that you feel are unduly expensive.

I can afford to keep my horse boarded, shod, fed and healthy, and go to a few horse shows a year. I really do hope everyone gets to ride in horse shows at a level they can afford, and has fun doing it. Alright, go ahead. Flame suit is on and zipped up tight!![/QUOTE]

No flaming from me. You are right on the money, ahem, so to speak.

With regard to the free market discussion, the mileage rule is established by USEF or USHJA, right? Who says you have to run a show under USEF? If I had the capital and wanted to host my own horse show series, there’s nothing stopping me.