Hi there! My horse and I are going to our first true dressage show next week (we’re eventers so have done lots of dressage AT shows, but never been to a straight dressage show 
) and I told myself last year that I wanted to make it a goal this year to qualify and potentially attend our (semi-local, about a 3 hour drive for us) RCs at Training. Depending on how our scores look next weekend, was thinking about trying to qualify last-minute. We’re in region 8 so I believe there would be a few opportunities, but now I’m looking at the crazy amount of money it would be to register, qualify for and attend RCs - around $1500, not including hotels or anything. How are people affording to do this? Are there grants or scholarships, from USDF or breed organizations perhaps? I ride a Standardbred so definitely something that no one sees very often Would it be worth it to sign up for the memberships this late in the year? Thanks (and sorry for my crazy rant)!
Yeah, horse showing is just expensive. To do any 2-3 shows does quickly add up to $1500 if you need to do stabling not to mention hauling and hotel.
Some people don’t afford it, some just save up the money.
As far as Regional Championships, I think for most of us the reason to go is because it’s really fun, a great facility, etc. IE it’s a vacation.
I don’t know if you have any opportunity to fundraise with an unusual breed or some other aspect of yourself or your story - you always have to ask, what’s in it for someone to sponsor or fund you, versus doing these things themselves or spending their money some other way? If you have a unique story to tell, it’s not impossible - but also not necessarily easier than just earning that money from a job or some other way.
Good luck with your goals!
I think it all depends on why you want to go, what your goals are, and what that is worth to you.
I’ve done regional championships, region 7, several times. My goal each time was to be competitive. I was working at the time so while expensive, I was with a trainer that was budget conscious so it was affordable for me.
Now that I’m retired, I have absolutely no interest in going. Too many other things to spend money on and a lot less money!!
If I’m going to spend that much money, I’d rather spend it on education/clinics with top riders than going to any show. YMMV
The competition is strong at the Reg 8 championships…if your goal is a ribbon take a look at last year scores in your level and see if your scores are competitive. I usually do the regular classes or volunteer there and really enjoy the show! I don’t pay for the championship classes because my scores would not be competitive in the open division.
I think if you look at it as a ‘there I did it’ then saving money to go and treating like a vacation would be fun. If you’re thinking about going to be competitive it doesn’t seem as fun because you’re having to scramble for scores and funds.
Is this something you could plan for next year?
Yeah my mental approach to these types of weekend long away shows is to think of them like taking my horse on vacation with me and having a “horse camp” weekend with all my horse friends. If it’s just about ribbons and scores then it does seem hard to swallow the cost. But if you look at it like vacation, connecting with friends, and spending quality time with your horse, then it can feel more like you are getting value from the cost.
Region 8 is a lot of fun - big show with ~8 rings running, lots of freestyles to watch, competitor party. Classes are mostly large and competitive. Hotels in Kingston are sometimes cheaper than Saugerties, and some barns all chip in on an AirBnB to reduce costs, but it is just an expensive show. Definitely go watch if you don’t show.
Agreed with this! It’s important to think about what your goals are to decide if it’s worth it to you. Going to have fun and say you got to ride at championships? Go for it! That’s my plan with my new horse to get him miles. However, region 8 is indeed super competitive. Training level in region 8 is especially competitive (with a lot of entries). If I remember correctly, last year the training level adult amateur championship class had 30-40 entries and the top 8 were all in the 70s or very close.
I qualified at 2nd level with my old horse last year with scores in the low 60s in region 8 (nice leggy warmblood that just lacked his own motor). I opted not to enter him because we had pretty much no chance of being competitive and I was horse shopping for my next partner so knew that money could be better spent elsewhere. I ended up going horseless to watch others in my barn and had an absolute blast! It’s a super fun show to spectate at. Lots of great musical freestyles and it was fun watching all the upper level classes.
Another flag is that scores often seem to go down at regionals compared to the rest of the season. There is a side judge in all championship classes (usually ends up scoring ~2-3% lower than the judge at C because of their different vantage point) and they’re all S judges, so there are no gift scores. There were multiple horses in the training level class that I had seen go previously with scores in the high 60s to low 70s and they were generally in the mid 60s in the championship class.
This is a good point.
If you are going because you want to be competitive and get a ribbon then I’d look at the top finisher’s scores in your classes and base it off that. Also, take into consideration it’s a BIG show with a lot of atmosphere so if your horse is affected by that your scores might be lower.
If you want to go and say you did? Then go for it!
I don’t have any issues with people choosing either path, but some people have very different goals. And sometimes there’s a lot of social media pressure/backlash/opinions that might effect you.
I try to go to Regionals most years. I do it by greatly limiting the number of shows I do in general. I have been to one this year…and will do one more next weekend. If I get my second qualifying score for Regionals I will go there too. It has to be at 2 shows or I might just do one and Regionals! I like to have goals so I try to do my best to be in the range of competitive for a ribbon, which I am when I get myself together and my horse is having a good day! Not the winners, but we have a chance at a ribbon.
The Training/First/Second classes are huge in Region 2, where I am. I’m doing Third this year and am not sure how big they are. Reminds me to go look!
Regionals are fun and I like the championship atmosphere. My horse likes it a great deal less and sometimes melts down, so often I come home sans big ribbon but that’s OK.
Third still tends to be pretty big in region 2 - but it being at Waterloo will cut the class size a bit - for whatever reason the entries are often a bit down from Lamplight and KHP when regionals are at Waterloo.
OP - the ones who say the scoring is tougher at regionals are usually right - what would get you close to 70% at a local show will often drop up to 5% at regionals, between the atmosphere and the side judging almost always lowering the score.
But if you go into it with the right attitude - I’m going to have fun just being at regionals and hanging with my barn friends - and it will not financially kill you, it is a cool experience.
I mean, that’s pretty average for a show around here! And cheap for a “championship” type competition. My first thought is if that’s giving you sticker shock, perhaps it’s a goal for next year? That’ll give you time to save up and get confirmed at the level. Maybe go watch/volunteer/visit this year to get an idea?
If you’re a person who can treat it like Horse Camp and just go for fun, then I see no problem going if the money and scores are there. My understanding is it’s quite a big atmosphere in most regions - depending on your usual eventing atmosphere it might be ho hum, but if you’re usually showing smaller/quieter places it may be asking a lot. Same if you put a lot of pressure on yourself to Do Well.
TLDR: if that’s outrageously expensive to you, it may be worth re-evaluating your goals and motivations. If it’s just for fun and you can light that money on fire, go for it! Otherwise, maybe wait and save and get confirmed at the level.
I would second the people who say that if your goal is to go and get the experience, then just do it. I love Regionals and in my Region (R1) its fun.
If you’re going to be competitive at Training level, even as an ammy, you’d better be getting scores in the low 70s at least. Those classes are almost always won by big moving youngsters. Things get a little more level as you go up the levels.
I don’t know if the Standardbred breed has All Breeds awards, but when I rode a horse that was another less common breed it made more sense for me to try to be competitive over the course of the season with horses more comparable to my own by setting my goal as completing a season (8 rides) for the All Breeds awards. In my breed, over the 10 years or so that we competed we would place in the All Breed awards more years than not with medians in the low to mid 60s because there were just not that many of us. We only placed at regionals once, at 2nd level. I liked to go anyway, and there might be one or two others of the same breed also showing, but not many.
Wow, really? Here in Region 1 a two-day recognized show with no stabling and two qual classes each day cost me $436 this spring. I think stabling would add around $150. It was one of those shows where each day is separate, so the cost tends to be a little higher, but you can qualify for regionals in one weekend. If I had to spend $1,500 per show there’s no way I’d be doing it! I think OP was including registrations and qualifying competitions in their $1,500.
Last year my entire dressage show season cost $2,625 for three schooling shows, three recognized shows to get qualified at both the regular test and freestyle (no stabling), and regional championships (including stabling, gas, and hotel). Add $415 for lifetime USEF and USDF horse registration since it was my young horse’s first year, $90 for USDF participating membership, and whatever USEF costs that I’d already paid because I also event.
I just did my entries for my second show of the year and it was right at $1k, and hotel is another $500. It would be more if I had a trainer school me as well. 3 days of classes, 2 classes a day. And this venue is the cheapest around in Region 2. There are no shows driving distance for me, this one is around 3 hours drive and it is the closest. That is why 3 shows a year is about all I am able to do!
Yikes, sorry, that sucks!
Yeah, I’m not showing right now - but I just looked at a prize list for a show I would normally enter and for one class a day, with stabling (2 stalls to have a tack stall) would be $720 (without a split on the tack stall), and 2 classes a day would be $950. That is no food, no lodging. I live close enough to go home at night, but you’ve also got to figure in the fuel everyday as I live 50 miles away so another $25 a day in fuel back and forth.
Regionals at one class a day for entry fees alone would be $1200 if I was not splitting a tack stall for region 2 this year.
Not even factoring in the cost of a marginally competitive horse, I can’t afford to show at these prices.
$201 to trailer into local weekend recognized show (held throughout year) and do one FEI class each day without qualifying fees. I am feeling very grateful for the venues and organizers that make this possible. The last two years my only away shows were regionals and it’s as much a vacation roadtrip with friends as it is a competition. The one downside of hauling in for the day and showing out of a trailer is missing that camaraderie.
I just entered a local recognized show for next Sunday. Total for one FEI class plus fees is $137. No stabling. I own my trailer, and I pay for full training which includes coaching at shows.
To spend two nights at a show that is ~2 hours from me, I spend around $1400 to do 2 tests, including hotel. My bill for regionals will be similar.
