That’s great to hear!! I will look into it
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Not sure if you’re asking specifically about dressage schooling shows (as this is the dressage forum), but our local H/J schooling show is selling out every show. The one I attend 4 hours away is also doing very well. The local one has dressage at (I think) two of their four shows each year, the one farther away is adding dressage in September.
I’m very excited to see dressage added as we had no dressage schooling shows previously. It’s easier to get a group of clients to commit to going if not everyone has to jump. I avoid rated shows and try to support the schooling shows as much as possible.
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Yes! They are nicely active. 
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Yes, they do a great job. 
And they are a nice group of people.
In my area (NYC metro area) it sort of depends. The shows I’ve entered have been in general well attended, but I do see a reluctance to register until the last minute (as evidenced by social media posts from organizers in the week before begging people to get entries in. We don’t have a super active dressage scene, so the shows do tend to be spread out geographically, but in general there’s something within a 2 hour radius every other weekend.
Things that I think would improve attendance:
- Online registration – one of the shows I attended this year I had to physically mail in my entry.
- Better communication from organizers – I shouldn’t have to seek out my ride times myself. They should be emailed to all participants.
- Along the same lines, organizers NEED to have a social media presence. Don’t just put a prize list up on your website and assume people will find you. You should be posting at least weekly on multiple platforms, including to local horse groups on Facebook.
- Consider changing up the timing a bit. One of our local successful series has weekday shows, which are nice if you don’t work M-F or can take a vacation day. I’ve also noticed western shows/clinics in the area will have evening events. This is great during the summer–cooler temperatures, trainers don’t have to rearrange their lesson schedules. It does require either an indoor or arena lights, but something to consider for those who have the facilities.
- Partner with other local shows to do a “schooling show series” with year-end awards. This has been fairly popular with one group of barns in my area. It encourages repeat attendance and people who don’t necessarily want to compete rated find it fun.
- Check with your local Pony Club region and find out if they want to run a dressage rally in conjunction with your schooling show. This helps both parties, because Pony Club can typically provide extra volunteers, some who have experience with scribing/gate steward/etc.
- If you have space, offer a free day stall in exchange for volunteer hours before/after showing. I’d be happy to jump in and help out after my ride, but can’t leave my horse on a hot trailer for hours.
- Include western dressage, and make sure to promote to western focused barns in your area.
- Add a lead line or “coached” class for the littles–part of the problem is we aren’t doing anything to encourage the next generation to be interested in dressage. Except for the eventers, I rarely see anyone under ~25 at a dressage show.
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Honestly, a 2-day show with stalls available would be a huge draw to me. I really hate showing off of the trailer because my horse does better with a good let down between trailering and showing (and in general I feel less rushed if I have a stall to work out of).
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@rogueknits Great ideas - but most low level shows are heavily dependent on volunteers to organize and run them. As a wise man once said, “Competitors are easy to find, it is finding the volunteers that is the problem”.
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Sure, and several of my points addressed the need for more volunteers, but the question OP asked was about lack of entries at schooling shows, not lack of volunteers.
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I believe people were answering questions on how to increase schooling show attendance. Volunteers are a totally different subject.
Many of the ideas listed are already in motion at my local schooling show series, they are on the ball!
They have a FB presence so you don’t have to go to a outdated website and beg for an entry and they use equestrian hub for entries and times, so you don’t have to mail anything in. They offer western dressage, and partner with Pony Club. It’s a great experience!
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I do volunteer for several shows for our local organization. Something they do, and I don’t know if this is common, is they offer year end awards at their annual banquet dinner, which is always a sell-out. However, to win, you need to be a member of the organization and you have to have at least 8 volunteer hours for the year. I think it’s a good way to get those volunteers. I think one year I had 23 or so hours, so I don’t do it just to be eligible. I wish I had time to do more.
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