Showing in Ocala -- what's the all-in cost?

True confession, it’s been a long time since I did any serious showing. But I’m absolutely dying to go to Golden Ocala when it opens. It’s been a dream of mine since I first saw the renderings.

My trainer and some barn mates are also open to the idea. Since I have at least 10 months to save up, I want to know the real, all-in cost. I realize some things vary (like hauling, trainer fees, etc), but I’m looking for a range or ballpark estimate per week. I would be taking one horse to do in the pre-adult hunters. I most likely would groom myself (but not braid myself).

Thank you!

Is this a new facility that has not previously had shows or issued a prize book)

You might need to estimate using a comparable facility and show. Get the prizebook online and then “register” for the show and see the total. That will give you a total for fees, stall, etc.

The second component of cost is trainer expenses and you can get these from your trainer. Day fees, horse transportation, branding, splitting a tack stall, etc.

Finally there are your personal expenses including hotel, food, and transportation to the venue. Obviously alot of these are affected by your distance from the venue and trainer fees can vary alot.

If you are coming from a distance and need hotel and flight for yourself that alone would probably be at least $1000 unless you had multiple people sharing rooms and didn’t eat much prepared food (restaurant or show ground concession)

Yeah, I generally know my trainer’s daily rates, and cost of shipping. I think the cost of this show will be comparable to HITS Ocala, but it’s been so long since I showed at that level, I don’t know what to expect. $1000 a week all-in? $1500 a week? More? There’s so many variables that it’s hard/time-consuming to come up with an answer myself. I’m probably forgetting half the costs. I’m hoping one of these fine folks who show constantly will have this info on top of their heads. Or maybe it’s the kind of thing in which, “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it” :).

Oh! And yes, new facility. It’s the new WEC.

World Equestrian Center (WEC) Ocala is the facility. Get on the mailing list for their emails. Stall information has already been released, and like HITS it is $250/week. For your show costs, I would take the HITS prize list from this year and assume costs would be very similar - if it comes in lower, great, but given the competition for entrants, you can probably feel pretty sure it won’t be higher. These links will show you the HITS fees, so that you can estimate for the divisions/types of classes you would want to do (warm up divisions, classics, etc . . . beyond the 2’6" adults):
http://files.hitsshows.com/files/att…tEntry3_20.pdf

http://files.hitsshows.com/files/att…ListLOW_20.pdf

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Here are the costs I’ve thought of so far. What am I missing?

Airfare
Lodging
Meals
Rental car
Trainer split (her lodging and meals)
Tack room split
Entry fees and other show office fees
Association memberships (USEF and USHJA)
Stall
Braiding
Hauling
Daily training fees

Hey Momateur - my 3 barnmates and I (also doing the Pre-Adults!) are planning this same trip! We’re likely going for two weeks since we’re coming from MD, so we’re planning to share a paddock or two. I’ve started stashing away $250/mo at this point. :stuck_out_tongue:

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A couple of other things we typically consider in rated show billing:

  1. additional stall splits - tack stalls, feed stalls, set up costs around any decor or supplies
  2. Feed costs - hay, forage, grain, supplements (assuming you bring your own, great, but if not, check pricing down in FL for hay)
  3. Paddock rental/split - they’re SO nice to have
  4. Supply splits - things like poultice, show sheen, shampoo, etc etc we are buying to bring with us that the barn splits
  5. Will you need to pay your trainer for prep rides, schooling, lunging, and/or showing? (Outside of your daily training rate. Some barns include it as one charge, others have a per-division ride fee or a schooling fee. Not sure how you guys operate!)
  6. Lesson fees. You will, I am sure, take one or two while you’re down there, and I bet those aren’t free!
  7. $$$ for photos :slight_smile:
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That’s a GREAT suggestion. My little guy will struggle for two weeks without turnout. So they offer paddocks??

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My typical show costs (costs paid to the horse show, not my trainer) for a hunter at WEC Ohio are $1,000 - $1,200 per week excluding prize money. This includes entry fees for pro and amateur divisions, a hunter derby, a classic, stall fee, stall splits, shavings, hay, and a bunch of fees (office, USEF/USHJA, medic, schooling, night watch, etc).

Yes, definitely get a paddock. Worth every penny. I don’t recall how much the paddocks were at Ocala. We split them and they were on our show bills.

And definitely budget for photos. :slight_smile:

USEF offers a 15% discount on Hertz rental cars, although in Orlando there’s an abundance of inexpensive car rental companies.

I usually fly Southwest to Orlando. The fares are reasonable and if you have to change your flight, they don’t charge a change fee.

I usually share a hotel with a barn buddy, which will save lots of $$$.

Your barn/trainer costs will vary, based on the pricing model your trainer uses. For example, we pay flat day fees for show/training/lesson days or hacking/days off days. (BTW, I’m at a full service barn.). So I hesitate to ballpark those costs for you. We’re also charged for things like meds, hoof-packing, and expense splits. The more clients, the lower cost per client.

Braiding varies, but I’ve been paying around $50-$60 per mane and $30ish per tail…somewhere in that neighborhood.

Have fun!

I also am drooling over the new WEC and plan to go down next year.
COTH should start a ‘trainerless Ammy’ thread so we can split tack stalls and give each other moral support :lol:

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Join the facebook group Plaid Horse Adult Amateur Lounge. GREAT group of really nice ammys.

Lots of cool info shared so far.

Em

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Oooh - thanks!!!

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It really is! I love that group!

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My trainer (a doll) said she’d go even if she could wrangle up two horses/riders. Maybe we should absorb those trainerless ammies!

@Momateur

You also might want to download the spreadsheet (s) I made so you can calculate the all in costs.

See thread here with links in it.

https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/hunter-jumper/10565098-help-to-plan-your-year-budgets-and-shows-online-free-spreadsheets-i-made-cross-posted

Em

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You may want to access the WEC prize list that has been published. That would give you a better idea of the costs. Save your pennies!!

Local suggestion–if a group of you are coming down, look for an AirBnB-type housing option, I have a friend who does breed shows in Ocala and they rent a house that the whole barn gang shares. Works out waaaay cheaper than a hotel, plus there’s a kitchen so much less need to eat out.

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Don’t forget shipping down and back. Will you be responsible for continuing to pay board at home while you’re showing? (usually yes but make sure to factor that in). Other than that, I think people have covered most of them.