Competing during summer series of Spruce has always been a dream of mine, but finances have held me back from ever actually competing there (done indoors and september champion’s welcome but not summer series or masters), and with the stall fees rising every year it’s getting less and less obtainable.
Is $700 for one week of stabling becoming a ‘normal’ fee for these big shows that have 6 week tournaments going?
You can get a discount if you’re lucky enough to afford to enter for all 6 weeks (as long as you enter before a special date) to make it $3500 for all 6 weeks.
I mean last year summer series was BUSY. They were busting at the seams, even using one of the indoor rings for stabling. Security was very laxed in regards to the stabling area. It does seem like more and more lower level riders (1.15m and lower) are showing spruce summer series, despite the stabling going up every year.
So I guess in this case, when they nearly exploded at the seams last year, that it’s supply and demand, but to me it’s just astounding. Especially for the lower level people. People playing in the big leagues that fly around competing internationally expect to put a very large price tag on their showing, but also hope to win thousands of dollars. People at the lower level, even if they place, may not even break even on paying for the class, not to mention the $700 in stabling.
With the way things are going, I expect to see $1000 a week stabling within 5 years. Will the horse industry support that?
The September shows (Masters and Champions Welcome) are sitting at $550.
