*Update #3-I Doed It! 😁Marathon Volunteer 😳

[2DogsFarm]

Back in business, I can do a later arrival!

😥Looks like a No Go
No reply to my Monday email asking for an alternative start time (for me not the event!)
So I sent another this morning apologizing, but advising I can’t do the job 😕

I will be volunteering on the Marathon course at a CDE (Hoosier Horse Pk 9/21-22).
I have volunteered a couple times, but both times were on Cones.

So, Pretty Please, experienced COTH CDEers, give me an outline of what is expected for Marathon. 🙏
They treat volunteers like Royalty & I expect they will have info for me, but anything I can learn in advance will be appreciated.

And…
If you happen to be competing or attending, I’d love a COTH IRL GTG 😁

[Hilary]

Well… it sort of depends on what job you get. You could be a starter or finish timer (of any of the three phases), or the safety checker, or part of a team that monitors an obstacles. And probably several more that I haven’t listed. For those jobs you get to interact with every driver, for the obstacles you get to watch a lot! You could be the vet’s assistant at the vet check or at the end.

If you are part of an obstacle team usually there are 2 people timing - standing on each side of the entrance flags and one raises an arm, lowering it when the horses nose crosses the line. Both probably time. The others make sure the driver goes through the gates in order, and if not, if hey corrected it before continuing. Picked up knocked balls. There are about 20 different things on the page that can cause points off/elimination and you all are watching for those. Things like navigator one foot down, navigator off, leg over trace. If there are situations where the turnout has to pass within a line you will watch for that. Of course if there is a problem you’ll be front and center to help solve it.

Do not sit or stand where you might possibly be in a route, and do not underestimate where a driver might decide to go. Really - just because it’s not mowed, or there’s a low overhanging branch, doesn’t mean it won’t happen. At best you will cause them to have to change course mid-obstacle and at worst you will get run over. Most drivers will avoid that at all cost of course, but you never know.

THANK YOU for volunteering and I hope you have a lot of fun.

[2DogsFarm]

:eek:OMG @Hilary Now I have a headache.
I imagine they will put more experienced volunteers at crucial points & give me something simple(minded) to do. :winkgrin:

The 1st time I set Cones I was so happy to hear competitors interacting with the Judge.
And with their horses - beyond the Jumper Growl.
Up till then, my show experience consisted of H/J. Dressage & ridden Eventing, and then mostly office help or scribing.
So a whole new World for me.

[goodhors]

Take sunscreen, bug spray, sunglasses, a folding chair, wide brimmed hat. Coat or raincoat to keep warm or dry. Boots or shoes, depending on the weather. Practice running the radio, know how it works to call officials, relay the times in. Stay off the radio unless official business so the radios don’t die! Much will be covered in your briefing before going on course. Ask the Competitor “Do you want help?” Do NOT just dash in, often they can solve difficulties themselves. This EVEN with a horse down!! I have fixed it, gotten horse up again, seen others fix the issue and continue. The over-eager volunteer was a menace, shrieking and getting in the way before another official dragged her off!!

Do not stop timing until competitor goes thru the out gate! We had one exit using the the In gate, head on down the trail, then turn around and come back! She zoomed thru In gate again, across the hazard and thru the Out gate. Apparently all legal, and Judge was not happy we quit timing at her leaving thru the In gate! Who knew? It got straightened out, by using the other timer on Out gate who had not quit timing, thank goodness. Unique to me, never saw that happen before!

As mentioned, put chairs out of the way. Maybe close to the in/out gates, but not right beside the posts, is usually safe. Drivers need to go thru the markers, not out around them.

The more animals in a hitch, longer Fours, Tandems, the bigger they often travel, for smooth BIG loops to reach the next gate. They use up a lot of space outside a Hazard, so give them LOTS of room. Big loops are faster for many of them than trying to weave thru a Hazard. Single horses and ponies can do shortcuts, turn really small, so you watch close to be sure they do all their gates. I count off the gates quietly to myself as they go thru, helps me insure I watch them go thru every gate.

You will do fine! Thanks for Volunteering!

[Hilary]

You want to hear them “interacting” with their horses? You are in the right place. We are allowed to use our voices because we’ve only got the reins and the whip - no legs or seat/weight. It’s really fun to hear drivers (and navigators) out on course. Everyone has their own style and most are pretty loud. My pony loves the cheering. Go Frodo Go!!! I was hoarse at the end of the last one.

[2DogsFarm]

Thanks @goodhors Making mental notes…
For Cones we were provided with chairs, a pop-up sunshade & a golf cart circulating with drinks & snacks. Not sure that courtesy can happen on Marathon.
The gnats were the biggest pests, so I will spray the heck outta myself.

@Hilary :lol:
Yup, I talk to Bugs all the time when I drive & he listens pretty good for a baby, those little ears swivel back to me
He knows Whoa! Over (to pivot), Easy to slow his gait & Step It Up to increase speed.
No more sotto voce commands so Judge doesn’t hear

[MorganGal13]

First of all, THANK YOU for volunteering – we cannot have events without volunteers!
In addition to all the good advice above, I would add the following –

1. Walk the course yourself before the first competitor comes through, so that you are familiar with where the gates are and in which direction they should be driven (the red number/letter is ALWAYS on the right). Clarify with the Technical Delegate if a gate is dead once it has been driven correctly once, and which levels are competing (training may only have to do gates A,B,C, but prelim has to do A, B, C, D etc).

2. Remember that if a competitor gets ‘lost’ in the obstacle, or goes through a gate out of order, etc., remain silent. You can’t give them any direction or information about the course under any circumstance, even if they ask you.

3. Clarify what to do with the TD about what to do if you have a hold (another competitor arrives at an obstacle while another competitor is still in there)

4. have fun!

[2DogsFarm]

@MorganGal13 I have done ridden Eventing so I know about Red on the Right (White on the Left, Insanity in the Middle ;)).
And from my 3 or 4 Cones Derby runs I am familiar with Gates - at least Training A,B,C,D ones.
Funny aside:
When me & mini go through a gate, they are over our heads

Walking the course just can’t happen :no:
Arthritic knees would never hold up.
I have driven parts of the course at The Ntl Drive & let organizers know my limitations.
They know me from past events, so I am assuming they will place me somewhere equivalent to Marathon for Dummies, as this is a rated CDE & they won’t want a Newb effing up.

And yup, FUN is the main reason for doing this.
Not the free lunch & t-shirt :uhoh:

[MorganGal13]

Walking the course just can’t happen :no:
Arthritic knees would never hold up.

Sorry, @2DogsFarm - I meant to say obstacle you’re stationed at, not the entire course – assuming you are assigned to observe or time at an obstacle.
If possible, every volunteer who is stationed at an obstacle should walk it first, and all eyes should be on the competitor as they make their way through it, even if their official job is just timing. Things happen much faster than you may think, so the more eyes on the obstacle, the better. If you have to ‘red dot’ a scoring sheet, the TD and judge will talk to you about it and ask you to recall exactly what happened, so it helps to have that back-up.

[/QUOTE]

[DiamondJubilee]

Thats awesome that you are volunteering!!! We can’t play without our volunteers

Enjoy and have fun! Let us know where you were stationed after its all said and done. My parents volunteer at almost every CDE we go to and my father knows 0 about horses and is just now learing about the driven sport! They usually station him at the beginning of A for timing or the end of the marathon. Something simple and he loves doing it!

Too bad we are not going to this one. Would have been fun to meet up! We will be doing Garden State CDE though…

[2DogsFarm]

@MorganGal13 No apology necessary.
I can most certainly walk an obstacle if that’s where they put me
As a Physical Learner that is probably the best way for me to learn what the correct route is.

@DiamondJubilee I admit to kinda hoping for an assignment akin to your Dad’s.
Assuming that would leave me some Watching Time
Wherever they put me, be assured I’ll post back here to report :encouragement:

[firecracker]

I was navigating at a CDE a few months ago and my wife came along to volunteer. She did cones the first day and marathon the following day. She has limited experience with the sport, but she said her responsibilities were clearly explained to her and everyone was friendly and helpful if she had questions.

She learned a lot and had tons of fun!

THANK YOU so much for volunteering! I hope you have a blast.

[2DogsFarm]

Well, there is a fly in my ointment.

Last email from organizer advised my assignment is “Obstacle” & I need to be onsite by 7:45A.
Marathon is scheduled to run from 9A to 2P.

I am 3h away & complicated by the fact that the part of IN where the event is held is not on CST, so add 1hr.
I would have to leave here by 3:45A at the latest & that has to include feeding my horses & chickens before leaving.
Not sure I will be awake enough to make the drive, or alert enough when I get there.
Cannot have a yawning judge at a Hazard. :no:

I emailed asking if there was some volunteer position that could handle a later arrival.
No reply yet.

Drat :ambivalence:

[goodhors]

Yeah, super early arrival time is for TD to explain Rules, jobs, answer questions before you go out on course. We had the same thing at Metamora, but we are only an hour from there.

Horses WERE surprised at seeing us out serving breakfast at oh-dark thirty that morning!! Glad they came right up to bring into the barn, speeded us on our way quickly.

Hope things work out.

[2DogsFarm]

@goodhors I understand the need to be there before they start driving & if I was even an hour closer, No Prob.

🤞They can offer something doable

[2DogsFarm]

Sigh.
Well, looks like I won’t be going.
Updated my original post & emailed to let them know just not doable.
Hopefully I can manage something for the
”‹”‹”‹”‹ next event & will see peeps at the National Drive.

[Zu_Zu]

[B]3:45 am departure after feeding the gang ???!!

the bed would have to be on FIRE :eek: for that !

Enjoy your weekend ~ You were nice to try ~[/B]

[RMJacobs]

So sorry this didn’t work out for you.

Rebecca

[2DogsFarm]

I’m Baaaaaack!!!
I can arrive later, missing the 7:45A meeting. 😁
AND…
I will be at a Water Hazard!! Happy Dance! 💃

[Zu_Zu]

@2DogsFarm

I’m Baaaaaack!!!
I can arrive later, missing the 7:45A meeting. 😁
AND…
I will be at a Water Hazard!! Happy Dance! 💃

Great news … for a quicker departure just

skip your morning shower just wait and ‘dip’ there :lol: