My area seems to have a lot of volunteers and they give free schooling passes to some of the venues.
I wish the schooling passes were transferable as I never use them, but would gladly send my trainer or a friend out with them.
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When this topic comes up, i have the same comment. Eventers need to volunteer. I always know several current eventers who never volunteer. That is what got me to stop volunteering. Why should i give up my time for people who wont give up theirs?
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What if USEA made volunteering 8hrs a way get free yearly membership or horse registration or something? The local chapter (NCDCTA) used to require a volunteer card for horse registration…
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I volunteer a LOT and this sounds off to me? I’ve never been to an event that didn’t have porta potties scattered around xc and nice people in golf carts willing to take you to one any time.
I volunteer for a few reasons:
- I get roped into it by friends or acquaintances and we socialize while volunteering- this is ideal: it’s a fun day out.
- I’m already at the venue and am bored. Don’t underestimate the number of bored friends and relatives of competitors, vendors etc kicking around.
- I moved to an area or travel there a lot for work and want to meet horse people and make friends- this used to be 100% reliable but no longer works for volunteering.
I get that people are not as interested in socializing or meeting new people anymore and many have lost the skills required but people volunteer to feel part of a community, not to be treated like a day laborer. At a minimum bother to learn people’s names if they give up their weekend to help you out. Ideally set up some time for them to mingle and socialize into the day, like a bbq afterwards. If they have fun and make friends they will come back.
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Indeed bathroom breaks are essential, especially for us of a more advance age. 
In my teen years working retail the department store had a few people known as “contingents”. They didn’t have an assigned department but rather reported to the shift supervisor and were given whatever assignment was need to fill the void of someone who didn’t show up for what ever reason. It was a prized position given to the best clerks. One of it’s big perks was the first chance to work the gift wrap desk at Christmas. It was fun and you got to keep the tips. Boy were they good! I had multiple days where I was given $50-$100 for wrapping a single item ( usually less than 15 minute job. (Most of those came from the business execs who had spent some time at the bar across the street, but they were never fussy, just pleased to have you do the wrapping so they didn’t have to figure it out.) That was very good money back in the early 1970s and paid a big chunk of college tuition.
Maybe bathroom breaks at events could be easily handled by the organizer having one or two extra people (preferably experienced) who are trained to jump judges, but rather than assigning them a jump, they are roving judges who make the rounds to offer a fill in for someone to go visit the porta-potties. Yes, it might take an extra volunteer or two, but how many return volunteers would you keep just by giving this very important consideration.
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They already do this and they have porta potties around the course. I don’t know where LCDR is volunteering but I’ve always had plenty of bathroom opportunities at events.
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Oh yes, the “punishment.” for poor behavior.
I think every volunteer has the right to call someone out if they are treated rudely. Sometimes volunteers just need a spine to do so.
The one season I coached a kindergarten soccer team, I encountered a mother who was screaming from the sidelines, “just ignore the coach and take the ball to the goal” as I tried to encourage her son to pass the ball forward to his teammate (Yes, this a TEAM sport). I ignored her and continued coaching.
At the end of the game, I went over to the mom and said quietly “I have to be gone next weekend, so since you seem to know how to coach these kids, would you please fill in for me?” She looked aghast and terrified,saying " I couldn’t do that." OK then, in the future for the growth and development of your son and the other kids, would refrain from sideline coaching from here on in. Did the trick. She never said another word and actually treated me much more nicely and with respect going forward.
Sometimes big mouths and bullies have to have their actions held up in a mirror to realize what a**es they are.
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Is it any surprise organizers reap what the sow. Good ones get repeat volunteers. Poor or inconsiderate organizers loose and have to scratch for help time and again. It really doesn’t take much extra effort to do a good job.
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I’m in Australia, and one of the events actually provides a $40 (~$26 USD) refund on your entry if you supply an XC jump judge for the entire duration of the event.
I’ve also said this before, on Facebook, but we need to start making it the norm to see professionals out there volunteering. One pro was featured at the top of a daily EN post because they were volunteering at an event. This isn’t People magazine, we need to stop treating it as “Celebs - they’re just like us!”
(I’m sure I’ll get jumped on by the various pros out there sniping that they work 7 days a week and don’t have time to volunteer, which is a completely tone-deaf response and also insulting to the hundreds of ammies at events that are working and riding - the same ones that keep this sport alive.)
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Totally agree. All volunteers should be recognized and appreciated in some way, perhaps not always equally, but at the very minimum in reasonable proportion to the time and effort they put in. I’ve never volunteered for the "payback in prizes or perks. Rather, I’ve always felt that if we each do at least a small part to the best of our abilities and resources, out communities will be the better for it. That is what I want my children and grandchildren to inherit.
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What if events posted two entry fees: 1) the much more expensive “I’m not volunteering, I just want to ride my horse and 2) I promise to supply x volunteer hours for this event between either myself or my entourage (mom dad whoever)
Yes it will be a bit more coordinating for the event but then they either get the money they need to keep,going OR they get the volunteers they need to keep going
As I read those two articles my immediate thought was that things won’t really change much until people are financially incentivized to do so. I evented a long time ago and then switched to jumpers for 4 or 5 years and I PROMISE you it is not fun walking to the show office to pay more than your own mortgage for a week.
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Yeah this is how I ended up a last minute volunteer a place I’d never been while technically on holiday. They give you a $50 voucher which my friend pocketed after she volunteered me, lol. They had food and beer for volunteers at the end of the day AND I got a shirt AND copious snacks and I’m pretty sure they were raffling off some nice prizes over the course of the season. The other volunteers knew I was a last minute stand in and were very friendly. I would absolutely volunteer there again if I lived nearby.
If tiny little mounted archery and 4H competitions can do burgers and beers for volunteers at the end of the day and offer free practice sessions, then a full on event can do something too. Make people feel like they belong to a community.
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First, thanks for continuing to volunteer.
And yes, you made my point perfectly, sometimes all that is need is for the organizers to ask you for help rather than whining about lack of volunteers.
Argg, I hate that, donate or volunteer once and then you are forever hounded to buy merch or donate again and again and again. Those are usually the first to be culled from my donation/volunteer list. Second are the ones that don’t return my call if I have left a message indicating my willingness to volunteer.
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When I leave my current job I plan to volunteer a lot more. I enjoy scribing and jump judging, and have done other things too. But I’m on call for work 24/7 and with 8+ hour volunteer shifts, there’s a pretty high risk of me missing work or working all the previous night then being barely functional all day. I understand that with half-day shifts you need a lot more people, possibly more training, more coordination, etc, but it would be a lot more doable for many people. I will say that a couple weeks ago I offered just a morning to an event that was hurting for volunteers and they were incredibly appreciative, even though I felt like I didn’t contribute that much. I think I’ve only felt unappreciated once and that was in dressage land.
ETA: I have in the past offered directly to help with prep and office tasks that could be done in smaller chunks or remotely, and haven’t been taken up on that.
I worry about affordability and survival of the sport if volunteering dwindles. I love the idea of the USEA incentivizing it with reduced fees or something else.
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I’m an ammy myself, but I do generally give pros a pass on this one. Most white-collar horse-supporting jobs have weekends off, so it’s easier to fit in a day of volunteering. The trainers I know make most of their money on weekends when their clients are free to show, x-country school, and lesson all day, if the pro isn’t out competing themselves. We could probably see more of them helping with the weekday tasks that don’t take up a full day, but I don’t think pros are where we’re going to solve the volunteer shortage. I have seen a few barns near me that really push their younger students to volunteer which I think is great; maybe instead of going after the pros themselves venues could keep track of how many volunteers show up affiliated with a certain program and offer awards/incentives that way.
Personally I enjoy volunteering and try to get out once a month or so. The places that offer free schooling passes or discounted entries are the best, but otherwise as long as they provide lunch and treat me well I don’t need much to entice me to come out. I’m lucky to be in Area II where there are plenty of venues not too far from my barn, which makes things easier logistically.
One thing I’d like to see is an easier way to volunteer for a half day if you can’t swing the full shift, especially when there’s no way to know how many entries there will be or how long the day will go beforehand. I know most places will accommodate this if you email them but having an option right on the volunteer portal when you sign up would make it so much easier.
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well, the thing is, I don’t really know anyone anymore. I am friendly with several of the people in charge, (I only see them once a year or so, and I cannot remember their names.) I do feel a bit foolish at the meeting in the morning, for the jump judges. No one really talks to me. I would kind of like to be more involved, but no one asks.
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If you think I am lying, which I assume you mean by “this seems off to me,” email me and I’ll name the horse trials for you.
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From the Part 2 article:
!!!
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This is what I’m talking about- you have to provide time for your volunteers to socialize and make friends and you have to make sure they aren’t being clique-ish. Most people volunteer with the expectation they will meet other like minded people.
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I agree, it is a challenge to find time to volunteer with all our busy over programmed lives, but it can be done if we prioritize. It is OK to say no to some things. We don’t have to do everything. If there is a will there is a way. While my children were growing up and I was a more active volunteer, I also ran my own full time business. My office was at home so I was fortunate to some flexibility to pursue my priorities. I had my horses at home and also boarded several other people’s horses And of course, I was a parent to 2 active kids. We shared a lot of common interests (they both rode and did 4-H) and with team work we made it work.
Years ago at young farmer conference the speaker noted that multiple studies have shown that 20% of the people do 80% of the work. Over the years I have seen that borne out in almost all the endeavors I’ve been involved with. So here we are, you, me, and the others who have found it valuable to care enough to enter into this discussion.
I think when we look at volunteering purely as “free labor” we devalue our own and others’ efforts. Not everything is about money. Some things have a higher purpose and and non-monetary value. We need to give that greater respect.
I will respectfully disagree that yesteryear and SAHMs made it easier to find volunteers. First, in my opinion, SAHM is one of the toughest and unpaid jobs on the planet. I look at my own mother as the oldest of her 4 kids with only 6 years between us. She found plenty of ways to volunteer and eventually she worked outside the home as we all got older. I try to be half as good as she was and know that even only half is still pretty darn good. I feel lucky to have passed her ethic on to my own 2, now adult children.
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