What is killing recognized dressage shows?

[LadyB]

Still too many memberships to have to purchase to dabble in other disciplines. Being an eventer, I want to dabble in some pure dressage shows or jumper shows, but the cost of memberships for that is insane. On top of the cost to go to the show, plus admin fees, and gas, its all so expensive. PLUS finding a show these days is getting harder, at least in Ontario I’m finding it dwindling quite a lot. If numbers are low they just cancel.

I miss the combined shows we used to have. I miss the true schooling shows, now everything seems to be rated. I would say the issue is still the same as this thread that started in 2017.

[fordtraktor]

I don’t know if you have this in Canada, but shows in the US can offer “Opportunity” classes for the lower levels that do not require memberships. I used them when I first started in dressage. I know they go up through First level, maybe Second.

I braid my own and charge $40 if I braid for others, for sewn in button braids. That seems on trend for prices I see on braider flyers.

Shows in the Midwest seem to be cheaper than what many of you are paying. Our shows seem to be doing OK.

[VodkaRedbullx2]

$120 for diesel to fill my tank for the shows that are 2 hours away there and back again. It costs more in fuel than the 1 night in cheap hotel room.

[SillyHorse]

@fordtraktor

I don’t know if you have this in Canada, but shows in the US can offer “Opportunity” classes for the lower levels that do not require memberships. I used them when I first started in dressage. I know they go up through First level, maybe Second.

It depends on the “level” of the show, but some can offer Opportunity classes through Second level.

Dressage classes can be offered
as Opportunity classes at Dressage Competitions or Regular/Local Competitions with “Open”
Dressage classes as described below:
Classes are limited to the following competition levels and dressage tests:
• Level 1 competitions may offer two tests and only two classes per level per day at Introductory –
Second Level one of which can be the Riders Test at Training - Second levels.
• Level 2 competitions may offer two tests and only two classes per level per day at Introductory -
First Level one of which can be the Riders Test at Training and First levels.
• Level 3 competitions may offer two tests and only two classes per level per day at Introductory
Training Level one of which can be the Training Level Riders Test.
• Level 4 and Level 5 competitions may not offer Opportunity classes.

https://www.usef.org/forms-pubs/Z6TRWhW91y8/opportunity-classes---effective

[Scribbler]

When I was a teen, lower level dressage did not exist in my world (Western Canada 1970s), and existed only as faint whisper in films and photos of haut ecole and grand prix. I was fascinated, and read and reread a reprint of Gordon Wright’s cavalry manual trying to figure out the 5 rein aids.

Folks who wanted to show without jumping 3 foot courses (that was lowest) went in various rail classes. The big annual show at the National Exhibition grounds went for days with all kinds of open breed rail classes with subtle distinctions like English Pleasure vs English Road Hack.

When I returned to riding in the mid oughts, I landed in Peak Dressage. The National Exhibition show had disappeared years ago and rail classes were relegated to breed shows, or to a few tiny club schooling shows.

When I arrived at my current recreational barn about 15 years ago, the predominant competitive interest was low level ammie dressage. I watched a number of adult ammies (and low level.coaches) get nice enough horses with brave dreams of “going up the levels” only to stall at permanent First after an encouraging few outings at Training. Horse injury, rider physical limitations, and also mediocre coaching and training that didn’t provide a foundation to build on. And also horses that scared the owner (whether ammie or coach).

I would say the fizz is off the dream of “going up the levels” for most adult ammies in our barn because nobody has been able to pull it off. When I arrived there were indeed a coach and a couple of owners who were able to get through a Fourth Level test, though with scores below 50 (I got curious and looked them up on Equine Canada) which was indeed enough for a ribbon if you chose your shows carefully.

So I think the slow realization that “going up the levels” requires more and better training and personal commitment than folks were able to provide, had an impact.

I should say, a several owners a few years back who were with a mediocre coach did jump ship and go to barns with training programs, but I’m not sure if even they ended up “going up the levels” yet.

Nobody gets a fancy horse intending to be a permanent First Level rider.

Since then, we’ve attracted a Pony Club and a number of juniors, who go out for Pony Club competition and also local unrated eventing and dressage, and that’s most of who is hauling out for shows theses days. We do have one visiting dressage coach who boasts a CV, who has several students here and I think one of them has been hauling out to shows.

We do also have a couple of pleasant and totally reputable unrated dressage show series, that hire the same judges as the rated shows, cost much less and have more entries. Of course the competition is much stronger and you won’t get a ribbon with a score of 45.

Anyhow that’s my microcosm here of ammie owners drifting away from the Dressage Dream.

I think like any discipline things go in cycles

[hoopoe]

@Bogey2

No one Volunteers anymore…schooling shows and recognized shows can’t run without help. Two of the recognized shows in my area said they could no longer run shows because they didn’t have enough help.

also throw in the rules about the scribe being somehow “related” to horses in the class. No owners, trainers or family members are to be related to the horses / riders in the class. How easy is it to find the proper number of scribes who have no connection to anyone at the show. There is also a rule that states that a judge should not face a change of scribe more than once per day. For multi ring shows it becomes a logistic nightmare to find appropriate number of scribes who tick all the boxes who can pull 4, let alone 8 or more hours

[Mander]

@LadyB

Still too many memberships to have to purchase to dabble in other disciplines.

I joined our local dressage association since they were going to host championships again this year and I had no plans to travel to regionals. $90.

Found out after our first show (where we earned qualifying scores) that they didn’t count because my horse wasn’t registered. $75.

Did some more digging to make sure I didn’t get dinged again and found out that since I lease this horse, his owner also has to be a member. Despite the fact that she lives several states away. $90.

So, $250 in membership fees just to have the privilege to earn scores to qualify for our little local championships. And no, the scores we had already earned wouldn’t count retroactively.

Regionals are closer to us next year and I won’t be bothering with the local association.

[Snow_Mass]

I’m located in an area considered “remote” by dressage industry standards. We’ve hosted USEF licensed shows to support our local dressage community for over 35 yrs. We are volunteered based - including the show secretary and manager position(s), invest in our prizes, hire good judges, nice helpful TD’s, and hope, at the end of the day, to send some $ to the club account or at least break even most of the time. Now our shows don’t fill anymore. A local year end award program and stakes classes did not increase participation.
There simply aren’t as many dressage riders in our community as there were 20 years ago for all the reasons everyone knows and it’s always comes down to money.
And the big multiple day, multiple rings, multiple judges shows will continue to fill. The gap between the local licensed/unlicensed show and the mega ring show is growing. I honestly don’t think anything will stop this trend.
As goes the H/J world, is dressage to follow…

[pluvinel]

@Mander

So, $250 in membership fees just to have the privilege to earn scores to qualify for our little local championships. And no, the scores we had already earned wouldn’t count retroactively.

This is what bureaucratic overkill does…more rules…more rules…more rules.

Most ammies do this for fun. Take out the fun factor and you take out the ammie from participating in the activity.

I think Working Equitation is growing because they don’t require all the registrations and make it easier for people to participate.

[SBrentnall]

@phoenixrises

I think what this shows us is our worries are not new, and the sport seems to be chugging along just fine, and there are a lot more people out there with a lot more money that I ever thought, therefore these shows really don’t miss many of us.

They’re not doing fine in los Angeles. We’ve lost many of our annual shows, and those that do run seem to only do half-days. We’ve had several shows this year cancelled due to lack of entries.

[dressagegirl123]

I think there is more to it than just the costs, although that is a big factor. I am in my 60’s, and still showing at a high level. Everyone I showed against in my 20’s-40’s is gone. Retired, training but not showing, judging, riding without showing, or just stopped when they had kids. The Boomer generation is huge, and aging out. When I was young, I had backyard horses (near Philadelphia), so did a bunch of kids. It was cheap to do that. All of those places are gone, as are the many commercial stables and the trails we rode on. For a kid to start now, their parents have to be very invested in money and time to find and drive their kid to a stable. Its a lot easier to have them do after school soccer…I can afford showing, but I’ve pretty much given up on CDI’s because of the bureaucracy (temp checks before you stable, then twice a day logged into the app or you get yelled at), ridiculous costs, and the hassle of being required to stable from the jog (you might not show for days, but you have the costs, including hotel if you need it). Nah, I don’t need to pay 5 judges to tell me what I’m doing wrong. One or two is enough! So, I 'm also losing my motivation because of the cost and hassle.

[yaya]

For me, it’s what is getting the good scores (the flashy, big movers). I can’t ride those horses, nor do I want to. So I ride what I can, but even riding for my own scores, being perpetually judged as only “marginal” with the occasional “satisfactory“ starts to get discouraging.

[lorilu]

Here is Florida we have LOTS of shows. Like, too many shows within a 3-4hr haul. There are only so many show $$ to go around, and the big flashy facilitie(s) (which is m ore expensive in all aspects, from stabling to class fees to office fee to lunch opportunities to hotels – others are 30 min away…) are putting the smaller, AA-friendly shows out fo business. NOt only that, it encourages local facilities to become housing developments (Grand Oaks just asked for zoning changes for 600+ modular homes…)

Compounding it here in FL is the fact that National shows associated with a CDI are not subject to the mileage rule.

[Badger]

@hoopoe

also throw in the rules about the scribe being somehow “related” to horses in the class. No owners, trainers or family members are to be related to the horses / riders in the class.

What USEF rule are you referring to here? I’d love to look at the official language.

[hoopoe]

DR 126.2 section e

[Cowgirl]

Absolutely! No day stalls. This also means that the show manager is inflexible and cannot move your stall if you have some dangerous situation (which I had at my last show). I know that USEF has Diversity Equity and Inclusion as a mission, but these type of approaches just make showing more exclusive not more INclusive.

[Cowgirl]

So TRUE! The wealthier people in the sport means the status quo doesn’t have to change. Here, we have a heirarchy for getting into show and getting the decent stalls (or any stall). At some point, you just cash in your chips because you aren’t really being allowed to play.

[Absolut_Equestrian]

@SBrentnall

They’re not doing fine in los Angeles. We’ve lost many of our annual shows, and those that do run seem to only do half-days. We’ve had several shows this year cancelled due to lack of entries.

Yet, there were 2023 competitions in Temecula and San Diego which had record entries, many coming from LA. There will be a new winter circuit in San Diego, in addition to one at Thermal. None of these options are inexpensive, but at least the facilities keep getting nicer and nicer…

[SBrentnall]

Yes, but that’s exactly the problem. The only people who can afford the time to go down to those shows are the pros and the rich amateurs. Those of us with jobs can’t take vacation days all the time to go to shows - we depend on LOCAL shows that we can haul into for the day or even a weekend.

All the LA shows are disappearing and most of us ammies can’t drive 2-3 hours to San Diego more than once or twice a year.

[VodkaRedbullx2]

Or just the option to have one overnight - they used to have that and now you have to buy the whole weekend.