Married to a pro and yes, we’ll be showing starting in a week or so. We’ll be working off the trailer (which is normal for us anyway as we’re lucky enough to have a plethora of rated and unrated shows here) and following all precautions (online entries only, maintaining distance at the ingate). Not particularly worried. I wouldn’t be comfortable showing indoors at this time but outside and not stabling - I’m not worried.
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Did y’all see that the WEC has already canceled their indoor OH shows through March 2021? I think if people are going to show, haul in outdoor shows are going to be the only saf wish option for the foreseeable future.
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I saw. The cynic is me is wondering if it’s also about the financial hit they have taken with the cancellation of shows and building the new facility in Ocala.
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It looks like they are putting more money into the facility (for airflow etc.) so I doubt finances are the primary reason for closing for the season. That said, they also could be allocating some additional $ to Ocala to have it ready to go in January.
I doubt WEC wants any press about being a new hot spot of infection. And while I know some people were planning to show there, one piece of the financial puzzle is whether operating at potentially significant reduced capacity is worth holding the show. Especially for a location where most of the usual competitors are not locals. I think the last question is the main financial one for most show managers for this year.
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From what I have heard the owners are crazy wealthy. I don’t think they are having financial problems. I think they are concerned about PR and staffing issues.
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We are planning on showing in an unrated show at the end of the month. I am in central Florida and do not enjoy showing in the heat. But I need to get show miles on a horse that I am planning to start marketing later in the year, and we need to make up for lost time.
Wealthy people aren’t crazy about losing money
Horse shows are very expensive to run; required prize money, ring crew, office, stewards, judges,utilities, insurance…it goes on and on. There is definitely a break even point, and a small turnout in a big facility will be a loser
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That facility, being all indoors, could so easily turn into a hot spot. I don’t think it’s a bad call to cancel indoor stuff like that. They seem to be on track for their summer outdoor stuff.
I would not want to travel out there, and show indoors like that this year. It was busy and crowded and way too difficult to think about trying to social distance, let alone worry about cycled air through the HVAC systems.
Showing outdoors as a ship-in is one thing, but showing indoors like that is a different level of risk, IMO. One I personally would not be willing to take, even if I am willing to consider showing locally as a ship-in in a month or two.
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This is going to be the issue for so many things in terms of how “reopening” works, unfortunately. So many businesses are designed to support the capacity needed for them to be profitable; if they can’t operate at that capacity, it’s not clear that it’s workable for them to operate. My brother is the executive chef at a restaurant and they’re going through the same analysis—it’s just not clear that at half-full, the math works out.
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My barn is hoping to go to outdoor, multi-day shows in June/July (we are in CA and I don’t even think showing will be allowed by then).
I’m still a hard no for showing right now. Maybe in the Fall, bur honestly probably not until 2021.
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They are running their summer series in Ohio (yes outside shows, stabling is still the same). Just FYI. There will be a lot of improvements and implementing a lot. I just do not think total altruism is part of it. Some of the regulars had already booked their time at the Ocala facility. Just speculating, as I said in my previous post.
I am a Licensed Official and I will go. Planning on bringing my own food, chair and table (the latter I always do regardless).
I’ll have plenty of hand sanitizer as well as mask and gloves…And Lysol spray and wipes too.
I can sit in my truck hopefully if weather is poor…
I do have some that require a hotel, frankly more concerned with that portion of the day more than the show!
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[TABLE=“border: 0, cellpadding: 0, cellspacing: 0”]
[TR]
[TD=“width: 15, align: left”]1.[/TD]
[TD=“align: left”]If you are uncomfortable and feel the risk is too high – Don’t show![/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD=“width: 15, align: left”]2.[/TD]
[TD=“align: left”]If you are a high-risk individual – Don’t show![/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD=“width: 15, align: left”]3.[/TD]
[TD=“align: left”]If you have any symptoms at all (flu, fever, allergy, cough, etc…) – Don’t show![/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD=“width: 15, align: left”]4.[/TD]
[TD=“align: left”]If you become aware that you have come in “unprotected” contact with someone who has tested positive – Don’t show for 14 days![/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD=“width: 15, align: left”]5.[/TD]
[TD=“align: left”]If you test positive, do not return to showing until your symptoms are gone for 14 days and you have been cleared by your health provider, and notify anyone you have been in contact with so they don’t show for 14 days![/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD=“width: 15, align: left”]6.[/TD]
[TD=“align: left”]If none of the above applies, go show, but strictly follow the protocols established by USEF, federal, state and county law, and other Competition Organizer requirements. For example, whenever you are on the grounds of a competition, you will need to wear a mask unless you are up on horseback. You will need to maintain social distancing. Additionally, you should continue to frequently wash your hands and use hand sanitizer.
Some very well-reasoned guidance from Murray Kessler (I never thought I would say that!)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
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I posted similar sentiments over in Dressage land, as well, but the only thing I might consider is if I can haul in and work off of a trailer for the day. And I’m honestly not sure I’d be doing that, even – it depends on how the shows are conducting business, and if they are actually consistently enforcing the precautions they say they will put into place.
Based on the behavior I’ve been seeing from a lot of my fellow horsepeople so far, I don’t feel like I can trust others to be careful and respectful enough to make it worth my while.
Actually, I would consider doing a weekend show nearby (so I don’t have to stay anywhere overnight), and getting a stall for my horse, if I was already familiar with the layout of the facility and felt confident there would be enough space. But then we’re back to the issue of me not trusting the other people who are there. If the warmup area is being managed well, it’s a maybe…IDK. It could very well be that you get there, don’t like what you see, and then scratch.
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Unfortunately in the PNW there are very few local rated shows. No one hauls in for the day. I grew up riding in Zone 2 and there 75%+ of the horse shows I went to we hauled in - some AA rated. It’s really a shame that hauling in isn’t even really an option up here - not just for the health situation but it reduces the bill significantly!!
For this reason, if the situation looks OK, I plan to go to overnight shows within a few hours drive of home and take all the precautions I can. This would be late July at the earliest…Fortunately my barn runs a very lean operation so I’m not worried about coming into contact with lots of assistants, grooms etc.
If none of this is possible, I plan to save my horse show budget and go to more horse shows in 2021 
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I have to say… masks for any time that you’re not on your horse is not going to go well. Require them in stabling, require them in the office, require them if you’re going to be in a group. But ffs, do I need to wear a mask in 85 degrees while tacking up my horse at the trailer? There needs to be a little more common sense than a blanket statement of “mask on if not on a horse.”
On another note, the PG Equestrian Center/Show Place Arena in Maryland has canceled everything through the end of June.
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So, I’ve seen this article circulating around facebook and I see both sides of it.
I understand that the social aspect of showing is very important to some, and without it, horse shows won’t be as fun for those people. But, for me, the biggest and most important part of showing is… the horses. Being able to test what we’ve been working on at home in the show ring. Hopefully feeling all the hard work we’ve been doing at home, pay off. Leaving with new things to work on. That’s why I horse show. Is getting to spend time with friends fun? Of course… but that’s a bonus. That’s not why I show.
I was also kind of confused at a few things the author of the article was saying, especially the part where she mentioned that we’ll be meeting our horses tacked at the ring, doing our trips and then handing the horses off to the groom, because we wouldn’t be allowed to take care of our horses? Where is she getting that idea? Have not seen anything anywhere about banning riders from stabling. That wouldn’t make any sense. Lots of people don’t even have or use grooms.
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The cynical side of me thought she’d probably be doing that anyway…
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I’m sure that comes in part from the last USEF town hall. They talked multiple times about improving distancing by riders potentially meeting the grooms and horses outside of stabling. As someone who does their own horse care and grooming I found it kind of tone deaf and like they were only focused on big WEF like shows and big show barns.
The other thing that made me wonder was the discussion about scheduling blocks for trainers to school and show as a group. Which I get and understand the benefit, but I do wonder if the trainers with smaller numbers and those who self train will end up getting the short end of the stick.
It’s hard to say how this will all work until a few large shows try it.
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Ship in, absolutely. I’m not entirely sure about stabling/sleeping in a hotel.
