ABN - Hot Topics

Show class size brainstorming...

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 20:41:36 +0000

With the costs of staff, judges, fuel, feed, etc could we maybe make a few smaller A rated shows that could be used to qualify but for a slightly cheaper cost?

Say trainer A in Portland, OR has a 25 stall barn with a decent sized indoor and outdoor arena. He has 15 horses he could turnout during the show, leaving 10 stalls first come first serve. He charges $25 for the stall for the day. That's $250. Local judge B says he can judge halter on Friday, judge D can judge hunter/dressage/jumping on Saturday, and judge F can judge western on Sunday. The show starts a bit later, 9am, so people can get there and warm up before the show, even those with a two hour drive. (If a 10 year old girls softball team can drive 2.5 hours each way everyday for 3 days and still play from 9-9, we can suck it up and drive early for a show).

Trainer A offers his farm up twice a year and trainer L offers his farm (say in Eugene, OR) twice a year, that's four shows extra a year. Classes are held on the ticket system, maybe 10 classes for $125, and when you enter the ring, you hand in your ticket.

My mare when she was shown, was shown from our trailer at open shows, B shows, hunter/jumper/dressage shows. It never harmed her, we had a portable pen and when it was just her, our trailer divider was removed and she could be in the trailer to sleep/eat/etc.

Let's say on Friday for halter, you have 15 halter classes and 15 shih classes. Each class has 10 horses. That's $3750. Say you have the same on Saturday and Sunday. The weekend so far has bought in $11,250. Let's say on the high side, $1000 in ribbons, $1500 in judges fees, and $2500 in admin fees. That leaves you $6250. You pay the owner of the property $1250 for the rental, plus he can keep the $250 for stalls. Port-a-potty fees would be about $500 (that's what we pay for 10 for our softball tournaments).

Your final profit is $4500 plus whatever you make off a simple bbq in a tent set up. You can keep that money for the next show, put it into different judges, offer up $25 to the winner of each class, etc.

Shows don't have to be full of bling, they can be affordable for everyone. Smaller shows would bring in money plus cheaper classes would bring in more people. People could use them to qualify for regionals, to school their younger horses, etc. Regional class sizes may go up as people could save up and spend more on classes since their qualifying shows would be cheaper.

I know its not the perfect idea and I'm sure the numbers would need to be tweaked but it might be the way to go to raise class sizes, bring people back into showing, etc. Judges may be willing to judge just one day for a slightly cheaper price so they can help encourage more people. And yes, I know its a long shot but it is do-able.

Colorado friends - please check in when you can

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:01:04 +0000

Following coverage of the wildfires... Incredible and terrifying photos. It appears that the horse community is striving to keep the horses and other critters as safe as possible. Careful planning and execution obviously pays off! Know you're swamped and the web is the last thing on your minds - but when you have the chance, please let us know you're ok!

AMATEUR VS PROFESSIONAL

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 01:05:05 +0000

I was reading and found that theUSEF rules had changed and that likely a number of people have been affected by these - and are now considered professionals

take a look......................

GR1306 Professional/Amateur Status.

4. Professional based on one’s own activities. Unless expressly permitted above, a person is a professional if after his 18th birthday he does any of the following:

a. Accepts remuneration AND rides, exercises, drives, shows, trains, assists in training, schools or conducts clinics or seminars.

b. Accepts remuneration AND gives riding or driving lessons, showmanship lessons, equitation lessons, trains horses, or provides consultation services in riding, driving, showmanship, equitation, or training of horses.

c. Accepts remuneration AND acts as an employee in a position such as a groom, farrier, bookkeeper, veterinarian or barn manager AND instructs, rides, drives, shows, trains or schools horses that are owned, boarded or trained by his employer, any member of his employer’s family, or a business in which his employer has an ownership interest.

d. Accepts remuneration AND uses his name, photograph or other form of personal association as a horseperson in connection with any advertisement or product/service for sale, including but not limited to apparel, equipment or property.

e. Accepts prize money unless permitted in paragraph 3d or 3e above.

f. Rides, drives or shows any horse that a cohabitant or family member or a cohabitant or family member’s business receives remuneration for boarding, training, riding, driving or showing. A cohabitant or family member of a trainer may not absolve themselves of this rule by entering into a lease or any other agreement for a horse owned by a client of the trainer.

g. Gives instruction to any person or rides, drives, or shows any horse, for which activity his cohabitant or another person in his family or business in which his cohabitant or a family member controls will receive remuneration for the activity. A cohabitant or family member of a trainer may not absolve themselves of this rule by entering into a lease or any other agreement for a horse owned by a client of the trainer.

h. Accepts remuneration AND acts as an agent in the sale of a horse or pony or accepts a horse or pony on consignment for the purpose of sale or training that is not owned by him, his cohabitant, or a member of his family, a farm/ranch/syndicate/partnership/corporation/business in which he, his cohabitant or a member of his family controls.

i. Advertises one’s equestrian services such as training or instruction.

j. Accepts remuneration AND acts as an intern, apprentice, or working student whose responsibilities include, but are not limited to, riding, driving, showmanship, handling, showing, training or assisting in training, giving lessons/coaching and/or schooling horses other than horses actually owned by him.

k. Accepts remuneration in excess of rental fee for use of a facility, ring or school horses.

l. Accepts remuneration for such use AND uses commercial logoed items while on competition grounds unless expressly permitted by applicable division rules.

5. Professional based on one’s own activity along with another’s. A person is also deemed a professional after his 18th birthday, he accepts remuneration for his spouse, family member, or cohabitant engaged in any activity enumerated in 4 a-l above. For the purposes of this rule, the term cohabitant is defined as any individuals living together in a relationship, as would a married couple, but not legally married.

6. Violations of Amateur status. After an investigation as to proper status has been initiated, and upon request by the Federation and to the satisfaction of the Federation, an Amateur shall submit verifiable proof of Amateur status, including but not limited to a bill of sale for any horse(s) the Amateur is competing in classes restricted to Amateur Owners. If the Federation deems such proof insufficient, then the

Federation may initiate proceedings under Chapter 6.

a. Any individual found to have knowingly assisted in the violation of the Amateur rule may also be subject to proceedings in accordance with Chapter 6. See GR1307.

7. Questions about whether you are an Amateur or Professional. For specific inquiries, email amateurinquiry@usef.org. BOD 1/14/12 Effective 12/1/12

Region 9 Fundraiser Brings in $$$$ for the AHDF

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 19:12:53 +0000

This past Saturday, June 1, on the final evening of the 2013 Region 9 Championship Horseshow, a "Calcutta" auction was held prior to the PB Open Western Pleasure Championship. The event, along with an auction of donated items was spearheaded by Becky Nash and also J.T. Kellar, along with the generosity and assistance of numerous Region 9 members. In the Calcutta, bidders bid on each of the 8 riders entered in the class. (High bid went to Troy Peterson of Tamar Arabians with a bid of $3,000!!). The total bids for the Calcutta were in excess of $14,000, with 60% slated to go to the bidder who bid on the eventual winner of the class and 40% going to the Arabian Horseman's Distress Fund to be ear-marked for Terri Budd (wife of Mike Budd) who has been recently diagnosed with an agressive form of Multiple Sclerosis.

I am very pleased to report that the unanimous winner of the class was Josh Quintus and RA Fames Starlett. I am even more excited to announce that the Josh's winning bidder, Matt Kendrick (who would have collected more than $8400.00) donated ALL his winnings back to the fund. Wow! Wow!

When all totals of the Calcutta and auction items were in, the fundraiser brought in over $30,000 which will go toward defraying medical expenses for Terri.

I cannot express how happy and humbled I was to be a part of this event. A huge thank you to everyone involved - especially to my BFF, Becky Nash and also J. T. Kellar of Kellar Performance Horses for their tireless efforts on behalf of this amazing fundraiser.

Here is a video clip of the awards presentation at the end of the class (too bad it didn't start a little earlier when the entire crowd (including the trainers on the horses) were doing the "wave"! How long has it been since you've seen that at a horseshow?? BTW, we also had a live performer singing the music for the class - awesomeness!!

HORSE 360

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 22:17:09 +0000

http://horse360.com.au/