PrintOur columnist reflects on progress, the advent of big show businesses and how to keep more riders coming up the pipeline.
Lately, I’ve heard and read about people in our sport lamenting competition years gone by. These equestrians seem to be longing for the past, condemning the present and often not offering solutions for our future.
There are occasions when we all find ourselves reminiscing and harking for better times when there seemed to be fewer problems, less stress and more enjoyment. This isn’t just prevalent in equestrian sport; it’s something that happens to all of us, especially as the world economies fluctuate and as we grow older. If you think this is only something that happens to your parents or “old” people, just remember you may one day be a parent or an “old” person, and you might just find yourself guilty of doing the same thing.
Our competition stage has undergone significant changes in the past 25 years. Our world now consists more of management companies that hold numerous licenses rather than clubs, non-profits and organizers who hold one or two competition licenses. Like everything else in the world of sports, competition management is big business.
When I hear people talk of the old days, I wonder if they remember the years of showing on dirt that often resembled cement, jumping over plain undecorated fences, wondering where the bathrooms were located, if any were present, hoping the church ladies had made enough food to feed everyone and not having wash stalls. It wasn’t that long ago that this was the norm. There were also positives to the old days, including much lower entry fees, many fewer competitions, a season that included time off, greater recognition for our champions and perhaps a more congenial, laid back disposition overall.
Big Business
Following our success in show jumping at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, our sport experienced tremendous growth, with more people riding and showing horses. This sudden increase of interest became the catalyst for changing our sport into a business. Trainers wanted to be able to bring their entire stable to the same competition, and organizers developed a business model to provide classes ranging from leadline all the way to the FEI-level grand prix, all at the same competition. Com-petitors wanted more shows to attend, and their wishes were answered.
Now I hear people say that our “AA” hunter and jumper level 5 and above competitions shouldn’t be allowed to hold unrated classes and/or classes at the lower levels. I remember going to the Upperville Horse Show (Va.) about 25 years ago, and the lowest you could jump was 3'6" in the hunters and preliminary in the jumpers. Those days are gone, and we need to recognize that the current business model is what has enabled many organizers to be able to upgrade their facilities with state-of-the-art footing and other amenities.
It costs a lot of money to show a horse, and it costs a lot of money to produce a competition. There’s no doubt that competition organizers make money, just like professional horsemen make money. Some make more than others, and often both make money on some ventures and lose money on others. That is the cost of doing business and taking a risk. At the end of the day, a professional horseman is not going to keep throwing money away on a losing horse, and an organizer is not going to throw money away on a losing competition.
