Ouch! Just found the cost of showing??!

[JackSprats Mom]

Ok so I think I've been in denial with the gas prices and stuff . Just took my boy to a show this weekend about 250 miles each way, cost of four classes (two each day) scared to really add it up but I think that show just cost me over $500 :eek::eek::eek:

Decided to hold off after the next one this weekend as he's still having some issues with his canter work. Going to save my pennies for Regionals....trouble is I like showing :(

That said this weekend was worth it for me as it was a test for my guy and he passed with flying colors. Not only was he good as gold for the whole weekend, he didn't even THINK about spooking at any of the new stuff. He was just good and solid :D

So while he still has an issue crossfiring in the canter he scored 67% on T2 and T4 (yes, we got 4's for the right canter due to the issue :() BUT he got 7 on gaits.

Very happy with him, not so happy with the cost!

Hoping the economy changes soon!!!!

[CDNJumperGirl]

Tell me about it- the entries and stall fee ALONE for my first show is over $550. This doesn't include trailering, shavings, coaching, etc. This is for a 3 day show (two tests a day, 6 tests total). The second show of the season goes over two weeks and entries are costing me over $1000 just to enter, again this is before shipping, shavings, RV hook up, etc. Oy vey, this season isn't going to be pretty. Sometimes I wish I'd taken up chess or something.

[class]

i had no idea that a crossfiring horse could score a 7 on gaits. congratulations on a great score! i am riding with my trainer down to a clinic this weekend and she told me her truck gets 6 mpg when it is hauling a loaded trailer! i'm not sure i want to know what i will end up paying her for gas, but i don't whine about it since all the horse stuff is really just an optional hobby that i choose for myself. it would be kind of like whining about how expensive prada purses are but you keep buying them.

[Ambrey]

I was mischarged by $20 for something at a tack store yesterday, and I realized it's going to cost me $7 to drive down there and fix it :(

[enjoytheride]

I generally spend under $120 for a show, including stabling(25$) and several classes($25 each or $60 for two combined tests). Can you stick to schooling shows?

[JackSprats Mom]

*sigh* I think I just need to start making biodiesel :winkgrin:

i had no idea that a crossfiring horse could score a 7 on gaits He only did it just before the transition down on one of the tests and held it on another. Curious thing is she left his gaits marks the same as I think she put the blame on the rider (got 6 on rider when he crossfired, 7 when he didn't with suggestions from her to keep leg back etc to prevent it) So rider got penalized not gaits. I was just impressed he was able to hold it once or twice..he's getting so close to being consistent on it now that I'm using a different method to try and help him.

But with the economy at the moment and diesel prices I need to make some cuts somewhere this show season :(

One thing I am doing to help is I just bought a camper for my truck so I can start saving on hotel fee's....and I'm seriously looking into making biodiesel.

[ESG]

Don't get me started. I took my dressage-horse-turned hunter to an AA show last week. Doing my own braiding, hauling, coaching and grooming, the show, stall and non member fees cost me nearly $600 for him to show in two divisions. And that doesn't include the pro rider's fees, which will be paid tomorrow. Probably end up being about a thousand dollars, when all's said and done. :eek: For three days of showing.


However expensive dressage shows are, the hunter/jumper shows are MUCH worse! :no:

[AMDressage]

Are you counting JUST $550 in show fees?

I just spent almost $1,400 to go to a show!

$327 for my show fee. Two classes each day, F-Sun stall, tack stall, other appropriate fees. I also had braider fee, training fees, hotel, diesel, meals, misc., etc.

Luckily I live about 20 minutes from the local show grounds here, and HDS puts on quite a few shows there each year. The show I did was to see how I liked the facility we went to. VERY laid back, liked it a lot.

Typically show fees just for 1; 2 day shows it costs me approx. $450 but that's JUST the show fees. Diesel and meals I could easily spend about $700 for a show, and that's living 20 minutes away!

[FancyFree]

However expensive dressage shows are, the hunter/jumper shows are MUCH worse!

Very true. But dare I say? More fun. :cool:

[ESG]

Very true. But dare I say? More fun. :cool:

Not for me. Maybe I'm odd, but I actually like having a ride time, and knowing how long I need to warm up, and what time I need to be on. The younger adults took nearly two and a half hours, by the time all the trainers mananged to get their riders to the ring, get them in the rotation, learn their courses and then ride them. And let's not forget the inevitable delay for dragging, watering, and hacking. Blecchhhh. :dead:

Give me dressage, or eventing, any day. This H/J stuff is for the birds.

AM, I don't know where in Texas you had to spend that much money, but you got screwed. :D

[FancyFree]

Not for me. Maybe I'm odd, but I actually like having a ride time, and knowing how long I need to warm up, and what time I need to be on. The younger adults took nearly two and a half hours, by the time all the trainers mananged to get their riders to the ring, get them in the rotation, learn their courses and then ride them. And let's not forget the inevitable delay for dragging, watering, and hacking. Blecchhhh.

Give me dressage, or eventing, any day. This H/J stuff is for the birds.

True. The day does drag on. But I when I showed hunters, it always with my barn, which was big group of us. It was always a fun, light-hearted atmosphere. I was younger then too. No doubt I'd be irritated with it today. More responsibilities to get to and all.


Fun but expensive.

[hoopoe]

I show "locally" and we share rooms when the venue is far and involves a ferry ride, otherwise I stay at home every night.

I find dressage shows just as much fun as other shows. The one nice thing is that with the set ride times you can plan for when cocktail hour will start

:winkgrin:

[LD1129]

I am going broke showing this year :no:. We went PA to NC and even with sharing rooms it cost me about $1,000! We head down to VA this weekend and even thats gonna be around $600. It sucks but I really have the opportunity to show all summer even with working full time. I may not get this chance again so I am seizing the day (so to speak) however I may not be able to feed myself come July :eek::eek:

[Elegante E]

The cost is scary.

Someone mentioned schooling shows, but I've had many awful judges at schooling shows so don't find them worth the effort. At least with the rated shows if I get a low scores it's well deserved, not because the person in the box has her head up her @^#%$!!!!

[cuatx55]

yeah, that's why I'm staying home this year...not worth it.

[quiet5]

We spend at least $1000-$1200 per 3 day shows for local, rated B, H/J show. Includes all entries, schooling fees, grooms, braiding, cheap lodging, trainer expenses and hauling. Not to mention stalls, bedding, feed and grooming stalls.

Other barns nickel and dime you to death with set-up charges and extra fees for blanketing and feeding supplements--stuff like that drives me nuts. Which is why I do not ride with such barns.

The A shows are 4-5 days (there are longer ones, of course, but we do not go to those) and those cost about 20% more if you watch your pennies up to 50% more if you say you are but don't really watch yourself (it's amazing how much more one can spend with adds and scratches!).

Nothing about the showing part of our sport is cheap. Not in the H/Js anyway.

[SaddleFitterVA]

I like the h/j shows. I can enter the day of the show for the local ones. Our local ones usually have someone around I can call to check the schedule.

I sent in an entry for a licensed show, dressage and for 4 classes (2 per day) office, drug & other fees (grounds), and tests was $212. I am about 30 minutes away and will work out of my trailer. I'll figure out if I need a braider or not. So, add in $60 for braiding each day (30/day for dressage braids) and another 50 for the fuel, and it is still WAY cheaper than a recognized H/J show.

How much are the per-test fees? Here they are either $35 or 40 (2nd and under) depending on if PVDA or VADA is hosting the show.

An away show that requires stall and hotel does run up a much larger bill. Stalls are $110 at the show above, and $150 or so at most of the h/j shows.

[honeydoozy]

The cost is scary.

Someone mentioned schooling shows, but I've had many awful judges at schooling shows so don't find them worth the effort. At least with the rated shows if I get a low scores it's well deserved, not because the person in the box has her head up her @^#%$!!!!


And then I'm having the opposite thing happening - big, serious CDI show... *scary* crazy judging... little pony club schooling show=honest, productive, fair judging.

So... I guess it comes down to one consistent truth - showing is expensive, and you never know what you'll get. Kinda like Vegas. :winkgrin:

[FancyFree]

So... I guess it comes down to one consistent truth - showing is expensive, and you never know what you'll get. Kinda like Vegas. :winkgrin:

That's a good way to look at it. So what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas? :lol:

[honeydoozy]

That's a good way to look at it. So what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas? :lol:

Something like that... at least where the husband is concerned. :winkgrin:

(he has NO clue how much showing costs, and I'd like to keep it that way!)

[horsegalriding]

Do I hear an AMEN to that?

[dsgshowmom]

I hate to talk about cost, but this is enourmous costs.

This year in Wellington it cost about 25,000 so far for my daughter to compete with a trainer and the whole package. I am not the only parent that is having to explain this to my husband this year. I am glad that this season is over because we can't do it. :(


Budget? What budget?

[Elegante E]

And then I'm having the opposite thing happening - big, serious CDI show... *scary* crazy judging... little pony club schooling show=honest, productive, fair judging.

So... I guess it comes down to one consistent truth - showing is expensive, and you never know what you'll get. Kinda like Vegas. :winkgrin:


LOL.

[hedmbl]

I hate to talk about cost, but this is enourmous costs.

This year in Wellington it cost about 25,000 so far for my daughter to compete with a trainer and the whole package. I am not the only parent that is having to explain this to my husband this year. I am glad that this season is over because we can't do it. :(


Budget? What budget?

Yea, every year at WEF the total cost is astronomical. I think overrall we paid $40,000 (2 horses actively showing) for the circuit (trainer+show fees) and then $30,000 to rent my part of the barn (we stable off grounds so we can turnout and have our own arena and that figure was for 3 stalls and one grooming stall..we split the wash racks.). And I skipped a few weeks this year :eek:. That figure doesn't even include my airfare this year since I flew back and forth b/t college and the show.

Luckily dad's used to it so I no longer have to explain but my stomach still hurts every week when I call to tell him how much the show was that week.

Of course WEF is the most expensive of the H/J shows. The two week shows like KY Spring usually cost about $2,500 a week (for one horse) including trainer fees, stabling, entry fees, stall fees, etc but not counting hotels and such which are usually another $800.

I should take up dressage...do you think they would let me jump the arena? lol

[Margaret Freeman]

There is a dressage test that includes jumping at the Youth Dressage Festival in Saugerties NY in July. You should come!

[mp]

Who says showing in dressage is prohibitively expensive? It's ALL pricey. I just backed out of going to a breed show. It was going to cost me $1200+ -- the stall, misc. and class fees added up to $650.

I opted to go to a recognized dressage show instead -- $199 for show fees, stall and two classes. Best part? It's about a 15-minute drive from the barn.

[FancyFree]

(he has NO clue how much showing costs, and I'd like to keep it that way!)

Oh you bad horsey moms! I remember going to pick up a horse my mother just bought. I guess she neglected to share with my father this horse's actual price. I was wearing my father's windbreaker that day. (Don't ask, shameless tomboy) I put some of the paperwork in the pocket. My dad found it the next day. We found my dad lying on the couch, staring at the ceiling. He refused to speak to my mother for the rest of the day. :lol:

[fernie fox]

My jumping section is a few cross country fences and then stadium jumps.

"Fun" is the main idea and economical schooling.

I wanted to take my students to a schooling dressage show and the costs were ridiculous,for a one day show Plus High gas cost to get there.

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

I won't be showing at rated shows. Just not worth the $$.