10/17/2024
I saw this On a FB post. I feel this writer expresses the feeling for a lot of the show committees and state affiliates out there. An open letter to the breed show industry.
We all see you at the bigger shows, your whole barn in tow and rows of 10-20+ stalls each. Many of us are competitors along side you and are the ones on the outskirts trying to keep all the 2-4 day weekend shows alive. We see you all traveling across the country to compete at the top 10 shows, staying there for 2+ weeks at a time, and wonder if you’ll have anything left for us - the weekend show.
You all say you want to win money, so we work hard to get sponsors and add paybacks to our shows. You all say you want prizes, so we have goodies at check in, class & circuit awards, all-around & reserve all-around prizes in hopes that maybe some of you will see us and come. We hear “breed shows are too expensive”, so we add cheap All-Breed classes and all day fees, too, trying to give everyone something to compete in at an affordable price. You all say you want exhibitor-friendly parties and giveaways, so our volunteers figure out how to raise money and make it happen. We try to get the best judges we can afford and make the schedule just right.
We see the outcry every time another weekend show cancels due to a lack of pre-ordered stalls. “We must support our weekend horse shows! We can’t lose them!”, says the industry.
And yet, when our show comes, the stall aisles are empty. There are no horse trainers that show up with their barns. The numbers are small and the show days are short. We are several thousand dollars in the red when it’s all said and done. Afterwards, we are asked “How was the show? We were going to come… but we will come next year!” over and over. But truthfully there may not be a next year.
Our club is not alone. There are so many just like us hanging on by a thread. As an industry, it’s time to decide. We can all either watch the 2-4 day weekend shows become extinct, or we can actively decide to support them. I challenge you & your barn to put 1-2 weekend shows on your calendar next year. Show up. If everyone who says “we thought about coming, but we weren’t sure how big the classes would be” would just load up and come, then we’d have viable weekend horse shows with pointed classes. Show up. Does your trainer make the schedule? Talk to them. Show up. Tired of being gone for 2+ weeks at a time at the mega shows and spending tens of thousands? There are other options. Show up. We will have prizes and do our very best to have payback money, good judges, giveaways and exhibitor-friendly activities. We’ll make sure you leave having a weekend of fun and feeling appreciated even if you don’t leave with any points.
We are here, but we may not be here for long. It’s truly up to you all, but we do hope you will give us a chance. Please… Show up.
Sincerely,
A concerned weekend horse show board member, volunteer, & fellow exhibitor”
Larry Spatto Thanks for orginally sharing.