----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 8:56
AM
Subject: RC: Non-Refundable
Pre-Registration/Early Entry Deposit
Gene & Shelley Dake dedake@prodigy.net
As we were
determining our ride schedule for the season and trying to get some
conditioning rides in prior to the start of our Midwest schedule, we have come
across an atrocious fact! Some ride management are requiring (and
apparently receiving) non-refundable funds with their pre-ride entries.
Not only are they penalizing riders for submitting ride entries early, in
addition they are charging an outrageous (up to $25) late fee!! Living
in the Midwest, our weather is not nearly as predictable as other areas of the
country. As well, we have experienced one of the worst winters (so far)
this year than we have in several years (at least 10). Upon inquiring
about this non-refundable pre-registration fee of $15 per entry for the
Greenway Gallop, I was informed (quite proudly and as a matter-of-fact) that
this had been their "practice for six years. I wouldn't even refund the
fee to someone who was a pall bearer." Oh, I'd be proud to admit
that! Now, this ride is scheduled t!
o have two one-day, 50-mile
rides. I informed this ride representative we intended to bring four
horses to her ride, which would mean $60 in non-refundable pre-registration
fees. If we were to have a snow storm which would prohibit us from
leaving home (which is entirely possible, and has been known to happen this
time of year!), their ride would profit a great deal by circumstances out of
our control. She insisted that she could not make exceptions. She
added "well, you have until March 6 before incurring a $25 LATE FEE.
(Oh, like 10 days before we leave we can depend on not having a snow and/or
ice storm!). What if you and/or your horse died before you got to the
ride? Don't suppose that would matter either! Perhaps the
non-refundable pre-registration fee is supposed to be an incentive for us to
pay a major fee to get our horses and trailer to the road and take the risk of
an accident as we travel under hazardous road conditions. Having been
ride managers ourselves (!
Whetstone in Missouri), it was always to our
benefit to have entri
have dreamed (or could we have justified) the
exploitation of fees by retaining money of riders unable to get to our ride
for whatever reason! I told her that it was unfortunate that her policy
was inflexible, and I was happy for her that her ride was so successful that
she could afford to discourage people from coming to her ride. We put a
lot of money into this sport (as we all do), and we travel throughout the
Central, Midwest, and Southeast Regions and we will simply NOT ever attend a
ride where we have to pay such an exorbitant, outrageous NON-REFUNDABLE
fee. We WILL take our money and our horses elsewhere. It's really
too bad that the Greenway Gallop prefers to only have riders who can depend on
their weather to come to their ride! What's worse is that riders allow
this kind of price-gouging to exist, don't we spend enough?! The entry
fee for their 50-mile ride is $70. We ride National Championship rides
for just a few dollars more than that! Our last words to yo!
u,
Greenway Gallop, and any others out there pulling such shenanigans:
shame on you!
Gene & Shelley
Dake
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