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rider fees



Becke and I have been following the recent “Ride Camp”Discussion concerning
Pre-registration fees with a great deal of interest.

Let us first thank Gene and Shelly Dake for opening thissubject for
discussion.

We have been putting on the Little Manistee Memorial and TinCup Spring Rides
for over ten years now. In those ten years, we have seen the BUSINESS of
putting those rides onchange dramatically.

You may notice that we have empathized the wordBUSINESS.  We are in the
business ofoperating the businesses of the LMM and TCS Rides. We’re certain
other ridemanagers may agree with this concept.

As a simple illustration, we offer the following.  The first time we put on
the LMMR, we dugtwo holes (the campsite in on our private property) in the
ground.  We then built two outhouses, bought twopackages of toilet paper and
two bags of lime. With that, we dealt with the issue of toilet facilities.

Today.  We have atwo-inch thick file (and growing) of paperwork to comply
with the MichiganDepartment of Health regulations for the simple rental of
twoporta-potties.  In addition, we will paya sanitation co. $300 for that
rental after the sanitation co. supplies theHealth Dept. with a copy of our
rental agreement.  Then the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will
issue usan Event Permit after we satisfy and complete their paperwork. 
(Their file is two-inches too and growing)

When you factor in payroll (vet’s fees), fuel, food etc.,you develop quite an
overhead.  Theseare immediate, definite business costs that must be paid
before a rider pullsher/his rig onto our property, let alone pay a fee and
ride.

Recently, we have been informed by our utility co. that theyintend to seek a
100% rate increase by April/2001.  If this occurs, do we pass on our
increased overhead to pumpwater, light our yard for after dark vet-ins etc? 
If we charge a pre-registration fee that is non-refundable or 50%refundable,
are we cruel and self-seeking, or we trying to operate a business?

Contrary, to Louise Reidel’s statement in Ride Camp,concerning UMECRA rides,
the LMM and TCS rides went $500 in the hole after allexpenses were accounted
for in 2000.  Wedon’t believe that we are poor business managers, but one of
the issues we arelooking at for ride season 2002, is the use of
pre-registration fees, if wecan’t break even this year.

The bottom line to all of this is that riders will tell uswhat is needed. 
They will tell usverbally or in writing, or they will simply not show up for
the rides.  We second Lynne Glazer’s comments that allwe’re really doing is
putting on a big party for our friends and family. (ThankGod for volunteers)


Please allow me to add my personal perspective to thisissue.  I don’t ride a
horse, but Istand (well, I actually sit) in awe of Becke preparing for a
ride.  She spends at least two days, checking thecamper, the truck and the
trailer.  Shethen loads all this with horses and dogs. She then drives 100’s
of miles. Pays a fee to ride 25, 50, 75 or 100 miles.  She then smiles if she
is lucky enough to receive a completionaward of a T-shirt and/or ribbon. 
Thenshe loads back up, drives 100’s of miles home and is a tired out lump for
thenext week.  However, she is alreadythinking in her mind “Where I’m I
going to ride in two weeks” and she’smiling.  Now this is the same woman
whocomplains when I go fishing and don’t catch fish.  She asks, “Why do I do
it?” I just smile.

In parting, my brother-in-law once complained to me (as wewere going fishing
in his boat), that it was getting too costly to put gas inthe boat.  I
replied to him, “If youcan’t afford the gas, don’t own the boat.”

Hope to see you all in May and August!!!!
Jay & becke Grams     


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