Ridecamp: RE: [RC] $3/mile and no food????

--- Alison Farrin <alison@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> Or try your average 1 day horse trial.
> $175.00 entry fee
> Tied to the trailer add $25 to $40 grounds fee
> No horse food or people food free - you pay extra
> for all
> 
> Time spent actually competing - less than 1/2 hour.
> 
> Refunds??? Fat chance.

I'd charge $175 too if I'd spent several thousand
dollars building obsticles, digging ditches, planting
grass (months in advance of the actual event), paying
judges, paying the course designer, paying for
advertising, insurance, grounds rental, etc.

I'm a RM and know how much putting on an endurance
ride can cost.  I'll bet dollars to donuts even a
dressage show cost more to have than an endurance
ride.

I can't argue that entry fees for an endurance ride
are a bargin.  They are!  Where else can you have this
much fun and do and see all we get to do and see for a
relatively small amount of money.  I completely agree
with the posts that point out what an economical sport
endurance is.

However, I couldn't afford to pay $150 for a "regular"
50-mile ride...especially on a regular basis.  For
$150, I could stay home, buy myself a nice jacket and
have mine and my horse's name put on it (even give us
some fancy title), and fix steaks for my husband, my
parents, his parents, and 6 of our dearest friends to
celebrate my good fortune.

I *still* think $3/mile for a "regular" endurance ride
is WAY too much.  

There may be more to this than anyone knows, however. 
What are the awards like?  There may be some expenses
the general public isn't privy too and the RM is just
covering costs...?

=====
Susan Young Casey, Princess of Pink, LIW, RRHA, RHS
Semper Obliquo (Always aside)  

Glenndale Grace Farm, Ft Gibson, Oklahoma U.S.A.

"Ride on! Rough-shod if need be, smooth-shod if that will do, but ride on! Ride on over all obstacles, 
and win the race!"         - Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

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