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Re: [RC] ride meals - Eric Rueter

Yep some rides use fancy caterers, and charge more than *I* would pay, but.... At both of the Big South Fork Rides, our local horse club prepares the meals.  We include a meal in the entry fee of each ride.  We charge a nominal $5 for "extra" meals.  We have never had any complaints about the food (at least that made it back to me).  It's not that hard.  When we (Knoxville Arabian Horse Club) took over the Big South Fork Ride, we purchased three turkey cookers (about $150) and have now used them for six years, so they have cost us about $25 a year and should last for several more years.  We have cooked spaghetti, beef stew and chili.  We have considered many other items as well.  By cooking our own meals, we not only save a lot of money, but we can wait until the last minute to buy our final supplies and feed all comers.  Our biggest problem has been we expect to feed about 125 riders and volunteers on a given day, but end up feeding between 150 and 200, because people just show up and expect to eat.  At the fall ride, we have a club member who has access to a large portable smoker, and he stays up all night smoking a BBQ that is to die for.  All that it takes is a little planning and finding the right volunteer(s) to take over the food preparation.
 
Your welcome to come see this at work at the NEW THIS YEAR Region XII Distance Round Up (30/50/100) June 28th and the Big South Fork Pioneer (30/50 30/55 30/50/100) Sept 4-6 -- entries on-line at AERC (www.aerc.org), SERA (www.seraonline.org) and AHA Region XII (www.aharegion12.com) -- I've been waiting for two weeks to find a chance to advertise my new ride!!!!
 
thanx eric
Eric Rueter
Rueter Consulting, Inc.
Eric@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
865.988.4134(W)
865.599.3594(C)
865.986.5966(H)
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 7:25 AM
Subject: [RC] ride meals

 
> Eating is> going to cost me either way and it's extra bother if I have to bring
> and> prepare my own.
 

Here's an exerpt from the Biltmore entry form:

>>Friday evening dinner is included in rider fees.  Extra tickets are $25 for non-riders.

>>Super Saturday night hamburger and fixins dinner is available for $12/person and includes dessert/drink.

Notice the $25 meal is "included in entry" for riders. The entry fee for the ride is $200 for the 100 miler or $120 for the 50. (that's AERC entries, the FEI folks pay more). If my daughter & I ride and bring husband and other daughter to crew, it would be an extra $50 for the crew to eat...and wouldn't it be rude if we didn't invite them? If the "meal is included in entry" it cost our family of 4 $100 for a meal I didn't bother to go eat because I was busy setting up my vet check. I can have my chicken breast & noodles meal hot when we want it and feed all four for less than $5. Believe me when I'm paying $120 for a 50 miler, I'd love to opt out of a $25 meal.

One option I am considering is offering to my school's athletic dept. the option of selling meals at our ride. They have fund raisers where they sell tickets for BBQ plates for $5 and set up a Coke wagon where everyone picks them up on that day. If they want to do that I can let them take over the food and if anyone wants to purchase it with their entry they can.

Angie


Replies
[RC] ride meals, rides2far