Also in H&H - Clare Chamberlayne's Interview

T

tigers_eye

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 February 2006
Messages
6,150
Location
Hoeilaart, Belgium
Visit site
Bloody well said, I think many HHOers will wholeheartedly agree with her.

For said people who are working at the moment to pay for their eventing and as such haven't got their mits on H&H yet - she's talking about the plight of the amateur eventer, particularly this year (weekday events, unfriendly secretaries, escalating costs etc) and how it gets even harder the higher up the levels you go.... Hope someone at BE reads it!
 
I think it makes some excellent points.
I am very lucky do get a mid week day off but work Saturdays so cannot do day before dressage ever. Also the thought of having to lose valuable days off if I ever do get to CCI level just for trotting up my horse and a rest day dressage is also annoying. I think we are the forgotten majority as they are so desperate to accommodate big names.
 
I havent read it yet (shall read it tonight when i get home) - but i can never understand how eventers afford entry fees
crazy.gif
I can just about afford to do a few BD comps a month and its only £15 (ish) a test.........
 
I have a very understanding OH and parents who let me live at home for £100 a month for me and horse! I also have a pretty flexible job within reason otherwise no way could I event.
 
I work a disgusting amount of hours, and try and keep my horses fit around it. This year has been a massive dissapointment to me- obviously the weather cant be helped, but it has been a lot of expense for not a lot back. Im glad someone has stepped up and said something.
 
Haven't read it yet but glad the issue is being raised! I am an amateur who struggles to find time to event and pay the bills and am becoming more and more disillusioned! I think it gets more and more difficult the higher the level you compete as well. My horse and I have just competed our first 2** at Blair. I work full time Mon - Fri 9-5 in an office and also ride out on a Sat morning for a local racehorse trainer to get money for lessons. My horse has 50 points so now it costs me more to register him with BE yet I have only 1 intermediate event within 1 hour of me and this year with all the cancellations only 3 intermediates have run in Scotland(without cancellation we would only have had 6 anyway)!! Scone in May, Floors in May and Thirlestane in August! As a working rider living in the north it is not possible for me to drop everything and head to Oasby or Aston at the last gasp (although I do appreciate BE were trying their best) . Meanwhile the professionals can run (in a normal year) as much as they like! Really struggle to see why I should pay extorniate sums of money to join an organisation that gives so little back!
frown.gif
 
A very well written and succinct article. I agree wholeheartedly with her. Some organisers and entry secretaries are lovely - others treat you like they are doing you an enormous favour to even speak to you!! There is no other sport like eventing which is why I love it, but the amateur rider really does need some moral support!!
 
It definitely needed saying in my opinion so well done Clare for speaking up. Rosie is still at school so it's all just fine in the holidays but they have terrible problems the rest of the year and I can't see how she'll be able to keep eventing once she leaves and gets a job.
frown.gif

Oh, and also in H&H, there's a pic of Rosie and BB on page 70 something and a brief quote a page or so later (sorry, self indulgent!)
 
Here here, a very well written article. I toostruggle to work full time and fit in the time and money needed to participate in my hobby, but as Clare said it is the genuine amateurs who are the really profit makers as we dont do it for the prize money, just for a fun day out. Listen up BE!
 
We might not be in it to make money, but it wouldbe nice if a decent placing covered your entry fee, starting fee, and a then a bit towards diesel. Of the 2nd and 4th I got at Firle Novice neither money prize even covered entry + starting fee as it was Lower limit.... although I must say we won some lovely prizes in kind which is always nice.
 
Have to say that as an organiser I disagreed with rather a lot in the article; managed to talk to a few other organisers at Burgley who had the same opinion.

As an organiser i do not rush around after "names", and (were we allowed to discriminate against a section of the membership) would rather have the amateur riders any day.

They are more likely to thank you for an enjoyable day
They are less likely to complain / be picky
They are more likely to spend money in cafe / tradestands

Personally i find it difficult to believe that any job prevents you from making one or two phone calls between 9-5. We do not take queries at 7pm (but then most people would not want work calling them at that time either), we do however process e-mail and answer machine messages.

Riders do all want to go to the same events it seems, and I see no reason that an entry in on time, with not too many "special requests" will be thrown out based on the riders name, regular customers can maybe get some special treatment, but I think most people expect this.

There is no massive profit being secreted from an event, it is expensive to put on, and therefore entry fees are high, and prizes low. There is no long queue of companies wanting to throw money into sponsoring events (most do it as a goodwill gesture rather than commercial venture). Think how much extra trade you have given to title / class sponsors, then think of their return on investment

Giving dispensation to amateurs is a difficult thing to define, as your true "amateur" will not be the person identified by a definition. Who is the amateur, the rich bitch "lady who lunches" or her groom. One has no income from horses (and does not work) the other IS the target for a special deal, but also an equine professional, therefore not an amateur.

Organisers have a home life to! so maybe calling at 9pm to ask if the ground will be hard in two weeks time, or if we have painted the ground line on fence six will not get the most friendly of responses
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top