Cancelled event - entry refund

S

StableMum

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 December 2008
Messages
638
Visit site
The ODE that my daughter entered this weekend has been cancelled by the organisers due to the ground being waterlogged. We know, because it was in the schedule, that she will be refunded 50% of her entry fee. Is this normal, do they really need to keep £30 from each entry to cover administration costs? I imagine they would have had insurance to cover this.
 
That does seem a lot, however I suspect it was mentioned somewhere on the rules, so unfortunately if you entered you agreed to those rules.

We had entered a hunter trial that was cancelled last weekend, they kept a third of the entry fee.
 
I imagine they aren't insured, which is why BE entry costs are so much higher because they include a payment towards abandonement insurance (though you still don't get that part of the entry fee back.

You agree to the T+Cs when you enter, I think Aston le walls the other week provided no refunds when they cancelled only transfer of the entry to another event.
 
Last edited:
Ah a fair few of my fb friends affected too it would seem. I do always think pre entering events this early on in the season is a risk people must choose to take as easy for the ground to soak as never dried out over winter. It does sit on top there I remember a year waking it ore team chase (cancelled) where all the lower fields looked like lakes.

I guess I look on the bright side in that I am not being forced to run on bad ground or choose not to then not get any money back.
 
I think its all depends what they have to pay themselves. If its a BE venue they will perhaps still want their fee. I heard of a big show that folded because the didn't check the small print of the contract and they had to make good any damage and that years the showground was seriously a mess. Last time I looked at our local venue they wanted £700 for the day. I think if its small event run on volunteer's/club field you could expect most of your money back, but if its a bigger competition that's unlikely.
 
It's the BE venue holding its own unaffiliated event so no hiring fee involved. I, of course, would rather it was cancelled than run any risks over bad ground, but I can't imagine the administration costs of cancelling can amount to £30 per entry. At the end of the day, the money has already been spent, we're home safe and we haven't had any travelling costs!
 
If it's in the conditions of entry then of course nothing you can do; but it is disappointing.
A BE venue local to me did this a few years ago. Prior to the year of cancellation, this event sold out every year. Since the event kept 50% of the entry money they have struggled to get entries and have to extend the closing date every time as everyone keeps a paranoid eye on the weather/ground conditions rather than risk an early entry and lose their money. 50% is poor show esp for expensive events!
 
I imagine they will still have a lot of costs that they cannot recover themselves. It depends on their contracts I suppose but possibly medical cover, vet cover, toilet hire, PA system.
 
We'll definitely be more cautious in the future. She's doing her first BE in 10 days, so I think that's the way forward.
 
Yes I don't think it can just be considered 'admin' costs I imagine they would have run it with much the same cover as their BE vet/medical cover/PA etc all of which may have to be covered and from experience (running RC events) does not come cheap.

I do remember one year of area winter show jumping waiting for the hand to tell us we couldn't go ahead their end because it was snowing..... no one was going to get there but if we did the cancelling we would have been liable for all costs.

It is always a shame for everyone though, but good luck for first BE run.
 
My friend said the BE insurance was about £9. Would people be prepared to pay this extra to ensure they would get a refund if the event was cancelled or would they prefer to take a chance?
 
I would also suspect it might be more than that because you would hope that BE is big enough to have managed to get a fairly good deal from an insurer.
 
Well, fair play to the organisers, we've just had an email to say that they will be refunding entry fees less £12, regardless of what was said on the schedule.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top