Do you feel BE has done it's best coping with this dreadful season?

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silu

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None of us aren't aware that the majority of this season has been a washout ..literally.
While the elements have made it incredibly disappointing for organisers, traders and competitors alike, do you feel BE has done everything it could to assist competitors with regard to REALISTIC updates on whether events will run or not? Personally I think in general BE has been pretty good, my only gripe being that on a few occasions it was quite obvious there wasn't a snowball in hells chance of various events running days and days before events were officially cancelled which made making alternative plans much more difficult, especially if you had a fair distance to travel to a particular event. I'm all for the stiff upper lip approach but a day of drying weather on most occasions isn't going to offset weeks and weeks of continual rain, so perhaps a bit more honesty as to the actual chances of an event running would be appreciated.
 
I am not sure what else they could do. I rode in my field 2 days ago and it was fine with soggy patches but any more than 3 horse in the same area would have killed it and BE runs normally around 250 a day.
 
I think the problem lies with event organisers themselves. Lots of them are unwilling to cancel and so leave it til the very last minute to pull the plug (I can think of atleast 2 regular offenders - one of whom refused to cancel a ODE until 6.30am even though the region had had 5" of forecast snow laying heavily from 7pm the night before!). That said, when you consider the work theyve done and the cost of that work, they have my sympathy when pulling the plug.

I was talking to my OH about this last night and wonder why BE cant offer one Joker card to members, allowing them to withdraw on the day and still get a 50% refund, if they decide that the going (hard or soft) does not suit thier horses.

Maybe that would help those struggling to decide what to do when events decide to go ahead and leave the choice of abandoning to the competitor..... ?
Edited to add newsflash from BE..

Great Witchingham - Abandoned National Classes Saturday

All national classes excl. BE1003DE at Great Witchingham on Saturday 14th July have been abandoned, CIC dressage will go ahead as scheduled, a decision regarding the national classes on Sunday will be made by Saturday lunchtime.
 
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i think they've done their absolute best. the thing is, while it's the BE officials who make the ultimate decision on whether to run or not, it's the Organisers who lose out, financially, if an event is cancelled or abandoned. I believe it's far worse for them to have to abandon 1/2 way through (when a lot of damage has been done) than ahead of time. Some places do have the sort of ground which, with a day or two dry with wind to suck the moisture out of the ground, can see a real transformation. Cancelling early and then finding out the day before the event's date that it would have been viable would be infuriating...
I have thought for years that we need a few venues that have full hardstanding lorry/car parks (e.g. disused runways are perfect, don't want somewhere to have to pay for acres of concrete!), arenas, and true all-weather xc tracks. Venues that could be 100% reliably defaulted to in circumstances such as these. It'll remain a pipe-dream unless I win Euromillions, I suspect...
 
Yes, I think BE have done their best. It's such a fine line to get the date right and they are damned if they do and damned if they don't whether it's too early or too late. BE Officials need to make the decision and they may not be on site until nearer the date. Terrible situation for organisers, sponsors, trade stands and riders.

It's been a pigs ear of a season so far and speaking to my hay man earlier today, it's not going to get better for us horse owners :( (although he is a glass half empty chappy)
It will be interesting (is that the right word...) to see how much more subs will be next year with the additional abandonment/cancellation insurance levy.
 
I don't think they could have done anything better/differently in terms of notice when cancelling events.

I do think they should have looked in running more JAS/arena eventing days to compensate for the lack of runs people are getting, considering the membership prices people have paid for such a washout of a season.
 
millitiger said:
I don't think they could have done anything better/differently in terms of notice when cancelling events.

I do think they should have looked in running more JAS/arena eventing days to compensate for the lack of runs people are getting, considering the membership prices people have paid for such a washout of a season.
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Would it not be nice and also help, if BE said "right folks nobody can help this weather but" given that you have all lost so much trekking across the country, taking days off, organising dog, baby, OH sitters, we feel that it is only right that fully paid up members from this year, who have lost out on entry fees etc, get a years membership next year, but only pay for 6 months......
 
Could they extend the season? If we get a nice October and November like we have had before it might be viable to run some extra dates late in the year.
 
dafthoss said:
Could they extend the season? If we get a nice October and November like we have had before it might be viable to run some extra dates late in the year.
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They have said on their website they are looking into the viability of doing this, although I guess daylight hours will be an issue. I certainly feel like the season has never properly got underway, but I think BE are doing an ok job under the circs. Speaking personally, I'd always rather an event gave itself every chance of running before cancelling rather than making an early call which turned out to be over-cautious. Particularly at this time of year, it takes an unbelievably short time to dry out some ground even if it has had weeks of rain...
 
Having checked websites v early in the morning and driven several hours only to find the events abandoned when I get there, I wish they could notify us somehow - like they do when they text through your start times which I'm assuming is a push of a button on a keyboard but perhaps its not that simple...?

Yes I agree that some sort of membership extension, or one free event next season for example, would be a great gesture.

Nobody wants to ride in unsafe conditions but it can be costly for a rider to decide to pull out of an event and somehow all these events being cancelled with no upside for the paid up members makes it feel all rather one sided. I haven't phrased that very well, hope you get my drift?!

On a slightly different note, I do wish they'd refund entry fees much more quickly - I'm waiting on 3 refunds...
 
I've already commented on the GW thread without realising this question had been posed. Here's my response;

"I have to say that this has made me quite cross :mad:

I fully appreciate that BE and organisers are doing their utmost to make events run, and I do thank them for that, but there comes a point when it becomes very clear that it's just not going to happen - I would hazard a guess (given the updates we've been having from local people since early this morning) that that point came well before 5.20pm this afternoon when BE sent the text message out.

Eventing is expensive enough without competitors wasting diesel to get to events that are subsequently cancelled (remember the Auchinleck debacle?? :rolleyes: )

It needs to be remembered there's also a considerable amount of time, effort and planning on the part of competitors to get horses ready, etc, and we'd much rather not do it if we're not going to get a run!

I shall now don my tin hat and await a slating from organisers....... :rolleyes: "
 
As a total eventing bystander but know people who do it and reading everyone's threads on here, it appears that a central website detailing local weather and ground conditions and whether the event is going ahead or not/details regarding inspections is needed.

From what I've seen on here, it seems so bitty as to where to look to find out the latest information. Not everyone uses twitter, not everyone uses fb or is able to whilst at work. Surely one website accessible to all event organisers & BE officials (or whoever makes the final decision) listing the needed information for all competitors would make sense?

www.BEgroundconditions.com or something. That way, every member of BE knows where to look, what time the decision will be made, what decision has been made ie whether some sections cancelled over others etc etc.

It cannot be that hard to sort out? I appreciate every event is individual but a central website would make sense and make it easier for the rider, who at the end of the day is the one paying the money... BDWP works for when riders need times and entries why can't a website be sorted for weather/cancellation issues?
 
I'm with Wench. I don't understand why BE should be giving out free membership either. It's not their fault the weather has been bad, they've done everything in their power to run events/change dates/add extra events/keep competitors informed.
It's just one of those things.....& I'm a fully paid up member who due to the weather hasn't managed a single run this season!
 
...but I do agree with what m-Millie says I'm actually more annoyed with the organisers who are giving cheerful 'the ground is excellent, we are going to run' updates when we all can see the rain lashing down & the ground becoming a swamp.
I appreciate they don't want to cancel & will lose money when they do BUT a bit of realism would help everyone.
 
I think BE are being as good as they can be they cant stop the rain ( I wish they could)

Although its annoying that events are being cancelled I would rather they make they decision rather than us go all the way to an event and choose not to run. I think they are being sensible and fair.

Ive been SJ whilst not eventing and I do feel BE could learn a few things from BS ie taster membership for a few months and the prize money rule?!...but thats a whole new thread. :-)
 
glamourpuss said:
...but I do agree with what m-Millie says I'm actually more annoyed with the organisers who are giving cheerful 'the ground is excellent, we are going to run' updates when we all can see the rain lashing down & the ground becoming a swamp.
I appreciate they don't want to cancel & will lose money when they do BUT a bit of realism would help everyone.
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Realistically what extra cost do organisers have to shoulder when they cancel as to me they are fully protected because they keep the entry fees in full ,they just need to be more honest with people! They will have some of their cost reduced! ie prize money.
I am afraid to certain extent I did not agree with GW adding a levy to the start fee to cover extra cost do they give a reduction when conditions are perfect! It is one of the eventualities you have to factor in when planning to hold events .We are all suffering!
I think a lot of these decisions would have been made sooner if it was either end of the season but in June or July conditions can change very quickly.
The good news for you all is our long term farming forecast gives no improvement until September if at all.
 
I totally agree with m_m. On her GW thread, someone actually spoke to the organisers at 2pm and was told it was fine, officials were happy and everything was going ahead. At 5.20pm Rosie got a text saying all Saturday's national classes were cancelled. Unfortunately she was already there by then!
The truth is, if there had been any indication that it might not run they would have withdrawn - but there wasn't :(.
 
I can only speak as a bystander. In the case of Balcarres the weather forecast had said the Saturday was meant to be showers only when in reality it never stopped raining all day hence a later decision to cancel the Sundays xc. It's been an unusually rubbish year, I'd hate to be an event organiser must be awful to have to cancel so many events.
 
The only think I think they could have done differently is to allow any organisers that wanted to run again a different date if they are willing to take the chance. It may not be correct but I have heard Auchinleck are desperate for another date but not allowed one :confused: If BE can not be a little flexible I can see some organisers just giving up trying to run in susequent years.

The weather has just made things impossibly difficult and if there is to be no improvement in the weather as some long term forecasts suggest then no point in reorganising stuff anyway :rolleyes:
 
I think that we have to be realistic I should be at Stafford next Sunday There are over 1000 entered over the three days. Even if it does run (which I dont think it will) do I really want to jump my horse on ground that can only be cut up, even if they have two jumping rings.

Its not BE fault the weather has been so rubbish, I dont expect any money back, just pray we have a dry autumn :)
 
Rosiefan said:
I totally agree with m_m. On her GW thread, someone actually spoke to the organisers at 2pm and was told it was fine, officials were happy and everything was going ahead. At 5.20pm Rosie got a text saying all Saturday's national classes were cancelled. Unfortunately she was already there by then!
The truth is, if there had been any indication that it might not run they would have withdrawn - but there wasn't :(.
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I had this with Nutwell Court. I went up the night before as it was a long way to travel. However I had a 3pm dressage so could of gone up on the day if there had been doubt.

So I rang at 5pm to double check it was on and ask if there were any doubts whether it would run. The person I spoke to was very positive about it. We got there at 8pm to find it was cancelled.

They also must of known the ground was terrible as only 5 went clear in 1 novice section, I spoke to someone who competed the day before who withdrew xc as ground as so bad so they must of known.

That made me very angry.

However, I do think the BE are stuck between a rock and a hard place and they have my full sympathies.
 
I think they've done a very good job considering the situation. Its difficult for all of us to continually have events cancelled and although the last minute cancellations are irritating I do think they've done a decent job of sorting it all out - the organisation and paperwork etc must be insane. Credit to them as I do think they've coped fairly well considering I don't think we've ever had such a bad season in recent years.
 
popsdosh said:
Realistically what extra cost do organisers have to shoulder when they cancel as to me they are fully protected because they keep the entry fees in full ,they just need to be more honest with people! They will have some of their cost reduced! ie prize money.
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Are you for real?!! yes, the organisers won't have to pay prize money, but if they abandon when the event is already prepared they have massive infrastructure costs - marquees, loos, communications, course prep, stabling, hospitality/judges catering.

Also, spare a thought for all the trade stands who are having an appalling season!
 
Please correct me if I'm wrong but I was under the impression that the events were insured against having to cancel? and part of the reason that some organisers leave it to the last minute to cancel is because they have to get their insurer to agree it's a lost cause and will pay out on a claim.Agree though it has been an awful year for the traders.
 
I was told that Gt Witch wanted to run the sat and BE stopped them, hence the very late notice. I guess the ground got significantly worse from 2pm to 5pm. However if they had ran the conditions on Sunday would have been very different. They seemed confident knowing the ground that they could run - but the BE officials did not agree.

Personally I think BE are in a tough place but there has to be a call on safety.

Obviously the trade stands were there all day Sat for a handful of competitors, the sweet shop had 5 customers all day so not good business for them.
 
LCH611 said:
Are you for real?!! yes, the organisers won't have to pay prize money, but if they abandon when the event is already prepared they have massive infrastructure costs - marquees, loos, communications, course prep, stabling, hospitality/judges catering.

Also, spare a thought for all the trade stands who are having an appalling season!
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Afraid you miss the point totally the organiser already keeps all the ENTRY FEES!! whether on or not, or are you telling me this is not correct .
In practice the competitors are insuring their events for them!as the riders pay the abandonment premium for the insurance so they get their entry fees back.The old system meant riders got their entries back from the organiser which they dont any more.
Can you enlighten me as to what extra cost the organisers face when they abandon that is not already covered,as the cost you quote are already costs of running the event and is not an additional cost.This comes out of income they have already received and do not have to refund to anybody.
I know the tradestands are having a bad year but so are the riders.
I just merely wished to make the point because some people are under the illusion that events are losing all their income if they abandon which is patently not the case,they lose very little if anything.
 
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Yes they keep the entry fees but as far as I'm aware they dont get the start fees. Say £15 a competitor 250 competitors minimum that's £3750 per day lost. They probably would have spent more than usual getting the course ready ie extra hardcore down tractors for towing etc there are very few costs which can be cancelled at short notice.
 
Venues that have onsite catering would lose the revenue from that. OK teabags & sauce can be kept over & any frozen food but any fresh/defrosted food may well go to waste. That can easily come to a £hundreds by itself for a largish event.
 
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