Dressage entry fees

[Expo]

Sorry - this a bit boring but would appreciate some input.

The small, local club I’m involved with runs a number of popular Dressage competitions every year. They are held at a local EC where tests are ridden on a good surface and warm up is in a large indoor. Plenty of parking, good facilities etc. They are low level stuff - intro, prelim and novice only. Currently entry fees are £8.00 per test for members and £10.00 for non-members. We use good judges etc and run them to BD rules: generally everyone turns out well (smart, fully plaited etc) so they’re good events which people seem to enjoy.

We’re thinking we might have to put up fees a bit due to the venue putting up its own fees. They’ve not increased for 4 years, so fair enough! What would be an acceptable entry fee for an event like this. We don’t want to scare people away, but they are the only club level events held on a surface in the area, hence why they’re popular, especially during the winter months.

Thanks everyone.

 

[milliepops]

How much have the venue fees increased by? That's important because you need to make sure you're covering that increase

Would £10/£12 be sufficient, as that wouldn't be too noticeable for your long term supporters? Or will you need to charge more? one of the venues I go to for BD charges the unaff competitors £14 /£12 for members.

 

[Ceriann]

EC I use charges £15 for unaff/ if you do 2 tests at same level it’s £20. The levels do go up to medium and they also run BD classes but unaff there is very popular (good judges, run to BD rules, nice arena with good warm up access). The other EC I could go to and next on my list runs unaff comps once a month - it’s perhaps a bit more upmarket (runs sponsored comps etc) and that’s £15 to enter.

 

[Sukistokes2]

Your prices are very cheap. Our local dressage is £13 , £15 for championships. They run a scheme by which every 10th entry gives you a half price entry.

 

[Julia0803]

Yours is pretty cheap. Locally here it’s aroubd £15 per entry. One venue does two tests for £28.

 

[Annagain]

We charge £10 for members and £12 for non-members. Another club in the areas charges £12 for members and £14 for non-members and a local venue charges £15 (or 2 classes on the same horse for £25) at their dressage comps. I don't go there any more as they give one person doing 2 classes on 1 horse a discount but not one person doing two classes on two horses and were quite rude when I asked if the discount applied!

 

[Sprat]

wow, where in the country are all of you?

The closest venue to me charges £17 UA!

 

[lamlyn2012]

Varies round here from £10 - £15 per test.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

For RC unaffiliated around £11-12 members, £14-15 non-members. Some venues are more expensive to hire so entry fees may be one or two pounds higher at these.

 

[Red-1]

£12 per entry here, £15 if it is a late entry.

 

[Sprat]

I think I need to move!

 

[Expo]

THanks for all the replies everyone. The venue fees have gone up £40.00 so are now £150.00 per event. Again, I have no idea if that’s reasonable for the facilities: we’d hate to have to move to be honest. Quite a lot of the resident liveries at the venue like to enter the events so they like us to hold the events there as they don’t organise their own. We still have other expenses to cover - judge fees, sheets, rosettes etc so need to cover costs and add a few quid to the club bank balance if possible.

I think an entry fee of £10.00 for members and £12.00 for non members would work and still be relatively affordable as most people do 2 tests per event. I’m quite surprised at how much some folks pay to ride a rest.