Eventing dilema

[Moon Dancer]

I am unsure what to do with regards to eventing this year, i really want to affiliate my horse and attempt to qualify for the grassroots. Unfortunately we haven't managed to get to as many odes as i would like due to lack of transport bit that has changed now.
I have a ode planned for next week and also the first week of july, currently looking for another one in august.
There is an affiliated near me in sept, my question is is it worth me attempting this on a day ticket, if my horse is good enough i will join in jan ready for the next season, or is it a bit of a waste of money for day ticket membership and day tickets and shall i just become a full member? Can i buy my horse a day ticket as i understand their membership runs from jan to dec?

 

[popsdosh]

I am unsure what to do with regards to eventing this year, i really want to affiliate my horse and attempt to qualify for the grassroots. Unfortunately we haven't managed to get to as many odes as i would like due to lack of transport bit that has changed now.
I have a ode planned for next week and also the first week of july, currently looking for another one in august.
There is an affiliated near me in sept, my question is is it worth me attempting this on a day ticket, if my horse is good enough i will join in jan ready for the next season, or is it a bit of a waste of money for day ticket membership and day tickets and shall i just become a full member? Can i buy my horse a day ticket as i understand their membership runs from jan to dec?

You can do half year horse from july -dec

 

[Red-1]

I think it is only you who can say if something is a "waste of money" or not.

When I started BE I was working all hours, and there were no day tickets, and I thought it was a wonderful use of money to pay the full annual fees for me and him to do 6 events!

As popsdosh says you can register a half season - from 1 July. Or, do up to 4 events on a ticket.

When all's said and done the only way to qualify Grassroots, if that is your aim, is to register on one of these routes.

Got to be in it to win it ;-)

 

[Llee94]

I started off on day tickets as I didn't start eventing till the September of that year many years ago! The one downside to day tickets is that you are the first to get balloted out if the event is over subscribed. I got 4 tickets in advanced but only managed to use 2 as I got balloted out of the rest and ran out of competitions that I could use them on.
At least with the half season membership, you should get one ballot sticker per month that is left in the season. They pretty much guarantee you entry unless everybody has used them.
I suppose you just need to decide if you would rather take the risk on day tickets and hope you get a run but there is a large risk that you might not get in or take the plunge with the half year membership but at least you will be almost guaranteed to compete.
Good luck with whatever you decide and welcome to the expensive world of BE!!

 

[smja]

Balloting depends where you are in the country, and which events you go to. Volunteering at an event on the day you're not riding often guarantees that you'll get in!

If you're only doing a couple of affiliated events, work out how much that would cost vs. the memberships.

 

[PorkChop]

If you can afford it - go for it!

Depends which area you are in with regards to balloting - if it were me I would do as many unaff as I could and be ready to start early next year after a winter of lessons

 

[Moon Dancer]

Oh ok i didnt realise you could do half a year membership. There are prob two or three events i could do between sept and Dec. I am in southwest so these would be pontispool, port eliot and possibly bricky or bovington though these are very close together time wise.
The problem with unaffiliated is there aren't many. At the moment i can't find any for august and this is one of the reasons i was looking at affliating.
Waste of money of money probably wasnt the right word. Best use of money was probably a better way of putting it.

 

[PorkChop]

I have never been balloted from any of those events so I would be inclined to enter all on a ticket

 

[dixie]

I have never been balloted from any of those events so I would be inclined to enter all on a ticket

I agree, I've not been balloted from those either - although that was some years ago now (except Port Eliot which is new)
You could also do Bicton in July perhaps?

 

[Llee94]

I have been balloted out of Bricky and Pontispool before on a ticket and bovington with membership but it completely depends on the amount of people entered and also if there are any other comps that clash - for instance Pontispool doesn't have many of the big names this weekend as most are at Tattersalls but they will be at Pontispool in September so will have a lot more entries then. Aldon at the end of October is another nice competition but can be very busy. Treborough BE at the end of August is great venue. A little exposed to the elements but the going is always good and the xc tracks are nice and bold.

 

[Moon Dancer]

Treborough was the other one i looked at. Bicton is a bit early as wanted to try and get a few unaffiliated under out belt first. Ideally i wanted to do pontispool and port eliot. Do you get a refund for withdrawing?

 

[Moon Dancer]

Aldon only has a 100 which i am only wanting a 90.

 

[Geek]

Which unaffiliateds are you doing? Are they ones that also run BE's? If not chances are they are a completely different ball game and you could be wasting your time with them. If you feel happy that you are prepared for an event and you are wanting to qualify then I would just bite the bullet and do as many BE's as you can to give you as much opportunity as possible to qualify and as much experience as possible.

 

[glamourpuss]

Be mindful that what Popsdosh actually said is you can buy a HORSE half season membership.
You still have to buy a full years membership but this is a rolling year so will need renewing 12 months after you take it out.

I've always run on a day ticket for the first time. BE can be a sharp learning curve & I want to be sure they 'get it' before I commit.

Luckily, unlike BS, you are still placed if you're on a ticket & still entitled to any prizes.
Day ticket holders can still gain qualification for a regional final if they are in the top 10% of a section but would need to have full horse & rider membership before the regional.

 

[Horsemad12]

If you only plan three events I would go on a ticket this year and if all goes well register for next year.

If you have not done BE before it would be worth seeing if you can pop to one on foot for a look round etc before your first event.

Good luck!

 

[LPL]

I'd definitely get day tickets it's not worth paying full membership of you can only get to three events. You can do up to 4 on a ticket and it's still just about cheaper than paying for the full membership.

 

[Moon Dancer]

Thanks. The unaffiliateds are at pontispool in June and july, potentially bicton in july and then looking at launceston as well. I have walked bicton be course and am fence judging at pontispool this weekend. Am thinking will do day tickets this year and full membership in jan if we get on alright.
If my horse has competed on day tickets end of this year are we entitled to the renew membership price?

 

[Llee94]

See you at Pontispool this weekend! Keep your eyes peeled for a small bay cob in the Novice on Sunday.
I am pretty sure that you will have to pay full price for the membership for the first year. I don't remember getting it at the renewal rate when I swapped from tickets to membership.

 

[glamourpuss]

You have take out at day ticket membership for £10 when you want to purchase day tickets.
I bought my full membership just before the end of the year so my mine was treated as a renewal by BE....but I had been a full member previously that had lapsed.

 

[Moon Dancer]

We are fence judging on the sunday so Will keep an eye out.

on the be website it says
Horses count as a renewal if they have ever had a season ticket before or if the season ticket is bought in the same season as the horse has competed on day/training/club passes.