Fed up/Upset - why do Riding Clubs do this??

Z

zoeshiloh

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Joined
23 January 2006
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Suffolk
www.stowmarketanddistrictridingclub.com
I decided to join the local Riding Club again this year so that I could make myself available for teams. Two years ago I was asked to represent them in dressage, only to be bumped off the team at the last minute by someone who "does the teams every year and we don't want to upset her" - as the newbie I had to give up my place. Well, I didn't bother rejoining the club, but still got calls asking to be on the teams. So, this year I re-joined, and was duly asked to be on the team. Then, yesterday, I get informed I am now not needed as "someone who always does the teams every year, and we don't want to upset" has been drafted in instead - although I can go as an individual. I just don't see the point in going as an individual, the whole reason I want to go is as part of a team. At my old Riding Club it used to be based on people's performance over the course of the year, their results etc, not who they know. I looked up the person in question, and they always seem to come last or near the bottom. To be honest I am a bit disappointed with the Riding Club - they moan about not getting placed, but when they select their teams like this, what do they expect?? They only have one dressage competition a year, whereas other clubs seem to have one a month! So, from next year I will be changing to another club I have decided - who knows of a good club not too far away from Bury St Edmunds with lots of dressage competitons??
 
Sorry to hear that, we try and put in as many teams as we can so we dont disapoint people, this might mean that we put 3 or 4 novice teams in. I am a member of ingatestone and Blackmore so may be a bit far for you we have our main summer RC Qualifier at lordsbridge and hold our shows at writtle and a couple of jumpnig ones at towerlands. pm me the club you have joined if you want
 
have to say I really am not missing organising teams, you go from having not enough, to too many but not enough to make up another team. I don't do upsetting people so used to get a list of all interested names and then try and sort it, kinda first come first served but always difficult if someone offered early on but you knew they might not be your best bet (not saying this is the case here!) Sorry that you cant go and enjoy it.
 
I organise teams for my club and I don't do this! I let anyone be on a team, on a first come first served basis. So if I have 5 people apply then the first 4 are on the team regardless of how good they are. If I get 2 or more teams I will juggle people to give the best chance of qualifying, but TBH it's riding club, it's supposed to be fun, it's not high level stuff and as long as everyone has a nice day then that is fine by me! I could go down the route of 'selecting' people, but since I think RC is more about having a go and encouraging people I'm pretty reluctant to do that. I just want as many members as possible to take part in teams and have a nice day out representing the club.
 
I can't understand why the riding club up here doesn't follow a similar style of selection to the one is Sussex - we used to hold a competition at the end of the winter, and anyone wanting to be on teams put that down on their entry forms - it was basically a selection day. If someone couldn't go to that show, then their results from other RC dressage shows were taken into account. It was fair, and if you got left off the team, you had something to aim for. They nearly always made the nationals. I don't mind being bumped off for a better rider/horse, but I do not like it when it is done so as not to upset someone else. Don't whinge about teams not doing well, then select them like this. Utter rubbish.
 
Divasmum said:
It is worth going as an individual anyway. Who knows you may do better than the people in the team!
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Lol probably burnt that bridge - lets just say I got a teeny bit upset!

In my opinion it is bad form to say "you are on the team" and then to turn around a couple of weeks later and say "oh no, hold on, so-and-so now wants to do it, and she always does it, so you can only do individual". Being that it had now happened twice, I am fuming, and wont bother rejoining the club again - they don't have many shows anyway, and members only get 50p off of their entries. I'd be better off going to another club next year, even if I have to travel a bit further.
 
We have had problems selecting teams this year for my RC as this particular comp was limited to two teams per club, so we have introduced some rules ie selection nights and priority given to regular attenders.

Would never even consider doing what has been done to you - that is awful. I am not surprised you were annoyed, esp as it had happened before.

Hope you can find another RC who will appreciate you better, and nicer people so you can make friends.

Fiona
 
Depends on the club. We are more informal as we tend to struggle to get enough interest but generally it is only the same folks who come forward each time despite appeals throughout our membership.

I would speak to another member of the RC committee or preferably your chairperson, ask them to discuss team selection at their next meeting and state what has happened to you twice and say that you are planning on leaving the club because of this.

You are probably better off at another club but it maybe worth trying to let the committee know what it happening just rather than complaining to the team organiser who is not on your side. Or perhaps, you could change the club from working with them - become an active helper and join the committee to try and change things from the inside!
 
Sorry to hear that, it does upset me how often it seems down to who you know, not what you know! Doesn't just happen in the horsey world either. But chin up, you are better than that :)
 
Perhaps the selector makes the decision based on other factors, rather than just the 'best' riders and horses, maybe they select on the basis of events attended, not just shows. Maybe the selction to the team is used as a reward for the members who help out at the events. TBH I would not be happy to see someone join the RC with the sole intention of joining a team to compete, if you have taken your bat home because you can't be a member of the team, I would question whether you are a team player or not.
 
I used to belong to a Club that did a similar thing.

Eventually gave up trying to get in a team because I wasn't in the clique. Didn't rejoin.

The Club I'm in now isn't like that at all. If you want to do Teams, you can. Lady who organises Team does ask what level you're at, what your results have been like and whether you're prepared to go to the Champs if you qualify.

Then she arranges the teams based on what you've said and what she knows, but certainly tries to put the best people together to form a Team that is competitive.

Essentially, it doesn't matter whether you have 3 refusals at the first fence of every competition you do. As far as she's concerned, if you've joined the Club to do Teams or Qualifiers, then you can!
 
This happened to me once was supposed to be on the team then told I could go as an individual and glad I did. The person who replaced me on the team,as she was always on the team, jumped the wrong fence XC as did another member of the team and they were eliminated I howeve finished second individualy. YEEHA great result!!!!!!!!!!!!;););););)
 
TBH I have found in many RCs it is not what you know but who. Also if your horse fits the picture, we have 2, one who does a KWPN and one who most certainly doesn't an Ardennes, about whom we have had a rather snotty remark from a member of the committee of our RC.

Hope you find a better club for you.
 
You should probably write to the club (you may want to start with an apology for being cross :p ) and include the content of your OP. The committee in charge should be made aware that this happens and they are losing members as a result.
 
yorksG said:
Perhaps the selector makes the decision based on other factors, rather than just the 'best' riders and horses, maybe they select on the basis of events attended, not just shows. Maybe the selction to the team is used as a reward for the members who help out at the events. TBH I would not be happy to see someone join the RC with the sole intention of joining a team to compete, if you have taken your bat home because you can't be a member of the team, I would question whether you are a team player or not.
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I have to agree with this. Do you go to all the other events, meetings and training or were you just planning to compete in the team?
 
Sorry haven't been on for a while so just thought I'd answer a couple of points. I did not just join and expect to be on teams. I volnteered to help at all their jumping shows (I don't jump) and to set up etc before shows. My OH also owns a big company that offered to sponsor some classes at their summer show. I attended their clinics and was planning on doing club nights and all their other shows. I'd even of helped on the committee if asked. So definately not just there for teams. We will now be taking our time and sponsorship to another club or maybe even look into starting our own.
 
A girl I know was invited to be on the Riding Club eventing team. They duly qualified for the championsip, they were all very pleased with themselves. Then she had a phone call from the team trainer to say that for the championships her place would be taken by another rider who had been doing a BHS event on the day of the qualifier. Needless to say the girl was not pleased!!! She felt as she had been on the team that qualified she should be riding at the Championships. She complained to the RC office who were shocked and said this "wasn't in the spirit" of the RC movement, but it was, then, allowed in the rules. (I think that maybe the rules have changed now). The team, minus the girl, went to the Championships with the replacement rider and, sadly, did pretty well, but needless to say it left a very sour feeling all round.

You would be surprised if I posted the name of the Team Trainer, but every time I see her name mentioned I remember this incident.
 
I belong to High Fenn and that is good although I've not been able to compete for them so far due to one thing or another they do clinics and team events. I know the Chairman who is really lovely and competes herself, they are a really nice RC xxx
 
That doesnt surprise me. There are two around here both are very cliquey. Shame really I would like to make use of the comps and clinics.
 
Upps!!:( I can understand how you feel about being dropped again, Then I'd have **************** and gone as an individual and beaten the Bl**dy pants off them and stook one finger in the air at them.:D:D:D:D:D
 
It does seem to me that from your post that you haven't been a member of this club for long (apologies if I am wrong) and have been to a few clinics but not done any competing. Whilst teams maybe should not be chosen on the basis of not upsetting a particular person perhaps you have to take into account that this person may be a long-standing member who has showed continual support over a long period of time and has contributed to the club consistently. Surely this merits some consideration when choosing teams?

You seem to have joined - left - joined again - what about next year when they are looking for team members - will you have left again? Even when my horse was not competing I still remained a member of my club and go and support other members at events. Perhaps you could suggest a second team if they can afford to subsidise 2 teams? This is what my club does.

Sorry not trying to be critical just trying to see the other side of the coin. By the way what did you end up calling your lovely new filly? I know you were looking for name suggestions.
 
It's a long story but basically I joined done all their competitions and clinics helped judge and steward set up etc. Then I wentback to uni for a year so did not join that year. I then just didn't rejoin as I came back from uni did all their competitions still helped steward setup etc so was pretty much acting as a member (gave a lot more than I took) but without actually being a member. I did support them and contribute financially towards certain events I just wasn't officially a member. They seemed happy with this I didn't want to committ to a club but was happy to help out where I could. I was asked whilst not a member to be part of teams but I refused as my work committments got in the way. This year I was in a position to do team events so I officially rejoined. I have been an active part of the RC for 4 years and am friends with the chairman. It is hard to explain it all on a forum but needless to say I feel peed off at their ungratefulness. But at the end of the day there are lots of riding clubs around and lots that would welcome the sponsorship my OH was prepared to offer and the time I was prepared to give. The riding club in question needs to stop whingeing about their teams not doing very well when they don't put any thought into selection.
 
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