how do you justify the cost of eventing?

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aregona

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I didnt affiliate last year due to injuries so lack of horse power.
This year I'm really lucky (especially with my new girl Maggie :) ) and I have 2 horses ready to go. I thought I would work out some costs....as Maggie is new to me and her xc experience still unknown (obviously I would take her schooling first) I thought I would enter an 80t and enter my big lad too.

Entry fee..£63 each, start fee £10 each plus £10 day ticket each..

Ouch! £166

Plus £100 for fuel :( I'm beginning to think my eventing days are over :( how do you talk yourself into spending the money?
 
You can only justify it if you want to event more than eat, go on holiday, buy clothes or go out anywhere else. Either that or somehow make money out of it - and that won't be from prize money ;)
 
It is a lot of money but personally I work hard, don't spend my money on clothes, holidays, going out etc.. and it's my choice!
NB I don't travel as far as I used to due to the price of diesel but am lucky in having lots of events nearby
 
I eat, sleep, breathe and dream eventing. If I didn't have it in my life I really don't think I would get up in the morning... Sounds dramatic, but I've always been that way and probably always will be.

So... where there's a will, there's a way!

I honestly cannot remember the last time I bought myself new clothes, or went on holiday, or paid to go out for dinner. Eventing is much more important. :)
 
That's the thing, I think of just doing dressage...I don't mind it

But then I think of going xc and my stomach starts churning, I get excited and the thought of another year not getting my eventing fix brings me to tears but sadly I don't have a great job and its a lot of money :(

There is nothing else for it, I NEED to event again, will just have to find a way!
 
I would say time is more valuable than money

but then again if you don't have time you can't spend it and if you don't have money all the time in the world is no good to you, so its a bit of a catch really.

Like you said James6, you make sacrifices elsewhere to take part in a sport you love.
 
Ali16 said:
I eat, sleep, breathe and dream eventing. If I didn't have it in my life I really don't think I would get up in the morning... Sounds dramatic, but I've always been that way and probably always will be.

So... where there's a will, there's a way!

I honestly cannot remember the last time I bought myself new clothes, or went on holiday, or paid to go out for dinner. Eventing is much more important. :)
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Im very glad to hear that from you Ali, I would expect nothing less! :)
 
I only did a couple last year on a ticket and will probably only do one or two again this year for the same reason. I try and think of it as a very expensive day out! I'm not massively competitive so I entered as a special occasion instead of being serious. We took picnics, the whole family came and we really made it worth while.
Theres lots of unaff ODE's around me that run over the same courses as BE so will probably do some of those this year, although they are £65 to enter as well!
I wouldn't event every weekend, I like doing other things :D.
I think in order to do it sriously you really have to sacrifice a lot, it becomes a lifestyle choice as opposed to a hobby IMO.
 
no way could i afford to event 2 of them but one doesn't seem too bad. the savings i make on fuel through being a BE member actually pays for my BE membership and the horse registration so it's just the entry fees which are comparable to paying to go hunting (my other love) - yes, it's more than 2 dressage classes but it's an awful lot more fun. Only discovered it last yr and cant believe now how I lived without it for so long! Completely addicted! I spend all my money on my horses and I do extra shifts every bank holiday for double pay. I can actually do enough bank holiday shifts a yr to cover all my entry fees which is handy.
 
i figure that if i'd had a serious drug habit it would have cost me much more (and wrecked my body), so actually, since it's a nice healthy outdoor sport, it's a really positive move going Eventing. ;) ;)
so if anyone ever questions or criticises the expenditure, you can smile sweetly and say that it's far better than being on crack. probably just as addictive though...
 
Ive work on the the rule of while I can I will. I don't event my boy, a pro does, but she's my mate and gives me a really good deal, so Im looking at £200+ a time, plus I dressage and SJ him myself, only low level stuff, plus lessons with DR instructor and the eventer (SJ), I don't half spend some brass:D

I can only justify it by saying I earn it, I love and you only live once. When we can't eat, ill stop:D

PS My hubby is the best in the world and supports us all the way - as long as theres wine in the rack!
 
Either that or join an RC and do their teams, there are still things to aim for (the annual champs) and there's classes up to BE novice level if you so wish - run over practically the same courses. £30 entry fee and no start fee. I've done it and really enjoyed it - can always then do a couple of BE on a ticket, and some other unaff ODEs?
 
I do ride for the teams as well. Sadly I live in south Wales and GOOD ode's are few and far between so fuel is the biggest problem.
However you guys are doing a cracking job at talking me round :)

How much do you save on fuel with BE membership?

And plus, I have allowed myself just one season with Maggie before I retire her as a brood mare :( why waste my year! :)
 
save 5% on fuel at Sainsbury's via a gift card bought through the memebrship benefits website. for me that's around £20 a month, £240 a yr. membership paid for :D
 
kerilli said:
i figure that if i'd had a serious drug habit it would have cost me much more (and wrecked my body), so actually, since it's a nice healthy outdoor sport, it's a really positive move going Eventing. ;) ;)
so if anyone ever questions or criticises the expenditure, you can smile sweetly and say that it's far better than being on crack. probably just as addictive though...
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Tee hee! My husband sometimes mutters at me "when we get home from this event, shall we go and stand in a field and tear up £50 notes?"
 
I can't afford it this year but aiming for Rc teams and might treat myself to a event or 2, I'm going to use the time to try and crack the dressage!!! But with the drought I'm kind of glad I'm not planning on eventing much as my mare can't run on hard ground and we might have a lot of that this year!!!
 
Ali16

I eat, sleep, breathe and dream eventing. If I didn't have it in my life I really don't think I would get up in the morning... Sounds dramatic, but I've always been that way and probably always will be.

So... where there's a will, there's a way!

I honestly cannot remember the last time I bought myself new clothes, or went on holiday, or paid to go out for dinner. Eventing is much more important.
__________________
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This! Eventing is all I want to do, even if it is only at intro. I don't mind going without a social life / big house / holidays / clothes etc, and am lucky enough to have a husband that supports this too!
 
my holiday is my horse, and i wouldnt have it any other way. i dont go out much probably once a month with friends for a meal and i dont buy clothes unless i get really desperate for more jods or yard clothes. As people say you only live once and i think you have to enjoy life while you can and if that means loosing out on night outs and holidays to event have a horse them so be it. would much rather see the progress over a year with my horse than 2 holidays a year that come and go faster than lightening.
 
It keeps me sane so i think its worthing spending out on it...!

On a more serious note it has only been recently that I've felt the pinch a bit more. I don't go out and blow money on booze/food etc and I hate shopping! Some people easily blow £100 a night out so thats your entry sorted and some fuel money!

I guess its all down to priorities! One thing I do always try and do where possible is share my transport and I always try and double up with friends so we can twos the fuel - thats the one thing thats really gone up!
 
kerilli said:
i figure that if i'd had a serious drug habit it would have cost me much more (and wrecked my body), so actually, since it's a nice healthy outdoor sport, it's a really positive move going Eventing. ;) ;)
so if anyone ever questions or criticises the expenditure, you can smile sweetly and say that it's far better than being on crack. probably just as addictive though...
Click to expand...

Ha ha, finally glad to hear of someone who's logic matches mine- anytime Mr FigJam has muttered about the £££ aspect of my horse-addiction, I inform him I don't smoke, buy handbags/shoes and don't have a crack cocaine/heroin addiction, so actually I'm saving him money! :p

As others have said, I tend to get my wardrobe supplemented by relatives at birthdays/Christmas (I think mostly so they know I have clothes other than Joules and they won't be embarrassed to be seen out with me?! ;) ) and write off the cost as a fun day out. I save on event photo costs by having my own trained 'tog to come along too! ;)
 
I justify it by proving that if I dont event I am grumpy and hard to be about I need a regular 'fix' of xc or I would have no friends!!

Our little team saying is that we all work hard so why not...ok we do go without a few luxuries but we dont care much for handbags and pretty shoes anyway :-)

Just enjoy it :-)
 
thats the problem i have, my only 2 'local' events are 1 3/4 hours away, other than those i have 2 1/2 hour plus for events.

I think i have a plan, unaff for the time being to brush up on my jumping, lots and lots of show jumping so i can go out from may/june onwards (ground depending) and have a proper crack at it!!!

i can't imagine not eventing for another year so there is nothing else for it, bankrupcy (spell?) here is come!!!! :) :D
 
I actually think BE is ridiculously expensive to be honest and I'd love to see the breakdown of how they justify their costs given the amount of entries per class and the fact the majority of people who help run the events are volunteers so it's not like they have to pay them anything. It's make it a whole lot better if you could actually stand a chance of winning some money back if you were placed - at least with BS and even blooking trailblazers SJ you can win your entry fees back!!!

I think it's tight that you can't win any money at the lower levels so wouldn't waste my money eventing as that is what it would feel like as, come one let's be honest, the majority of those competing are in the smaller classes and are essentially amateurs/pleasure riders. They are the ones who seem to be paying to support the sport as a whole from how I see it. I actually don't know hoe people do afford it. I work a decent job so get a fair salary but the thought of forking out well over £100 on a weekend would make me feel rather queasy!!! :)
 
I really struggle. As soon as I moved out of my parents place and got a mortgage my finances obviously took a big hit! I cut my BE down a lot last year, only ended up doing 2 BE events - 1 of which was paid for by a sponsor. I focused more on BSJA as with that classes are cheaper (obviously) and its so much easier to win money back! Plus there's far more events locally whereas BE the events are so spread out. It really gets to me that I cant afford to do BE as much as I used to. I do RC ODE's instead but they aren't nearly the same atmosphere or challenge. Hopefully some day I'll win the lottery :(
 
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