I need the lowdown on balloting please!

[EmmaChal]

So how does it work? A friend entered South of England pretty much as soon as entries opened, is a fully paid up member of BE as is horse and she still got balloted.
Is it really just luck of the draw (or not as the case may be?)

 

[kick_On]

yes......... i only real way you can help, is by helping at event

 

[Sneedy]

another way of ensuring you get in is to use a ballot sticker....almost guaranteed not to get balloted then?!!

 

[Baggybreeches]

I am afraid even the monthly ballot stickers are not much good at really popular events, the only guaranteed way is to offer a day of helping.

 

[SteveGG]

Full rules are on the BE site but practically

Super Special entries take priority (2 super specials per year plus you get a super special if you are balloted out of an event)

Special entries come next (you get one per ballot period / month)

Normal entries followed by ticket entries.

If you offer to help you are extremely unlikely to get balloted at the event (the organisers can accept entries that they specifically want - but not over super specials). I have found that by putting that I fence judge at particular events helps me not get balloted at others, although I was balloted out of Gatcombe this year !

 

[Always_late]

Before Daughts affiliated we thought it was all smoke and mirrors, couldn't understand why a friend was constantly being ballotted out - turned out she only had day tickets. Bad luck SteveGG, we super stickered Gatcombe - only way of guarenteeing entry. And after all that the blasted lorry nearly didn't make it!

 

[Thistle]

Another thing you can do to help entry is to sponsor if you can afford it. A fence at a minor event is as little as £150.

My OH sponsors a group of events all run by 1 organiser, daughter has guaranteed non ballot to all this group of events.

Help does not have be be just with time, financial counts too.

Events cannot run without their sponsors and helpers. Their help keeps the cost down for everyone so it is only fair that they get rewarded.