Is there a market for......

[BethanT]

While on a looooong car journey with OH who is a developer, we were discussing a possible App to be able to log and track your upcoming competitions and events.

The idea came about as I planned out my whole season for this year using a spreadsheet, and because I compete in both BD and ODE's I wanted to make sure I knew well in advance where I wanted to go. Just entering it onto my phone calendar wasn't visually helpful.
The spreadsheet was much better for visibility of the season so A) So nothing clashed. B) To make sure I gave myself and my horse enough runs to qualify for what we were aiming for. And C) To make sure he had adequate time off in between competitions.

Despite doing this, as it is on a Spreadsheet it is a bit of a pain to open up on my phone, especially in a hurry. I end up re-entering everything onto my phone calendar, once I have confirmed where I am going and what classes. Then if anything changed then I would need to go and alter my phone calendar.

SO. We were talking about the idea of developing an App that you can log all your events and competitions on as you see them. So you might be out at a venue or tack shop and see something you like the look of, so you enter it on there and then - even logging the schedule if needed for reference. You could then go in at a later date and set which ones you are going to, and then if you enter any more in it would flag up - possibly even so if you had already lined something up in the days leading up to and after that event. We also discussed about entering in your results, and in the case of Dressage Tests even take pictures of the sheets to monitor your results. It could be developed so you had multiple "profiles" for different horses or even riders.

The other element is that it would automatically integrate with your phone calendar.

Obviously this is just ideas being thrown around, and we have got a few more ideas, but would be interesting to see what others think.

So thoughts and opinions please. Would this be something you would use, any suggestions to make it something you would use?

I think with the increase in online entries something that can be linked to the most popular entry sites such as Horse Monkey or Entries Online could be really useful.

 

[MuffettMischief]

I would absolutely use something like this for showing! What could also be super helpful and something I always miss, is entry closing dates! so something on there to send a notification to remind you entries close in a week etc. Maybe you could 'flag' a favourite event and it then reminds you of entry closing dates until you have entered and then you could tell the app you have done it so its stops sending them. Very interesting!!

 

[Equi]

If it was totally idiot proof as in you enter a date and closing date, it then notifies you as such a day or a week before and has a simple list of the dates with a view on a calendar it would be brilliant! I’d absolutely love something like that. I can’t put dates in my phone cause I use it for work and I’d get myself confused lol

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I would use something like this! I entered a show at the start of April for the middle of May and now I can't remember which ponies I have entered in what... might need to drop the secretary an email 😂😂😂

 

[BethanT]

I totally spaced about showing! Of course!

As I only compete in dressage and eventing, I kind of forgot about everything else. I did of course have showjumpning in mind, and even endurance and fun rides.

Basically anything you have planned with your horses

Great idea r.e closing dates for entries.

 

[Theocat]

Unless you have automatic population of events and closing dates, I can't see that this would actually be any different to just adding dates into a calendar. As long as you choose something that's mobile friendly, display on a phone shouldn't be a problem. Most people would benefit from entering things straight into their usual calendar, so that they don't accidentally schedule a clash with their brother's wedding.

I use Outlook, which I can view on a phone, in an easy to view format on a bigger screen, and which overlays with my work calendar. I am really sorry, but I can't really see that you are describing anything different to what most available calendars already offer!

 

[Leo Walker]

I use Hatchabatch for incubating chicken eggs. Its very, very popular. Its a simplified version of what you describe. You pick a date and time and a breed and it automatically calculates key dates and enters them in your calendar. I find it invaluable and can imagine something similar would work equally well for competitions.

 

[Dubsie]

Definitely with a week's warning of a closing date! And maybe a 2 day warning as well.

 

[BethanT]

Unless you have automatic population of events and closing dates, I can't see that this would actually be any different to just adding dates into a calendar. As long as you choose something that's mobile friendly, display on a phone shouldn't be a problem. Most people would benefit from entering things straight into their usual calendar, so that they don't accidentally schedule a clash with their brother's wedding.

I use Outlook, which I can view on a phone, in an easy to view format on a bigger screen, and which overlays with my work calendar. I am really sorry, but I can't really see that you are describing anything different to what most available calendars already offer!

I did think this.

But the problem I found with just entering it onto my phone calendar was that it didn't give a season overview of what was coming up.

Also, I personally don't have outlook and don't spend much time on a PC outside of work, so having something mobile is the idea.

I appreciate that this isn't something that would work or benefit everyone. But nice to get an idea for if it is even worth the time and effort.

 

[Rollin]

If you lived in France, you could log onto a National Database. Enter dates, location (which department) and chosen sport (SJ, dressage, vaulting, endurance) and dates first and last. A list will pop up with a map and locations marked. Then you can go into individual sites to see what classes are on offer.

It is such a shame the UK does not have a National Database.

 

[Abacus]

It would be fabulous if you could partner with the main bodies (BS, BE, BD, the showing bodies, etc) as well as perhaps the likes of Riding Diary and Horse Events which compile the more 'local' shows and clinics. Then you could enable automatic population with dates, times, closing dates... etc, rather than it being basically a diary.

People could select the disciplines they were interested in, and geographic area, to see everything available - and then select the events they want to diarise. Or have the option to manually enter other things themselves.

Perhaps you could have a training plan aspect too, so that you can enter goals and schooling sessions etc for the future, and follow the plan leading up to shows?

I think it would be awesome.

 

[BethanT]

It would be fabulous if you could partner with the main bodies (BS, BE, BD, the showing bodies, etc) as well as perhaps the likes of Riding Diary and Horse Events which compile the more 'local' shows and clinics. Then you could enable automatic population with dates, times, closing dates... etc, rather than it being basically a diary.

People could select the disciplines they were interested in, and geographic area, to see everything available - and then select the events they want to diarise. Or have the option to manually enter other things themselves.

Perhaps you could have a training plan aspect too, so that you can enter goals and schooling sessions etc for the future, and follow the plan leading up to shows?

I think it would be awesome.

This is exactly what I was thinking! And was the same as what we had discussed, but didn't want to make the OP too complex!

 

[windand rain]

Reminders a few days before would be great I have often been told its someones birthday on the day so too late to post a card etc