Mounted Prizegiving

[Sparklet]

Yesterday was the grande finale of the dressage championship that I run with a fellow riding club committee member to raise funds for the club. Three qualifier comps had been held earlier in the year and the competition was invite only - specifying that prize-giving would be mounted.

We had really gone to town with prizes, spent hours choosing rosettes, sashes, prizegiving music, arranging for listed judges to come from out of the area, spent hours sorting the timing out so everyone had only a short time to wait between classes.

About 4 competitors came to say they were not staying for the mounted prize-giving - it was such a slap in the face. In affiliated you forfiet the prize if you dont stay - perhaps we should have enforced that.

Why dont they stay- it is so rude!

 

[Rambo]

I think you should stipulate on your schedules that prizes will be witheld if you don't present yourself mounted.

I can understand why people might not want / be able to hang around too though

 

[Noodlejaffa]

There have been occasions when I've been unable to stay for prizegiving, either because I've got a long journey ahead of me, or I have to get back to do my other horses ( I have no help!). It's not that I don't want to, but if I've been on the go since 4 am I don't want to hang around for another few hours waiting for scorers to total up.

 

[Sparklet]

It was only 30mins after the class closed

One of the culprits was another livery at our yard who is 15 mins from the competition centre. Her excuse was 'its not my thing'!

 

[not_with_it]

Do you mind me asking where the competition was? Was it at MGS? its just that I was invited to one for this weekend but I didnt go for a number of reasons.

 

[Sparklet]

Yes I think you are right we should have stipulated it. Not running it again though.

 

[jomiln]

We had both our horses in the line up and both riders stayed for their prizes and enjoyed the experience (especially my 11 year old daughter)

We had a good day at the event and thought it was well run

 

[Tempi]

sometimes people have a long journey ahead or have to get home for whatever reason - and therefore they should be allowed to give their reason - if however, someone from 15mins down the road didnt bother to stay their prize shouldve been forfeited.

Like in the petplans you loose your prize if you dont turn up, simple as. You have a right to be angry with certain people for not turning up, but ones with genuine reasons its a difficult situation.

 

[not_with_it]

I have to agree with you PG. People with genuine reasons should be allowed to not take part.
TBH I'm dreading the day that my horse has to be in a mounted prize giving, My horse is hot headed and can go from 0-60mph in a second and has no brakes. I think the atmosphere might just freak her out and make it dangerous for evryone else.

 

[Sparklet]

Aww thank you - the judges specifically mentioned that they were very impressed with the quality of riders so you must be very proud of your daughter.

 

[Sparklet]

You need to make sure you are in first position so you can choose the gait for the lap of honour then. I must admit one of ours did get a bit jiggely so I gently faded out the music. She was also placed in another round but did that one on foot.

 

[amage]

but sure if thats the case just borrow a horse for the prize giving from someone who was at the end of the class or early to go in the next class. alot of people do that and it is a safer option

 

[susan_w]

I have a friend who was doing a championship class somewhere (about an hour and a half away in the lorry), to win a big prize (not giving to much info as don't want her to get in trouble).

Anyway, she rode her class, and thought that she hadn't done very well, and loaded up and went home. Just as she got home, she got a call to say that she was in the lead with a few more horses to go, and to claim her prize she had to be there and mounted!

After a couple of phone calls, she was sent back in the car, and a horse (looked the same as the one that she'd ridden in comp) was organised locally for her to attend the mounted prizegiving. She would've missed out if she hadn't been there.

So rude not to stay.

 

[wessexyeoman]

sparklet - you have my sympathy completely. It is galling to go to so much effort only for people to push off and not bother. It's my only regret about this whole sport.

It really seems that so many people see the organiser as someone who is 'raking it in..look at how much money they've taken' (income and expenditure, and frequently, loss is never considered) ...so if they push off, it's no big deal - of course it is a big deal and manners cost nothing.

I frequently come across the odd angry rider (to answer one of your respondants) who can't believe it's taking so long...something must be done, just as long as Miss Angry herself doesn't have to volunteer her own services from time to time to score collect or to actually do the maths.

I am afraid that at one competition, when a rather snotty SJ competitor said 'another bloody brown rosette' as I was about to present it, I missed her out and gave 5th to the girl in 6th place.

But overall, be assured that most people are very glad that you run an event and glad that they can turn up and compete, and glad that someone else is running it, not them, and I suspect they will be very disappointed if you do not run again.

May I suggest that you go with the flow - and to run the metaphor too far, don't try to push water uphill...accept that riders often want to push off for reasons both good and bad, and plan around that fact. Perhaps a dismounted prize giving, announce a time (a best guess) at the earliest opportunity, and you may find that you get an 80% turnout...but don't be disheartened, don't stop..I'm sure that you will, as we do, hear gratitude from competitors by other means - often cards or phone calls later.

Stick with it - you are not alone!!

and competitors who don't routinely say thanks - get some manners.

rant over.

 

[Sparklet]

Thanks for your support - alas it is our last time. Giving up riding club committee work for various reasons and to compete my own horse more.

Incidently we did make a loss on Sunday - not looked at the books yet but suspect it will run to a couple of hundred quid. It was intentional and is part funded by the qualifier heats profit - none of it is really a good money spinner once you have judge fees and arena hire deducted - but I think it was a good day in all.

The huge, grinning faces of those that stayed for the mounted prize giving careering round the arena to 'Roobarb and Custard' would certainly disuade me from having it on foot.

To be fair to the our competitors I have lost count of the ones who have specifically come to me after the show to say thanks. There are some really good ones out there who make it worthwhile.

 

[star]

i love mounted prizegivings and whenever i manage to get in one im usually the 1st ready to go in! my horse loves them, except when people choose to do poncy trots in the lap of honour when he just wants to gallop coz he is used to showing!