Organising a horse show advice needed!

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mealies

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Hi,
I am organising a horse and pony show in september and I was wondering if anyone had any hints / advice of things to organise. (I have not just started so it is not a last minute thing!)
Things I have sorted are- Insurance, show jumps, commentry boxes, toilets, catering, schedule.

Things I am lacking or awaiting are-

first aid cover (st johns/ red cross) - Any other suggestions?
Finding judges (not as easy as I thought ) - any suggestions to a good online list.
Advertising- have posters to distribute locally , any suggestions of any good website to advertise on.
rosettes suppliers- recomendations?
Photographer, is this expected?

And lastly prizes/ cups and prize money. This will be a charity show with low entry fees and no championships so is prize money and cups expected? or will a few prizes for the childrens competitions be ok. prize money may depend on the number of entries because there are quite a few cost involved with what I have found so far.

thank you to anyone who has read this far and may reply!
 
you'll need stewards. you don't need prize money. rossettes have you looked on ebay at all.i don't think a photographer will charge you as they make enough money from charging people for the photos. what area are you in?
 
My dad and I have recently started an equine events photography business, based around sussex/kent/surrey. Let me know if you'd be interested in having us. We don't charge to be there, as we make money from the photographs we sell to the competitors.
 
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Advertising- have posters to distribute locally , any suggestions of any good website to advertise on.


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See if you can get posters up at the local college.

Where abouts are you?
 
Instead of cups and prize money why not have championship classes with either big rossettes or a sash (most people long to win one of those).
 
We gave up with st Johns as even if booked you can not guarantee they will turn up if they are short staffed. We now use a company called medivent.

List show on the riding diary on the internet. Posters locally to feed merchants saddlers etc.
 
Ask the organisers of other shows in your area if you can volunteer to help - a great way of finding out how things work.

Rosettes Direct are a big company supplying rosettes, although ebay may be cheaper.

Do list your show on the internet and also visit other local shows and ask if you can leave the schedules for competitors to pick up. Ideally, have a downloadable version on a webpage somewhere - some of the listings websites can help.

Above all, if it is your first attempt then keep it very simple. Don't be over-ambitious about the numbers of rings and classes. You can always end the day with clear round jumping until you run out of rosettes/entrants/daylight/patience.

Good luck!
 
Try advertising in local papers, tack shops, feedstores, supermarkets riding schools, online, etc.

I don't think prize money will be required, especially as it's towards a charity, but perhaps a rosette would be appreciated!

Have you thought about catering aswell?
 
We're organising two charity shows in Newmarket this summer (in-hand only) and we've been lucky to obtain sponsorship for every single class. Just ask around local shops, friends with businesses, companies you buy your hay, feed, bedding from, farrier, anyone you can think of ask! We've done it that all costs will be covered by the sponsors (it pays for a trophy for the winner to keep plus a set of rosettes and extra awards all with the sponsors name on) which means all the entry fees will go towards the chosen charities. We've printed the schedules ourselves (but to be honest have a word with a local printer because it's cost us a fair bit in printing ink). Rosettes have been done by Willows Rosettes in Newmarket - which are absolutely fantastic. They are all three tier with the Champions and Supreme being the size of dinner plates! Sashes are the best we've seen as well and all at a very reasonable cost. We've also made sure that every competitor should go home with a rosette even if it's only a "Special". Caterers - one big caterer is going to provide refreshments all day for the judges and stewards, the other caterers have sponsored a class and given a very healthy donation towards the show (which has helped pay for the toilet hire etc). First aid cover is by British Red Cross as St Johns wanted about 10 times the amount Red Cross did. Judges - look on the Panel Judges list for SHB(GB), PUK, BSPS, etc. if its showing classes you're looking for judges to do. Photographer - as others have said, they will earn money themselves but we've asked that the photographer make sures every winner gets their photo taken for our own records as such as we will be sending a thank you letter and a photo of the winner to the relevant sponsor after the show itself. Advertising - go out and about putting schedules on horsebox lorries at other shows, put a pile in local tack shops, feed merchants, vets etc, local free-ads paper, and word of mouth. PA system - we've gone out and bought - as the hiring charges were more than what a new system has cost us (we hope to recoup some of the money for this by offering to hire it out). Can't think of anything more at the moment as we're just in our final stages of getting organised for our show in a few weeks time and at the moment, the spare room is covered in boxes of trophies, rosettes, goodie bags and extra's. If you want to ask anything more, feel free to PM us and we will give you any further advice we can. Good luck with the show and hope it all goes well.
 
Where about are you ? Im chairperson of a riding club so we may be able to help you.

Your main job should be to get your judges booked ! Most showing judges are booked a year in advance. Try riding diary has a judges list availabe. I have a little black book full of numbers if you are not too far away I will let you have some numbers to try.

Forget first aid cover unless you are willing to approx £500 for a private paramedic. St Johns are an absolute waste of space.

Printing - we have an agreement with our local college and they do all of our printing of schedule etc at cost.

Advertising - Local press, get your schedules out in tack shops and also round other local shows. Add to websites such as the riding diary which is free, www.ridingdiary.co.uk

Forget prize money if it is a charity show people appreciate a nice rossette much more. Definitely do a championship with a nice sash and rosette.

If you can get a photographer do as people like that but it wont be the end of the world if there isn't one.

Have you thought about booking a tack stall, they are always popular for the things that people forget !
 
Your first task the important one is getting people there!!! - advertise, advertise and advertise some more. Dont need prize money, get rossies ordered and make sure they are nice (advertise this fact!!!) sadly people do come and compete the more thats on offer!! Ask local suppliers or equestrian companies for prizes to be donated, try and find a STAR PRIZE that can be given for points accumulated from all classes - this makes more people enter more classes!!!

First Aid, call a private company, pay the money and they will turn up, dont waste time with st johns etc.

Photographer - should be free, they make their money!!

See if you can organise plenty of helpers, its a nightmare otherwise!!!

Local scout/brownies are brilliant for putting up poles!! helping out, running results/rossies between rings.

Invite suppliers to have stalls for small fee at your show and again advertise!!

The main thing is to draw people in and you will need something worth them coming for. Try putting in fun classes that dont run much such as gymkhanas, locally we only have two shows that actually include these classes!! People love them, have an adult gymkhana!! Try and put a fun spin on it to encourage people but dont rule the serious guys out by putting too many novice restrictions on all jumping classes etc.

Judges, ask local riding centre instructors, that type of thing.

I have run a few shows and the main task if getting your entries!!!

Speak to local radio and advertise through them for free!
 
For showing judges, get sho wing people who know class, types, procedures if you can.

Makes sure your schdule is clear and well written, eg.I have seen one with ' POny Club Pony Under 14,2' and ' Riding CLubs Horse, Over 15 hands'
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So where do you put your 14.2- 14.3 all rounder
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State Mountain and Moorland, unless you really mean Native Breeds - all breeds are native to somewhere

If coloured class,s tate if its splogies only, or if open to duns, roans and palominos.


Give a good reduction for entries receive the week prior to the show, saves needing too many entry takers in sec's tent.

Arrange for someons to run a refreshemtn tent for helpers, stweards and judges, and make srehtey have a nice thank you gift ( wine seems most acceptable)
 
BBoo, I can't believe you said "forget first aid". St Johns in our area are pretty good and reliable (if a bit moany), but they always turn up. Even if you have to pay a few hundred quid out for the first aid cover, you will charge each competitor £3 to contribut towards FA, so even at £500, you only need to have 167 competitors to cover it - and I'm sure you'll get first aid cheaper than that.

To the OP, what area are you in - I'm a bsja judge, and have loads of contacts should you need to find a show jumping judge.

I'm also quite experienced at organising shows, and as said by other people, advertising is the key.

You just have to get your schedules out to all local tack shops, livery yards, feed merchants. Also, go to other local shows and ask the organisers if you can leave a pile of your schedules there. Get friends to take them to shows, and put under the wipers of other lorries/vehicles there.

Good luck with it - hopefully it'll be a success, and then all the hard work that you'll be putting in will be worth it.
 
Susan_w - you are obvioulsy very lucky but St Johns are terrible in our area. After seeking advice from British Riding Clubs we now run without first aid cover, but comittee members are first aid trained.

Please don't take me wrong, safety is of utmost importance but you will find that a lot of events have the same issues.

You would be suprised how many people moan at paying for first aid !
 
You need to prioritize your time
1. Judges will be impossible to find at last minute if SJ look for BSJA judges, other discplines have lists too.
2. First Aid ..St Johns will cost about £40-£80 a paramedic type service with ambulance about £250. Unless you are miles away from hospital probably no point paying more than you need.
You will need an ambulance or a place a person in distress can go. Also a first aid kit. If you have a doctor or suitably trained medical person or someone who has done the full Health & Safety first aid course, you should check with your insurers but you will probably be allright.
3. Rosettes allow 6-8 weeks for them and about a £1 each.
4. Advertise on internet (Horsedates in East Anglia) and schedules in tack shops at least 4 weeks before. Newspaper adverts rarely cost-effective.
5. Photographer usually free
6. Catering must have food certificate! Book asap
7. Prizes not essential as for charity ask local businesses- shame too late to put their names in schedule.
8. You must draw up a list for on the day, emergency contact numbers the site post code and OS Ref in case you have to get air ambulance in. Risk Assessment should be done talk to venue owner or local British Riding Club. Have an accident form and record all falls.
9.Design showground layout to keep horses and spectators apart. Have the secretary where a mounted rider can get to. Don't underestimate the risk of loose horses, there must be a gate to stop horses going onto road. Not every horse wishes to return home with owner!
Have run a lot of shows - does it show?
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. Interesting about the first aid points- I have had quotes from st johns/ red cross (can not comittee until closer to the time) and a few private companies (expensive).
BBoo I have Pm you as I may be in your area re Judges.
Thank you.
 
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