What encourages you/discourages to volunteer at events

A

alwaysbroke

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Again, on the back of two other threads this has got me thinking.

Without naming names:) what makes a 'good' event to volunteer at verses one not so good?

Last year, even though we had made the decision not to run at BE we still helped out at a couple of events. This year we haven't bothered, OH now does alot more for the local riding club where our son competes, and I am afraid I am of the opinion that if I cant afford to do BE I am not willing to spent 10 to 12 hrs running round helping.

The event I would most be willing to help at provides extremely good food throughout the day and you are rewarded with vouchers to spend in the shop, or use against the hire price of their facilities:) Also like the idea of a free run around the course, as long as conditions are suitable. In the past have been given a free start voucher for events run by the same organiser, but these were non transferable, so if you were able to provide a volunteer who didnt event it was a bit of a waste of time.

Have heard of one event that has a real problem getting helpers, but then have heard people who have helped there saying how badly they were treated, one cob in a pack up to last the whole day, unable to take their dogs with them, plus more....
 
enough food to last the day and a thanks is usually enough for me.

Although i won't say no to free entries to a comp or a free schooling round as these are much appreciated! :)
 
I volunteer out at quite a few events and the one thing that stands out for me is those that bother to say thank you at the end of the day and then follow it up with a personal note in the post, not a global Email !!! Call me old fashioned but to me it makes a difference and a thank you doesn't cost.

What I don't like is being ignored all day, lunch thrown at me, (if i'm lucky), and the next thing you hear is the phone call the following year asking for help.

I know quite a lot of volunteers and one thing we all feel quite strongly about, and are starting to vote with our feet are those events that are run as companies to make a profit. Why should we give up our time for a roll and a coffee to line other peoples pockets.
 
millitiger said:
enough food to last the day and a thanks is usually enough for me.
Click to expand...

me too! i have helped at Mattingley (dressage steward) and Tweseldown (fence judge) and have been well looked after at both events, esp in terms of food for the day, which is very important to me!! :o

i think free entries is a bit too much to ask for but in the case of Tweseldown a free schooling round could be easily done!
 
Discourgages:
- organisers who are rude to you the whole day and
- organisers who show clear favoritism for their close friends in terms of riding and helping at the same event.

Encourages:
- organisers who are polite and friendly and provide a free drink & or chocolate/ some food.
- who make allowances/ felxible with times to make riding and helping easier
 
food & drink and thanks is enough for me and doesn't need to be posh in any shape or form just edible and warm if old weather ;)

A few events in the past have been treated like a dogsbody with little thanks, that was the last time I helped there! Most though organisers are great its just the competitors you have to watch out for.

I make a point of saying thankyou to all the stewards/volunteers I encounter although the odd rude one (very rare) I will perhaps leave the thankyou out to ;)

I haven't yet managed to help anywhere this season (or last! :o ) as with my current location (hour+ from any BE events), work and other commitments I just haven't had the time, if I am able to though I do as thoroughly enjoy it especially scribing!
 
I have always volunteered at BE and have done jobs ranging from dressage stewarding to show jump judge score writing to being part of start teams and of course fence judging.Some years I have done 10-12 BE days on top of pony club and other committments.
So why have I cut down to just 1 or 2 events now?
because frankly for the 10-12 hours that events demand, some event organisers are plain rude.Inadequate lunches- 1 bridge roll filed with unidentifiable meat,a cheap value range chocolate biscuit,value crisps, a bruised apple and an orange flavoured drink are standard fare for one big local venue for jump judges-limited tea/coffee runs and no extra water on hot days.OK I appreciate events run on a shoestring and do expect to take some extra food and drink myself but I now have no connections eventing and to be expected to do a long day having first seen to my own animals and to be treated like this is just plain rude.
I now will judge only at selected events-Iping,Munstead,Coombelands,where the organisers treat fence judges as humans and actually drive round the course and talk to them!
I have to also add whilst I'm ranting that so many riders never acknoledge fence judges even with a smile-please remember without us,who have an even longer day than you in many cases,your events would not exist!Notable exception Lucinda Green and her daughter who have exemplary manners!
 
Interesting post AB!

I always try and 'do' at least one event per season, but in the past have done more. Like others have said I am put off by the really long day and sometimes less than appreciative organisers! Giving up a day at the weekend when you work full time and have a horse on DIY, plus commitments at home etc. is a big ask, but I love the sport so will do it - but I do expect to be thanked and treated well.

I do get irritated by being given the most boring fence on the course, nowhere near the toilets, can't see anything else but your 'log' and noone visits you for hours on end - oh and they don't want you to have a radio either. Now call me stroppy, but I do moan about this - how about swapping with another fence at a convenient break - and I do insist on having a radio. I think some organisers could make it nicer for helpers, some are already fab and I help those when I can.
 
The RS I used to go to where I used to live gave its volunteers (mostly students) a free group lesson which was a pretty good incentive. Food was good too.

Generally I try and do what's local and doesn't clash with something else (easier said than done...
 
QR

I discussed this on the BE Volunteers FB page.

Encourages - lunch, a nice welcome/thank you by organisers, cakes are most welcome, and some sort of gift is an added bonus but not essential.

Discourages - being ignored, disorganised events, lack of food, no thank you, lack of toilets!

We fence judge at all the events we can, within approx 1.5 hours driving distance from home. Basically we're out most weekends (you may have seen us if you're in the South - the couple with the tiny puppy!). Most events have been fantastic and we'll definitely go back.

Oh, and it's really nice when a rider stops to briefly say thank you during their course walk, it really does make it feel a bit more worthwhile :)
 
Hmmm, this is an interesting post.

As you know, OH and I fence judge a lot. I've never evented, OH has done quite a bit. We've nothing eventing this season, but we still help out.

I am going to name the Weymouths as being exemplary in their treatment of volunteers. We've done Cumwhinton and Hutton under them this year. We got a huge big bag of food each, bacon rolls and coffee at briefing, regular tea van visits with plenty of chocolate, lifts to toilets, visits from the TA throughout the day, every fence gets a radio (which should be standard if you ask me, flags are very out of touch not, especially on twisty up and down courses) which helps alleviate any boredom as you can hear whats going on all day. Yes it's a long day but at the end we got a packet of gingerbread at hutton, and a bottle of wine at Cumwhinton, and Lucinda always sends a note in the post to say thank you.

We did Aske, and yet again that was excellent. Lots of nosh and at the end of the day OH and I received a lovely engraved glass each.

We're off to Blair to do the 3* in August, staying for the whole shebang, so will be interesting to see how that pans out. It bodes well as we've had excellent communication from them, as well as them organising a free camping pass for us.

It doesn't take much to feel appreciated!
 
There is a well known organiser/course designer near me who has now been rude to me, entirely unprovoked, on two occasions, both when I was asking a question/trying to help. I therefore now will not help at events he has anything to do with, it is completely unecessary. People have said 'it's just his way' but frankly that is not good enough - it blooming well shouldn't be!

On the other hand, Monmouth were very accomodating to me wanting to swap classes last year so I volunteered for the afternoon after I'd finished my run. I think they were pretty shocked TBH but fair's fair, they were helpful to me so I was helpful right back at them.

Aldon are always good - I've dressage written for them for a couple of years now, like going there, they feed you well and look after you well.

The events who have said 'yes please' to my help offer and then never contacted me again (I'm not chasing you about it!) can forget it, and those organisers get put on my personal blacklist too - even an email saying 'don't need you anymore but thanks for the offer' would be nice as I do actually have a life and other things to do. That's happened twice now, and I've never offered to help again at those events.
 
I usually go just so can get the free schooling voucher at the end. :) There's only one event i volunteer at as its very close and they're very good with free bacon rolls, lunch, and come round with cake and tea throughout the event.

I volunteer to fence judge, and i just enjoy watching all the riders go round and watching how they jump.
 
I help at a local event doing there aff and unaff, the aff is great and I do start box and we try and race to beat the SJ, the unaff drives me a lttle crazy as they fart about I dont mind helping but hanging around and waisting my time annoys me.

Always get a schooling voucher and plenty of food and the organisers are great
 
As recently posted, good food and enough to last the day. Friendly and helpful staff. We fence judge at Stafford and Weston Park and have to admit Stafford is fantastic to their volunteers. Nothing is too much trouble. Weston Park was good though a long day and not quite enough food to last so if going again will just know to take a bit extra. Oh and we had to share a bottle of wine didn't get one each. However on the plus side a ring side seat and a cracking view of 90% of the course at Weston more than made up for that.
 
what discourages me from helping is the time and money to be spent. As the entry fee is so expensive and a ode basically takes up a whole day of the weekend to then go back the next day to give up the other half of my wkend and spend more £ on diesel is not very appealing when you work full time and only get 20 days holl a year (that equates to 1 days spent eventing, approx £100 in entry and fuel and then an additional £10-15 for volunteer fuel and half a day leaving me only half a day to spend with OH family at the wkend)

Having said that I did volunteer at my local event last year for dressage stewarding and was treated really well. I did it because it was across a bank holl so wasn't like I was loosing an extra day of my wkend, and best of all I got an Easter egg for my efforts! :)
 
I don't do BE (i do BS) but we volunteered for the first time this year and were treated fantastically! We had a lovely day and both my mum and i said we would do it again if we were asked! We were constantly supplied with lovely rolls (handmade but were unusual not the usual cheese, egg etc!) drinks even offered wine!
This was more than enough for us (any ballot stickers would have gone to friends anyway!) but everyone was most polite which would encourage us to do it again!
If all events are like the one we went to (sadly i don't think they are!) we will happily do it alot even though its not "our sport"!
 
I think free drinks and food would be all I would expect but it would be very nice if the venue gave you vouchers to spend in the shop or facility hire.
 
My pony club holds an annual hunter trial, and so I help fence judge in whichever class I'm not doing. Everyone's always friendly, coming round on the quadbike to collect score sheets and see how your getting on, and offering tea. I usually go with my friends, and its a great opportunity to watch some xc and support anyone I know. Better yet, at the end of the event this year there was a bbq party for all fence judges, so I'll definately do it again! :)
 
Mostly the same as everyone else, but it strikes me that the bigger the event the worse you are treated during the day. Food/drink is always appreciated (and needed) and not just handed out in a brown bag to last the whole day. And I think if they are going to run very long days XC you should always be given the option to only do a half day. Sitting there from 10 am to 7 pm is frankly not on. And if you are fence judging for the whole day a change of fence at half time would be very good. Also do organisers see no need for fence judges to go to the loo? Pony Club look after you better than most 3/4* events!
 
I have volunteered at four events for far this year, fence judging and dressage stewarding. I enjoyed my days as i was well looked after and well fed! Got a lovely letter from organisers at eglinton after they were one short for saturday and i offered to help (despite being soaked to the bone on friday!) and that made me feel appreciated. Have another 2 that i have agreed to help at so far, tired at the thought lol.

Although i havent competed at a BE event (maybe this weekend!) i always take time to be polite to helpers whereever i compete, manners cost nothing and its nice to be nice! rude competitors should do well to note that people are not paid to help and do it to enable them to compete, i might not have the money they have to buy and train their lovely horses, but i work very hard with mine and as a volunteer dont expect to be treated as someone below them!

On the whole though the majority of people are lovely and i have enjoyed helping out :)
 
Never done a BE but done enough PC. Will definitley be giving a BE a go and have offered to help at a couple :)

At one BE event i heard a competitor being really rude to a dressage steward - and thougt i'd hate to be a steward if i was treated like that!

so Discourage
- Rude competitiors who probably have never volunteered and dont get that people aren't paid to do it

Encourage

- Competitors who take the time to say thankyou whether they've had a good or bad day
 
Agree with much of what Kez said. I have given up on BE I am afraid after competing for 10 years and helping fence judge/scribe etc at least twice per season. I may help out in the future but I won't be taking any of the SH.. from either competitors or organisers, that I have taken in the past...fear of repercussions!

At an event which I had never been to before a few years ago, I hadn't had the best of days but as I was finished quite early I decided to walk the intermediate course with a view to doing it the following year. As I walked round I thanked all the fence judges as I passed by.

When I got back and was preparing to leave the event over the tannoy came an announcement that the organisers wanted to thank ME for bothering to thank the fence judges!!!! That was when I began to realise that Eventing was changing as I hadn't realised that it was SO unusual for competitors to thank the volunteers.Certainly some of the ever increasing so called pro riders could do with giving up some of their time to help or at least acknowledge that many people are giving up their time freely so that THEY can enjoy what they want to do.
 
I've volunteered at quite a few events - used to be RC/Pony Club but this year I have also done BE. It doesn't seem what the level of the comp you get rude competitirs, in fact I really noticed how many people DID thank me as they left the XC (maybe because they had to walk past me on the way out).
I do it because I enjoy it, but it's nice to get a schooling voucher & a bottle of wine - which is sounding quite generous from some of the comments). With OH having been made redundant twice this year the vouchers have been a big help. Enough food & drink is important too. I hear Carlton has a good lunch (sponsored by Waitrose!) but I can't do that weekend.
Support from the organiser is important too - I was a bit nervous at my first BE after I realised I had just told off a big name for not having her hat tagged (told her no tag - no XC & sent her off to have it done!) & so warned the organiser in case anything was said - he laughed & said "quite right" which relaxed me a lot.
 
I *tried* to volunteer to write BD at two local aff centres; in fact, I tried twice with one of them...and although both sounded keen, neither got back to me!

Maybe I look illiterate or something...?
 
I love stewarding. I show my youngsters in-hand and that's all I've competed in for some years. So I started accidentally at RC level filling in for a steward who didn't turn up one day. Since then I've done lots of local riding club shows, some BSPS shows, and then decided to go a bit further and try some horsey sports I have no experience of, and I have now done a few BE events, Le Trec, and Endurance, and I've learnt lots in the process.

I'm very jealous of those who receive vouchers and schooling opportunities, I've not come across such generosity before - maybe I should ask for a "rise" next time I steward. I'm doing BE at Somerford and Kelsall Hill in the next few weeks, I haven't done Somerford before, but the people at Kelsall are lovely, very appreciative and look after their volunteers well with a good lunch and all-day hot and cold drinks available, I hope Somerford can live up to their standards!

Most competitors I have come across have been fine, you can see the nerves showing with some people and if they are a bit short with me I just try to understand they are stressed out, but on the whole they are mainly pretty nice. I must say though, the think that pees me off the most at shows is the spoilt children/teenagers who have obviously expensive ponies or a string of ponies to ride, and can't even raise a smile when they win a class and in fact just look miserable and bored all day - if you don't enjoy it don't do it! Let someone who appreciates their pony and the judges time win the class instead.

All I expect is to be fed and watered and thanked at the end of the day, anything more is an unexpected bonus.
 
Felicity_09 said:
Discourgages:
- organisers who are rude to you the whole day and
- organisers who show clear favoritism for their close friends in terms of riding and helping at the same event.

Encourages:
- organisers who are polite and friendly and provide a free drink & or chocolate/ some food.
- who make allowances/ felxible with times to make riding and helping easier
Click to expand...

Absolutely I volunteered at an unaff. event and it was made blatently clear that I was not part of the in crowd at the end of the day and no one spoke to me for the whole day. I jump judged, I marked and I collected score sheets without a word from anyone.
Also since joining BE in the last 12 months, because I have just started and the horse won't be competing for a while due to training set-backs I have contacted event organizers offering my services and not a b@@@!y peep to say yes, no or b!!!!r off so won't be offering my services again.
 
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