Who keeps the prize money - rider or owner?

dressage_diva

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 September 2007
Messages
1,480
Location
Oxfordshire
Visit site
Just wondering if you have your horse competed by someone else (not a pro), do you give the prize money to the rider or keep it yourself as an owner?

My horse loves jumping (I prefer dressage), so one of the working pupils at my livery yard has offered to take him out competing at BS. The working pupil is a good rider (has received lots of training from top SJers but currently works at an event yard) and only has his own show jumper he competes at Foxhunter level. My horse is never going to be a top-class show jumper (he's now 15 and we think Newcomers would be his limit), so by riding him the working pupil is only getting minimal exposure and is competing him at the moment as he enjoys riding him and jumping him.

I've just registered my horse with the BSJA (previously they competed together on a class ticket), and I pay the entry fees. If they were to win any prize money, who should keep it (I presume it automatically goes to the rider)? Would it be unfair for me to accept it (as payment towards the entry fee/general costs etc)? How do most people do it? Like I said, the working pupil competes my horse out of enjoyment (he won't take him to the top), but equally it means he's seen out on the circuit (which of course helps keep his sponsor happy!).

Thanks
 
I think it is different for many partnerships- some the owner takes the prize money, some the rider, some they split 50/50 or 60/40 etc?

perhaps decide what you want and then have a chat with the rider to make sure your ideas match up before the situation arises?

would you be happy with 50/50 as that seems the fairest?
 
Thanks guys for the response...I had been thinking of suggesting a 50/50 split...the prize money is never going to be huge anyways and I'm not expecting my horse to be a winning-machine (he just loves jumping and as I'm too much of a wuss to jump very big I'd like to see him enjoy himself). It would just be nice to cover my costs of entry etc. I just have never been the 'owner' before so wasn't sure what the convention was!
 
I think it is different for many partnerships- some the owner takes the prize money, some the rider, some they split 50/50 or 60/40 etc?

perhaps decide what you want and then have a chat with the rider to make sure your ideas match up before the situation arises?

would you be happy with 50/50 as that seems the fairest?

Agree with this.
 
I ride for a few owners up to BE int plus SJ and the odd ridden show. I let my owners keep all prize money and prizes as they have paid for me to compete, get there and school horses etc. I think its part of being involved as an owner and its lovely seeing the owners pick up the prizes for their horses.
 
When I've competed horses for other people it depended whp paid the entries.
If I paid the entry then I kept the prize money.
If owner paid the entries then all entry costs for the day were deducted from any prize money and what was left (if any) was split 50/50.
 
We've decided to keep any winnings in a purse for paying for any classes, and at the end of the year, any leftovers becomes mine (rider)

The owner isn't bothered about keeping the winnings.
 
My mum and dad take me to shows and pay my entries (yes I am very lucky!). If I win prize money (on the very rare occasions ;) ), they will take out the entry fee and I will keep any extra, if there is any!
 
I have paid a pro to compete one of my horses in the past.The deal there was i paid all entries and the cost of getting the horse there plus a small fee for the rider for the day.....any winnings were then split 50/50 with the rider.
 
I have someone else show my horses in hand for me as I'm too damaged to run now.They are doing me a favour so I pay them a base rate and all expenses are paid and I also give them any prize money too. I feel that this gives them the added incentive to really show my horse well. I keep the ribbon which I'm more than happy with and I also get to see my horses shown.
 
It depends on your arrangement, the riders I have use have all been different, I used to have a lovely girl jump for me when we were back in London and I used to pay her to ride at home but not at shows but she would keep prize money if she won it, we went through a 4 faultitis faze for a couple of months and I felt bad so i started to pay her to ride at the shows and from then I kept any prize money won.
One of my mares went to a top 50 rider and part of the arrangement was she kept prize money as a bonus BUT she was also £20pw week cheaper than my usual rider so worked out the same.
With my usual rider I keep all prize money :)
 
Top