Why do you jump HC? Is it to save money?

[Birker2020]

I was planning to go to a venue about an hours drive away from where i stable my horse on Sunday for a unaffiliated competition (most probably table A7 but may be single phase or two phase) but its £10 per class (so would want to do two classes if I was driving all that way). My horse is recovering from an injury so I am not wanting to do a jump off (other than to do it at normal speed), I just wanted to pop a couple of rounds to follow on from a previous small clear round a few weeks ago and homework over canter pole and small grid work in the school at home which I've been doing to get his leg accustomed to the strain of jumping again as advised by vet and physio.

A friend said to ask the organisers if I could go HC (i.e non competetively) for half the price of the entry (or a discount on the entry) so that I would not be entitled to a placing/prize money. As this would save me a considerable amount on my entry it was something I had considered (before changing my mind and going somewhere half the price of the entry anyway on Saturday instead).

Have any of you ever asked to do this before?

I am not prepared to whizz my horse round at this stage in his recovery and jeopardise his leg for a rosette when its taken me ten plus months to get to where I am. This is the main reason for me asking.

 

[TarrSteps]

Is that the norm here then, for HC entries to be discounted? Interesting and very useful.

Anywhere else I've been HC has been the same money, just no prize.

 

[Birker2020]

No Tarr Steps I have never heard of this before now, its just that my friend seemed certain that she had asked this at this venue before now and they said that was acceptable.

Normally you go HC if your horse has won too much and you are doing the class to gain confidence if you have had an accident/fall. Or you just want to go out and do something and there is nothing else on. Or you weren't happy with your previous round and wanted to do the class again, I've done this a few times before when jumping affiliated.

I would have been quite happy to ask the secretary. After all, in this present economic climate they should be looking for ways to gain competitors and no question should be sniffed at. By not giving away rosettes/prize money they would be gaining in the long run providing the ratio of HC competitors was there in the first place!

After all, all they can say is no. Maybe if a few more centres had done this they would still be in existence and not closed down. Look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves! Maybe I have stumbled on something!!

 

[dieseldog]

Hc normally means you can't do the Jo. i have sometimes just been charged for a clear round when i have done it. depends on the show

 

[lucemoose]

If I go hc it's never been discounted. Surely that's what a CR is for?

 

[tinap]

When I've seen competitors go HC they usually pay the full price, can also do the JO if clear but don't get placed/prize money. It's normally if they are graded out if the class but cannot jump the height they are eligible for xx

 

[amage]

If you get into the jump off there is no onus on you to go fast. Just aim for slow steady double clears. I've never heard of a venue giving discounts for HC and am not sure why you would go HC

 

[measles]

I have never heard of a discounted entry fee in these circumstances and would be very surprised if the organisers were to agree to it.

 

[Birker2020]

Ok just a thought. Think it would be a good idea for show centres to consider though. Our local riding club do a discounted dressage, so if you want to compete HC you can do so for a cheaper fee. They call it a training session. Its still ridden in front of a judge.

 

[jrp204]

Not sure why it should be discounted, it still costs the same to run the class, it still has to be judged and you would still expect a test sheet back for dressage. Personally i would find it rather cheeky to ask for a discount.

 

[TarrSteps]

Okay, I did think that was a bit unusual!

I think the argument would be the prize money is a tiny percentage of the costs, spread over the class and, as mentioned, CR classes fill that spot.

 

[blood_magik]

never heard of HC being discounted.
we used to go HC because the ginger one wasn't qualified for the class as we were building him up to higher classes.

 

[lcharles]

Ive gone in HC at the end of a class if i have already been round and my horse wasnt very well behaved/freaked out at jumps etc. Instead of doing the next class with bigger jumps i was able to do the same class again for experience. This wasnt discounted and never known it to be. Sometimes people go HC if they dont want it on there record for BS if they are doing it for experience.

If i was you, i'd just go round steady, aim for a double clear and you may be placed still, Good luck xx

 

[Honey08]

I agree with the majority here, but if you're brave enough you can ask! Nothing to lose.

 

[Littlelegs]

Never heard of it being cheaper. If it was, I think especially at unaffil you'd end up with half the class hc & reduced income for the organisers. I do hc unaffil sj on mine now she's older. 3' courses are the most I feel is safe without injury but having done bs previously I'd feel like a pot hunter not going hc. She also goes to local low level shows with friends teens, shows which are very much kids & very novice owners. I'll hop on to do open workers, but seen as the course is tiny, & the other entrants are either teens or adults who've been riding a couple of years tops, I don't think its on for me to go in on what was once a very good comp pony & ride against them. Saying that, I only go in classes as i'm there with my daughter anyway & ponies there with another rider, wouldn't bother to travel her there myself.

 

[FigJam]

I have never heard of a discounted entry fee in these circumstances and would be very surprised if the organisers were to agree to it.

Agreed. Although, you've nothing to lose by asking the question I suppose, worst they can do is say "no" and you do the class HC at full price!

Can't see why they would discount the HC entry for that reason though, as others have said the show running costs stay pretty much the same really.

 

[cyberhorse]

Never had it discounted. I go in HC say if a horse had eliminated me by being a little spooky at a new venue and I did not want to put it into the next bigger class but wanted it to have more time in the new arena. I also jump an older horse I restarted HC as he is graded too high, but he needs to be brought through the ranks again slowly and carefully to maintain his confidence due to previous owner issues. I would not expect a discount as I get the benefit of putting experience on the horse which is what I pay for when I go to a show rather than the chance to win as I ride horses that need to be brought on.

 

[Renvers]

For some (if not all) unaff events at Solihull Riding Club there is an option to enter a class HC (called Training entry) which is a pound or 2 off the full cost and no rosette; so it may be worth asking the organisers...

 

[Vanha12]

Cost to the organisers is the same either way really (give or take a small amount fot the prize money) but if it set a precedent I would imagine the normal fees would have to go up to take this into account. The outing is still as valuable to you but for different reasons?

 

[glitterfuzz]

Also never heard of HC being discounted. we generally get people asking to jump HC after a competitive round has gone wrong or if they want to jump 2 rounds at the same height. They do the competitive round first and the HC one second but its the same price. Same with eventers that have to compete HC - its no cheaper

 

[MagicMelon]

If you get into the jump off there is no onus on you to go fast. Just aim for slow steady double clears. I've never heard of a venue giving discounts for HC and am not sure why you would go HC

This is what I think. I've never seen HC any cheaper than the normal entry fee and at least if you dont go HC, you could get more rounds out of it (and simply go slowly).