Bakersfield Dressage
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Making Ends meet

6/28/2018

12 Comments

 
Speaking of showing ... Just how do we afford all of these shows anyway? Well, if you're like me, you supervise the children's version of jail. Kidding, of course. Sort of.
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Pun intended!
You see, at my school (I teach 5th grade in case you're new here), we have lunch time detention. It runs for the 30 minutes of lunch recess. Students get approximately 30 minutes to eat followed by another 30 minutes to play. 

Kiddos who get in trouble, either from our school principal or another staff member, serve noontime detention with whichever teacher has detention duty. Most often, that's me. I run detention every Monday and Friday. The other nine intermediate teachers rotate through weekly so that they serve Tuesday through Thursday about three times a year.
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Why do I do it so frequently you ask? For the "money," of course. I make approximately $12 each time I serve as the detention teacher. During the course of the school year, I gave up my lunch twice a week, sometimes more if I "subbed" for another teacher. In June, I got my extra duty check for the second semester's detention as well as for serving as my school's Battle of the Books coordinator.

My check was a "whopping" $822. I used the money to pay my entries for both June shows, coaching at each show, and Izzy's new bridle. My husband was horrified that I would give up my lunch twice a week to supervise naughty children for $12. Looking back, It does seem like a lot of work for so little pay.

School starts again on August 16th. I have another month or so to consider whether missing my lunch hour two to three times a week is worth one or two shows during the summer. But you know, if Izzy doesn't break anything next spring, I could turn that check into three shows. My colleagues certainly hope that I'll continue with the Monday/Friday detention schedule as it means fewer days they have to serve.
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Who wouldn't want to do more of this?
It's worth it, right?
12 Comments

I Want My Money Back

4/30/2018

10 Comments

 
I am sure most of you will disagree with me, especially if you don't live in California and aren't members of CDS. But here goes - US Equestrian, I want a refund.
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Up until this year, membership with USEF was $55 a year. I was never excited to send them half a Benjamin, but I figured it was part of the game; showing isn't cheap. This year, USEF raised their rate to $80 a year. That hurt. My USEF membership is now my most costly membership, and I get nothing tangible for those 80 bucks. 

Like I said, a lot of you are getting ready to itemize all of the many ways that US Equestrian makes it possible for me to show. It kind of reminds me of the scene were Miranda so cheekily explains where Andy's cerulean blue sweater came from. 
I get it; I really do. Rulebooks need to be maintained and updated. Horses needed to be registered and followed. Points need to be recorded. Awards need to be distributed. New members need to be brought into the fold. I grinched about the 45% increase, but I paid it.

This past week though, I got the newest edition of US Equestrian, the official magazine of the United States Equestrian Federation. My level of irritation rose from mild to are you kidding?!?!

Let me explain.

I am a member of the California Dressage Society, a Group Member Organization of the United States Dressage Federation. My annual membership is $70. For that fee, I am eligible to participate in various programs and earn numerous awards. And I do participate.
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CDS Regional Adult Amateur Competition - Second Place
I've twice been selected by my CDS Chapter to ride in the CDS Adult Amateur Clinic - my chapter paid the clinic fee. I've shown at the CDS Regional Adult Amateur Competition more times than I can count. Speedy and I have won twice and been reserve champion once. We have two coolers and a leather halter to show for our efforts. ​Each year, Speedy and I have earned a "plate" to add to our plaque. And this year, we earned our scores for the CDS Ruby Award which we'll get in the fall.
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USDF Rider Performance Awards
A portion of my CDS membership fee goes to USDF which also offers a number of awards programs in which I participate. As of 2018, I've earned Rider Performance Awards at Training and First Levels, and with a little luck, I might get my Second Level award at the end of this show season. Once that's done, I'll set my sights on a Bronze Medal.
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Official magazine of US Equestrian.
What do I get from US Equestrian? I get to be an Adult Amateur and ... I get this glossy magazine that now sports a trendy new textured cover. Glossy must have looked cheap. Not only that, but this month I got a 30 inch long foldout on heavy duty paper lauding the member benefits that my $80 get me.

There is a Learning Center (already get that with USDF), the USEF Network (I am not much of a TV watcher), the magazine and Equestrian Weekly which shares US Equestrian articles (redundant?), 120 National Championships, and International Team Development. How about no, nope, too expensive, and did I mention NO?

And to top it off, in bright red letters, US Equestrian included their current count - a community of over 105,000 members. I did the math; that's in excess of 4 million dollars in membership fees. And I didn't even count how much more they get as members pay to have horses registered. 
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30 inches of "that's it?"
I know it's probably a case of sour grapes, but I resent paying so much to an organization that gives me so little in return. I am just a small time adult amateur trying to have a little fun. I would think that instead of pumping even more money into the cost of publishing their magazine, US Equestrian might think of a small atta girl to help me see the benefits of joining. Even USDF sends me a sticker every year.

Right now, I'm looking at all this print media thinking I'd like a refund. Where's the recycle bin?
10 Comments

What's in Your Refund?

3/17/2016

14 Comments

 
Before last weekend, I had never needed to back out of a show before. And technically, since this show got rained out, I'm calling it a show cancellation rather than saying I cancelled.  When I was still showing at Introductory Level, I entered a show that was also cancelled due to rain. Of the more than 50 shows that I've attended (many of which were two-day events), that's my experience with cancellations. Obviously my data set is quite small.
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The show secretary sent out an email saying that refunds were on their way. I even wrote about how happy I was going to be to get my money back given the huge vet bill I had just incurred, so imagine my disappointment when I saw that the check was a fair amount less than I was expecting.
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Add some zeros, please!
I am not mad; I get it. The secretary no doubt incurred some expenses in organizing the show. Even so, the $56 in office fees she kept seems a little steep. Had there been 30 riders, I haven't checked, but that seems like a reasonable number, she made $1,680. That seems like an awful lot of pre-show expenditures.

I don't know what her expenses were, maybe she had to pay the judge, but I know she works at the facility in some capacity and puts on a series of shows there, so I don't think she had to rent the place. I am not writing any hate mail or sending any complaints, and I will go back for other shows. I am just curious to know what is the standard when it comes to refunds at USDF-rated dressage shows. 

Have you ever cancelled or had the show get cancelled? What kind of refund did you get? Please share your experience with refunds. I'm definitely curious.
14 Comments

CDS Championship - The Entry

9/21/2014

4 Comments

 

The Entry

I've been to more than forty dressage shows and a dozen clinics. I've also participated in more than 80 endurance races. I know how to complete an entry form. This entry form, however, was a completely different beast. I read through the whole thing (all 33 pages) and never found my classes. I almost gave up right then. If I couldn't even find the right class, what did that say about my readiness? (said with an eye roll)

It probably would have helped had I known that the CDS Championship classes are referred to as Horse of the Year classes. (Holy crap. Nothing like adding extra pressure!) But since I didn't know that at the time, I kept reading, looking for the Championship classes since I knew (or thought I did) that Speedy couldn't possibly be in contention for Horse of the Year.
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Horse of the Year couldn't be right, could it?
Finally, I went to the CDS webpage and looked up the championship results from previous years.
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Lots of years to research ...
As soon as I saw the first set of results, I realized that yes indeed, Speedy and I would be riding for the Training Level Horse of the Year award for Adult Amateurs. Hmm. That gave me a great deal to think about.
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These are the Open results, not Adult Amateur.
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Here are the AA results from 2012.
The next thing I noticed was how BIG the classes were. In the Adult Amateur Training Level class, there were 18 riders in 2012, which was the last time the championships were held in southern California. I also studied the scores; they ranged from a high of 72.321% down to a low of 55.400%. I know the judges at this show are all very highly qualified. What I hoped was that these weren't brilliant riders getting their lowest scores ever, but rather that they were riders (just like me) getting fair scores from knowledgable judges. 
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Check out the 3* and 4* judges for this year's show!
What really interested me was that the scores were all exactly the type of scores that I've been earning this season. And that got me thinking. If these riders really were your typical adult amateur competitors, I had a chance of doing pretty well at the show … if I didn't let my nerves psych me out. I decided to enter.

This dressage show is not run like any other I have been to, so it did take me a while to complete the entry. Most of the information required was typical: ID numbers for horse and rider, stabling requests, and so on. The part that threw me was figuring out which classes to enter.

It took some time and a phone call, but I finally figured out that for the championships, riders will ride Test 2 on one day and Test 3 on another day which is actually one class, 2AB. The scores are then averaged to determine the Horse of the Year winner for each level. Normally, for a two-day show, I would ride two tests each day to maximize my time at the show. For the championships, you only get two rides over the course of the entire show (unless you qualified on multiple horses or at multiple levels).

Riders are also allowed to ride in ONE warm-up class on Thursday, but only one. The other thing that makes this show tricky is that the schedule is not made in advance. In other words, you don't know which day your tests are being judged until a week or so before the show begins. When I completed my entry, I had no idea which days I was going to be showing.
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Click to enlarge!
I have since received my ride times, and unless something changes, I will ride Test 2 on Saturday and Test 3 on Sunday. Way up above, you can see the entry fee for the Horse of the year classes - $170 gets you a "package" deal. The entry fee of $170 allows me to ride Test 2 and Test 3, and that's it. Pretty expensive! 

Stabling was also high. No matter how many days you stay, the price for a stall is $175. And, according to USEF's rules, if you are entered in more than one championship class (who isn't?), and they are not scheduled on the same day (whose is?), you MUST stable on the show grounds rather than just paying the $20 haul in fee. I live too far away to haul home, but there are a lot riders who do live close enough to take their horses back home each afternoon.

The last little thing I should mention about this entry form is that quite a lot of money is at stake for the top riders, relatively speaking.
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Click to enlarge.
Basically, if you're in the top five, you're getting a check, and if you're in the top ten, you're getting at least a ribbon. And I think the top two get something monogrammed, but I can't tell if that's just for the USDF Regional Championship. Below tenth place, you're just walking away with more experience.

So. What did these three dressage tests cost me? A whopping $664 which includes the three tests, stabling, fees, and camping. It does not include shavings brought from home ($40), a shared tack stall ($35), trainer fees ($200?), gas ($100?), food ($50?), or other incidentals.

I hope I enjoy it!
4 Comments

A Year in Review: 2013

12/31/2013

16 Comments

 
I really don't want to review the whole year. The first one I did at the end of 2011 was kind of fun; the second one I did for 2012 took me days and days to write, so I am not going to do it again. 

Frankly, I just DO too much to report it in a short, monthly summary. Or, at least it feels like I am always doing something newsworthy. For me, there's a story in everything that happens at the barn, even when it's just a regular ride. So instead of the monthly recap, I am just going to give you some year-end totals and stats. 

Here are My 5 Year-in-Review Things: 

Money

First, how much did I spend this year ($18,932) as compared to last year ($21,101)? The good news is, less! I didn't keep my accounting as carefully as in 2012, but it's still pretty accurate. While it appears that I spent less in 2013, it's only because I paid off my horse trailer which means I spent $2,800 less in the Horse Trailer category, but only $2,179 less overall. 
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Click chart to enlarge.
There were a few surprises on the list. Look at my vet costs - barely $700? That's for two horses! They get their teeth done annually, vaccinations, fecal counts, chiropractic work, etc. I guess we were just lucky this year that no one got sick or injured. 

I also think it's interesting that my lesson costs were so much higher than my show costs. I showed at five USDF shows this year; but I obviously spent a lot of time with trainers and clinicians, too.

Showing/Clinics

So how many shows and clinics did I do? I always keep a list on My Show Results tab which you can easily check out, but here's the run down:

With Speedy I did …
  • Four, 2-day USDF/USEF/CDS-rated shows
  • One, 1-day USDF/USEF/CDS-rated show
  • One schooling show
  • Two, 2-day clinics with Christian Schacht
  • One, 1-day clinic with Christian Schacht
  • One Fox Hunt (with Lousiana aboard)

With Sydney I did …
  • Three CDS-rated shows
  • Three schooling shows
  • One, 2-day clinic with Susanne von Dietze
  • One, 2-day clinic with Christian Schacht (the same one Speedy did)
  • One Ride-a-Test
  • One Fox Hunt

To list it another way …
  • 16 show days
  • 9 clinic rides
  • 1 Ride-a-Test
  • 1 Fox Hunt
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RAAC 2013 - Photo By Mary Meyer

Lessons

I am not sure how helpful this chart is, but I am including it for those who like visual aids. Obviously I ride most of the time with my regular trainer, JL. I also rode with two clinicians this year as well as with two other trainers for a total of 65 lessons.
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Click chart to enlarge.
 JL was on vacation in September which is why I rode with her only once. Most months I ride with her once a week, but in the summer, I tried for twice a week, but with my hectic show schedule, we just couldn't get the intended 8 lessons done. I find it interesting that I got a lot of instruction during the month of December; 8 lessons in total!
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A lesson with Chemaine Hurtado - Photo by Donna F.

Rides on My Own

I had planned to tally just rides on my own without a trainer, but it got too tedious to itemize so instead, I counted every time that I rode whether it was at a show, with a trainer, or just on my lonesome. With one exception: if I was at a show, I counted it as one ride even though I probably untacked and rode several times during the day.
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Click chart to enlarge.
I work "full time," vacation with my husband, get tired, attend meetings, and have the occasional pedicure. Even with all that craziness, I managed to ride my horses a total of 358 times during 2013. I rode Speedy G 171 times, and Sydney 187 times.

Even more surprising to me was the number of non-riding days: 109! I feel like I ride nearly every day, but in reality, I only rode 70% of the year. What I find even more interesting is that I rode those 358 times on only 256 days; that's a lot of two-a-days!

We went to Central America for 11 days in June which explains the large number of non-riding days in that month. 

Speedy was lame for two weeks in October due to an abscess (?) which explains his limited time under saddle.

Speedy was ridden more at the beginning of the year because I showed him through July, but after that, it was more about Sydney. 

I am sure you're wondering how I know all of this. I keep a calendar at the barn, and before I leave each day, I note what I did, who I rode, where, and any other tidbit that seems interesting. If someone seemed off, bucked like crazy, or was particularly mellow, I note that too. It's an easy way for me to keep track of both horses' health and riding schedules.
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A schooling ride in April

In the End

I am very disappointed in Sydney's year. Until just now, I didn't realize how many times he left the barn for some kind of field trip. I showed him six times, and while he did show improvement, it was ever-so-slight. I also took him to a Ride-a-Test, two clinics, a fox hunt, and an away trail ride. This means he's left the property in the trailer for activities eleven times this year! Hmmm …

I really don't know what my plans are for him in 2014. Sometimes I think I should cut my losses and sell him, but then I think about how much I am learning by riding him. I know I am a much better rider by struggling with him than I would be without him. Am I having tons of fun doing it? No, not really, but so far it has been worth it.

As disappointed as I am in Sydney's year, I'm very pleased with the year that Speedy had. We started out struggling to crack 60% at Training Level, but ultimately, we rocked it with scores as high as 67% at USDF shows. We finished the show season with a Championship neck ribbon and the confidence to move on to First Level in 2014. 
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He's such a goof!
16 Comments

TMC Spring Mountain Dressage

5/28/2013

14 Comments

 
I wouldn't say I am disappointed per se, but I am certainly not spinning cartwheels either. My goals were to have fun, complete both tests, and get some relaxation. I did all of those things, but only just barely.

Fun ...

I very much enjoyed seeing some friends. The weather was brisk and cool, a welcome changed. The show staff was incredibly friendly and supportive, as usual. The judge was über friendly. The warm up was huge, the dressage court well watered and groomed, and the other riders were very supportive and kind. Except for wanting to throw up for the better part of an hour, I enjoyed the day.

Complete Both Tests ...

Sydney went Looney Tunes in the warm up. Nothing I tried helped. He couldn't walk, he couldn't trot in any kind of circle, and there was no way I was going to canter in a space that large. I pretty much kept an inside hand planted on my thigh and just rode out the bucks, bolts, and squeals. At one point, I could tell that a true explosion was imminent. I hopped off and turned him loose in the round pen where he proceeded to squeal, grunt, kick, buck, fling himself around, and generally cause havoc.

With my eye on the clock, I got back on just hoping for a walk, but if anything, he was worse than before. With fewer than ten minutes until my test time, I told the ring steward that I was scratching, something I've never done before. My second test was in an hour so my plan was just to stay on for the hour in the hopes that he might eventually relax even just a little bit.

Just minutes after deciding to scratch, Sydney took a breath and decided to stretch his neck and walk. I know that most will think that I must have also taken a breath when deciding to scratch, but I really don't think I was the source of his tension. I was actually feeling very relaxed, if not a bit frustrated that I wasn't able to help him relax. Right from the start of the day, I had decided that the day would be what it was and whatever happened, happened. I wasn't aiming for any particular score; I just wanted some relaxation.

The ring steward kept her eye on me and didn't scratch me. When she saw that we were finally walking, she knew there was still a chance I'd make the test. With some very encouraging words from the other rides, I walked up to the dressage court after all. The ring steward very kindly gave the judge a heads up that I might not ride the whole test. 

As I came into the arena, still walking, I approached the judge to greet her. She very kindly told me to ride whatever parts of the test that I felt comfortable doing and that I should feel free to school him as necessary. She would still give me scores and comments no matter what happened. That simple gesture took away any last worries I had. Knowing that I could walk the whole thing gave me a different mindset. 

I should point out that this was not a schooling show, but rather a rated CDS show. I know that at a USDF show the judge couldn't be so accommodating, but I've never had one be so at a CDS show either.

I walked all the way to A and only picked up a slow trot as I entered. As I trot up the centerline, I debated whether to halt and salute or just keep on going. I could feel that Sydney was trying to listen, so I took a deep breath and sat deep. He halted, I saluted, and then we kept on going.

None of the test had anything good, but it was MUCH improved over last September when I brought him to Tehachapi. Last year, I couldn't get him to move at all forward. He was so sucked back that we did nearly walk the whole thing. This time, he was forward and trying to listen. 

As I approached the three-quarter canter circle, I debated whether to just trot the thing and get through the test. But then I reconsidered. I had an understanding judge, a safe venue, and if not now, when? So I gave the canter cue and was pleased that he got the correct lead and even came back to trot when asked. She gave us a 5. And that was for our right lead canter! When we approached the same spot for the left lead canter, I again decided to go for it and we scored a 6. Not bad for a horse who ten minutes before was in the throes of lunacy. 

It was not a nice test by anyone's standards, but I am encouraged and equally discouraged at the same time. I know that I rode him as well as he could have been ridden. I was really pleased with what I was able to get from a very nervous, tense horse. He was literally quivering for most of the ride and calling plaintively to no one and anyone. JK, a friend and talented rider, couldn't say enough kind things about how well put together he looked considering what he had looked like just moments before. We scored a 58% which was good enough for a first out of three. I find it funny that I "finally" won a class only to do it with such a paltry score.
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A first place!
I say that I was discouraged, too. It felt like a total crap ride, and yet I have had the same score on Speedy more than once and those rides have felt far better than this one did. My rides at day 1 of last year's RAAC come to mind. I felt so good about those rides only to get this same score. It does confirm for me though that Sydney has a lot of potential. I feel it when we school at home. He gives me so much more roundness and reach than Speedy can or does.

I haven't even read the comments for the directives; I don't need to. I could have written them for the judge. Needs bend, drifting, etc. What he was able to give me at the show was nothing like we have at home. This show was really just for mileage. I just wonder how many "miles" we'll have to do before he starts to relax a little bit more. 

On a brighter note, the remarks in the collectives are more meaningful. He scored a 7 for gaits and 6s the rest of the way down which confirmed for me that I really rode this horse as well as I could have. I absolutely love the judge's further remarks, "Good for you." That about sums it up.

The second test tomorrow ...
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Good enough for a first place although the ladies kicked my butt in the second test!
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14 Comments

Show Costs - Part 3

12/31/2011

8 Comments

 
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I tried to write a year in review thing, but I just couldn't organize it. I either had too much to say or not enough.  Maybe for tomorrow ...

Instead, or until another day, this post is about my 2011 show season.  Frankly, it was all over the map, and I mean that both literally and figuratively.  I drove as far north as Clovis (two and a half hours) and as far south and west as Ventura County, another two and a half hours.  I drove east to Tehachapi (an hour or so), and I was even able to stay right here in Bakersfield.  I did one Ride-a-Test, two schooling shows, five 1-star shows, and two triple-rated shows.  I did my best to get out of my comfort zone by hitting different venues and riding my tests with no reader.  I started the year at Introductory B and finished the season at Training Level, Test One.  At the final show of the year, I was encouraged by CDS's president to ditch the Intro classes and work through Training Level to First Level by summer.   It was a great, first complete show season.

I thought long and hard, twelve months long in fact, about what to count as an expense for the season.  In my first post on this topic, I was going to list only show-specific costs.  I decided to expand the list by including the actual costs of attending the show as well as the lessons.  I couldn't have shown without the lessons so they have to count.  I am excluding the purchase of my new saddle and the purchase price of Sydney.  I use the saddle daily and it wasn't purchased exclusively for showing.  I simply needed a better piece of equipment much like gloves, girths, or half chaps.  I also can't count Sydney as he wasn't purchased exclusively for showing either. There is also the fact that he didn't even show this year, unless you count the Ride-a-Test I did with him.  

There were many other expenses I incurred over this year, but I am not counting them since they happen whether you show or not.  I spent a small fortune on truck and trailer maintenance, board, feed, bedding, farrier work, chiropractic work, vet bills, and Adequan.  Those things are just the cost of horse ownership. 

So, what did it cost for an adult amateur owner to train and show her own horse in 2011?

Drum roll please  ... $2,834.
Show premiums were $789.  I spent approximately $546.35 on gas to and from shows.  My show tack/grooming expenses came to $178.65  My membership fees to USEF were $55 and to CDS/USDF were $70. I took thirty-three lessons which cost $1,195.  Here's a show by show breakdown:

Total for Show # 1 (schooling in Ojai) ... $250.76
$65.00 - Show premium for two tests
$110 - gas
$68.76 - Tekna bridle (it's my every day bridle, but I also use it for shows)
$7.00 - lunch

Total for Show # 2 (Triple-Rated in Bakersfield) ... $191.89
$82.00 - Show premium for two tests
$0 - gas: since the show is only minutes from the barn, I am not counting gas expenses.  I have driven MUCH farther for lessons.
$24.95 - EQ Body Wash: this is the best stuff.  Had to have it.
$84.94 - Roma Sheepskin Show Pad - used exclusively for showing.
$0 - lunch: I brought some Gatorade and snacks from the 'fridge.  I didn't even eat them at the show.  I waited until I got home!

Total for Show #3 (1 Star-Rated in Tehachapi) ... $136.00
$87 - Show Premium for two tests
$49 - Gas
$0 - lunch: I just brought some stuff from the 'fridge

Total for Show #4 (schooling in Moorpark) ... $187.83
$70 - Show premium for two tests
$117.83 - Gas
$0 - lunch: I really just like to eat whatever's in the 'fridge!

Total for Show #5 (1 Star-Rated in Tehachapi) ... $136.00
$87 - Show Premium for two tests
$49 - Gas
$0 - lunch: more stuff from the 'fridge

Total for Show #6 (1 Star-Rated in Tehachapi) ... $129.00
$87 - Show Premium for two tests
$42 - Gas
$0 - lunch: more stuff from the 'fridge

Total for Show #7 (1Star-Rated in Tehachapi) ... $146
$87 - Show Premium for two tests
$50 - Gas
$9 - chips and deli sandwiches for Taz's mom and myself

Total for Show #8 (the Ride-a-Test) ... $37.58
$25 - Fee for two tests
$12.58 - Gas
$0 - lunch: I made a peanut butter sandwich to eat once I was back at the barn

Total for Show #9 (3 Star-Rated in Clovis) ... $226.14
$122 - Show Premium for Two Tests
$101.14 - Gas
$3.00 - show snack, I packed a lunch

Total for Show #10 (1 Star-Rated in Bakersfield) ... $171.80
$77 - Show Premium for Two Tests
$14.80 - Gas
$80 - Clinic with Peggy Klump (Show Judge/Clinician)

Is $2,800 a lot?  I think so.  I mean it's a mortgage payment.  And when I add this amount to what I spend on daily upkeep, it becomes a much larger number.  Showing is not as cheap as I thought it would be.  I feel as though I got my money's worth though, and I am looking forward to the 2012 show season.  

Does anyone feel like sharing their expenses?  I have a feeling my costs were fairly cheap since I didn't do very many triple-rated shows.  I'd like to know what the "average" adult amateur spends ....

8 Comments

Show Costs - Part 2

5/11/2011

0 Comments

 
This post continues the accounting of my show expenses for 2011 ...

So here's the list:
Total for Show # 2 (Triple-Rated in Bakersfield) ... $191.89
$82.00 - Show premium for two tests
$0 - gas: since the show is only minutes from the barn, I am not counting gas expenses.  I drive MUCH farther for lessons.
$24.95 - EQ Body Wash: this is the best stuff.  Had to have it.
$84.94 - Roma Sheepskin Pad
$0 - lunch: I brought some Gatorade and snacks from the 'fridge.  I didn't even eat them at the show.  I waited until I got home!

Total for Show # 1 (schooling in Ojai) ... $250.76
$65.00 - Show premium for two tests
$110 - gas
$68.76 - Tekna bridle
$7.00 - lunch

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Show Costs for 2011 - Part 1

4/11/2011

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And so begins the accounting of my show expenses for 2011.  Since I spent quite a bit last year on tack and clothing, my 2011 costs won't be quite as high.  I take that back.  I just spent 110 bucks to fill up my truck ... crap!  And at 10 miles to the gallon, I don't get very far.  I'd rather spend the $$$$ on boots, pads, and breeches.  

Anyway ... So far I haven't spent money on anything that I'll be using for this season's shows.  Does the Tekna bridle that I bought in February count?  My plan was to use it for schooling, but it's so much better-fitting than my "show" bridle that I did use it at Saturday's show.  If I use it for showing I'll have to count it as a show expense.  So here's the list:

$65.00 - Show premium for two tests - Ojai
$110 - gas
$68.76 - Tekna bridle
$7.00 - lunch

Total for show # 1 ... $250.76

Tomorrow ... my rookie mistake!
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    About the 
    Writer & Rider

    I am a lifetime rider. 
    I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
    ​Welcome to my dressage journey.

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    About Speedy G

    Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. We're currently schooling Third Level in preparation for the 2019 show season. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.

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    August 2018

    About Izzy

    Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are schooling the dressage basics. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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    Second Show - July 2016

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    National Awards

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    4/12-14/19 - AA Clinic (c)
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    7/13-14/19 - El Sueno (***)
    7/28/19 - TMC (*)
    8/10/19 - RAAC (Q) (***)
    8/25/19 - TMC (*)
    ​10/26-27/19 SCEC (***)

    2019 Completed …

    Qualifying Scores for 2019

    Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Scores
    Third Level Scores:

    Score 1: 
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    CDS Championship Third Level Scores:
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    Score 5: 

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    USDF Bronze Medal
    First Level - 70.179%
    First Level - 72.600%
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    Second Level - 61.970%
    Third Level -
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