What's in Your Refund?

3/17/2016

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.

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.

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.

Hannah link

3/17/2016 06:28:43 am

Usually officials and EMTsand association fees and so on do need to be paid even if the show is cancelled. It's a total bummer for the competitor not to get a full refund and I appreciate the venues that try to make up for it somehow when possible...but you nailed it; that's what's probably going on.

Bakersfield Dressage link

3/17/2016 06:56:57 am

Hmm ... I hadn't thought of those expenses. I wonder why the office fees vary so much from show to show? Especially from one USDF show to the next.

Jan link

3/17/2016 06:36:42 am

I've never had a show cancelled on me- but I know some USEA horse trials that have been cancelled due to poor conditions... and the competitors weren't refunded a thing. It surprised me when you said your show was going to be refunding you money!

I've had to back out of two shows- the first was an event that was on the list of places the group was going to, but it turned out we weren't, but I had already sent the entry in. I notified them before the close date, and I was due a full refund less that office fee. They wouldn't refund me until after the event, and even then I had to pester them for almost 2 months (so they had my money for almost 3 months at that point) before they sent me a refund check. The other was a USEF show that I had entered before Mikey died. He died after the closing date, but the ground jury was gracious and made an exception and refunded me everything except the office fee.

I totally understand not being able to refund competitors if they decide they just don't want to go after the closing date has passed, but I think if you can get a vet note that says your horse isn't fit to compete, that you should be able to get something back. Everyone knows this is horses, and they choose inconvenient times to hurt themselves!

3/17/2016 06:54:58 am

Your last paragraph - YES! Originally she was only going to refund me the stabling costs (before the show was cancelled) for which I was grateful. I even explained that I had a vet's diagnoses. I think if you sign up, you need to go or be prepared to lose your money UNLESS you have a genuine medical issue that precludes you or the horse from competing (broken arm, etc.). How many of those can there be?

How can the horse trials not refund anything????? That's crazy!! What do they do with all of that money - simply pocket it?!?!?!?

3/17/2016 08:14:57 am

The event I backed out of, I totally get it if they wanted to keep more of my money. I signed up, but I did cancel before the close date. so I was due a refund, per the rules. I was just pissed it took so much pestering to get it back. I would have sucked it up and gone by myself (because I love the facility) if I wasn't moving up a level at their show. I really wanted my trainer there for that!

I feel like it would make sense to allow cancellations after the close date for injuries (with a vet note)- I think you risk lame or not quite right horses competing otherwise. Even 4-H allows you to swap out your project horse mid-year or substitute your show horse if you have a vet notice.

Events cost a fortune to put on, like Amanda said. Sometimes you get stabling back, sometimes you get nothing back. They try to hold the event if they can- some places will drop the cross country and hold a recognized combined test instead.

3/17/2016 06:26:26 pm

As a rule follower myself, I would have been very annoyed as well!

Amanda Chance link

3/17/2016 07:21:10 am

Most events won't give you any kind of refund, especially after closing date. I've been lucky enough to get a credit for everything except the stall fee (meaning they kept $150) but that was definitely more than a lot of places would have done. Costs to put on an event are completely through the roof, most of them barely break even, so I get it. I don''t like it, but I get it.

Bakersfield dressage link

3/17/2016 06:28:09 pm

Wow! I haven't heard about no refunds in this part of California (for dressage). I think it's customary to get some of it back and most of it if the show is cancelled. I think I need to read each show's fine print a little more closely!

Lauren link

3/17/2016 08:01:58 am

This is one of the reasons I love hunter/jumper shows... at least my local ones. We sign-up ahead of time, but you can add/scratch right before with no penalty. I've never lost money by having to cancel a show last minute. Someone who shows rated will have to chime in about how that works with rated shows, but I know *some* money is refunded.

3/17/2016 06:32:03 pm

My friends that ride in the small h/j series here in town say the same thing. The bad part is not getting "times" though. I do love that about dressage.

SarahO link

3/17/2016 08:50:07 am

I had to scratch one recognized dressage show last year because my horse came up lame a few days before.

The wording on the prizelist about refunds was:
"Exhibitors cancelling their entries before the closing date will be issued a refund in full. After the closing date of
entries but prior to the start of the tournament, shall, upon presentation of a valid veterinarian certificate, forfeit
their stall and office fees, all other fees will be refunded. Non-veterinarian scratches will not be refunded after the
closing date."

Despite the actual rules, the show secretary gave me a completely full refund, stall and office fees and all, and wired it to me the same day I sent in my vet note. I was super impressed by that.

That said, I did spend almost $150 on the vet bill to get the note to get the $300 in show fees back. (It wasn't a major injury and so I might not have had the vet out if it hadn't been for the show)

3/17/2016 06:34:24 pm

That was really nice of the show secretary. I have seen that stipulation in the rules before which is why I told the secretary immediately that we had a vet appointment. Had it not rained, she was only going to refund my stabling costs. My trainer suggested that if it happens again, I should ask that my entry be applied to a future show. That would totally work for me.

Teresa link

3/17/2016 02:03:46 pm

We had to cancel a show once because of a hurricane. We did total refund to all competitors and ate the cost of the license and such. We were lucky that the airline let us keep a credit for the judge's flight and the judge waived his fee.
We were out of pocket a bit but it seemed better to not penalize the riders for things outside of their control

3/17/2016 06:35:09 pm

I love the refund policy, but I think I can do without the hurricanes! :0)

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Not-So-Speedy Dressage