The last of the 2014 Rosinburg Events shows ended late yesterday in Raleigh. Thanks to the show staff and many volunteers that have helped make the shows successful and have received kudos from the competitors. All our 2014 shows were larger than expected - even the Williamston Spring Dressage show that ended up on Easter weekend. Thanks to both VADA and NCDCTA for letting us borrow an extra ring to accommodate the entries. For Lexington, Culpeper and Raleigh, we were overbooked on closing date but by adding another judge and ring we were able to take a few late entries. Unfortunately, the Raleigh shows were difficult and a bad way to end the season. As usual, there was a storm but it passed quickly and we only had a short delay. And it was hot - but not as hot as it often is here at the end of July. We started at 7:30 am both days with dressage classes. Although I have tried to rent the entire facility for a couple of years, the main coliseum and covered rings were rented for a polo exhibition this year. I was able to negotiate renting the covered ring for a warmup for a few hours on Saturday morning, but the show was too big for the space we had available. Finding out at the last minute that we would have only limited sound in the dressage rings and no food concession was also a problem. I managed to get limited food service for a few hours each day but it was a very expensive solution. The DSHB (Breed show classes) continue to be a challenge and continually remind me why so many show managers no longer hold DSHB classes. I organized one of the first DSHB shows in NC over 30 years ago. I wrote the USDF Breeders Championship proposal and got it approved by USDF about 15 years ago and wrote the proposal for DSHB year-end awards. I have been a huge supporter over the years but this years experience at Raleigh will make me reconsider holding these classes in future years. The issues I experienced are mostly the same that have made some other shows end their support of the breed shows. When I started the NCDCTA Sport Horse Breeding show in Raleigh over 20 years ago, it was held in the main coliseum and covered ring on the day before dressage started. Dressage people complained because it limited their access to the rings the day before the show. DSHB people complained because it was a weekday and they were too far from the rings. So we moved the show to Labor Day Monday, after dressage ended. The DSHB people still complained because they were too far from the rings. NCDCTA and subsequent managers tried several ways to satisfy everyone and make the DSHB show economically feasible but finally decided to cancel the DSHB classes. After I started the RSD shows, I moved the DSHB classes to a separate outside ring just 50 feet from the barn I used for the DSHB horses. In order to make it financially feasible to hold the DSHB classes, I have hired judges who are licensed for both DSHB and dressage so they could judge both DSHB and dressage each day. Each of the one day RSD shows have grown but they are still not enough for a full day of classes. The big complaint now is that many of the breed show people would like the classes to start early morning or run at night. Anyone familiar with DSHB shows know that they often run behind schedule. Devon - for example - is sometimes hours behind schedule. Carter Bass was to have judged but she had an unfortunate emergency and I had to replace her a few days before the show. We had planned to start early with her one day and start later with the other judge on the next day. So I had two judges at this show that I had never used or worked with before (I am also a DSHB judge) so I didnt know if they would stay on schedule. So the schedule was changed to start in the afternoon on Saturday and mid-morning on Sunday. Unfortunately the show got far behind schedule on Saturday and it was hot and tiring for everyone involved, including the horses. We provided ice towels and an ice water cooler for the people but it was still very tiring. One competitor complained that not enough time was allowed for the horses, but the scheduling times we use are the same as Ive used for the last 10-15 years and the same as in many other shows. All the judges at the other shows in 2013 and 2014 used the same scheduling and most finished ahead of time unless we allowed post entries at the show. The Saturday breed classes ended about 1 hour 15 minutes - 1 1/2 hours behind schedule. Just imagine if I had scheduled the breed classes first thing in the morning and the judge had been 1 1/2 hours late starting her dressage classes. Many dressage riders would have had their schedule disrupted with conflicts and late rides. The impact would have been much worse. Is it really too hard to understand that shows must make choices and take the path with the least potential negative impact to the MAJORITY of their competitors. Anyway, on Sunday a signed petition was presented in the show office that (I am told) was orchestrated by one DSHB competitor. Some people indicated they felt pressured into signing it. They suggested several alternatives for scheduling to avoid the heat of the day. (1) an early morning start, (2) evening classes or (3) a covered or indoor arena. At face value, these sound like reasonable alternatives but are not really practical. (1) During summer shows, almost everyone wants their ride/s to be in the early morning. Some DSHB competitors expressed to me that they should have preference over dressage since it is harder on the DSHB horses and handlers. Really? 3 minutes in the ring (less than 1 min trotting) - even multiple times, is harder than 1-2 30-40 minute warmups and 7-9 minute rides?? The point is that everyone cant have most or all their rides/in hand classes in the early morning. And what if the DSHB classes ran all day, as did the dressage classes? Someone would still have to show in the hot part of the day. (2) Regarding evening classes, it is very hard on show staff and volunteers to start on the show grounds before 6:30 am and end late at night. We were already on the grounds until 9 pm preparing for the next days show and the quality of the entire show would suffer if key staff members were required to work such long hours. It would significantly increase expenses for the DSHB competitors to pay overtime for the announcer, EMT and other required services. Fall shows like Devon run late into the evening, but few summer shows run all day into the night. (3) Using the indoor or covered ring. I was unable to rent it for the weekend. When those rings were used in previous years, there were a lot of complaints about the distance from the barns. Running horses back and forth to the barns would make the show run later and be more tiring to horses and handlers. The person who started the petition specifically called before the show to be sure the DSHB classes would be in the ring we used, adjacent to the barn. Why in the world would I do something that had previously been the source of complaints?? I have heard from several DSHB competitors who didnt think the suggested solutions were reasonable or practical - or who didnt understand the implications of some of the suggestions. If I continue to hold the DSHB classes at this show, I will continue to make the best choices for the majority of competitors. I am not trying to make a lot of money on these shows but I am not stupid and I have basic math skills. It is not financially feasible to hire a judge who can only judge (DSHB) a few hours one day. And it is not fair to the dressage competitors to risk starting late in a dressage ring and messing up all the dressage schedule for an entire day. By the way, the Sunday judge - using the same scheduling format - finished early on the second day. The dressage competitors complain about the DSHB classes limiting their warmup space and the DSHB competitors want changes that could disrupt the dressage schedule and bring in more complaints from the dressage side. Something will definitely have to change next year anyway since the show has grown too much for the space we have used in the past..
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 20:07:14 +0000
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