Accessibility: Horse Show Edition

You’ve read about wardrobe hacks and lesson costs on my Instragram posts. Now, you’re ready to test your skills at a show. What are your options? Well, you can go to a local show or a rated show. For a local show I will share the math for River Glen affiliated with Tennessee Valley Hunter Jumper Alliance. To do a Friday-Sunday show you would incur the following costs: 

• Stall Fee: Daily $35/day, Weekend $95 
• Office Fee: $25
• Entry Fees: $60/division at $20 per class (we used two 2′ divisions so $120), classics and derbies $40
• If you wanted to go and not horse show you would see a $50/day non-showing/schooling fee with a $15 trailer fee. 

Your total for a local show without including shavings, training or hauling would be if you did 2 divisions, approximately $240 total for one horse. Some might gasp but you will quickly see this is a great return on investment. This becomes sweeter if you have local organizations that are USHJA Outreach programs as well. Luckily we are fortunate enough in East TN to recently have a new organization affiliated with USHJA, Tennessee Valley Hunter Jumper Alliance. 

So what does a rated show cost? I’ll use Tryon International as this is close in geographical location to the above referenced schooling show. 

• Stall Fee: $300 per week 
• Office Fee: USEF Fee $23, USHJA Fee $7, Office Fee $65, Medical/Vet Fee $20 = Total Fees $115
• Entry Fees: $150/division $35/class (we used the Foothills Child/Adult-Amateur 2′ division)
• If you wanted to go and not horse show you would see a $50 non-showing/schooling fee. 

Your total for a local show without including braiding, shavings, training or hauling would be if you did 2 divisions, approximately $565 total for one horse. Keep in mind this cost will go up with rated divisions.

So you might ask, how do I pick? First and foremost, look at your budget. What is in the cards for YOU and your situation? Next, what are your goals for that show season? Lastly, what are your regional options? Do you have the funds for a local show but hauling is 8+ hours? Maybe a local show would be a better return on investment. Are you trying to qualify for a national final? Well, you might have to do some budgeting to get to rated shows. 

What I do think is we need to be more transparent with the cost of this sport and be more inclusive. Not every person wearing riding apparel horse shows – so why is every recent photoshoot for apparel companies at WEF? To further the question, can the average equestrian truly afford to show a circuit at WEF? I can’t answer for everyone but I can answer for myself and the answer is no – a season at WEF is fiscally out of the question for me at this stage of my life.

Remember whether you trail ride, pleasure ride, local show or rated show you are important and deserve a place in this community, even if sometimes the industry makes you feel otherwise. Trust me, we’ve all been there. ❤️