$375.00 Driving Stakes at Nationals

[fastrack]

I'm watching the driving stakes going on now at the Nationals. By the way, kudos to Flanders Video....its great to watch from home!!

So, could someone explain the $375.00 stakes. Is that the prize money? And if so, why are the driving stakes different than the other classes? Do winners get points plus purse?

Is it open competition?

 

[CLC Stables]

Yes this is PAYOUT. And also the Championships, like the Grands for Halter.

 

[fastrack]

Is there a cost for entering?

I'm surprised there aren't more entries since it looks to be the same class as earlier classes...with the addition of winning purse.

Do the entrants in the stake have to also be entered in earlier driving class?

 

[midnight star stables]

Just like a halter class, yes the horse has to be entered in another "open" class before they can go in for the stake(grand) class. Unlike halter, yes there is a fee to enter, and it is usually higher then the open class cost.

I'm not sure why there are less entries but that is common for many shows, not just the Nationals. I can only think that people can't wait around that long or they feel that they won't have a chance as they didn't do well in the earlier classes. I don't know.

 

[fastrack]

Thanks for the explanations!

Just one more question. How far back is the purse money paid out? Or is it winner takes all?

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I don't get this class. There is a 30" and under for Pleasure Driving and there was ONE entry! Gee, I wonder who is going to win. I think the "stakes" classes should be for the winning horses from the other classes, not any horse from previous classes. Maybe I'm just not understanding it. I would love it if someone could explain it to me.

 

[dannigirl]

Eligiblility for stake classes at Nationals is the same as for any other show. If your horse has shown in another qualifying class--amateur, youth, open, ladies, gentlemen, golden age or any other I may have missed--that horse is allowed to enter the stake class, but not required to. At most local shows, the entry fee is the same as the open classes, but there is usually no payout at these shows. If there is a stake payout, the fee may be more to cover the cost or there may be a graduated division of the total entry fees as payback. At the Nationals, the entry fee for the stake class is $50 which is $10 more than the open classes. Many times (and I am guilty of this) not all of the eligible horses stay and show in the stake classes. For us it has been either a time issue (the year we had a driving champion, we did not stay because we had to be home to care for our horses there) or because we did not place well in the open class and did not wish to spend the extra to enter the stake class. Whether this is a good way or not, this is the way it works.

 

[~Lisa~]

The pay out unless it has changed is for the first 3 placings and is

200

100

75

 

[Boinky]

I'm pretty sure it goes higher than 3rd place because I got paid in 08' for 2 horses and I think one was 3rd and the other was 8th... or maybe it was for the one that got 5th... not sure i'd have to go through my records..

 

[hobbyhorse23]

And also the Championships, like the Grands for Halter.

Just like a halter class, yes the horse has to be entered in another "open" class before they can go in for the stake(grand) class. Unlike halter, yes there is a fee to enter, and it is usually higher then the open class cost.

I don't get this class....I think the "stakes" classes should be for the winning horses from the other classes, not any horse from previous classes.

I'm with StarRidge- I have never understood how this can be considered a "championship" class when the only qualification to compete is paying the entry fee and having gone around the ring once before without eliminating.

The halter Grands EARN their way there by being the best in their class and then compete against the best in the other classes to see who is the Champion. That's the way it should be! I can understand paying a fee to enter a payout Stakes class, that only makes sense. But why call that class the championship when it isn't??

Leia