One of the new proposals is to not allow vendors or their family members to show at local or area shows. Can anyone explain why there is an issue with someone selling something on the show grounds also having a horse to show or a kid show their horse. For that matter, I help a tack vendor out ocassionally, would that also mean my daughter couldn't show at the same show? Just trying to make sense out of why this is even a proposal.
Yet another proposal that I look forward to hearing the reasoning behind it and I hope the person that submitted it plans to attend Convention and present it in person.
I know people that are vendors at shows I attend and many of them have family members or children that show and I've never had a problem with it myself nor seen anything that would make me feel it is a conflict of interest. As a matter of fact at a show if tack vendor "A" is also someone that raises, trains and shows miniature horses and shetland ponies up to a national level and tack vendor "B" has minis and ponies in the pasture at home but they do not train or show anymore because they are focusing on their tack store I am going to choose to take my business to tack vendor "A" because I know they are going to be up on the latest in the products they sell, they've used or tried all the tack and/or training devices they have and they stand behind everything they sell.
There are lots of great vendors out there but in our area (Area 6) we see Herron Tack at a lot of the shows we attend. They are a multigenerational family that has a terrific tack store with everything you could possibly need to buy available at shows, online and I assume at their farm as well. They've been involved in miniatures, shetlands, hackneys, saddlebreds, quarters horses and probably more breeds and disciplines that I don't know about. I don't know how they do it all but they also show horses and they consistently do well in the show ring (so I know they know what they are doing and what they are selling) and at shows the family takes turns between caring for their horses, prepping for classes, being in the show ring and tending to their tack store. Someone is always available if you have a question or need help or have a problem with a horse and need advice. I always see them out and around helping fellow competitors whether it is an emergency tack repair, someone needing an extra header at the last minute in the show ring, holding a horse for someone....whatever needs to be done someone from their family always seems to be around to lend a helping hand. It would be sad to see a proposal like this passed and have the Herron's and others out there needing to make a choice between showing or having their tack store at shows. Shows would either lose revenue because they would leave their show string home because they chose to have their tack shop open or they would bring their horses and leave the tack shop at home and then I'd REALLY be in trouble because I (and everybody else) wouldn't have anyplace to buy last minute grooming supplies or tack. I don't know about anyone else but I frequently arrive at a show and need shampoo or hoof black or a new barn halter, etc. etc.
We all spend so much on our "horse hobby" and we have so few opportunities to actually make money at what we know and love. It is unfortunate that whatever the reason behind the proposal that something has happened along the way that has made someone decide to write a proposal designed to punish/hurt someone else that is trying to make money doing something they are knowledgeable about and love. I am open-minded enough to be willing to listen to the reasoning and thoughts from someone who has a different perspective because maybe I am missing something or just don't get it.
I do feel I need to point out to anyone out there that supports this proposal that the definition of a vendor is a supplier of any good or service.
A vendor, or a supplier, is a term that means anyone who provides goods or services to a company or to other individuals. A vendor often manufactures items, and sells those items to a customer. If this proposal passes if you want to show your horses at any sanctioned show in the future you'd better not put out a rack of old show clothes to sell, you'd better not bring that cart you no longer need and wanted to put a for sale sign on at a show, you'd better not bake those home-made horse treats that you used to sell at shows and you'd better not even think of putting a FOR SALE sign on a stall for a horse you'd like to sell because if you do any of those things you become a "vendor" and you nor anyone else in your family would be eligible to show at that show.
Reading through many of the proposals this year has been fascinating to me. My thoughts have varied from "what were you thinking when you wrote that" to "what were you drinking when you wrote that" to "How old were you and what grade were you in when you wrote that" to just "HUH?!?!?!?".
