This topic has crept up several times in the past several months amongst clubs, friends, family, training facilities, and show management teams.
For Show Management its: How can a show be successful? or How Can We Save A Show? WHy aren't they coming?
For Exhibitors it’s the age old question of what show do we attend this year? Or I don’t want to go to that show because…..(you insert your own statement)
A show’s perception counts with us- no matter what role we play.
How do we perceive a show? Fond memories, a chuckle or out right laughter at a memory? Did something touch us tenderly and makes us smile? Does someone’s actions you remember at a show make you frown – make you angry about some particular point of a show?
I have only been around the miniature and Shetland breeds for short time. SO I guess I have done a lot of observing, learning and trying to figure out what makes things work and what doesn’t.
Something that never changes is how people perceive a show and how they perceive each other.
Everyone has their own opinions of course and by no means do I want to take that away from you. But I think until someone is in the driver’s seat, it is hard to know everything that goes on at a show. And by driver seat that means every driver seat- exhibitors, groomers, families, friends, show management, show workers, etc.
Anyways – how does ones perception of a show unfold? Do they think a show is loosing its flare. Are they down right angry about an experience at a show? Have they decided not to attend a show for some reason? Is it because the routine is the same every year? -- The same people, same place, same time? Is it the doldrums? Hopefully not, hopefully we all gather at a show to enjoy each other’s company and horses.
How does a show know? How does a show know it should end or re-vamp? Or what exhibitors are thinking even? Are there hard feelings out there? How does a show know?
Has a show lost its flare because, originally the people who run it might get hit by life circumstances – something happens two days before a show, a loved one is hospitalized or even worse has just died. Or a horse or other loved pet needed to be put down the night before or the day of the show and that person couldn’t be there to comfort it because they were obligated to the run show, they weren't expendabl that day?
What if a show plans for a certain amount of horses and all of a sudden they are over run (YIPPPEEEE RIGHT?). It’s every show’s dream, but then the show team scrambles because they don’t have enough staff to meet everyone’s needs.
What’s the perception - does not having your needs met that stick in your mind?
What if exhibitors just want a change or they have family obligations that keep them from a show? Does the show know that?
There are a thousand reasons why a show might not do well one year. And it is the age old guessing game every year – will we loose money, or hopefully break even?
There are a lot of reasons exhibitors have gripes about shows. Heaven sakes, all of us- we have one or two gripes about a show, right?
Maybe the showers are way across the compound from the RV stations and of course we were assigned the very last spot which is the farthest away from those showers and all the action. Makes a person grumbly.
Or maybe this class was over crowded or too much of a rush and you don’t feel like you got your “time to shine” or “not enough space to stretch and show”.
Or how about an exhibitor in their haste, holds a class up because they forgot their back number back at the stall and the stall is way across the compound and they don’t remember it or for that matter - flustered doesn’t remember which number went to which horse. So the management team quick makes a number up and plants it on the back of that horse’s exhibitor. But in doing so, it makes a mess of things for judges, exhibitors, postings, and on and on because it was the wrong number. Happened three times at a show I attended last year. Two novice exhibitors and one veteran.
What about the exhibitor that makes a hasty decision upon entering a class, runs past another exhibitor spooking their horse, which then results in making that exhibitor and horse look bad, so they place poorly, but the one that ran past in the first place, placed first?
Or an exhibitor takes a whip in with them and sets their horse up with it, a little too close to another exhibitor. They use the whip as an aide to get the horses attention, but your horse goes bonkers because you don’t use a whip? URRRGH right?
What if you have been winning in the arena all summer long, and suddenly one show, your horse places dead last just because you or your horse was having an off day?
Do you blame the judges? Another exhibitor? The Show Management team? Or maybe even the horse?
Heaven forbid, the ultimate sin- maybe someone made a keying error and one horse ended up with points in the wrong class, and maybe the wrong sex? Or maybe the registry office saw a horses’ number one way because they are entering show results so fast they just mistake it and the points went somewhere else, maybe to oblivion?
Folks – people are people, no matter what position you hold at a show – exhibitor, groom, show secretary, gate person, show management, registry office worker, ribbon presenter.
We are expected to be perfect, right? Hopefully we all aspire to be that perfect. But sometimes it just doesn’t happen as we hope, dream and plan for.
So what do we do? Well we can gripe about it and tell everyone around you about your gripe and make things worse maybe build up hard feelings--maybe to the point of trying to persuade others to not attend that show the next show year.
These are all things I am sure we have all observed or maybe even experienced at a show. But here are somethings observed that might help:
If you have a gripe(s) about a show, or if you have some reason why you choose not to attend a show, whether personal or otherwise, you do have choices.
If you think the show is worth it, tell a member of the show management team, even if it is the gate person. But use wise judgement – if at a show and the show management team is busy, write it down and hand it to them, or tell them later when things are quieter. Or use your show evaluation form. Show Management teams can’t read minds and can’t make changes without thoughtful input. If you think of it after a show, email, snail mail or call a member of the show management team and make the suggestion.
Show Management Teams– listen to suggestions. If you are busy, politely ask the exhibitor to write it down and hand it in, or find you later when things are quieter and then listen- actively. If you are busy let the exhibitor know when a better opportunity might be. But if you want to make your show better, get feedback!
At Shows - if you are a seasoned veteran in any capacity and know things are amiss – ask if you can help. Even a potty break for a gate person is much appreciated! Or hand out ribbons for a section of a show that doesn’t hamper your show efforts, but makes someone else’s experience fun and memorable.
I guess the point here is – if a show has an off year, don’t write it off. Ask or become involved, even if it is just one planning meeting, or a note or a phone call. Your input, no matter what perspective you are coming from, these tings help a show become more successful the next year.
I hope we all aspire to think about past show experiences and evaluate what our roles are at a horse show. And please use common sense, this isn’t a forum to fry a horse show, or exhibitors, it’s a forum to help make them successful for everyone and most importantly - To Show and have fun!
And Please make your show attendance based on well thought out decisions, if you still find yourself with a gripe about an aspect of a show – time for an email or phone call, see if the issue has been addressed. Don't continue to fester, life is way to short. Wouldn't you rather be showing?
For Show Management its: How can a show be successful? or How Can We Save A Show? WHy aren't they coming?
For Exhibitors it’s the age old question of what show do we attend this year? Or I don’t want to go to that show because…..(you insert your own statement)
A show’s perception counts with us- no matter what role we play.
How do we perceive a show? Fond memories, a chuckle or out right laughter at a memory? Did something touch us tenderly and makes us smile? Does someone’s actions you remember at a show make you frown – make you angry about some particular point of a show?
I have only been around the miniature and Shetland breeds for short time. SO I guess I have done a lot of observing, learning and trying to figure out what makes things work and what doesn’t.
Something that never changes is how people perceive a show and how they perceive each other.
Everyone has their own opinions of course and by no means do I want to take that away from you. But I think until someone is in the driver’s seat, it is hard to know everything that goes on at a show. And by driver seat that means every driver seat- exhibitors, groomers, families, friends, show management, show workers, etc.
Anyways – how does ones perception of a show unfold? Do they think a show is loosing its flare. Are they down right angry about an experience at a show? Have they decided not to attend a show for some reason? Is it because the routine is the same every year? -- The same people, same place, same time? Is it the doldrums? Hopefully not, hopefully we all gather at a show to enjoy each other’s company and horses.
How does a show know? How does a show know it should end or re-vamp? Or what exhibitors are thinking even? Are there hard feelings out there? How does a show know?
Has a show lost its flare because, originally the people who run it might get hit by life circumstances – something happens two days before a show, a loved one is hospitalized or even worse has just died. Or a horse or other loved pet needed to be put down the night before or the day of the show and that person couldn’t be there to comfort it because they were obligated to the run show, they weren't expendabl that day?
What if a show plans for a certain amount of horses and all of a sudden they are over run (YIPPPEEEE RIGHT?). It’s every show’s dream, but then the show team scrambles because they don’t have enough staff to meet everyone’s needs.
What’s the perception - does not having your needs met that stick in your mind?
What if exhibitors just want a change or they have family obligations that keep them from a show? Does the show know that?
There are a thousand reasons why a show might not do well one year. And it is the age old guessing game every year – will we loose money, or hopefully break even?
There are a lot of reasons exhibitors have gripes about shows. Heaven sakes, all of us- we have one or two gripes about a show, right?
Maybe the showers are way across the compound from the RV stations and of course we were assigned the very last spot which is the farthest away from those showers and all the action. Makes a person grumbly.
Or maybe this class was over crowded or too much of a rush and you don’t feel like you got your “time to shine” or “not enough space to stretch and show”.
Or how about an exhibitor in their haste, holds a class up because they forgot their back number back at the stall and the stall is way across the compound and they don’t remember it or for that matter - flustered doesn’t remember which number went to which horse. So the management team quick makes a number up and plants it on the back of that horse’s exhibitor. But in doing so, it makes a mess of things for judges, exhibitors, postings, and on and on because it was the wrong number. Happened three times at a show I attended last year. Two novice exhibitors and one veteran.
What about the exhibitor that makes a hasty decision upon entering a class, runs past another exhibitor spooking their horse, which then results in making that exhibitor and horse look bad, so they place poorly, but the one that ran past in the first place, placed first?
Or an exhibitor takes a whip in with them and sets their horse up with it, a little too close to another exhibitor. They use the whip as an aide to get the horses attention, but your horse goes bonkers because you don’t use a whip? URRRGH right?
What if you have been winning in the arena all summer long, and suddenly one show, your horse places dead last just because you or your horse was having an off day?
Do you blame the judges? Another exhibitor? The Show Management team? Or maybe even the horse?
Heaven forbid, the ultimate sin- maybe someone made a keying error and one horse ended up with points in the wrong class, and maybe the wrong sex? Or maybe the registry office saw a horses’ number one way because they are entering show results so fast they just mistake it and the points went somewhere else, maybe to oblivion?
Folks – people are people, no matter what position you hold at a show – exhibitor, groom, show secretary, gate person, show management, registry office worker, ribbon presenter.
We are expected to be perfect, right? Hopefully we all aspire to be that perfect. But sometimes it just doesn’t happen as we hope, dream and plan for.
So what do we do? Well we can gripe about it and tell everyone around you about your gripe and make things worse maybe build up hard feelings--maybe to the point of trying to persuade others to not attend that show the next show year.
These are all things I am sure we have all observed or maybe even experienced at a show. But here are somethings observed that might help:
If you have a gripe(s) about a show, or if you have some reason why you choose not to attend a show, whether personal or otherwise, you do have choices.
If you think the show is worth it, tell a member of the show management team, even if it is the gate person. But use wise judgement – if at a show and the show management team is busy, write it down and hand it to them, or tell them later when things are quieter. Or use your show evaluation form. Show Management teams can’t read minds and can’t make changes without thoughtful input. If you think of it after a show, email, snail mail or call a member of the show management team and make the suggestion.
Show Management Teams– listen to suggestions. If you are busy, politely ask the exhibitor to write it down and hand it in, or find you later when things are quieter and then listen- actively. If you are busy let the exhibitor know when a better opportunity might be. But if you want to make your show better, get feedback!
At Shows - if you are a seasoned veteran in any capacity and know things are amiss – ask if you can help. Even a potty break for a gate person is much appreciated! Or hand out ribbons for a section of a show that doesn’t hamper your show efforts, but makes someone else’s experience fun and memorable.
I guess the point here is – if a show has an off year, don’t write it off. Ask or become involved, even if it is just one planning meeting, or a note or a phone call. Your input, no matter what perspective you are coming from, these tings help a show become more successful the next year.
I hope we all aspire to think about past show experiences and evaluate what our roles are at a horse show. And please use common sense, this isn’t a forum to fry a horse show, or exhibitors, it’s a forum to help make them successful for everyone and most importantly - To Show and have fun!
And Please make your show attendance based on well thought out decisions, if you still find yourself with a gripe about an aspect of a show – time for an email or phone call, see if the issue has been addressed. Don't continue to fester, life is way to short. Wouldn't you rather be showing?
