Arabian Horse Fair, Show, Futurity, National Awards

Arabian Horse Fair Association Tips for Sponsored Events

Most Contestants want these things for a successful show event: Adherance to the printed schedule, fair judging and good ground in the arena, warmup areas and stalls. No one has more control over these essentials than Show Management. No one probably gets less credit when they are all good. They will, however, get the criticism if any of the essentials or plethora of other details fail. The following outline has been prepared as an aid only, and is not to be used as the master complete guide.

Before the Show

Before the Show obtain all your funding and sponsorship funds sufficiently ahead of time that you are sure the show can be done. Do not be in the position of begging for class sponsorship funds on Thursday night because the program must go to the printer on Monday and you do not have the needed funds. Make a Budget!   A budget is projected income against known expenses = a profit; you most likely won't have a show next year with no profit.   If needed, do your fund raisers BEFORE you decide to have a show/fair. Make sure all forms are in order for everything, including stalls.    Fancy facilities will not appeal to all and can be done without.

1) Show Management makes its own selection of the Judge(s) and Learner Judge, which is a part of the contract by the Show Management with AHFA who pays those Judges. Carefully read the AHFA Rulebook, General Rules and Standing Rules. Know it, print it out if necessary, if you opt to use these rules.
    a) Be absolutely certain in your judges (seminar) interviews BEFORE you hire that you state your needs, format and rules -- ie how much time allocated to judging each entry. And be absolutely certain for the seminars you know exactly what equipment, personnel, etc is needed for a good presentation of this seminar at the time of the interviews.
    b) After 2005, New B list judges shall act as probationer DC at one or more associated shows before being included in B list for all AHFA sponsored events.
    c)   Make sure your pre-show instructions to the judges reinforce your needs. If 90 seconds is allowed to judge each halter horse, make sure EACH one of the judges understands this completely. Construct your Rules for the Warm-Up Arena from the Class Description Section of the Rulebook and post at the entrance to that area. Do send an Information Sheet to each exhibitor where it applies WAY AHEAD OF TIME. Suggestion is strongly advised that in these Info Sheets is the advisement that the following rules WILL be STRICTLY followed: (1) No back to back rides (example jumping); (2) All riders and rides will promptly enter the ring when called or forfeit their right to the class (no two minute holds, etc -- 'in the hole' and 'on deck' as in roping); (3) If a rider is entering two classes which will simultaneously be held in 2 different rings INFORM the exhibitor WAY BEFORE THE SHOW DATES and let the exhibitor make the choice which class, which horse, which rider, etc.

2) Have your Show Secretary handle in co-ordination with the Organizers and Show Committee the costs for the judges only = airfare, hotel, food, etc. No travel agency is involved.   Make sure you know what other officials, if any, are needed and that you know the costs ahead of time.

3) It is not necessary for any signature on the judge and evaluation forms but it is a good idea to ask the competitor to fold this form and return to your Show Committee immediately. Many (most) shows will not have a steward and this is noted on the evaluation form.

4) Minimize your halter classes always, even as your show grows. Remember yearlings do not show in AHFA shows; suggested Two and Three Year Olds, Four and Five Year Olds, and Six and older classes. Remember, this is a FUN activity for exhibitors AND spectators. Include spectators in every way you can.

5) If an organization requests all class results, the points verification forms, if needed, amateur verification forms, if needed, and judges evaluation sheet (Show Committee) be forwarded within one week (7 days) and information on points verification forms be emailed within five (5) days of the end of the show.

6) Judge(s) should each have an assistant who has a sheet containing the numbers of each horse down the long side, total scores parallel to the numbers of the horses and the individual sheets for each horse. An assistant can then transfer total scores to the sheet containing the numbers of each horse during the actual judging, keeping scores current for posting and moving the show along at a speedy rate. Judge(s) can then spend time looking at horses and not on writing comments.

7) Some of the costs to be expected are facility costs (usual can negotiate these), judge, steward or Disciplinary Committee member(s), any other paid officals (volunteers should be doing most of these positions), prize money can be jackpotted, show secretary (donated), show manager (donated), hotels and food for officals, center ring decorations (if they have them), furniture for office and center ring (should be included in facility cost), farrier and vet on call, EMT if required by facility, printing costs, postage, sponsors gifts. The office fees should cover the drug costs because office people are NOT to be paid from the office fees. The internet should be used to cut down a huge amount of the mailings

8) Have everyone sign a liability release.

9) Do Delegate Responsibility to a key, anchor person on each committee for the show. Keep Committees to 2 or 3 people. That group will accomplish 10 times more working together than any larger group of people.

10) Schedule a meeting with your Disciplinary Committee members AT LEAST two weeks in advance. Obtain your judge or judges and for seminars those who will be doing the seminars with your Show if you have seminars.

Look for a local pet store for an animal photographer if there is not a local photographer who will donate their time. Be sure you deal with where and when photographs are done, how many people are involved with the photographs, and about victory passes.

Entry fees should be more than any office charge, except in extreme cases where they may be the same. Avoid the excessive costs for an exhibitor, such as excessive stall fees (limit tack rooms, if necessary), high class entry fees (anything over $20 to $35 is high), a warm up/schooling fee, education/evaluation fees, scoring fees, jump practice fees, judges fee, and keep any parking pass required to the absolute minimum cost.

For A Better Show

Have a tractor (bobcat) on hand with the appropriate dirt working equipment necessary to properly maintain the arena.

Have a good method of wetting down the arena, if needed.

A good arena surface should be cushioned to protect the competing horse. Same for warm-up areas. It should not be too deep and should have enough consistency to enable the horse to perform without fear of the ground slipping or rolling away.

Make sure that you have adequate lighting for late evening or nighttime shows.

Place your judge(s) where they can see the horses work without interference, and keep all bystanders away from them and their stands.

Have a concession stand available if at all possible. Some places require you to use their food vendor -- if so, try to negotiate times early or late for which you can get people to donate

Have restrooms, clean and attended. Consider User Friendly Items for Your Exhibitors - such as Hospitality Baskets for the Rest Rooms.

Follow the rules and treat everyone alike. Smile when you can and always remember that courteous treatment will generally result in courtesty in return.

On Show Day

Check Your Equipment: Loud Speaker System. Where electricity is not available, it should be battery powered. Time clock or buzzer or whistle, whatever is needed.

Score sheets and scribes, if needed for judge. Runners to bring scores to secretary, etc.

Secretarial equipment should include a good supply of pens and pencils, plus a calculator or hand held computer calculators as well as a whistle for the judge(s).

Make sure everyone arrives with the health papers needed, in duplicate. Make sure the Stall Chairperson has a chart made ahead of time showing each person where their stalls are located. Make sure you have decided if post entries will be allowed and if so, that you have a copier on hand plus the STAFF. If post entries are NOT allowed, make sure this was known to all way ahead of the deadline time. Remember, for some shows it may be best to NOT have post entries.

Sort your entry forms to assure each entry is in the proper class.

After Your Show

Make sure you get checks out timely manor in any money payback classes.

Get your results into whatever organization you need within the time limits. Do not be late. Make sure all horses, owners, handlers, riders names are spelled correctly. Make sure that identification numbers are correct for all owners and registration numbers for horses, if needed.

If you encounter problems, notify the office immediately, and you will be given all possible immediate assistance.

Write early for your any application requesting approval for your next show.

TIPS SHEET

Give exhibitors a free stall or other incentive for obtaining $100/$200/$300 worth of sponsorships.

Get your news releases on your show out to the news media, all facets, if publicity, entries and attendance is desired. If there is an activity sponsored by the town/area and they have a parade, try to get all different types of riders as well as native costume riders in the parade to help promote the show/activity.

Get Arabians for a petting booth, hopefully a mare and foal or a kind gelding that will tolerate small children being lifted to his back.

Have a Raffle in the evening before the main Show day and have Photos, Black Stallion books = ebay, Amazon.com, etc --- dog leash, dog food, halter and lead road (Native Arabians?!) Drawings can be a good draw if done correctly.

Advertise in the Local Newspapers -- also Flyers for every Feed Store, Tack shop in a 100 mile radius. Contact the local Chamber of Commerce or their like in your small towns for inclusion on their calendar and promotion.

Have Stallion Owners who are having Friday night individual barn parties for about an hour and a half . Open up the Saturday night show with a costume class and maybe a "Gamblers Choice" = timed jumping and a reining exhibition and follow by another party for all the exhibitors and friends -- pizza, pepsi, cheese and wine (or substitutes).