Your take: making eventing fans

Advertise and have other activities. A big draw to spectators at Fair Hill is the dog agility also going on. The moon thingy...you know those big blow up things that kids bounce around in...was very popular with parents at Plantation HT.

Basically, you need to have a wider appeal than just eventing. Have something for the non-horsey set. Something to occupy the husbands or non-horsey kids so they want to come...a few may find they like the horses too but the draw has to be that there are other things there than just horses. And then you have to ADVERTISE and pray to the weather gods.

advertise definitly, but it needs to be out there more. have pictures out there of horses going over giant fences that don't fall over. not just the scary pictures of falls, but horses galloping and jumping. get people asking what it is, and then tell them to come and find out.

Hmm
Public interest is wonderful but this is where I am stuck. I dont want to charge for admittance and parking. I want people to come, see, enjoy and realize that we might be crazy horse people but we are people who have jobs, pay bills and love our sport. We advertise in our program, that we offer for free, that horse people love to talk about their horses so please go up to them and ask.

Our goal is to get more people riding and eventing. Numbers are dwindling and we all need more new blood.

Our other issue is that we are a public park and having the public show up to see what we use the park for is important to us. We get sooooo much pressure every year from people who dont understand that us horse people actually built (literally) the park that they casually walk in. They want us out, gone, dogs loose every where (((shutters))) and camping where our jumps are - and free is more important to us to get people to see it being used, enjoyed and the whole reason for our existence.

For me personally - when I think public interest I strive for the understanding that we are just people with a hobbie that we enjoy. That we are not rolling in the cash and dont spend any more on our hobby that the fisherman do (we share the same property, huge boat launch across from rings) and the fisherman do understand and respect us for it. Others dont.
We are no more crazy than the hockey moms or the soccer dads. Our theory is that they have public facilities so why cant we. So for me getting public interest is huge but keeping it free is important.

BUT I am looking at this as a public park and not as a private land event.

Keeping in mind that I have yet to attend any of the bigger events here are my ideas.

-Advertise. People won't come out if they don't know an event is taking place! Flyers, radio commercials, internet banners, whatever! Of course the eventing community knows when/where the next three day or HT is happening but does anyone else?

-Make it fan friendly. Things like: easier access to food, more porta potties, scores clearly posted, etc.

-Educate the fans. I am thinking something along the lines of a packet/program that would include rider/horse bios/stats, some fun facts, obscure rules, traditions, course maps, etc. These can either be included with event pass (if you have to buy tickets) or could be available for purchase at a convienent location, say next to the snack booth! While yes, putting something like this together costs money, there are TONS of design students out there who would be willing to work for a lower cost. Or even designers who also event could possibly be paid in entry fee credits or schooling passes.

Advertise. Do what the rodeo people do. Commercials, radio spots, signs, banners, LOCAL sponsors.
I wouldn't want to charge for admittance, but parking might be reasonable. A large family can all get in for one price.
A nice program that explains the sport and the horses. And other activites, like trade fairs, dog clubs, demonstartions, childrens area. Plus food and alcohol.

Let's take some lessons from the Viking fan.
1. There is a star player (Bret Favre). Look what Tiger Woods did for golf, Michael Jordan for basketball, etc.

2. Sports with a really high draw have lots of fans who actually play that sport at home. So, to increase numbers at events, there needs to be an increase in the number of people who participate in the sport. There are a lot more eventing opportunities than when I was growing up, but it is still attracts a relatively smaller percentage of equestrians. I think the Rolex results might offer some clues as to why.

3. Beer/Food Just a second to the first poster who suggesting something for non-horsey types. I noticed the Fork had some kind of wine/food festival.

I agree in the advertising, if no one knows its going on or open to the public or where it is, they can't/won't come.

But think about walking into your average horse trials if you know NOTHING about horses. Let's be honest, its not the friendliest place. Jump judges screaming at you to get out of the galloping lanes, you don't know where the potties, scores or food are. There are no programs, no description, no direction or where, what, how to do anything.

We riders are so busy competing, "for the most part" we don't talk to these strangers, we go on and do our thing. Organizers are stressed out trying host and pay for the darn event, they don't have time.

In my mind, there taking the family out to spend a day in the sunshine in the country is an awesome idea. But little kids get bored, they have to be somewhat quiet, can't run around, wait 4-5 mins for each rider who is then gone in 30 seconds. Its just not entertaining for most people.

We LOVE watching our sport but that is because we LOVE our sport, we participate and we know most of the people participating, put yourself in your next door neighbor or a co-workers shoes....

One word

BETTING!

I agree with the advertising stuff.
Also, the education stuff. I think the informational packets are a great idea. How about open course walks at all levels? I think it is difficult for non horsey people to "get" it without going up to the jumps and seeing them up close. Then someone could explain why this combo is difficult etc. That way they would have a greater appreciation on xc day when we all go out and make it look effortless (hee hee). The falls are dramatic but they need to understand the subtleties that go into a clear stadium or xc round. I don't have any great ideas to make dressage more appealing, I have horsey friends who won't even watch it! They don't understand how I can be so fascinated!
I like the non horsey activities too. I was glad that test driving Land Rovers at Rolex kept my husband out of my hair on dressage day for awhile. Maybe even just having a tv set up somewhere for important sports score checking would bring more husbands out. Probably wouldn't help with the general public as much.
More food choices would be good too. Not every American is willing to stuff a hot dog down while on the go-people seem to want some healthier selections- crazy I know...
I am just so tired of the perception that our sport is just dangerous and horse-damaging. If only people could see up close the bond that we have with these horses maybe that would help. I have had non horse people tell me that people shouldn't "force" their horses to go around Rolex. And I have to explain that there is no way that the best rider in the world could ever "force" a horse to do Rolex-that the horse is on board 110% to get to that level successfully. I have to explain the level of trust and confidence. Maybe we are not doing enough explaining in the media at the national level.

A lot of race meets have dog agility, terrier races, stick pony races, leadline race for kids.

Events could do Pony Club games or other demonstrations, carriages, foxhounds from a local hunt, etc.

Also, they make a bigger deal about subscriber parking, fancy tailgate spots, owner and patron tents, etc.

The big three day events like Essex used to that part well.

1. One thing that has really worked in the world of Steeplechase is having tailgating for the masses. It becomes a social event and colleges even bus kids up from Charleston for the Carolina Cup in Camden (2 1/2 hrs. away!!). The same can be said for Foxhall, Radnor, My Lady's Manor, The MD Hunt Cup, etc. The downside: liability from MAJOR alcohol consumption. But if we ask the Steeplechaser's how the deal with that, we might be alright.

2. Take a page from the Devon Horse show's book (as Fair Hill has kind of done) and have LOTS of trade fair stuff that non-horsey people will love. The waiting list to get a retail spot at Devon is MILES long and it is PACKED (aside form Grand Prix night). They also have great food, carnival diversions and are centrally located.

3. Design cross country courses with spectators in mind. I know: we already have more pressing concerns in course design. But, Plantation Field is so fun to watch because you can pretty much see every jump from 1 spot. If we want people to enjoy spectating during x-c (the crown jewel of eventing), then we have to make it visible!!! Again, Steeplechasing has begun using JumboTrons to show the back side of the course. that kind of thing would be great for a place like Jersey where you can only ever see about half the course.

I realize that all of my suggestions have flaws, but others have used them and I think we should start with what others have wound works (rather that re-inventing the wheel).

Advertise as has been said above, offering other activities like pony rides, terrier races, dog agility, VENDORS besides the horsey stuff (massages, Land Rover, Misubishi, local restaurants and other food vendors, local land conservation organizations. local crafts) demonstrations from other disciplines like a rope twirling tick cowboy. Get reps from the local barns out there to promote that horse back riding can be done on a budget and have them bring out a reliable school horse to show his stuff.
Having more of a fair atmosphere. If the facility is big enough you could have amusement park rides like you see at carnivals.
Another thought it to try having another organization run their even in conjunction. Like a 4-H Fair.
Also I think an opportunity to MEET the riders and horses. Maybe a guided tour through the stable area on dressage day.
Contact the local media and have them come down and do a piece on a local rider. Or if there is an international rider there a pice on them.
Having the national media, like NBC, come out to film would be great. David O'Connor was on the Today show not long ago and brought Nash(?) I think to Rockefeller Center. We need to have our top competitors out there!

The biggest problem with all the suggestions - and I am not knocking them cause they are all good ones - is that advertising requires money and fairs require land.
They all require one more organizer to do each thing.

I am an organizer and my roles cover, website, advertising, program development, sponsorship, course layout, course set up, map creation...... and I have a job and kids. It is exhausting. Finding more organizers is not as easy as it sounds.
I am able to tap into the free radio advertising that one of our stations offers. They dont all offer this. Newspapers offer a teeny tiny square of free stuff and we do posters everywhere. A full or half page of newspaper advertising is freaky expensive! We even tap into the local cable company and have it advertised on the bottom of the screen - that scroll line many channels have.
And still we get out about 100 spectators non horsey. no more.

and the fairs - I love this idea I really do. But where? I have no room left on our property to set up more. We put some sponsor tables in the stadium ring during XC but we cant fit too many in there. I am looking into a pony ride person for this year. not sure if I can pull that off.

All the ideas are brilliant but they are all a catch 22. One of the best ways to advertise is word of mouth - kids talking more. spread the word to your neighbours and friends who have no clue what a forelock is.

bringing more spectators requires more volunteers and organizers and I dont know about other events but we are pretty tapped out for that around here. sigh.

INHO - we will NEVER be golf, tennis, football or baseball. NEVER. Sorry PRO! We have an expensive, elitist sport that not everyone can participate in. Anyone can pick up a tennis racket, a golf club or a baseball bat.

I love the post that said if we increase our PARTICIPATING Numbers, then we can increase our spectators. Absolutely, lower levels need to be cheaper - unrecognized and more friendly. We are losing members and riders and that should be our focus. Great point.

advertising,simple announcement in the local paper, invite PC's and 4-H groups to come and operate concessions etc.
tailgate parties geared toward families and picnics.
This is all the work PRO should be doing instead of trying to increase the purse for those that are elitist within the sport. As long as we have those within the sport supporting so very few ie owners all sending their horses to a few select riders we won't grow, we nee dto create the next generation of riders and horses.
Reaching out to spectators will generate interest, all those fans going to football/baseball/soccer games won't all play the sport either but they sure have fun watching and cheering for their favorite player

Have something on the side. Like a chili cook off, pony rides, etc.

I'm sorry but our dress alone keeps many straight men from even trying to watch. They will avert their eyes at WFP, PD, and other greats. And they will also never ever be seen in public in those pants. Ditch the goofy outfits. Have the ULR's don some very distinctive clothing (not that Moon Unit Space Odyssey crap from the Hoy's but clothing that doesn't mock the sport). They can then be tracked.

Tailgating, betting, and booze. That's what starts it all. Then the SO that's stuck at home with the kids will complain and join in the fun, THEN it becomes a bit more family oriented and kids love horsies.

Take the point to point as the business model (at least for cross country day). Parking fee's, entrance fee's tailgating. All that stuff. I was just at the Willowdale point to point, they should just put a cross country course out there, everything else the same.

Bigger purse's will always equal more spectators. People love to see people win money in this country. Most individual sports have big money on the line. A lot of people don't golf, play tennis, football, baseball or ride horses for that matter. It doesnt matter. If there's money at stake, people love to watch and see who wins. That'll never change, doesn't matter what the sport is, it's human nature.

Better broadcast production at these events is absolutely necessary. Rolex for example, it's just not that well done. For an event of that caliber you have to raise the level. If you're live at the event, it's tops class but if you watch the webcast, it's 2nd rate (and that's being generous). It can't just be some great rider in the production booth calling the plays. You need a broadcast professional (plenty of hungry young broadcasters out there) forming all this stuff for the production to come off smoothly. People sounded like they were scratching their private parts with those mics half the time, and that's if they had their mic's on at all!! Watch a football broadcast, they do it right, you have color commentators (usually retired semi coherent pros) and always one guy who's a professional broadcaster. He keeps things organized and moving all the time. He know's how and wher to run a promo and he basically directs the broadcast as it's happening. It's great to hear the riders themselves in there, but they aren't broadcasters (notiable except to Jimmy Wofford).

The sport has a long long way to go IMO before it can have an appeal to a larger audience. People need to step up and invest. As much ridiculous money as ther is in this sport, you would think money wouldn't be such a problem but it is.

As an aside, JOHN!!, I wish you had shown us your tattoos when you were in Aiken with us!! Those are cool and I love your braids too. ;)

Ahhh - very interesting comment about the lower levels needing to be more affordable to get more people out there. Building from the bottom up. I can see that. I'm in Ontario, which is probably one of, if not the largest, eventing provinces in Canada. Get this, the cost of an Entry (which would be Beginner Novice in the US I believe) level event is anywhere from $120 (do-able) to $200 (WTF?!) And how are the one-horse-ammies supposed to be able to afford THAT? Makes a lot of sense, the more affordable it is for the lower levels, the more pony clubbers and kiddies will be able to get their taste for it....especially at the lower levels. I like that suggestion!
What is the Target Market? kids/teens/young adults?? What is their number 1 mode of communication...Make use of FACEBOOK...Really, I mean who even gets emails sent to their hotmail address anymore? I am sure a lot of us have an account and I am also sure you have all noticed the very horse specific ads that pop up on the right side of the screen when you are browsing through your profile.
Target the people that have the ability to make change and get the message to the masses...who are they..? Cause I don't know. Anyone know anybody who works for NBC/TSN (For all you Yankies, TSN is "The Sports Network" in Canada)..perhaps start a segment following an up an comming ammie rider through the season...sort of like EN has done with HSB, LK, LP etc. There is talk about making it more mainstream right?
Create a sense of urgency - I liked the comment a lot about featuring a local rider at an event...a lot of the time all it takes for that to happen is a phone call (as an aside, our barn is going through an expansion this summer, with a new barn & arena being built that will be powered by solar energy. Barn owner made a call to the local paper, said 'hey guys look what I'm doing', they interviewed her, now she has received additional govenrment funding, support, resources and manpower from local businesses and the whole town is behind her!...very cool)
Advertise in the right places...yes there is cost involved in creating advertising...but, are you going to get better results if you advertise on the bulletin board at the local John Deer Co-op, at the local hockey rink or at the exclusive golf club?
Regardless - the message to everyone has to be consistent: Eventing is FUN!
Tons of amazing suggestions, but with anything it now becomes a question of HOW do you actually take those suggestions and make it happen....

Cowtown Rodeo in Woodstown, NJ is packed every Saturday night during the summer... and it's not cheap to get in. It's true that you can sit your butt down in the bleachers and see everything, which you can't do on XC day in eventing... but eventing is WAY more fun to watch (for me) than calf-roping... Anyway, it's a big social event for the locals, and people from further away are attracted by the advertising... a comprehensive program for the uninitiated, lots of food, and a few vendors are part of the appeal (they have a lot of porta potties too)... and the rodeo clowns are great... Is there a role for eventing clowns... ? Just asking...

I agree that the Steeplechase model is good... people love to dress up and tailgate...

Hire me. I can do more, with less, than any professional advertising or PR agency out there. I brought the Training 3-day from nothing to five years of plus entrants and 100 volunteers plus a great warm fuzzy feeling in the official world that led to its recognition as an official test and the saving of the long format at the lower levels. This certainly was not a single handed effort, it took many but it needs one person to help keep everyone on the same page. In this day and age good sound PR principles still hold. Stories, releases, media, media, media. Publicity takes mothering and care, no organizer can do this, it takes a person who has knowledge in two fields - the eventing sport AND media relations. Plus a creative person with time on their hands! My advice is find the right person and you will build spectators and the event. And make sure you keep that person around and be nice to them!

Oh Oh Oh - I just thought of something else...
EN - wasn't there talk of a Bumper sticker/decal being made...if I remember correctly, you had what was it 4,000 exclusive hits from all over the Globe to EN during Rolex...well, I am pretty sure that would be about 4,000 people that would be interested in buying 'said' bumper stickers/decals...I know I would.
Throw in the website address onto them and then you'll start to have people checking out the mayhem that goes on in this site...
What better form of advertising is that?!
Then take the $$ earned from the bumper stickers and do something useful with it...which I am sure would cause a whole other discussion...

In the UK lots of big events have loads of other things going on. Bramham and Blenheim have large amounts of PC and RC events going on. Neither take up huge amounts of space but pull in lots of extra people and more attractions. At some prelim and below events there are also other things going on such a country fair with dog classes, agility, fun stuff and tradestands. Small events are also advertised on the roadside for a couple of weeks in advance and in local papers. In France they offer free entry and that way getting more people through the door means the food vans and tradestands benefit. Why not get local schools to design fences in a competition with the best one being adapted into the course and the kids get free tickets with parents? Eventing will never be populist as seen as hugely elitist but offering a good day out and plenty to do will help.

The best thing that eventing has going for us is that tons of people love horses. Look at the example of NASCAR: they the fact that everyone loves loud cars and crashes, and they build an entire weekend family experience around it. The crowds will grow if an event can give local families a cheap way to spend a saturday afternoon having fun--even if it's just a moonwalk for the kids, cold beer for the dad, and some vendors for the mom.

Lots of people have mentioned advertising, which is key, but if you put a good product out there people will hear about it and come over time. Guess how much money Eventing Nation has spent on advertising :)

I 100% support the tailgating/steeplechase model, but you need a community of people coming to the event first and then tailgating develops.

>>Polly: I was riding in the rain this afternoon (completely soaking wet), and I checked the site quickly on my phone and saw your comment. It completely made my day! I didn't show anyone the viking tats because I was too embarrassed after that pick Brett threw in the NFC championships. I think I look good in the purple face paint though, maybe I'll wear it XC at my next event :)

Disagree strongly re: professional broadcasters-there's nothing worse than someone who knows nothing about a sport trying to talk about it. Get Chris Stafford or someone else from the Eventing Radio show involved-very professional, but knowledgable about eventing.

Re inexpensive ways to make attending an event more interesting for non-participants
(1) course walk early in the morning on x-c day. Similar to this, you could offer other learning opportunities/how to braid, how to groom, how to take care of your horse after coming off cross country, how to warm up your horse before cross country. Include these info sessions in the schedule. Engage the participants in the event as volunteers for this stuff.

(2) order of go/day sheet available from the parking attendant-perhaps it could include items of interest about some of the rider's/horses

(3) have the announcer include more interesting info re: horses and riders as they're on course,

(4) raffle for free lesson with one or more of the professionals in the competition,

(5) encourage spectator movement-if you sit in one spot all day, of course it's boring

(6) some sort of quiz game for kids that would involve paying attention all day (Sample questions: how many grey horses were in the advanced division, did any horses refuse jump 6 on the intermediate course, if so, who, who wears a pink and black striped helmet cover, how many horses had grease on their legs, how many Olympians were in the Advanced Division, how many mares,etc). The winner could either be the person with the most correct answers, or, if you didn't want to have to check the answers, it could be chosen by a raffle of the people who filled out the answer sheet.

John: I hate to disagree with you about tailgating, but it is my experience (I used to run a steeplechase barn and gallop, etc. in the Unionville area) that if you do it one year and a bunch of horse people invite some non-horsey friends, you have a tailgate competition and the weather is good, the next year those non-horsey friends do their own tailgate and it grows from there. I have seen it work as an effective way to grow attendance. However, there are other (although not insurmountable) issues, including the following:

1. Alcohol consumption and all that comes with it.

2. A good space for the tailgate with good views.

3. It doesn't always encourage spectatorship. I know many people who have been in the infied at races who never even knew that the race went off because they were drunk/socializing/not on the rail.

BUT: more bodies draws more sponsorship and that can help increase purses which can help minimize entry fees (or draw the best competitors).

Just my observations. It would be great to see someone like Jersey try something like this.

This is a big topic of conversation at our recent Weekend of World Cups in Sydney. Yes, we do get more than usual spectator numbers. But the biggest issue is that often, spectators feel unwelcome, they find it hard to navigate the big spaces used for eventing competitions, eveyone who looks official is immensely busy with more important tasks than guiding a visitor to the Portaloos....and really, are cross country maps readable by anyone other than the course builder?

We are proposing to find (yet more!) vols as "Hosts" for our next big event (Sydney international 3DE) in August. These people will guide visitors from the entry, to parking, best vewing spots, food outlets, guided course walk meeting places...whatever is needed. And we are planning easy-to-understand maps for our visitors. The general public just a) don;t know about and b) don;t feel especially welcome at events.

In a few weeks, the Camden Equestriad (CIC) will be on. This is run by a committee of riders (headed up by Olympian, Shane Rose) and is held virtually in the middle of the town of Camden. These guys do their very best to get spectators - pony rides, face painting, jumping castles; accessible xc and jumping arenas, grandstand seating, yummy food. I don't think they charge for entry, either. (Have always been a rider or owner so haven't noticed).

It does take someone just doing media relations to get media coverage and it's more than the organizer can do!

The first thing I would do is several months out personally contact local sports reporters and "lifestyle" reporters (probably not at the same time.) Explain a little about your event, education them about the sport and invite them to come out to a local big name trainers place to meet them and get up close and personal with the horses to get a little taste of it. Ask them specifically how you can help them cover the event--provide stories/press releases and photo ops. Send the links to good sites like the USEA and EN. Most reporters are basically lazy. If you will promise them easy stories--don't be surprised to read your words with their name on the story--and visually exciting and easily accessible photo opportunities you can lure them in! Although keep in mind that while there are general press releases reporters are going to each want something original if you're going after more than one outlet

Once you've made contact and started developing a bit of a relationship strategically plan when and what stories you are going to send out. Something to the lifestyle/gossip section about who attended a volunteer meeting, something to the local sports guy at the closing date listing some of the BNRs entered and why they are BNRs, something to the lifestyle editor about a local trainer, something after dressage, XC and final recap. Make sure you invite the reporters to attend and assure them a "guide" to help them be in the right place at the right time and to give them some insider insight (and a free meal!) All those efforts are helped if you can also promise some advertising dollars.

The first year is the hardest and you need a volunteer who will commit to doing this more than one year. Also it helps to have someone that will keep a notebook with contacts, schedules etc that can be passed along as the job moves to someone new...

Subk you have laid out PR 101 and there are lots more things to add...but you cannot possibly expect a volunteer to take on a competition like Jersey Fresh and do this. This must be some kind of paid position. It is like herding cats for a solid year. Most good PR people do bring in enough sponsorship to pay for themselves, however. (A good one makes money for everyone.)

Is it a sex thing? Almost all men I know are more into machines than horses and it seems no amount of exciting video I show them will persuade them to go to an event even though it's almost always free and I live in the epicenter of eventing. Then I try the golf angle where holes become jumps and Woods becomes Dutton, but that doesn't work.

The YouTube stats on my videos says 75% of the viewers are women. Maybe eventing or english riding in general is perceived as more of a woman's sport. Maybe there's a general perception that guys do western riding if they ride at all and women do jumping and/or dressage. That seems to be true whenever I find myself at a hunter show and it's 95% women.

Maybe you've got to bring on beer, betting and Port-o-Potty races to get more guys out. I dunno. It helps at the races but is anyone in the infield really watching? Does that matter? Maybe a drunken human cross country race over the advanced jumps for charity? I can see the coffin at Morven Park filling up now - lol - and lawsuits.

And then there's Lexington '78 - the first Rolex - the last time the World Eventing Championships were in the US - there were 170,000 people there!!! Wow! How did that happen? Will the return to Lexington this year bring 170,000 people to watch just the eventing part? This will be very telling, 'cause if it's not more than 170,000, then it says a lot about the decline in American interest in equestrian sport and the answers to this question may lie there. Maybe we're a much less horsey nation than we use to be, but more women seem to be holding the torch, and I'm glad they are, most of my instructors are women.

Here's a crazy idea. Have show jumping at night after XC with dinner and a party like they do at big jumper shows. This would require a large tent like they used to have at The Fork when the show jumping was in the ring below the barn. Or offer a big party for THE PUBLIC after XC with food and a band. This would be an opportunity for the PUBLIC to interact with the RIDERS. I think we need to focus on promoting the SPORT not just the upper level riders.

almost asked this anoymously as I am a tad emberassed but:

WHAT IS TAILGATING!!!!

I have no clue. zip zero zilch.

I was at Red Hills in 2008 and was amazed at how many people showed up to watch cross-country. Not just horse people, lots of locals. There were buses of school groups and plenty of people that just wanted to come watch. Talking to various spectators made it sound like it was just something they did, like going to the fair every year.

They did a really excellent job of involving the community and then catering to them when they arrived, while also giving horses and riders privacy and space. Things like lots of great local food vendors, shopping, and shuttles out to cross-country made it work really well. I don't know what things were like this year, but whoever was in charge of PR that year did an amazing job.

Retreadeventer, I see volunteers doing this with big events all the time around here--I've done it myself through local volunteer/charitable organizations. Granted most 3-Days aren't charities technically, but for someone interested in the well being of the sport it could be considered one.

The biggest horsey example around here would be the Iroquois Steeplechase, which for the last 15-20+ years has been run as a fundraiser for the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. It used to be solely run by the Volunteer Horsemen Foundation, but as the event started getting bigger than they could handle they brought in Vanderbilt. Today the Horsemen Foundation still runs the races, but the Hospital runs everything else.

Which actually brings up another idea. What if an event like Jersey Fresh found a charitable group to reap benefits above and beyond costs then let them run and help staff with volunteers pre and post parties, admissions and other add on events. They also bring a big advantage on being able to ask for stuff for free--like advertising! It might take some build up before they made money, but community visibility is a very valuable commodity to a non-profit even if they don't yet financially benefit.

Doesn't Red Hills do something like that. Red Hills in the past has done a great job of making the 3-Day a community wide event!

Andrea: Do not be embarrassed! I think there is nothing more frustrating that people talking endlessly about something one has never heard of. Perhaps this is why horse people stick to themselves? :)

Tailgating at steeplechases involves selling parking spots (sometimes for as much as $350!!) that are numbered. You pay more for premium spots (near the start/finish or with a great view: think head of the lake at Rolex) and with it comes a number of admissions tickets (usually about 6). People arrive in their cars and bring copious amounts of booze and gourmet food and basically set up a fancy spread. They can wander around and find their friends or tell pals to buy general admission tickets and meet them at spot #x. It's basically 100 small cocktail parties/picnics and a place to see and be seen. There can be a theme competition (which some people get really into) such as "the roaring 20's", "english country", etc. It's not up everyone's ally, but there are lots of people who like a reason to get out there and socialize. I actually find them quite fun as long as they are not too stuffy!

Hope that helps.

perhaps advertise that everyone rides naked?

It's really very simple. Non horsey people don't know what's going on, where their allowed to go, what the basic rules are (ie. refusals, runouts, scoring, Levels, etc.)
My point is that if you give them Information or make it availble at a small fee they would feel more confortable and enjoy the experience. Also we need to AVOID using the phrase "Horse Show" as horse shows are Boring!

Horse Shows are to EVENTING is like Car Shows are to NASCAR!

I use competition, rather than show. Someone who fixes clocks for me in Lexington, Ky was asking about Rolex. Come on out I said. He loved walking around the grounds rather than his neighborhood (boring). All I said was do not go inside the white rope, watch when a horse comes by, go where ever you want, ask anyone if you have a question, and have fun. He walked his legs off, so then he preped himself for the next year by walking more before he came back to Rolex. This is my idea for teaming with run/walk shops/shoe stores. Advertising for people to come walk the beautiful grounds and watch horses along the way.

Brownland Farm does the Music Country Grand Prix--used to benefits aids awareness but now a therapeutic riding center. http://www.musiccountrygrandprix.com/

The Nashville Polo Club has a Chukkers for Charity event that benefits a local therapeutic riding center and a center for developmental disabled adults. http://www.chukkersforcharity.net/

We need to look how other horse sports are doing it and copy it--not re-invent the wheel. And remember it's about increasing awareness not just making money.

Organizing family-friendly activities or demonstrations in conjunction with the event will bring out families looking for something to do on a weekend. One comment from an event organizer raised the issue that organizing additional activities requires more work, volunteers, etc. One way around this is to invite local clubs or organizations to do the work. For example, invite the local antique tractor club to have a tractor demonstration; or local draft horse people to bring working draft horses. This would be a good way to attract non-eventing people and to educate them about eventing.

There are a *lot* of horse people out there who love to watch horse events, why not try to attract those people first? Getting a hunter/jumper, western, pleasure riding audience would be easier than non-horse folk. At least they would have an appreciation for horses and horse people and wouldn't typically need other types of entertainment. Can't you see the advertising campaign now?

"Come watch the Dark Side"
:P

I've been thinking about this - and had come up with several good ideas such as how to better broadcast the sport to the public - until I went to dinner last night with some business associates.

The topic of horses and the Rolex KY3de came up. The were horrified that I would watch that. In shock that when I described dressage it could be any kind of fun to watch and horrified at the brutality of making a horse gallop and jump (this came up innocently -- I describe sport as exciting! Well-rounded athletes! etc... who show grace and riding ability on day 1, and courage and athleticism on day 2 by galloping and jumping over logs, ditches, banks, etc...) I never got to day 3 - they asked, "what happens if the horse makes a mistake? Wouldn't you get hurt? Wouldn't the horse get hurt? Didn't I see this on the news some time back? Why in the world would you support this? You actually pay to go see this and enjoy it? Why would jump over things that can hurt you or your horse when you can jump over things that fall down in that other horse sport on TV?"

Kind of a conversation killer right there. I tried to explain the safety precautions/improvements -- but WOW were my eyes opened. It was the first time I had talked to "complete non-horsey, city folk" about eventing. I won't do it again. So I think there are bigger problems than figuring out what the kids can do and where to advertise. Those have relatively easy answers -- but just explaining the sport to a group of very well educated, liberal city dwellers -- made me see our sport through outsiders eyes. And all the inflatable jumpy kids things or tailgating spots in the world won't make them like eventing if it turns into a Red Hills or Rolex '08.

So now I don't know. I still think that explaining dressage can be done very easily on TV using graphics, even jumping. (think yellow line to mark downs in football). Horse broadcasting is HORRIBLE! I still remember Melanie Smith saying "This horse has a lot of blood" during the Olympics.... as opposed to the anemic horse that went right before? Or, when she said, oh no - the rider found a long one. Found a long what????? I'm thinking dirty by now. I know what she meant, but I'm sure John Q. Public was thinking "This lady is on crack."

Kelly, you crack me up, "the rider found a long one". But I know what you are saying. Those who rode as a kid and have not seen a horse since, who have children/grandchildren who like horses/farm/country, neighbors of horse people who have heard our banter for years but never ventured out to a HT/3-day would be our best targets. Pony Clubers and 4-Hers could be tapped into. LET US KEEP THE CREATIVE JUICES RUNNING.

Ha ha, Kelly! I'll admit to being fairly urban, educated, and liberal... and frankly folks in my demographic aren't the ones I'd go to first to talk up this sport... unless I knew they were into some sort of extreme sport themselves. They tend to be pretty squeamish, frankly, and they're likely to view horse sports as elitist (with English tack), redneck (with Western tack), or depraved (with Racing tack). Better off chatting up Regular Folk who enjoy NASCAR, XGames, and what have you. (Maybe stop short of the Pro Wrestling crowd, but that could be my urban, liberal bias talking.)

unfortunately, our sport can't and won't appeal to everyone.. it's just a matter of trying to find the right type of audience, which is tough because the 3 phases a very different. obviously xc is what makes eventing unique and at the same time is the most entertaining (especially to non-horse people.) the extremes of our sport need to be emphasized in order to find our niche, such as nascar and professional bull riding have already done.

Our sport is expensive and horses are not easily accessible to a large part of the population. Although it's never going to be as popular as American football or Basketball, why can't it at least be as popular in North America as it is in Europe. What is working in Europe that we can emulate here? What is working in other equine disciplines larger than ours that we can emulate? (Pro Rodeo has corporate sponsors, TB racing has big money purses, etc.)
Some ideas:
- PR: promote the biggest and brightest personalities in the sport. Interviews, media coverage - the WEG's being in the US are a great opportunity to get the stories out about loads of riders. This will generate interest, emotion, and ultimately a following to see that rider and horse combination through to making the team, etc.
- Corporate sponsorships: backing from non-equine industry companies (like Rolex, Land Rover, etc.)
- Advertising: covered in multiple comments above
- Clarity of rules: easier to understand scoring. For dressage, live scoring of each movement in the dressage test or at least real-time scoring at the end of the test (like they do in figure skating). For XC, share more background information about the horse and rider combinations while they are on course, hand out profiles of horse and rider combinations in event programs, online profiles, etc. The crowd will get behind riders that they know a little bit more about. For SJ, everything is already there - excitement, suspense, and you can see it all from the same seat. It's a matter of generating awareness and educating the public about what a great day of sport spectating at equestrian competitions can be. And that everyone is welcome.
- Promotions: create interest, awareness, and interaction with giveaways (like bobble head night at baseball games).

The thing that makes for a large fan base is the shared experience of being a fan.

When you are a fan of a team, you buy team shirts, you go to the game and sit with others who root for "your team". When the team has out-of-town games you get together with other fans and watch the team on TV. Tailgating is all about sharing your love of the team with others at the event. You put on a fancy spread at your tailgate party because you love the sport/team so much! BTW, tailgating started by fans getting to the game early and setting up a BBQ off the tailgate of the pickup in the parking lot before going into the stadium to watch the game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailgate_party

To get this same type of fan behavior, start by making it easier for newcomers to participate in the "shared experience" with experienced fans when they come to watch an Event. We need a single place where spectators congregate and a new fan can listen in on the people next to them to learn about the sport, about the competitors, etc. This means XC needs to be designed (whenever possible) with a central viewing point where you can see a horse on course at all times. Alternately, more Eventing Derbies that combined XC and stadium fences all in a single area - this makes it easier for spectators and then they can "graduate" to watching a full Event.

Obviously it helps if the program explains the basics of the sport, etc.

Enlisting volunteers to be "hosts" to new fans is also a great idea.

To raise more funds, we need big names who will stop and give autographs (like baseball players do before the game). You advertise that Big Name Rider will be at your event AND will give autographs, and then you put the autograph time on your website and in your program. The fans will flock to get an autograph. People will wear t-shirts with a collection of autographs from their favorite riders, other fans will be jealous and want to get a shirt full of autographs too. You can even offer special limited tickets to have lunch with Big Name Rider on Sunday. e.g. $500 per person to buy a ticket that includes lunch with 4-time Olympic medal winner Bruce Davidson.

Real time scoring in dressage is critical if you want fans to come out to watch dressage. Otherwise it holds too little appeal to spectators. Even better would be to allow riders to ride Kurs instead of a fixed test. Now THAT would draw people in to watch dressage!

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