The system that seems to be working for
us is: Charge an adequate fee, then offer a $25 discount for entries
postmarked by 10 days before the ride. Most of our Swanton Pacific entries
are in, and only a couple of people entered late enough to forfeit the
discount.
Barbara McCrary, ride mgr. Swanton
Pacific 75/100 "The Most Beautiful Trail in the World"
In the past we tried every trick in the book to get people to
at least notify us they were coming. The reasons you need to have a nose count
are many from know how many completion awards, how many vets to get, how much
food, if you need an "overflow" parking area, etc. What we found
is nothing seems to work, you still get a lot of people just show.
I
remember one ride a few years ago the RM almost canceled because she only had
19 people pre enter. All she asked was you send in the entry, emial or call
her - no money. We talked her out of canceling and over 100 people showed. up.
Is it really too much to expect of riders to have the pick up the phone and
call and say - we're coming? And people wonder why ride managers have gray
hair.
Truman
Kristen A Fisher wrote:
Those are very goods points about pre-entry! After doing a ride in April,
they had 50% more riders than in the past, the vet checks were pretty backed
up because they didn't know the # of horses would warrant more vets. SO even
if you don't pre-enter as a courtesy to RM, pre-enter for selfish reasons
[more vets!]
I do think 60 days is more than long enough to wait for a refund though.
So Dawn what ride are you going to manage?????
Kristen in TX
--
"It is necessary to
be noble, and yet take humility as a basis.
It is necessary to be
exalted, and yet take modesty as a foundation."
