Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I'll agree with you there, Teri.  Fairness is very important.  And I agree with Sandy - prompt refunds are important.  We've caught holy heck from competitors for our late fee charges, and our refund policy.  But we stick to our guns and charge everyone the same, and do our best to give timely refunds.  Sometimes it's difficult - if a refund has to come through a group or an organization it has to get signatures by certain people, and you have to wait for those people to come in to sign the checks.  So I think you need a bit of patience at times.  But absolutely - a ride won't get returning riders if customer service is not good!

As a matter of perspective - I pay $75 for a one day, unrecognized horse trial.  I ride my horse in a 3 minute dressage test, a 2 minute stadium course, and a 5 minute cross country course.  All I get out of that is a ribbon, if I am lucky, and a copy of my dressage test so I can see the judge's comments.  If I need a stall - extra.  If I want food, I pay for it.  Grand total amount of time I am actually on my horse - maybe 1 hour, with warm-up and cool-down.

The 50 mile endurance ride I am running in April costs $80, plus the additional per rig for camping.  You get a tee shirt, plus a completion prize, plus dinner, plus coffee in the morning, plus a small lunch at the end of the ride.  Plus fabulous vets and your vet card given to you at the end of the ride.

So from my point of view, endurance is STILL a bargain!  AND - it's much more fun!  Maybe this fall I'll make my little horse trial-ing Thoroughbred in to an endurance horse.  Then you all will have a run for your money in the 25 mile turtle award category!  : )

Alissa

On 3/16/07, Teri Hunter <teri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

You were charged $15 per rig.  I was talking about $20 per horse.  If you had two horses some people were charged $40. I had one horse and two nights camping would have been $40.00.  That is fine but then Joe down the way better be paying the same thing.  Fair is very important.

 

I can see per rig per night but not per horse.  There is one ride we go to who use to charge $8 per person per night. 

----- Original Message -----

From: Alissa Norman

To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 1:10 PM

Subject: [RC] Costs of rides

"Then the $15.00 per meal.  I remember when the camping and meal were
included in the ride fee.  That is how an entry can start to escilate, the
associated fees.  To reduce the cost I don't sign up for the meal.  This


saved me $30."


The reason you state above (I didn't sign up for a meal, saved $30) is EXACTLY
why ride managers are separating out the cost.  It gives you the option to save
some money.  For my ride this year the cost I have to pay the park for camping


jumped from $5 a rig to $15 a rig, per night.  Instead of increasing the entry
fee for everybody, we are having people pay the camping fee as an "extra."  So they
have a base ride fee, and then pay per rig, per night.  So if you live close and only


need to camp one night, you save money.  If you car-pool, you save money.  I think
separating out those costs HELPS.  It really sucks for the poor ride management,
keeping track of all that.  But definitely helps the competitor.



Alissa Norman
Foxcatcher Endurance (Maryland)