What came first the Rookie or the Pro?

As we start a new year we often look forward to new goals to achieve. These new goals often mean acquiring new skills, stepping out of our comfort zone and challenging ourselves to be more than we were last year.

Then about February, reality sets in for 80% of us horse crazy individuals, we realize that  most goals we set that require new skills, require more time, or money than we can realistically afford!

 That leaves about 6 weeks (from Jan 1 to Feb 15th)  for the horse associations to convince us that we need to join, We need lessons, that our new foal needs to be eligible for futurities etc.
Lets face some facts, competing in any horse event takes time and money,

Competing at the upper levels, such as the NRHA, AQHA and NRCHA etc. takes lots more money. Competing successfully at that level takes more time and money than 80% of horse owners can justify. Even still many of us aspire to compete at that level.

This sets up a sort of ponzi scheme in my opinion. 

The associations try to convince the 80% that we can compete in their associations by limiting the competition we have to compete against.
They do this by limiting the riders who can compete in a level based on past performance.
Example-  

1. Green - Never shown
2. Rookie - Never won any money
3. Ltd - Only won x amount of $
4. Etc.

The actual names and limits of the levels is not important, the concept is the same, limit the caliber of the competition based on the riders past success.

So why is this a ponzi scheme in my opinion?

Ponzi took new investors money, and paid it out as dividends to old investors, This worked until there were to few new investors to pay the old investors off. 

The associations are trying to attract new rookies / green riders to replace the old members they lose each year.  As the old rookies are required to improve they find they can not compete anymore and quit.
As the number of new members drop the numbers of members supporting the associations drops.

The above mentioned handicap system is the problem!

There are 2 major flaws in this above mentioned handicapping system. - one by default, one by design I believe.

• Flaw  1 - As you lower the standards so that any level competitor can compete, competitors eventually have some success and by design have to move up in levels based on success, Well The fact they had some success does not mean they can all of a sudden afford the better horses or the lessons to get better. Now they are in a level they have no success in, so they get frustrated and quit.  
• Flaw 2 - A riders ability has a lot to do with their past riding experience and the caliber of horse they are riding, With this system of the riders ability setting the level of competition, anyone from a different discipline can  compete in the lowest levels of a new discipline, Also any horse can compete in the lowest levels. This leads to past world champions from other disciplines being able to compete against actual green riders. Also High dollar talented horses can show against the back yard trained pony, 

There goes the equal playing field. 

The reason I say the second flaw is by design is actually the main thought behind this post, 

Aside from all of their lamenting about losing members and competitors, the associations are run by trainers and breeders, they are suffering the results of their own self promoting system.

The system requires people to improve as they have a little success, that means they will need trainers and breeders. The few that can afford the trainers and breeders stick around, the majority who can't quit.

Thus we get a revolving door of new members, or a ponzi scheme of supporting the industry with new rookies and green riders each year.

The reason this new group of new rookies is important to the associations is simple, they supply memberships and entry fees for a short time,
More important they supply an eager and willing set of ducks to be shot by the few new members that can afford the trainers and better horses.  Making them feel appreciative, and justify spending the thousands they spend on their way to industry stardom.
There are always a few each year that spend thousands and thousands on being the best new comer of the year. Their dollars drive the industry's trainers and breeders to a feeding frenzy.
Those type of new people are very important to an industry, but not at the expense of other less affluent in my opinion.

Why am I so negative about an industry I am part of, and enjoy? 

Because the people in charge of the associations refuse to stop the bleeding. Why I can only assume:

• They do not want to take the chance that people will want to improve as they can afford to. 
•  They feel like they need to force people to use their services because they are not good enough to attract them any other way?
• They worry that the few individuals that can afford to buy the best horses and take the lessons may get frustrated actually having to compete against others on the same caliber of horse.

I know this is a pretty pessimistic view of the people running the industry but what other explanation can there be?

It is easy to create a handicap system that involves both the horse and riders ability, allowing for a more equal playing field. 

So why has it not been done?

Creating a handicap system that does not force the use of trainers or breeders is good for the industry. It can be seen in most of the events/ associations that are larger than the 3 mentioned.

Barrel racing, jumping and dressage all out number the associations mentioned in members and participation. Why? Because the handicap system used relies on the ability of both the horse and rider.
They can compete at that level as long as they want or improve at what ever speed they want.

Guess what? The trainers and breeders in those events actually do better and they do not require their associations to force business their way.

So what comes first the rookie or the pro?   In successful associations the rookie and the pros grow, as the number of rookies grow.

 In the AQHA and NRHA and NRCHA and any other association using this archaic ponzi scheme type handicap system, the pro comes first, and they fight over a fresh crop of new rookies each year looking for the few that can afford them.

The industry needs a handicap system that:

• Helps do it yourselfers, 
• Encourages, but does not force the use of trainers and breeders. 
• Allows people of all skills to ascend to a level they can achieve, with individual time or money restrictions. 
• Allows people to compete in a level that is competitive for the riders and the horses ability
• Allows people to ride different caliber horses in different levels of competition.

To make it a little more difficult this all needs to be done for a judged event, It can be done it just takes a desire to stop forcing people to need trainers and breeders. 

The handicap system designed and used by IPHDA is just such a system. IPHDA is designed and run to help people gain the skills needed in the performance horse industry with or without a trainer.
IPHDA  was offered to both the AQHA and the NRHA, both ignored the offer. 

If we want to grow the training and breeding business we need more rookies that stay. We can not magically create more money and time for people but we can develop a program that helps and encourages them at their pace,.

The NRHA is doing the best job of attracting and losing rookies of any association. They actually show an increase in membership this year because of a Green Reiner program; 

• Lower memberships fees 
• No association fees like non pro and horse licencing
• Relaxed judging criteria 
• Etc. 

The only problem is the increase in membership is all from the lower membership fees. The number of regular NRHA members is dropping, just like the other associations, 

Once the new green reiners have to step up to the regular NRHA classes chances are most will be the next level of the ponzi scheme.

Rookies are the life blood of the horse industry, Very few ever contribute huge amounts to the industry, but individually they all add a little.
Regardless of the small financial contribution most rookies can add to the trainers and breeders bottom line, the joy of watching, and encouraging new people to enjoy our equine sports is worth trying to make a change in my opinion.

To finish I want to say that the trainers and breeders do a tremendous amount of promoting and encouraging to new people for free. 

Unfortunately like the associations they are great at attracting new people but not so good at keeping the ones who cant afford to pay later on.

I keep putting out new ideas for people to consider, hoping one of them will take hold and inspire a leader to make the changes needed. Check out the top of this blog for pages with titles as Handicap System for the Performance Horse industry based on money won or check out IPHDA you never know your opinion and voice of approval may reach the right ears to help make a positive change.

May you always enjoy riding the horse you have, until you can ride the one you wish you had.

Rod