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Expert
Posts: 1218
 
Location: Too far from home | Here's what I like in a barrel race.
1.) Good ground.
2.) Good ground.
3.) Good ground.
4.) Start on time.
5.) Post draw.
6.) Move through fast...50/hour.
7.) Announcer that lets you know what number they are on, who's in the next 2 drags etc.
8.) Fast results/payout.
I don't notice the issues with time onlys/exhibitions around here. We are a smaller market for sure, and are all pretty friendly without many big-time trainers. We respect each other and the girls that do train don't try to abuse anything. Honestly, there aren't many poorly run barrel races around here. Good luck and thank you for getting started producing barrel races! Good luck!!
Edited by crazy&lazy 2014-04-20 3:47 PM
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Regular
Posts: 87
| CanCan - 2014-04-20 2:48 PM
TSlashO - 2014-04-19 11:09 AM I understand they are a money maker, and im not saying do away with them completely. Im saying run them a little differently. Ive have been to many races where i live 3 hours away. I get up at 4am and make an effort to get there early show up when they start TOs and they are sold out, yet the parking lot is empty. And people who arrive after me (generally locals) get some TOs. They know the person taking entries and call in to get their TOs. Or some one comes in at buys a pile for their friends who havent arrived yet.
When I saw this, I looked to see if you were from around here. LOL.
Random draw at a day show is my pet peeve. Leaping lizards! If you want to run early, get there early. If you want to run late, get there late. I hate getting there early only to end up running five hours later because the producers insisted on a random draw. Whatever happened to signing up as you arrive? Urrg.
I have to disagree, I like random draws. Yes, sometimes you do get dead last (trust me, happens to us all the time) but you shouldn't have to be the first person there just to get a good draw. I think its more fair too to have a random draw, or at least draw to start at a certain number, not always 1. | |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | jaydenw - 2014-04-20 7:59 PM CanCan - 2014-04-20 2:48 PM TSlashO - 2014-04-19 11:09 AM I understand they are a money maker, and im not saying do away with them completely. Im saying run them a little differently. Ive have been to many races where i live 3 hours away. I get up at 4am and make an effort to get there early show up when they start TOs and they are sold out, yet the parking lot is empty. And people who arrive after me (generally locals) get some TOs. They know the person taking entries and call in to get their TOs. Or some one comes in at buys a pile for their friends who havent arrived yet. When I saw this, I looked to see if you were from around here. LOL.
Random draw at a day show is my pet peeve. Leaping lizards! If you want to run early, get there early. If you want to run late, get there late. I hate getting there early only to end up running five hours later because the producers insisted on a random draw. Whatever happened to signing up as you arrive? Urrg. I have to disagree, I like random draws. Yes, sometimes you do get dead last (trust me, happens to us all the time ) but you shouldn't have to be the first person there just to get a good draw. I think its more fair too to have a random draw, or at least draw to start at a certain number, not always 1.
My other pet peeve with the draw is when I bring more than one horse, I want them split by 40-45 riders so I can actually cool the first one out and THEN warm the second one up. I'm to the point of not entering more than one horse at certain races because I know I won't get split up in the draw and then I'll spend the whole day stressing because I can't take care of each horse the way he deserves, so I ride like crap and come home frustrated with the whole event. Last year, I ran 3 horses at a 150 horse race and was draws 111, 126 and 130-something even though I got there a full hour before the end of exhibitions. NEVER AGAIN will I enter 3 horses at that producer's races unless I can pre-enter one online and make sure I'm only warming two up at once. My record is warming 4 up at a time and it sucks. If they want all those entry fees from me, they can make it a little less of a PITA for me to run more than one horse.
Edited by rodeowithjoker 2014-04-21 9:30 AM
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | Safety! All the other stuff is no big deal. If you have a small holding pen, limit the amount of riders in there. OR the area getting in and out of the holding pen. I know several people want to sit on their colts all day, but please do it when there is enough room. I have 2 kids that run and I hate small holding pens with a passion! It is not safe for the kids or the horses. BTW this is much more important to me since my 11 yr old daughter is going to be running my open horse this summer-she can handle him fine but if other people start jacking their horses around him, he's going to possibly scare her. Be respectful of space. and for the record, we go in, do our thing and get the heck out-others should do the same :) | |
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 Dr. Ruth
Posts: 9891
Location: Blissfully happy Giants fan!!! | By far and away my biggest pet peeve is a barrel race running late because they ran over on time onlies. And I don't agree it is your biggest money maker. You make more money per rider in an entry fee than you do time onlies. Especially pulling at least 100 like around here.
I have been asked to put on a barrel race and I like the ticket system if I was going to do exhibitions. You buy tickets and if you choose to try and do your exhibition and they get to the cut off time and you didn't get to ride, too bad, so sad.
Start on time!!!! And do grand entry, prayer, etc BEFORE the start time.
I generally handle most other things but starting late because of exhibitions will get me every time.
I will say, an announcer that announces the NUMBER they are on, not just the name, is helpful.
Oh, second pet peeve. Make sure your tractor driver doesn't disc the ENTIRE arena EVERy drag. Good grief-just do where we run and get out!!!
It is nice if results get posted ASAP. Plus, you won't get bugged if you do. Hence why computer generated programs are nice. I don't stick around when I run early. I am a "get in-get out-go home" type of person. But I like to know where I fell.
As for what will get me coming back, regardless of entry fees, is the staff. Make sure no one associated with your race is rude, annoying, etc. If they greet you with a smile and are friendly, I will come back for sure.
I will say it again, Jason Smith's crew at Fairfield BLEW THE SOCKS OFF ANY PRODUCER I have been to in Texas. Insane how much better I felt about a race just because literally every single person I was in contact with was just over the top nice and accomodating.
eta: Also, if you have only small places for trailers, and you even think it is going to be a big race, have someone out there directing parking. Oh, and being able to call in before the day of to get an entry is super helpful. Especially running more than one horse. I don't mind random draws either, IF it is a big, multi day show. For day of, I may get peeved.
Edited by sassy&tessa 2014-04-21 10:54 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 238
| Like everyone else... start on time! Here most races have 2 hours for exhibition, but I firmly believe in closing exhibitions at least 15 min before start time so that tractor driver can drag and course can be set. If you didn't get on your horse and in the arena by then, you can use your exhibition afterward.
Also, I know we have barrel horses and some are hard to get in the arena, but truly, if it takes 3-5 min to get your horse in, you aren't going in. I think that the announcers who give a 1 min gate call when things are getting too long are champions.
Tractor drivers who know how to drive. Get in, get out. Drag the dirt INTO the holes, not out of them, and do it quickly. Multi tractors are fabulous, but even then I've seen some so slow I'd rather have 1 tractor that gets it done.
I am NOT the type of person who wants to make a day of it. If I have 1 run, I don't want to be there for 6 hours or longer. I love if you can pre-enter so you know when you are running. If I'm not until #140, I won't get there an hour before start time. If you expect to have more than 100 entries, allow a pre-enter.
Club fees? Really? If I paid a $30 entry fee, I expect the 70-80% to come out of that. Not holding out $10 for club/award fees and then pull the 70-80% from the $20 left.
A decent warm up area is great, if possible. Loping circles in the grass between trailers doesn't really let me work with my horse if I need to.
Someone that keeps this flowing smoothly is a must. They can answer any questions at entries. They are sure the arena crew is there and ready to do their job when it's time, not talking and leaving an empty arena.
An announcer who pays attention. I hate when announcers sit there with dead air after someone has run or the tractor is done. They are either chatting with someone, trying to figure out the computer or times or answering questions.... they should do nothing but announce and make sure the entrants are at the gate and coming in. More time is wasted because they called a name and then didn't notice that no one was even attempting to come in the gate.
So.... in other words.... TIME. Things that eat up time add up. If there are 150 barrel racers, from start time to finish time should be no more than 3 hours. | |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| I think there needs to be a cut-off for the time onlies. I understand they are a money maker but starting the open at 9:00 or later on a weeknight just does NOT work for those of us with JOBS that we have to get up to go to the next day. I live a mile and a half from a NICE pen but I will no longer haul there because I can't stay up until 11:00 during the week! Not starting on time is a HUGE pet-peeve of mine - how they "get away" with it here is to say the open will start "not before" a certain time. I talked to Phil Goosetree from D & G about this once and he said they ALWAYS start on time, no waiting on anybody! Of course, all the "big" shows I have been to DO start on time. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 564
Location: Texas | Start ON TIME! | |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | grinandbareit - 2014-04-20 8:06 AM Honestly, if the ground is good, the payout is good, and it starts on time... I can put up with lots of other stuff. Those are the three determining factors on whether or not I go back.
i didn't read them all... but this
plus, get through entries in a reasonable amount of time. If there are 20 people in the open, show should not go until midnight! (when it started in the afternoon)... and yes, I have been to a few like that...
those are the biggest factors as to whether I will return somewhere.
Also, this SHOULD go without saying, but pick up the garbage around the arena and parking area (especially glass and wire).... I never would have thought I would have seen junk everywhere at a show, but I did. It was sharp/dangerous stuff too...and a LOT of it everywhere....I did not return to that show again. It was a local jackpot, but still... people should not be afraid they are going to get hurt walking to the arena! | |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 407
| 1. start on time
2. good announcer
3. good ground with good tractor drivers
I like a show to run quickly. when any of these fail then the show goes slow and that I absolutley don't like. | |
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