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Miss Not Exciting
Posts: 3279
   
Location: Ft Worth TX | Ok guys I am looking for advice! I help put on a church barrel race every Friday night. We already do cheaper exhibition then other week night barrel races ($3 each). Our entry is also cheaper ($25) and we pay out 100%! Ground is always good and safe- sometimes a little dry. We have a good warm up pen. We get anywhere from 5-30 entries on a regular Friday- others with added money or bbr we get 20-80. Here lately we averaged at 20 riders- last race was 4! WE WANT THEM BIGGER! We had a series race (point based) with champion and reserve champ buckles in all 5 divisions and we averaged 30 entries through that. Idk how to get it consistently bigger. I was considering doing a monthly added $$$ race. Or a saddle series? Needing ideas! We do 100% PAYOUT SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVE SO FEW!!! |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| The biggest pull is added money and advertising.
Things that really make it POP:
Friendly staff, Organizational skills (starts on time, draw is posted 15 minutes in advance of start, good tractor drivers,) |
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 Expert
Posts: 1440
Location: Texas | I would advertise it a lot. You said the ground is good, but do others agree that it is good. Word of mouth and recommendations are always the best way to build a series. Maybe do a bigger one on the weekend so that more people could come out and see it is a good facility. Good luck. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | Added money and advertising. Also SHOPPING! What girl doesn't want to shop at a race when she isn't legging her horse up LOL |
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 Thread Killer
Posts: 7543
| Added money, vendors, a nice show facility... |
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Miss Not Exciting
Posts: 3279
Location: Ft Worth TX | barrelbasher - 2014-02-27 7:17 AM
I would advertise it a lot. You said the ground is good, but do others agree that it is good. Word of mouth and recommendations are always the best way to build a series. Maybe do a bigger one on the weekend so that more people could come out and see it is a good facility. Good luck.
The ground is locally known for being great all the time even when it's flooded! The wetter it is the faster. The arene is 50+ years old and has a good rep. |
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  Fact Checker
Posts: 16572
Location: Displaced Iowegian | Nateracer - 2014-02-27 8:14 AM The biggest pull is added money and advertising.
Things that really make it POP:
Friendly staff, Organizational skills (starts on time, draw is posted 15 minutes in advance of start, good tractor drivers,)
^^^^^ THIS........Added Money always brings more competitors! |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | Nateracer - 2014-02-27 8:14 AM The biggest pull is added money and advertising.
Things that really make it POP:
Friendly staff, Organizational skills (starts on time, draw is posted 15 minutes in advance of start, good tractor drivers,)
^^ All of this.
Fri nights might be a tough night to draw a lot because of all the races going on the wknds. Moving it to a different night might help.
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | I agree with all the comments above! Keep things moving and friendly.
But I also don't care if you put on a world class production.... if my horse can't handle your ground (I'm not the rodeo type! I like my fluffy 4D ground!) I'm going to go to the race just down the road. Maybe work a little more on the watering aspect and things might improve.
Can you get all (or more? I'm not sure how that works) of your races BBR approved? I'm not running right now, but when I do start I'll have plenty of options and probably won't waste my time on the ones that aren't BBR approved unless it's just right at my back door.
Do you have consessions available? I know that it might be hard if someone is getting off work, gathering horses and going to your race they might not have time to grab a bite to eat.
Who knows... some people just might not be running on a Friday night (i.e. if they have a larger 4D or rodeo on Saturday) or they might just have that night set aside for going out with friends or such.
and lastly..... it could just be because it's winter. Some people just may not ride in the winter and some people may just avoid the cold if one Friday night is colder than the last.
Is your name out there? I'd get it posted on every race listing I could. If you've only been having these races for 6-8 weeks it just might not be enough time for the word to branch out from the locals. I do applaud you for trying to improve your race and being open minded! I think if you keep trying it'll come with time! |
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Member
Posts: 26
| Since you asked and I am pretty sure this is the jack pot I wont go to locally these are my reasons:
You provide draw numbers and then when the race begins you call the draw numbers as they were drawn for instance
2
7
14
29
we don't know how many people are there and so to be ready for our run if I am 29 ( but really number 6 because of all the holes) it it tooo frustrating. You should re-assign the draw in a sequential logical format filling holes and call the real draw out much before the start of the race. The event seems very un organized and the warm up area last I was there is not reasonable for more than 10 riders to warm up - especially during the race as there are riders running out of the pin into everyone warming up.
Parking can be bad if there are more than 40 or 50 people ( you once had a BBR event I planned on attending but one of your girls posted on FB " we are expecting 100+ runners " and so I did not come because I knew parking would be a disaster. I later looked and you had about 40 runners.... so don't post your expectations as it will run some people off.
this being said - EVERYONE putting on the race are the nicest and most helpful people around so it would be great if you fixed the kinks because I would come every friday nite.
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Miss Not Exciting
Posts: 3279
Location: Ft Worth TX | KV Farm - 2014-02-27 7:51 AM
Since you asked and I am pretty sure this is the jack pot I wont go to locally these are my reasons:
You provide draw numbers and then when the race begins you call the draw numbers as they were drawn for instance
2
7
14
29
we don't know how many people are there and so to be ready for our run if I am 29 ( but really number 6 because of all the holes) it it tooo frustrating. You should re-assign the draw in a sequential logical format filling holes and call the real draw out much before the start of the race. The event seems very un organized and the warm up area last I was there is not reasonable for more than 10 riders to warm up - especially during the race as there are riders running out of the pin into everyone warming up.
Parking can be bad if there are more than 40 or 50 people ( you once had a BBR event I planned on attending but one of your girls posted on FB " we are expecting 100+ runners " and so I did not come because I knew parking would be a disaster. I later looked and you had about 40 runners.... so don't post your expectations as it will run some people off.
this being said - EVERYONE putting on the race are the nicest and most helpful people around so it would be great if you fixed the kinks because I would come every friday nite.
I think uh ace the right race! Lol
We now do have about 20-30 acres of extra parking as needed. And the warm up pen was made larger in November but we really cannot relocate warm up pen because them we won't have any parking. Would it be better to do draw # as people get there (like you signed up first so you are number 1) OR MAYBE print and post running order 15-20 mins before the race and announce it? I will tell our facebooker no more posting expectations of any sort.
I spend my whole Friday prepping the ground- usually alone but we need everyone arriving on time so we can start on time. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 357
| If your having trouble with draws, you can try a sign up sheet and then have someone pick a number 1 thru 10. So say they picked 5 the first drag would be after the first 5 riders then every 10 after that. That way no one can pick top of ground. This is how our first open 4d is done around here and works out well, also post sheet earlier. Parking is hard to fix but always an issue as to where we go also.
Good luck.. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Added money and good ground is the key words  |
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 Tough Patooty
Posts: 2615
Location: Sperry, OK | Whoop Z Day Z - 2014-02-27 9:35 AM KV Farm - 2014-02-27 7:51 AM Since you asked and I am pretty sure this is the jack pot I wont go to locally these are my reasons: You provide draw numbers and then when the race begins you call the draw numbers as they were drawn for instance 2 7 14 29 we don't know how many people are there and so to be ready for our run if I am 29 ( but really number 6 because of all the holes) it it tooo frustrating. You should re-assign the draw in a sequential logical format filling holes and call the real draw out much before the start of the race. The event seems very un organized and the warm up area last I was there is not reasonable for more than 10 riders to warm up - especially during the race as there are riders running out of the pin into everyone warming up. Parking can be bad if there are more than 40 or 50 people ( you once had a BBR event I planned on attending but one of your girls posted on FB " we are expecting 100+ runners " and so I did not come because I knew parking would be a disaster. I later looked and you had about 40 runners.... so don't post your expectations as it will run some people off. this being said - EVERYONE putting on the race are the nicest and most helpful people around so it would be great if you fixed the kinks because I would come every friday nite. I think uh ace the right race! Lol We now do have about 20-30 acres of extra parking as needed. And the warm up pen was made larger in November but we really cannot relocate warm up pen because them we won't have any parking. Would it be better to do draw # as people get there (like you signed up first so you are number 1 ) OR MAYBE print and post running order 15-20 mins before the race and announce it? I will tell our facebooker no more posting expectations of any sort. I spend my whole Friday prepping the ground- usually alone but we need everyone arriving on time so we can start on time.
No you don't.. you post what time your start time is and you start. If they are not there, they miss their run and if by chance they have already paid, they lose their money too. Unless you wanted to be nice and allow them to run very last. |
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Fact Checker
Posts: 16572
Location: Displaced Iowegian | Whoop Z Day Z - 2014-02-27 9:35 AM we need everyone arriving on time so we can start on time.
This is a "fail" for me....if you are waiting on entries, I would pack up and go home....you NEED to start on time. Just once, if the late arrivals (and it is "usually" the same ones) don't get to run, they will show up ON TIME...... |
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 Can You Hear Me Now?
Location: When you hit the middle of nowhere .. Keep driving | hoofs_in_motion - 2014-02-27 8:25 AM
Added money and advertising. Also SHOPPING! What girl doesn't want to shop at a race when she isn't legging her horse up LOL
I think everyone has an the same train of thought. Added money, good ground, shopping/vendors/concessions.
One thing that Hoofs nailed is the ADVERTISING. You could have all the above and if no one knows your there it won't help one bit. I believe your in Texas now right? They have barrel races everywhere, all the time, so you starting and wanting to grow a new series or race will cause you to need to get the word out. You say the arena has a good reputation so if you put the name on an ad people might also choose your place over the one in the next town because they like the ground better. Also scheduling may be key, don't put your show on a day when 10 other races are held in the area that offer more (Added future fortunes, BBR approved, etc) and already have a good following. |
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Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | ebarrelracing is free to post your race on their calender. Most of the stuff going on in my part of texas is on there...........or I forget about it. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | NJJ - 2014-02-27 10:33 AM Whoop Z Day Z - 2014-02-27 9:35 AM we need everyone arriving on time so we can start on time. This is a "fail" for me....if you are waiting on entries, I would pack up and go home....you NEED to start on time. Just once, if the late arrivals (and it is "usually" the same ones) don't get to run, they will show up ON TIME......
If I went to a barrel race and they were waiting for people to show up or certain ones to show befor they started the race I would not be back. You have got to start at the time listed. |
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 More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | MS2011 - 2014-02-27 8:37 AM Nateracer - 2014-02-27 8:14 AM The biggest pull is added money and advertising.
Things that really make it POP:
Friendly staff, Organizational skills (starts on time, draw is posted 15 minutes in advance of start, good tractor drivers,) ^^ All of this.
Fri nights might be a tough night to draw a lot because of all the races going on the wknds. Moving it to a different night might help.
This^^^^^Last summer my buddy and I did a Friday night series. We got about 30-40 girls but there was some of the "stand by's" that were missing each week. They said it had nothing to do with us, our ground, payout, it was because they had already left for rodeos on the weekends. If we do it again this summer it will be Tues - Thurs night. |
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Miss Not Exciting
Posts: 3279
Location: Ft Worth TX | NJJ - 2014-02-27 9:33 AM
Whoop Z Day Z - 2014-02-27 9:35 AM we need everyone arriving on time so we can start on time.
This is a "fail" for me....if you are waiting on entries, I would pack up and go home....you NEED to start on time. Just once, if the late arrivals (and it is "usually" the same ones) don't get to run, they will show up ON TIME......
Oki guess I wrote that wrong- I was not referring to those running in the race I was referring tothose helping put on the race that have change for ppl entering and the entry forms. |
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