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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
 
Location: flatlands | This past week I've noticed that FB has been infiltrated with online panhandlers begging for money to fund their barrel racing careers. I guess I'm old-fashioned, but what ever happened to talent, saving, and--heaven forbid--a J.O.B? What's more, many of these people with their hands out are referring to themselves as "professionals..." Really? Two of the ones I started following don't even have their permits filled. I filled my permit last winter after years of working at it. During that time I went through a couple horses, gave birth twice, and all the while, maintained my fulltime J.O.B. Still, I would no more call myself a professional than I would solicit money for my personal gain. These crowdfunding sites do have their purpose and they do a lot of good, but using gimmicks and making promises to strangers, all the while pocketing someone else's dime...it just seems so desperate and tacky, and it could pose a stigma for the real professionals who deserve to be where they are. Anyone else see this stuff recently? |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
 
| Haven't seen it but agree with your assessment of it. |
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| I wish they would quit trying to sale weight loss gimmicks as well  |
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 Forever Young
Posts: 6768
Location: relocated to Texas | Agree completely. If you cannot afford to do it, then don't do it. I don't understand how a person could expect someone else to pay the freight so they could barrel race. |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | I would be ashamed to be asking for money-especially from strangers- for something like that. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 212
| HA. Someone on my FB friends asked for people to gofund her trip to A BOWL GAME. are you kidding me. I was embarrassed for her. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 490
| Theres a "friend" on my FB that is always asking for people to sponsor her run for the weekend. My rules were if I didn't have it, I didn't go.... |
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 Expert
Posts: 1898
| I would never in a million years solicit money on a page to pay my way. I think it is shameful and arrogant. With that being said, there are people who do not mind giving their money away. It allows them to be a part of something without actually being physically involved. Although I would much rather people didn't create these pages and the donors would give to a genuine cause, it is their money and if that's what they want to give it to it's their choice.
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | I don't mind helping out someone who has a true need or is going through a really rough time:
Ex- I had a friend who was a mom of two toddlers. Her husband was having health issues and had a bad reaction to a medication. He started hallucinating, even got physical with her (which was NOT him), and was basically out of his mind! This went on for a few weeks and he was even in a hospital for part of this time, until he began to recover and come back to himself. He was obviously not working while he was having these issues. I didn't mind sending some money her way to help her out.
Barrel racing or vacations is just lame. |
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 Hugs to You
Posts: 7551
Location: In The Land of Cotton | People have reached a new low and the internet is helping them. I think it is disguisting also.
I believe the only time - and along these lines - that someone should ask for help would be food, shelter etc., to escape a desperate situation, drugs, alcohol, abuse, loss of job etc.
That I would gladly support.
Edited by 3canstorun 2015-01-22 12:44 PM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 928
Location: Northern CA | It is crazy! I show cow horses and NRCHA just came out with a new rule that Non Pro's cannot use crowdfunding, they will loose their NP/ammie status!!! |
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  Texas Lone Star
Posts: 5318
Location: where ever my L/Q trl is parked | halter_ego - 2015-01-22 1:27 PM It is crazy! I show cow horses and NRCHA just came out with a new rule that Non Pro's cannot use crowdfunding, they will loose their NP/ammie status!!! and how pray tell will the NRCHA be able to prove this..... lets say a friend or family relative/business funded a show for me and someone found out- would/could that be construed as crowdfunding?
Edited by Aqhaczy 2015-01-22 1:35 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 747
| I do find crowdfunding useful to innovation, such as people crowdfunding in order to release their new, breakout album or product that will bring money back to them. But along with these, many of the donors also get something in return for their money, i.e. an early release of the album or the product before it hits the shelves.
But really, crowdfunding to go to a barrel race/rodeo?! It doesn't make sense to me. Why would you want to give someone money, so they could go try to win money? If they do get funded, whatever they win should be given back to the donor... IMHO |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 356
| Aqhaczy - 2015-01-22 1:34 PM
halter_ego - 2015-01-22 1:27 PM It is crazy! I show cow horses and NRCHA just came out with a new rule that Non Pro's cannot use crowdfunding, they will loose their NP/ammie status!!! and how pray tell will the NRCHA be able to prove this..... lets say a friend or family relative/business funded a show for me and someone found out- would/could that be construed as crowdfunding?Â
I would imagine it would be pretty easy to prove, because it's set up as a webpage where people can go to donate. All it would take would be for someone to forward the link to the NRCHA or screenshot the site in case it's taken down. I would think that the companies that run these sites also have to do some pretty meticulous record-keeping. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| This almost sounds as bad as the time they held two HUGE benefit races down here where I live few years ago. First was for a well known barrel racer who was injured barrel racing and needed money to help with medical expenses. Well, she entered her own benefit barrel race and WON IT. I thought that was tacky. Second was a futurity trainer who had a horse colic and need surgery. The benefit was to help pay for vet bill. They did not run in their own benefit but this particular person was always gloating about how much money they had from buying, selling barrel horses and tack. Hummmmmmmm |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
Location: flatlands | FLITASTIC - 2015-01-22 1:54 PM This almost sounds as bad as the time they held two HUGE benefit races down here where I live few years ago. First was for a well known barrel racer who was injured barrel racing and needed money to help with medical expenses. Well, she entered her own benefit barrel race and WON IT. I thought that was tacky. Second was a futurity trainer who had a horse colic and need surgery. The benefit was to help pay for vet bill. They did not run in their own benefit but this particular person was always gloating about how much money they had from buying, selling barrel horses and tack. Hummmmmmmm
Hahaha! That is hysterical...and yes, way tacky! I know that our industry is FULL of people who self-inflate and promote themselves beyond their means or ability. I see it daily, and for the most part, I shrug it off, shut my mouth, and remind myself to focus on what I do in the arena. For some reason, though, this is really grinding on me--I almost feel offended. I was reading some comments from one of these girls who was apparently in Buckeye last weekend, and I just got *^$@ed off! I just kept about Ryann, Jolene, or Latricia, (just to name a few). Could you imagine them promoting themselves in such a way??? What's dangerous about this is that the spectators on the outside of the industry don't know the difference. |
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 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | I have a hard time with anybody expecting sponsors or crowdfunding to pay their pay.
I see so many people begging for sponsors, etc so they can afford to haul somewhere or compete. I agree...get a job, work hard, and earn your way.
I sponsored a young girl to go to youth world last year but her family rides hard and works their tails off and she's already riding for other people some and it helped my book as well. I don't mind helping someone like that.
Then I know another girl that's done alright at a few races but she won't even attempt to get a job, let alone get up before noon, and expects sponsorship money to keep her on the road....... That seems to be the acceptable mindset nowadays. We don't want to wait or work hard for anyone.
I just sold my first book last year. In trying to make a name for myself I get up before 4am most mornings to get in some writing and promo stuff before work. Maybe I just need to quit my job, quit giving lessons and judging horse shows and start asking for sponsors and start a poor writers crowd funding campaign because I'm too tired of waiting.....at least I would get more sleep and have more time to ride!
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Shoot I know of a big name breeder that got flooded. Ruined some corrals etc. Started a Go Fund me and complained about all the damage it did to the HUUUUGE living quarter trailer sitting there. 1st of all, if you have a flipping trailer nicer than my house I assume you have more money than most that you are hoping to get to donate their hard earned money from JOBS they bust their backs at all week. Also hoping that they would have brains enough to insure a trailer that cost more than my house. Do not get me started on the Go Fund me's. It makes me want to tell the people to GO...nevermind. |
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Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | That kind of thing also makes people leery of giving to the folks that really need it. |
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 Living within my means
Posts: 5128
Location: Randolph, Utah | There is a bareback rider where I live that has a website asking for sponsors.
It's the most hysterical thing I've ever seen, he is terrible, he has the flop N pop down pat, and to top it off half the words are miss spelled and the grammar is terrible! (You should see his ad for a stud he has SMH) but because he has a pro card he's a professional and should have sponsors!
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Folks on-line