How do you budget for shows?

Saw this on another forum, and thought that was a pretty neat topic.

Don't have the answer, but would like to hear others' on it. One lady said that she tries to pay off other debt before show season.

If it's an open show, where I'm getting the youngsters used to things, I usually end up getting more back than what I spent, so I just go - no biggy.

Quarter shows, that's a whole different ballgame. I have to budget that, especially since I'll be showing two now and maybe three later.

And besides working my fannie off as much as I can, I don't have the answer. Somebody said have like a kitty. Well, my kitty gets used up for tires, clothes, I need new tennis shoes, Mom, I need more jeans....

Anybody?

I do an excel spreadsheet of the show, class cost, stall cost, DJ or SJ, hotel estimate... then I look at the shows to see the cost, vs the attendance of last year and of course the points from last year to figure which show to attend and the over all season costs....

Then I spend my tax return $


Its a hard call, you know when we get to the shows we snack more, and we shop more at those traveling tack store... I swear i buy a new show halter or some big investement at our fall futurity every year.... gets bad when the sales lady knows my name and what color scarf i don't have

Oh, I totally agree on the snacking. I take a ton of food with me, enough for a week, I don't know why, but I do... and the boys were wanting to go to the snack bars all the time. But I always cooked out hamburgers or chicken legs at night - we always had a blast - kind of like a mini-vacation. I think that's why I like showing so much, because it feels like a mini-vacation to me.

Spreadsheets... girl, you have got to be kidding me! Me, grab a piece of paper, any kind of paper, figure out the costs, have it in my head, know the shows/judges I need to go to and go from there. Are you an accountant/bookkeeper? Sound like one. HA!

But using the tax refund is a great idea! Seems like mine always get spent before it even gets here, same thing with Rick's bonuses....GAWD!

Yes occupation given away... I am a bookkeeper.

Good ideas!
I take lots of food and drinks and I have a fold away grill that is awesome, cooks like 14 burgers at once!
As for the cash-flow side, I say honey I need money!

Well, OLF, I kind of figured that. You guys crack me up.

I absolutely hate bookkeeping... worse than that is filing!

OLF, do you have an LQ or do you stay in a hotel? I sold my big LQ a couple of years ago, and now I wish I hadn't. Now, I've got just a space for an LQ, but I'm going to need to get an AC in it, or I'll be staying in the trailer and Rick will be staying at the hotel... HA! I'm seriously afraid to leave my horses... goes back to Kid being such a big baby!

Boy, I'd load that fridge down, or if I knew I'd be showing somewhere where they had a Braum's - love their milk, meat, etc., I'd just stock up once I got there. Seems like it cut costs that way, course sometimes they'd charge $30-40 for hook-ups, which some places you can actually find a hotel for that price...I just like being around all the surroundings... if I want to go and take a nap, I do; if I want to watch the show, I do; if I don't, then I don't...

My friends and I do lots of sharing. For instance, right now my best bud can't afford a new western saddle, and her old one broke. Since I have a work and a show saddle, she borrowed my work one. Trade off: at last weekend's show, we stayed at her grandparent's house instead of paying for a hotel. Do that sort of thing all the time. Show sheen=mucho expensive, so we split the cost of those HUGE gallons of it.

I appreciate the fact that my parents LET me show and so I really watch the budget, and try to make it as afforable as possible.

Other than that, I do some skimping- since Rudy's got a pretty decent tail, I've got away with not buying a fake one. And my show clothes/blanket are off eBay, which saved tons. Pretty high quality too, I was impressed

We have a mexican night we all bring a covered mexican dish meet at someones trailer and have a fiesta ,Margaritas included there is one dinner ,next night grill night hamburg hot dogs etc always bring drinks ,popcorn chippies and etc snacks cuts down on food and its fun ,that show food will kill your pocket book .and buying drinks there will also sometimes we go to town and do subway etc share a hook up if you can ,why pay for 2 if you alone see who has the bigger trailer and offer to share if you comfy with that person and who knows share a ride and split expenses,especially fuel this year not looking good sorry gas here is 2.82 for regular and 2.93 for diesel and summer has not even started yet ......I shop a a grocery store that has fuel points so that helps a lot .There is one show here Im not going to this year because of the prices how about
115.00 for a stall and 100.00 for a hook up my house electric is ony 65.00 for 30 days give me a break not this year sorry priced them selves right out of the market and I m not the only one I think those people are going to be suprised this year now you have to figure 200.00 in fuel to get there
so were at 400.00 with out a class no thanks I could go to vegas for that ...

Good Lord, $115 for a stall and $100 for a hook-up, you're right... they definitely out-priced themselves there! WHEW!

They say gas may go up to $4.00 a gallon this summer... figure $4.25 for diesel...which is just absolutely stupid!

We mostly go to open shows and always seem to pay back entry fees, fuel, and have enough left over to pay for the next one. Been lucky that way, I guess. We pack food with us. Brennen and I are planning on going on what is called the "milk run". A week straight of open shows all one town over. We have it set for Wade to bring us refills of food and feed. My mom is taking the other 2 kids for the week. Which leaves me 2 less ponies to haul. We will cook most of our own food and save by sleeping in the trailer or a tent.
I want to go to some QH shows so that Vamp can get her ROM.Her getting one would eliminate 7 appendix papers here. Her, her 4 kids and her 2 grand kids. Worth it when you average the cost between them. Haha. Problem being there are few QH shows within 4 hour drive with barrels and poles.

Sounds like a plan, Reiningfan! My problem is, if I do go to any of the real close shows, which I'm just about oh, 1 1/2 to 2 hours from the big boys, guess who will be there...I don't go to those (learned my lesson on that) till I think I can be real competitive. So I'm with you, my favorite shows are about 5-6 hours from me; one reason why I can't hardly do it when football's going on...

But you're right, there's one open show that I really enjoy going to, and now I've learned just to give them a blank check, because I always end up getting more money back, which is just way too cool!

budget?? What's that?

Haha, denibun!!! I was waiting for someone else to say that so I could second it!!! Everyone else seems so organized it's scary!! I guess if we were to get into it in a major way with faraway shows with lots of hotels food and gas (not to mention the stalls and entry fees!) we would have to be more serious!! I also agree with 7cedars about the open shows. Some people look down upon them and think they are second-rate and although it's truee there are no points, the competition can be as fierce as AQHA and the classes are defintiely bigger. With gas prices so high the big guys in all breeds pick these open shows to do their tuneups and practice . You should have seen all the big rigs, fancy outfits and even fancier horses at the little open show we went to last weekend!!

I'll tell y'all a little story... but shhhhh, don't tell anybody... HA!

I think it may have been the first show of the season - not sure. I have a routine, everything's packed in teh trailer, except for the clothes, which I do once I get the horses loaded, and I just throw that in there, so I won't have to walk all the way to the barn...my brushes and such I always put up AFTER I've given the horse a bath. Anyhoo, something/somebody interrupted me - can't remember what, though. So we're probably 45 minutes from getting to the show and all of a sudden it dongs on me -- literally DONGS!... oh, MY GAWD, I FORGOT ALL MY STUFF! My curries, my rubber mit, my brush, my mane comb, my Pepi, freaking everything!

Luckily we were going through a town that had a Tractor Supply, and if you don't think I didn't take a left instead of a right... good Lord! I swear!

I've forgotten my Coggins papers and registation papers before!! Then we printed up a bunch of copies and stored them all over the truck and trailer, so that if I forgot my copy at least we would be able to find another copy LOL!!!!!!

here's another one, so you won't feel alone. First time I was taking Kid up to an Arkansas show, boy was I pumped! Got on I-30 and thought, OH CRAP, I don't have a freaking COGGINS! Now, see, I'm going to blame all of this on Rick because he's always rushing me that we have to leave at X time or the heavens will fall - I've learned now that the heavens won't fall...

so what I'd do? Called my vet on the side of the road, gave him Kid's info, had the QH journal with me, where the show had listed a nearby hotel with a fax #, and so I told him to fax it there, plus the health paprs, of course... So we get to the hotel, that we weren't staying at, and I pick up my papers... the vet had a field day with me when we got back!

thank goodness most places here don't ask for coggins. I take up to 9 horses to open shows. I run from early morning till dark, and if I forgot my papers, which I would if they were required (I always remember them when we don't need them), do you think Wade would take time out of his day to deliver them? Not bloody likely.
I have also learned to have two of everything when it comes to grooming supplies. Leave one rubbermaid tub of them in the trailer and you'll never forget them.
Have got half way somewhere and realized we had no saddle blankets. Once I forgot my belt and buckle, but Brennen was nice enough to share his with his poor old mom, after all, I pay his entries. Now I make a list, print it off before each show and check stuff off as a load it.

O Ya I have to print off lists then double check. The big thing I think is knowing where you can eat to save money. Like maybe not bring food but know where the grocery store is and grab regualr food for the weekend. Also if you travel in "herds" everyone take a night or every X number of people take a night and make dinner. That helps alot. But being prepared I think makes the most cost difference, make sure you have everything.

For me everything is budgetted, I can't afford not to.