Growing Pains

Tinysmom · Joined: 02 May 2006 Posts: 6 Location: Kentucky

Hi everyone!
I am fairly new to the discussion board, so I may not know all the do's and dont's. Want to get some feedback for you guys about show schedules. I never thought I would be complaining about this problem from where we started out with IBRA in our state, but we have way too many show requests! Is anyone else having the same growing pains? We have worked so hard to get growth in all areas of the state, and now that these show producers realize what a good organization that IBRA is, we have more shows now than a lot of the members want.
The members now think we are having too many shows booked on the same days. We can have as many as 3 shows all booked for the same day, all over 100 miles from each other, and many of the long standing members feel that we are spreading our membership too thin. I see thier point and agree with them for the most part. But I really still feel that moving out into the state and into new arenas and new areas to good for the growth of our membership. For the first time this year we have gotten a foothold into what is known to be the biggest areas of NBHA support in our state, so I do not want to turn down the opportunity to finally get some growth in these areas. I booked the shows for this season, and will have to come up with some solutions for next year.
Anybody else out there dealing with the same thing? I have talked to Karen, and she is aware of the feelings of our members and knows that this will need to be addressed for next year, but since this is a discussion board, I thought some of you might have some thoughts
Thanks

Barrelofmoney · Joined: 25 Mar 2006 Posts: 25

we just joined ibra here in pa.My 15yr.old daughter runs and i must say we have a lot of shows too, but in my feelings thats great what i think could be done is with in each state that has so many shows maybe they could hold some big shows so everybody get together every so often, we do rodeo's,4h,fun show series,so our plate is full so far i'm very happy to be in ibra there is a lot of good people that is involed so i'm not sure too many shows is a bad thing we just got to get it to work in our favor have fun chasin cans !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

panamawrinkles · Joined: 04 May 2006 Posts: 74 Location: Pennsylvania

Hello
I think that there are way to many shows but that's just my opion. I have been runing the IBRA for about 5yrs now and I love it, but it is a little hard to do other family things with so many shows being held every weekend. When I first started the director divied that state into 4 sections and divied the shows up I loved running it back then don't get me wrong I still run it but not all of them it comes down to hauling race for points Crying or Very sad

no matter how you look @ it. I'm afraid its going to get to the point were members have to pick and I hate to see that happen cause we have all worked so hard to get the IBRA up there. I think the shows need to be limited and you must have a certain amount to point the class I see to many show being held just to get the points with only 10 people in them and held over the winter mts so that limites people. Some people like to rest there animals over the winter not all just some of them if our animal haul hard in the summer that they deserve a break. Just my input.
Thanks

Don't Go Easy · Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 59 Location: Pennsylvania

Well, we took the whole winter off and are now just starting to get back out there. I like having lots of shows to choose from. It helps our state as far as awards and it gives our members lots to choose from on where they want to go.

Hopefully the smaller shows will grow. People can pick places where their horses run better. It also helps out people who have to work some of the weekends with more places to find a race to get to.

As far as the points race.. it is all a gamble and our family tries to keep it in the spirit of FUN! Smile

The 12 show rule really helps keep it from being a run-away hauling contest. Smile

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_________________
Beth
Location: Western PA
http://www.penlandfarms.com

panamawrinkles · Joined: 04 May 2006 Posts: 74 Location: Pennsylvania

Yeah your right I take off for the winter also. I still don't understand the point thing. One person I know hauls all of the time if only half of your shows count how in the world do you get so high up in the points? Rolling Eyes

( 700 points) It is good that we can pick and choose.

Tinysmom · Joined: 02 May 2006 Posts: 6 Location: Kentucky

Don't get me wrong, I love to have several shows to choose from, and I love the 10/12 show limit for points, and I think we need shows all over the state to help with membership. I am just wondering if we extended the 100 mile rule up to 150 miles between shows it would help to not spread our crowds so thin at the shows that we do have sanctioned.
For all of you guys out there that are submitting show approval forms, are you requesting sanctions on a first come first serve basis, is the 100 mile rule effecting any of the other states, I guess what I am asking is are any of you having to turn down requests for show approvals, and if so what basis? Other than an arena that would charge unreasonalbe fees, has unsafe conditions, or is within 100 miles of another booked show, on what grounds are you sanctioning or not sanctioning? We can have as many as three shows in our state on the same day, so numbers are down at those shows because our membership is so split up between the three shows. Is anyone out there that is dealing with this in their state?

cherryredloco · Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 9 Location: in barn

I joined today.. I am trying to get a list of shows in GA

Itchy · Joined: 31 Mar 2006 Posts: 40 Location: MI

I guess it's kinda like a double edge sword. The amount of shows is a good thing to a point. We too here in Michigan take the winter off, well most do. But we are also trying to move into the southern part of Michigan, so you do hate to turn down opportunities to get into new arenas. This is our first year with the IBRA and we've had such a great year, I'll continue to renew my membership here.
Maybe as we continue to grow, IBRA will have to divide the states up into divisions or regions or something, so that we'll compete against those in that area. ??
The IBRA is definately growing and that's a good thing, but with that can come the growing pains!!

Amber-OH · Joined: 05 Apr 2006 Posts: 43

The problem with extending the 100 mile rule is that people are already complaining that they want it shorter...say 75 miles b/c of the increasing prices of fuel, they do not want to go as far. Ohio had right at 60 shows last year in the state itself not including co-approvals in other states. Ohio is very divided with shows and its hard to keep all sides of the state even so that all members have a fair shot at awards. I do not know if states will ever be divided, but I can see states giving more awards to more places... for instance Ohio, PA, IN, KY give away awards to the Top 10 instead of the Top 5 in the Open...as we grow maybe giving to more places would increase participation...