The economy has taken an obvious toll on everyone in the horse
industry. But what affect, if any, did it have on the 2009
All-American Quarter Horse Congress? The sale of Vital Signs Are Good
made headlines (brought to you first by GoHorseShow.com) and we are aware of a handful of horses that sold in the six figures. Is this an indication that things are headed
in the right direction?
GoHorseShow.com asked exhibitors, spectators, stud owners, vendors and trainers how the economy affected their Congress and it appears as though the answer may lie in the eye of the beholder.
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Larry Little
All-Around Trainer/AQHA Judge
The economy has obviously affected this horse show. It’s youth weekend and in a normal situation you cannot walk. A perfect example a guy came in here three days ago with a motorhome and drove right into a spot and parked and that’s unheard of for the Congress. The crowds are down, the numbers are down and there are two fewer tents than normal and probably could have been three. Parking is better but the economy has affected everybody and everything and if you don’t think it has then you’ve been in some igloo somewhere.
The good news is this business survives everything. We survived the crunch in the 70’s which most of your readers won’t remember. This year has had more impact than anything I’ve seen but it’s still good. There’s still a few people looking at horses and the high dollar horses are selling. But it definitely has affected the number of people who came here to show.
Kim Reynolds
All-Around Trainer
I will tell you where the economy has affected us the most is with our two year old hunt seaters. If they were border line I didn’t bring them. Whereas before if they were border line you give them a week here and they might come around. To spend x amount of dollars to bring those customers’ horses out here and have them not make it, you don’t have that money to play with right now. You need to save it for when they’re ready to go up and down the road.
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Johne Dobbs
Johne Dobbs Equine Insurance
It seems like some of the classes are faster so maybe the entries are down. There are some vendors who are doing really well and there seem to be horses selling because they want insurance! My business is up this year so I’m very grateful.
I have made more of an adjustment overall in reassessing my advertising and putting money more where it really counts…online, and it seems to be working.
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Andrea Simons
Multi-Breed Judge
I think the economy has
affected all horse shows and the Congress is not immune from that. Some horse shows are winners and some are
losers. I think people are apt to save their money and go to the bigger
horse shows so I think you get here and you see a lot of people that
you used to see more weekends. I think people are saving their money to
go to the Congress or the World Show or Florida and I think it’s still
going to be good for the big horse shows but I have a personal worry
for the weekend horse shows. I don’t know until people start to spend
money again if we have a solution for that. That’s me, I’m a worrier
and I really want the little horse shows to work. I don’t think we can
sell all great horses. We need to have a place to sell the medium
horses. You talk to people like us who raise, breed and sell them and
there’s no market for anything that’s not really, really good right
now. It’s really tough. You talk to the people who have one for that’s
just a pinch under really, really good and it’s tough to move them.
I
think the trainers who depend on the weekend level or regional level
shows are struggling right now because those are the people who can’t
afford to keep their horses in training – maybe just bring it for a few
shows or a month. Whereas the people who have the top horses who go to
the big shows, a lot of those clients can still afford it. I think
that’s a real worry…what happens to those middle and lower range
trainers and horses.
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Tate Oakley
Western Pleasure Trainer
From the training aspect with regard to the number of horses here, the Congress has been affected by the economy but not from the tourist aspect. There are just as many people here walking around. I thought there were more people sitting in the stands watching the classes then I have ever seen before. People are having trouble being able to afford to bring their horses but there are even more people here to watch.
Parking is tough and you can tell by all of the foot traffic. There’s just as much congestion in Congress Hall with the shoppers so obviously people are still coming to spend their money. It’s the third largest convention in the country and this year looks no different.
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Shannon Wacker
Amateur Exhibitor
The economy seems to have affected the Congress this year and you can tell by just looking around. There are more empty motorhome spots, more empty stalls in the Gilligan even, and I have noticed it in the trade show too. I have tried to stay away from the food vendors by purchasing food from the grocery store. More than anything, I’m just trying to be more aware of my purchases.
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Breda Kennedy
Amateur Halter Exhibitor
I definitely see the affects this year. There are not as many people. I know a lot of people who stayed home because they can’t leave work or they need to cut back and one of the first places they’re going to cut back on is their hobbies and since this is a hobby for the majority of us, you can see it everywhere here. I know so many people who had to pick and choose whether to come here or go to the World Show. A lot of my friends chose World Show versus here and it’s tough.
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Robin Frid
All-Around Trainer/AQHA Judge
It has obviously affected this horse show. The numbers are way down. I’ve heard rumors of 800 stalls. I don’t know what’s true in that. I do think it’s good that it’s down a little bit. It makes it easier for us to prepare. We don’t have major waits to longe or major waits to ride or practice our patterns so in that respect, it’s good that it’s down.
I’ve talked to a few vendors who have said that it’s going okay so people are obviously spending money. It affected me a little bit this year indirectly. I didn’t have anyone not come because they were watching their finances. I had people not come because they had to stay home to run their business. People didn’t back out because they were watching their money, it was more because they had to stay home to keep an eye on things.
It’s still a big show and you talk to the Ohio people and it sounds like they’re a little thankful that the numbers are down. Maybe not as much as it did but it got so big that it’s just a nightmare for everyone. I think they’re glad it got a little smaller. As far as preparing horses, it sure helped (laughs) and with the cold weather this year, we needed more riding space.
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Maggie Bellville
Amateur All-Around Exhibitor
I’m still shopping and spending money because the Congress is a unique opportunity to get your gear and clothes so that hasn’t stopped me. The down economy has stopped me from shopping at home more, however. Relative to my showing, I left one at home but it does save me a lot of money and hopefully next year it will brighten up and we’ll be able to bring more horses and hit more shows and do more things.
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Kyle Brenner
Vice-President Michigan QHA
I think what kills horse shows more than anything are rumors and I gotta tell you that I heard before I got here that it was down 1300 stalls. I believe in positive attitudes and staying positive will help. Obviously the economy has affected the horse show – classes are down, it’s not as crowded, the prices of horses are down. Some of these classes are down so much that it’s quite sad. But it’s an expensive sport and it’s a monthly expense that most people cannot afford. It’s a luxury and luxuries have to be cut back on in this kind of economy.
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Christina Drake
Owner, Cowgirl Diva
I don’t think that the economy is affecting this year’s Congress as far as shopping is concerned. They’re either spending money on high dollar items or they’re buying sale items but they’re still spending. I think the cold weather has helped bring people in and it has helped us sell a lot of outerware as well. This building is pretty packed all the time, there’s been a lot of traffic.
Personally for my store I ordered lower end items and didn’t get many higher end items. I just stocked up on the less expensive stuff. I did see a change in my numbers from the year before but from the amount of inventory I ordered, it made sense.
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Scott Weiss
Exhibitor
The high dollar show horses are here but the more
weekend type horses stayed home. Personally, I’ve tried not to go out
to eat as much and I’ve tried to stay away from the concession stands
by eating more back at the stalls. It seems to be working.
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Adria Smith
Seaside Farms, LLP
It seems that since a lot of mares were left open last year that this year people are here and wanting to breed. Amy Gumz has been busy on Stallion Avenue talking to people and we’re signing breeding contracts. Hopefully that’s a sign that the economy is improving!
