WEG

[Sue_C.]

After reading this, I can now more fully understand the Registry taking the option of losing the $15,000 or so already invested, and stepping AWAY from this event. How sad...

2010 Alltech WEG: World Extortion Games
Tue, 07/13/2010 - 14:51

Letters to the Editor

(This letter to the editor was sent by Susanne Lauda of the Baden Wurttemberger Breed Society to Warmbloods Today. We reproduced this letter with kind permission of this magazine.)

For the first time we will have the World Equestrian Games in the US and I think it was about time. But something must have happened when the spirit of the games travelled over the Atlantic Ocean – everything got twice as expensive as it was in Europe.

I know the economy is tough and the WEG organizers are trying to make as much money as possible, but the economy is tough for everybody!!!

We are a small German non-profit breed registry, and thought that this event would be the perfect occasion to become better known outside of Europe. And so we were among the first ones to sign up for a booth. With US$ 15,000.00 for a 9 ft x 9 ft booth, this was already twice as expensive as it was in Aachen in 2006. But again, we still believed this to be a great event and wonderful opportunity, and so we decided to bite the bullet. Surprise, surprise, after we had already paid for the booth in full, we found out that we had to purchase additional liability insurance for US$ 500.00. Liability for what – we do not even have horses at our booth? In my everyday life I am a sales engineer, and attended countless tradeshows all over the world – but nowhere did I have to buy additional insurance for a booth.

The ticket prices are not exactly a bargain either – e.g. US$ 560.00 for the cheaper seats for the 2.5 days of dressage is pretty hefty. But on top of that guests have to buy a day pass if they want to come into the horse park on the day where there is not dressage. The same is true for the other events such as jumping. Well, those off-days in between the series are the ones that we as a vendor were hoping to see the most people at our booth, something that will not happen if they have to pay extra for a day pass.

With almost US$ 400.00 per night for a hotel room, which a vendor needs for at least 17 days, we are again talking about major expenses. Why a hotel room needs to be more than twice as expensive during that period is a mystery to me. I can understand that hotels do increase their prices during major events, but US$ 400.00 for a regular business hotel, nothing fancy or even close to downtown, that seems to be a bit much for me.

And now the latest and greatest is a charge for the shuttle buses between the hotels and the horse park. Again, I have been to trade shows, conferences and exhibitions all over the world, and not once did I have to pay for the shuttle bus service.

We will be 4 people at our booth, two of them have to fly in from Germany, and between the 4 of us we already spent close to US$ 34,000.00, and the WEG has not even started yet. We still need furniture for our booth, at which, by the way, we are not allowed to serve any refreshments to our guests, because the organizers have that stipulated with their concession company. This is a lot of money for a small non-profit organization - I just hope it was worth paying more than twice as much than in Europe four years ago.

Susanne Lauda

Baden-Wurttemberg Breed Registry

Letter courtesy Warmbloods Today - Visit Warmbloods Today on Facebook

 

[Shari]

Sadly, those prices do not surprise me.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Wow those prices are redicolous and its no wonder AMHR would step down, however you would think before they spent any money they would have done some research first.

 

[muffntuf]

The sad part is the management seems to keep coming up with more costs that breed registries have to cover to be there. That is poor management and this may very well be a black eye for the US as a whole they way it is being managed.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I agree, that's pretty sad. Why on earth a booth needs that much liability insurance when they have no horses, no activities that could be risky, I do not know! It's shameful that hotels jacked their rates that much. I was able to find several rooms for friends for $75 a night when they were mostly sold out already last October so they WERE out there if you looked. Hard to do from Germany though....

Leia

 

[~Lisa~]

We should have never agreed to go in the first place it was not our target audience- IMO

I am glad the BOD finally saw thru the smoke screen(and a rather good one at that) our promotions person was putting up and opted out.

 

[chandab]

:arg!

 

[Loess Hills]

This is a very interesting, candid comment from Germany about the World Equestian Games. A very sad commentary.

 

Wonder if we will ever hear an full explanation of why AMHR first spent the money, and then pulled out.

 

[ClickMini]

Well, there is ONE target audience there, if the registry would market to them!!! That is the combined driving discipline. I don't know what it would take to show off a 4-up of Shetlands or Minis during a break, but wouldn't that show the capabilities of the wee ones! A pair of tall Shetlands would be more than capable of competing in the pony division right up through the levels. I personally know someone that is competing at intermediate with her VSE, and has successfully competed at an advanced horse trial. It would be very nice if the registries would partner with ADS and recognize that this is a very strong niche for our breed!

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Sounds like everyone was in the dark. Thats too bad. Has anyone heard about anybody else pulling out?

 

[ruffian]

This isn't any different than any other world class event. The prices skyrocket. My former employee is now a major sponsor of the Olympics, and they are spending billions! They spent 5 million to put their name on a local sports arena that was decaying. Try to find a room around the Derby or the Indy 500 or a major golf tournament. Vendors will charge what the market will bear and the market will bear it if they really want to see it. IMO AMHR should have pushed on.

Liability is a huge concern that needs to be addressed. This is a nation wide problem that the insurance companies and lawyers are living high on the hog on. If someone is clumsy and trips on your sidewalk, it's a lawsuit. Spill coffee on themselves and it's hot? It's the seller's fault. Anywhere around a horse? HUGE LIABILITY ISSUE!!!

 

[Aristocratic Minis]

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are organized by a non-profit body. Unlike previous Games in Europe, they are not governmentally sponsored. The upcoming Games in France will nearly 60% state funded. The USA 2010 Games are funded only through ticket sales and sponsorships.

Businesses are also staying away. Currently only 140 of the 300 tradestands have been taken. Stands cost a minimum of $15,000 for a small booth.

A number of groups who had invested money in a tradestand are also backing out as they find out the additional insurance costs and costs of food and hotel expenses for workers for 17 days will be exhorbitant. Hotel rooms are being priced at $500 and only IF they are available. Some are booking rooms in Louisville or even in Cincinnati. As far as parking or transportation to the games, that is also an area where spectators are being gouged.

As of July 14, 2010, only about 270,000 of the 600,00 tickets have been sold. About 31,000 tickets have been sold to people abroad. Tickets are expensive compared to the previous years in Europe. It will cost $300-$390 (£198-£258) to watch the Three-Day Event, compared with four days at Badminton, UK (£70, or £50 in advance, including a grandstand seat for Showjumping).

Organizers have said the economy is mostly to blame for more people not buying tickets. In response to that the WEG has temporarily slashed ticket prices on some preliminary events by 30% until Sept 6. Unfortunately, those who purchased tickets EARLY are not having that amount refunded to them.

I am hoping that the WEG will not be a complete failure because it will make it unfeasable to have the WEG in the US in the future.

 

[muffntuf]

I have a sneaking suspicion that the WEG group that is managing the event is actually forcing the registries to cover the event insurance wise instead of them covering the liability. I would have liked to be a fly on the wall for some of these conversations for WEG.

To me, we blew out big opportunity for this event to rotate to the US on a more evenly distributed basis.

Who can afford the $560 for a 2 1/2 day event? They thought there wouldb 60,000 in attendance daily, but I wonder if they have had to adjust that now. I know they lowered tickets for some of the events because they were not selling the tickets.

 

[Hal & Deb Bryant]

I will post a picture on the Gallery, I hope you all will take a look at it, for some reason it would not post on this page.

It is a picture taken with past Saturday at Kentucky Horse Park at Breyerfest.

"Cloud" and J.J." are the lead team of our 4-up hitch of Classic Shetlands that we were

going to bring to the World Equestrian Games.

Oh, how I wish there had been better information out there for everyone regarding this event!

WEG is really 2 events in 1: the Competition and the Trade Show

If you want tickets to the COMPETITION - yes, tickets are expensive.

The cost to The Trade Show however is ONLY $20 in advance! $25 at the gate.

And children under 12 are FREE!

That $20 gives the visitor access to the Equestrian Village where the Clinicians will be,

to the Trade Show where our ASPC/AMHR booth would have been, where the Taste of Kentucky (the areas showcasing the state of Kentucky) will be, where the different horse breeds, vendors and many other events will be - all for only $20.

Daily, we were scheduled to:

lead the Parade of Breeds around the grounds,

do a demonstration driving exhibition

Question & Answer Session

Work the Booth & work the Crowd

We (the Registry) were not going to WEG to compete! - We were going to WEG to take full advantage of the

opportunity to PROMOTE the Miniature Horse and Ponys at this event at the Equestrian Village! All for only $20!

We were informed this past week-end that the shuttle cost in only $2.00.

Yes, the attendance may be down BUT if the attendance is down from 60,000 to 30,000 - lets do the math--

16 days at 30,000 (visitors) = 480,000 visitors at ONE NICKLE EACH - that is only $24,000.

In our opinion - That's a nickel well spent!

We have missed a very big opportunity to promote ourselves.

 

[Minimor]

Well, I'm sure glad that our registry pulled out of this after wasting only $15000 or whatever amount it was--rather than staying in and throwing another $15000 or more after that. Sorry, for that kind of money, I don't think that WEG was a great promotional opportunity! It wasn't even a GOOD promotional opportunity!

As far as promoting small equine in combined driving events, I'd say the best way to do that is to have some drivers actually out there competing in CDE with their ponies.

 

[~Lisa~]

Yes I agree CDE and ADS as a whole is a market we need to promote at however I personally feel it can be done on a more localized level for alot less money