Big thing I HATE about NRHA.

These fees are only for Futurity and Derby program horses. The NRBC is pretty expensive but nowhere like this.

Entry level riders can get in cheap as far as entry fees. They just do not get much chance to win much money back until they get into the bigger 'added money' events.

The added money event is a two edged sword. When you get to the level to win some of that money back, it knocks you out of the easier 'lower level' classes because you HAVE won money. Either way, the entry level classes are a lot les expensive to get into. What you do run into are entry level reiners with a lot of money that compete on $100,000.00 horses.

Yup have seen the entry level folk on the big money horses with the $100,000
Bloomer trailer and blinged out saddle......for some reason they vanish after a couple of years

Don't be tooooo put off, some of the fun schooling shows have small fees, you don't win much if anything, but it's fun.

Keep in mind this show is the top show in the NRHA. These are Aged event horses. The BIG SHOW. You can show locally at NRHA Affiliate level for a lot less. Most green reiner classes are under $25.

The NRBC is just as high. Entrie for the Futurity is $2K and the NRBC well was $1500 that was when I check for Cassie back when she was elagable. I think is it higher now.

THat was part of what I was saying. At the local levee-they are really supportive of the greenies and have a good ammie program. You can go and have fun for not a ton of $$, other than the horse and the trainer. (very few show without a trainer), and everyone is really nice. Very different from the H/J world, I assure you. But-if you want to be competitive-at all-it is pretty pricey.

There aren't very many local shows in my area anyway, and I can't really afford to haul my horse all over the province. Once I started adding up the costs of training, gas, etc.... it just didn't seem worth it.

And even though those fees don't apply to beginners, obviously it's frustrating once you're at that level (as you all know).