Horse Show Software
Tips To Get You Started
Setting up and running a show is much easier if you have the right horse show software to back you up.
A good software program will help keep you organized through the show season. Organization of members, points, results, and payments are all possible through the many varieties of the software programs available.
Along with setting up a computer-based organization system, you have many other factors to consider when planning a horse show.
How Software Can Help
Horse show software helps by keeping track of
important exhibitor
information and calculating show points and financial totals. Tracking
your exhibitors and horses from one
show to the next saves time by avoiding manual entry for each show.
Calculation of money totals for exhibitor balances, payback classes, and other fees needs to be accurate to ensure you are paid what you are owed by those participating in the show. Point totals can be very time consuming to track by hand and a good horse show software program can calculate those totals quickly and effectively.
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Comparing Software
We looked on the web for sources of software that you can consider purchasing for your show. In our comparison below we sampled the free software demos, reviewed the product websites, and state our experiences with the companies involved. The companies below were selected via an internet search.Horse Show For Windows - Helpful horse show software from FunnWare Development. They offer a few programs meant to help the show manager organize show information. The website is very easy to use and navigate. They offer potential customers a FAQ page along with a site blog to provide helpful information for their horse show software users.
We conducted a brief review of the demo program. It was very easy to download and install, and all the information you need to get the program set up is included in the download along with a helpful user manual for the full version. It follows through with the many features listed on the website. They also offer to ship a program CD for a fee.
You are able to track information on horses, exhibitors, fees, points, paybacks, and year end results. It is also compatible with breed associations and can track points according to each breed circuit.
This horse show software package seemed to provide many useful services for horse show managers. It may be a little difficult to navigate for those associations running all breed open shows. You can visit their website to test it out for yourself. They also offer a couple other programs and add-ons to this program that you might find useful. Their website is http://www.funnware.com
Horse Shows Online - In a brief review of the product website we found some helpful information. They offer a user manual on the company website. We were also able to find some helpful screenshots from different aspects of this horse show software program. Another feature of this software is the internet capabilities. If you use their program you have the ability to upload show information to the internet.
The download is very simple. Make sure you turn off your pop-up blocker to allow the download to proceed. They also offer you the option to request a CD version by mail. Their CD by mail is also free of charge.
Once we downloaded the software we set up a test horse show with divisions, classes, and prizes. It is very simple to navigate and may be easier to use for small open show associations. It also recognizes larger show associations such as AQHA and USEF. You can take the test drive on their website at: http://www.timeslice.ca/hss
Horse Show Planning Overview
You must first understand that you will likely not have a horse show up and running in a week. It will take some time and pre-planning to get the ball rolling. Here we will just be giving you a brief overview of the initial steps you need to consider when planning a horse show.You may want to look at running a horse show as running a small business. As in many businesses it is beneficial to have a business plan. Begin by at least developing a mission and vision statement for your horse show defining the goals and ultimate purpose for your show.
Also you will need to take into account any start-up capital you have. This means finding any resources you have available and setting up a budget for what you are willing to spend. Expenses include the facility you choose to hold your show at, insurance, maintenance, and advertising.
Some shows find sponsors from local businesses to absorb some cost. You also have to figure out what you may want to charge exhibitors for various show-related fees.
The planning process also involves setting up a class list. Your class list or show bill can be customized into anything you choose to focus on. You will want to pay attention to feedback from your exhibitors. If you are considering running a breed circuit-approved show, you will have to follow their class list requirements.
Establishing standard show rules and policies is very important and must be made available to all exhibitors to avoid any conflict at the show.
Promoting your show beforehand will help improve awareness in the horse community about your show. You want people to know about your show in advance to allow them time to plan. Your first show or two may be small but if you are persistent and organized you will get regular exhibitors and your numbers will steadily increase.
Getting a horse show off the ground is challenging and time consuming. It is not easy and you will need a lot of patience and determination to succeed. It is also not a route to make a fortune off of either. When you make the decision to start and run a horse show, make sure it is something you will love doing rather than for the profits you will make.
It’s time for you to get started so good luck on your horse show adventure!
