Club registration/show limitations/restrictions

This stems from conversation here.

I'd like to propose one of two things (or both if you like them)-

1. Breed clubs be limited in registration to their specific breed (as of now they are not, if you read Abbey's remarks in the linked thread)

-or-

2. Breed club shows be limited to their specific breed (as of now they are not, as most have probably noticed - though horses ARE limited to one breed show per day, which could be some incentive to enter the show "correct" for your breed(s))(but are NOT restricted by whether they are registered with the club or not - I absolutely agree with her reasoning on this and was not something that had occurred to me before I mentioned it in the linked thread).

As far as #1, it seems that most of us already restrict club registrations to our respective breeds. Maybe it isn't even necessary to make that a 'thing' since we seem to self-limit anyway?

As far as #2, I feel like it gives a little more realism to the club part of the game. In real life, even if I dragged my TB along to an ApHC show with my App, I still couldn't show her there, not being an App and all...).

I have another idea that would build on the 'horses restricted to their specific breed club show' idea, but it's not something that would work without that restriction in place. Frankly I'm trying to think of ways to spur more interest in the clubs in general, because there really isn't much at present. I would like to see clubs become more incorporated in to the game, and have ideas on how to do that, but *some* restrictions need to come in to play in regards to clubs to make that happen.

Since I'm drifting away from my initial topics I'll stop for now. Please read the thread I linked so that you can see Abbey's reasoning for why things are as they are right now. Then think about what I've said here and slide some input my way. ;D

I'm on the fence about this...also:

"As far as #2, I feel like it gives a little more realism to the club part of the game. In real life, even if I dragged my TB along to an ApHC show with my App, I still couldn't show her there, not being an App and all...)."

This is true, however if I dragged my OTTB to a local show then he'd be showing against the push button ponies and the old trusties that are mixed in classes in local shows. Not sure if it'd make more sense to do breed specifics when they get to higher levels or just chop that idea in general because in disciplines like show jumping you'll still have mixed breed in the big eq, jumpers, equitation, hunters etc. Though in racing you'll see breed specifics (QH vs. QH, TB vs TB etc)

Also, if we made it breed specific we probably wouldn't have enough shows =\

I think clubs SHOULD be breed specific for registration but don't see why the shows necessarily have to be breed specific.

If the clubs are not breed specific for registration, then I don't really understand why they are breed registries. Why not "jumper" clubs and "race" clubs?

I've gotten my TB mare approved for breeding with AQHA, SWANA, and am working on GOV and RPSI. She's still only a registered Thoroughbred. The point of approvals is to open up options for her offspring, while registry is a historical record of horses born under that masthead.

I can take my TB to TIP shows, or to Open shows. But I can't compete in AQHA or SWANA shows, even though she's approved.

I keep coming back to this, and I guess I'm just not getting it, but what is the benefit to the owner registering their stock? If the breed registry is not closed, and the shows are not closed, and the foals of two registered parents get no benefit...what do I pay $500 per entry for?

Definitely agree that breed clubs should only register horses of that breed. Otherwise I don't really understand the purpose of having breed-specific clubs at all.

While it's true that current club presidents seem to only be registering horses of that breed, and most people only seem to apply to register horses of the same breed, that might not always be the case.

Personally, it would feel entirely pointless to me to have even bothered registering my horses, if any horse of any breed can be registered in any club.

I feel like the breed-specific clubs are meant for players with that breed to network, to hold contests or competitions or the like to improve that breed, to encourage people to work with the breed... and a lot of that wouldn't be as doable if any horse in the game can be added.
If I were having to wade through a bunch of Andalusians and Arabians when I'm in the Friesian club, then why do I even belong to the Friesian club, y'know?

The mega-show related suggestion doesn't matter much either way to me; I haven't entered any mega shows, as I've either forgotten to look for them, or haven't entered them. I actually assumed they were only meant for their specific breed, so I hadn't even tried to enter ones for breeds I don't play with, haha.
I can see both positives (more entries! higher payout!) and negatives (no real incentive or benefit for club members/specific breeds!) to leaving it as-is.

I am however in favor of anything that makes the clubs a bit more popular. I really like the idea of them, but only a couple of my breeds' clubs are at all active. And honestly, I also forget about them some days. So having a bit more integration or incentive to belong to them would be great.

I think it might be more helpful to separate these two suggestions on this board, though. For purposes of support/do not support button clicks, if people support one but not the other, it's hard to gauge how they feel.

Definitely support #1. It makes sense that official breed clubs only allow horses of that breed. It would make things easier for players when they're submitting their horses to clubs as well.

For #2, I like the idea of them being open to all breeds, if they are to be for fund-raising. But I can also see why breed-specific shows would make sense from a realism point of view. I'm happy with the current system, but I'd have to see how the latter would integrate into the game and other features before I gave it my support.

Thx 4 replies.

Zest- Also, if we made it breed specific we probably wouldn't have enough shows - this definitely crossed my mind, especially within the lesser-played breeds. Realistically speaking, perhaps for now keeping all club shows open to all horses regardless of breed is the better idea. Maybe re-evaluate in six months or so. I have lots of ideas for the clubs to make them more popular - and I do realize that some presidents have been doing some fun stuff, but a lot of clubs are also being somewhat neglected - and give players more incentive to get involved. But my ideas would require, at the very least, that each club be restricted to its specific breed. I had a cool idea (or, okay, *I* thought it was cool, haha) for shows too, but as I mentioned in my initial post, it too would require club shows being restricted to only horses of their respective breed (also, Abbey might not necessarily want to spend all the effort implementing the things I'm thinking about, lol).

Just today I had one of my club members ask what the benefit of registering horses is. As it stands, it offers nothing to the horse or owner, though benefits the clubs via registry fees (or, it will, once we have access to club bank accounts). This sort of question tells me that some don't really want to bother with registration if there isn't anything in it for them, and I can see why given how tedious the current registration system is (if you only have a few horses it's probably no big deal, but for those of us with... um, too many, it can be quite a pain - but of course it was entirely my own decision to drown myself in horses, lol). Some folks probably just enjoy the little registration box that shows up on their registered horses (I do :D ) but I know others desire a little more from it.

But that's straying in to different territory that needs its own post.

So, restrict registries to only horses that are of the club's specific breed? Y/N With that perhaps registration could then only show the specific breed of horse for the club, which would make things a gazillion times easier.

Maybe we can revisit the show issue a little later.

I support breed registries only allowing that breed otherwise why would they be official clubs specific to that breed? The only way I would change my mind is if there was cross breeding (which there isn't and I know there **never** will be) so that you could appendix register say TBs to the QH and such.

Sounds like most, if not all, are in favor of registries only accepting horses that are of the club's specific breed. Are there *any* club presidents that are letting in breeds other than their club's official breed? Is there anyone that thinks any breed should be allowed in to any club?