The BSPS is unique within the showing world in that the country is divided into Areas. These Areas have recently all become Limited Companies, with their own Board of Directors. Any money held by the Area belongs to that Area and can no longer be called in by Head Office.

The Areas are now franchised to the BSPS., which entitles them to use the name and logo of the BSPS. The Areas have a responsibility under this franchise to actively promote the BSPS. By seeking new members and to organise teach-ins and other events. A fuller explanation can be found in the Rule and Show Handbook.

Your subscriptions to Head Office do not come back to the areas, they are used to run the office and put on Championship Shows. Your Area is financially independent of Head office.

Each Area is financed by the profit (or loss at some Winter Shows) made by putting on shows. Sponsorship can play a large part in this.

There are certain overheads that have to be met annually by the Areas such as insurance and advertising. The insurance costs approximately £500 per Area and covers all aspects of shows, training days and social events. Each year the Area show dates are included in a BSPS Horse and Hound advertisement.

Organising a show involves considerable outlay before the day, so the Areas need to have some money in hand to remain in credit! Just guess how much it is to hire the venue, hire jumps, affiliate to the various societies, give prize money, pay Judges’ expenses, cater for the officials, hire a speaker system and the course builder and buy rosettes. Now double that number and you might be somewhere close to the amount!

Presentation Evenings take up another chunk of money, often the food is free for the children and they are presented with wonderful rosettes.

Training Days cost a substantial amount to put on; venue hire and instructors fees have to be met.

Different Areas spend their money in different ways to suit the needs of their membership. If you are not sure how the money is being spent go along to your A.G.M. and find out.

Your Area Chairman is invited to three meetings a year at the BSPS Head Office. It is very important that they attend or a representative so that they can report back to the area any new initiatives and ideas. It is at these meetings that members’ views are discussed. The Area Chairmen can make suggestions, which then go to Council for further discussion. Nothing is dismissed out of hand but the final say is with your elected Council, who always consider what is best for the whole membership not just a few individuals.

Areas usually find themselves short of help on or just before show days. Offering a couple of hours manual labour to move jumps, or manning a collecting ring for a while or helping the secretary are ways that you can help if you are too unsure to offer to steward. Raising sponsorship is also absolutely vital if every member found someone to sponsor a class we would all be happy.