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Dec. 5th, 2008 08:33 pmSo I volunteered at the convention today. It was an experience.
Froze my butt off riding the bus down to the 16th Street Mall. I expected the homeless guy on the shuttle (and who could blame him) but I was still shocked by the guy smoking a joint on the sidewalk after I got off the bus by the hotel. And by the guys making a drug deal on the bus when I got back on. *Smacks forehead for not being wise enough to walk to the front of the bus*.
Inside I found my way to the hall where the reg desk was, and I sat to wait for someone to tell me what to do. A hotel guy came over and asked if I had a vendor badge. I said no, and explained I was a volunteer. He told me I couldn't sit down without a badge. Thanks Freddy McSecurity.
Eventually some people appeared and told me to wait for someone else (and they let me sit down). I met Charlotte, one of those wonderful people that works tirelessly to make the world a better place for man and beast alike. I think I endeared myself to the convention folk by being friendly, polite, and actually helpful. I was fixing things with their laptops till the IT guy came and bristled a bit at my encroachment on his turf, but not before I'd managed to fix a printer, charge a battery on a laptop with a bum power cord, and show them that the USB mouse really did work fine.
After fiddling with the pooders and handing stuff out at the reg desk and answering questions whose answers I'd heard from knowledgeable staff, I helped with the gift baskets. These were interesting and varied widely. There wasn't much to do besides sit and chat with the other guy working there, though we did manage to unpack a couple of deliveries from fed ex and match 9 baskets with their owners.
Attendance at the con seemed very, very small to me- I think it was on the order of 350 people or so. I'm not sure whether to say "No wonder it was so expensive" or, looking at how expensive it was "No wonder there were only 350 people". Demographic was middle aged women, generally on the slightly plump side. I would say 95% of them were age 45- 60. It is not a young crowd, and it is a crowd that doesn't flinch from $200 "clearance" breeches and $500 bridles.
After I finished my volunteer shifts, I wandered through the trade fair, which was very small. I would have been disappointed, but things were so expensive it was just as well there wasn't much. Example- Kyra K breeches at 40-60% off were $199. Um, yeah.
There were only about 3 tack vendors and the selection was small (which I would expect on a Friday) but the prices were high. I did sit in 3 Schleeses which was cool. I kinda liked the Heike Kemmer in a 17.5 (Yeah, I guess I have a big butt). This saddler also noted how straight my legs hang naturally from my hips, and also recommended a wide twist for me, so so far we're 2 for 2 on opinions as far as that goes, which is good to know (I got birthin' hips!). I had great fun investigating the arena footing booth, which had a big pan of polymer coated sand. The stuff feels soft and light, and does this mesmerizing sort of oozing thing after it's disturbed. It's like brown amoeba. I said to the vendor, "This feels light, do you have problems with it blowing away outdoors?". The vendor was like "No- this display pan weighs 70 pounds. We actually tell people to take a leaf blower over it to get rid of debris before they harrow it."
The other cool booth was a jewelery seller with awesome designs- it was stuff that I think non horse lovers could appreciate because it was actually beautiful- very artistic, with clean sculped lines. The website is here: http://www.russelldesignstudio.com. The photos on the website do not do the pieces justice at all- my favorites were the pendants- Inlay Horse Head Pendant (I think I liked this the best) also Horse Head with Braids, and Nouveau Horse Head.
They did clever things with brushing areas of the metal and polishing others to add highlights and interest, and there was a piece (carved amber, I think) that was really just a beautiful minature sculpture.
Overall- I felt like I learned something about USDF (the convention, at least). I wouldn't go again (partly because it wouldn't be in Denver ^_^). Some of the people were absolutely fabulous. Good, kind, hardworking people- Charlotte, Melissa and Ross were all great. Some of the people were snobby rich that made me nauseous, but the really snotty ones were limited to like 2 people. Still, the organization itself really seems focused on catering to some snooty, rich, middle-aged women, with lots of buerocracy and drama, which is sad for all the other really superb people who really just want to support the sport for the sake of horses and the people that love them. I ended up with a mug, a pen, a magnet, a pin, and a new experience.
Froze my butt off riding the bus down to the 16th Street Mall. I expected the homeless guy on the shuttle (and who could blame him) but I was still shocked by the guy smoking a joint on the sidewalk after I got off the bus by the hotel. And by the guys making a drug deal on the bus when I got back on. *Smacks forehead for not being wise enough to walk to the front of the bus*.
Inside I found my way to the hall where the reg desk was, and I sat to wait for someone to tell me what to do. A hotel guy came over and asked if I had a vendor badge. I said no, and explained I was a volunteer. He told me I couldn't sit down without a badge. Thanks Freddy McSecurity.
Eventually some people appeared and told me to wait for someone else (and they let me sit down). I met Charlotte, one of those wonderful people that works tirelessly to make the world a better place for man and beast alike. I think I endeared myself to the convention folk by being friendly, polite, and actually helpful. I was fixing things with their laptops till the IT guy came and bristled a bit at my encroachment on his turf, but not before I'd managed to fix a printer, charge a battery on a laptop with a bum power cord, and show them that the USB mouse really did work fine.
After fiddling with the pooders and handing stuff out at the reg desk and answering questions whose answers I'd heard from knowledgeable staff, I helped with the gift baskets. These were interesting and varied widely. There wasn't much to do besides sit and chat with the other guy working there, though we did manage to unpack a couple of deliveries from fed ex and match 9 baskets with their owners.
Attendance at the con seemed very, very small to me- I think it was on the order of 350 people or so. I'm not sure whether to say "No wonder it was so expensive" or, looking at how expensive it was "No wonder there were only 350 people". Demographic was middle aged women, generally on the slightly plump side. I would say 95% of them were age 45- 60. It is not a young crowd, and it is a crowd that doesn't flinch from $200 "clearance" breeches and $500 bridles.
After I finished my volunteer shifts, I wandered through the trade fair, which was very small. I would have been disappointed, but things were so expensive it was just as well there wasn't much. Example- Kyra K breeches at 40-60% off were $199. Um, yeah.
There were only about 3 tack vendors and the selection was small (which I would expect on a Friday) but the prices were high. I did sit in 3 Schleeses which was cool. I kinda liked the Heike Kemmer in a 17.5 (Yeah, I guess I have a big butt). This saddler also noted how straight my legs hang naturally from my hips, and also recommended a wide twist for me, so so far we're 2 for 2 on opinions as far as that goes, which is good to know (I got birthin' hips!). I had great fun investigating the arena footing booth, which had a big pan of polymer coated sand. The stuff feels soft and light, and does this mesmerizing sort of oozing thing after it's disturbed. It's like brown amoeba. I said to the vendor, "This feels light, do you have problems with it blowing away outdoors?". The vendor was like "No- this display pan weighs 70 pounds. We actually tell people to take a leaf blower over it to get rid of debris before they harrow it."
The other cool booth was a jewelery seller with awesome designs- it was stuff that I think non horse lovers could appreciate because it was actually beautiful- very artistic, with clean sculped lines. The website is here: http://www.russelldesignstudio.com. The photos on the website do not do the pieces justice at all- my favorites were the pendants- Inlay Horse Head Pendant (I think I liked this the best) also Horse Head with Braids, and Nouveau Horse Head.
They did clever things with brushing areas of the metal and polishing others to add highlights and interest, and there was a piece (carved amber, I think) that was really just a beautiful minature sculpture.
Overall- I felt like I learned something about USDF (the convention, at least). I wouldn't go again (partly because it wouldn't be in Denver ^_^). Some of the people were absolutely fabulous. Good, kind, hardworking people- Charlotte, Melissa and Ross were all great. Some of the people were snobby rich that made me nauseous, but the really snotty ones were limited to like 2 people. Still, the organization itself really seems focused on catering to some snooty, rich, middle-aged women, with lots of buerocracy and drama, which is sad for all the other really superb people who really just want to support the sport for the sake of horses and the people that love them. I ended up with a mug, a pen, a magnet, a pin, and a new experience.
