Your Equestrian Escape
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Equestrian Center
Clinic Host Package with Melissa Ashcraft
Melissa Ashcraft is an International Equestrian. She has traveled worldwide giving performances, demonstrations, presentations and clinics. She is an extremely well rounded and uniquely diverse trainer/clinician/competitor and performer who offers beginner to advanced riding instruction in addition to training in dressage, jumping, English and Western pleasure/equitation, driving, western dressage, reining, long-lining, natural horsemanship and trick training.
Melissa is available to do clinics at her home base, Transitions Equestrian Center, in LaPorte, Indiana or to travel to you.
Hosting a clinic with Melissa Ashcraft can be fun and rewarding. This Hosting Package explains what is involved in hosting a clinic. Hosting a clinic can be very beneficial, both personally and financially.
1) How to Become an Awesome Clinic Host
Book well in advance! This will secure dates and give ample time to promote your clinic.
Choose your facility! Before you determine the type of event, you need to take a close look at the facility you will be using. Considerations include; option for indoor or covered arena in case of inclement weather, option for round corral, stalls or paddocks for riders traveling a distance, hookups for living quarters, trailers and campers, seating for spectators, parking spaces, restrooms, and meeting area for lectures and lunches. Participants may ask about arena size, footing, etc. so be prepared to answer these questions.
Choose your clinic type! Melissa is well diversified and offers a variety of clinics, demonstrations, lectures and performances. She is flexible and easy to work with, we will work with you to help you design the best clinic for your riders and horses. If you have a unique event in mind, let us know.
2) Pricing
2-day booking for Melissa is $725/day (additional fees if assistant instructor is needed).
3-day booking for Melissa is $650/day (additional fees if assistant instructor is needed).
4 or more days' booking for Melissa is $600 a day (additional fees if assistant instructor is needed).
3) Topics and Themes
As the clinic host you are able to choose a topic(s) or themes for your clinic. We center the focus around a theme to provide flow for the clinic. The following is a general list of options for you to select for your clinic.
Developing a Horsemanship Foundation
Developing a Foundation - The Start – Horsemanship 1 (on-line)
Developing a Foundation – Horsemanship 2 (on-line and starting in the saddle)
Developing a Foundation – Horsemanship 3 (on-line and freestyle)
Developing a Foundation – Horsemanship 4 (freestyle to bridle-less riding)
Developing a Foundation – Horsemanship 5 (finesse)
Dressage
Dressage 1 – Introduction to Dressage (any saddle is fine)
Dressage 2 – Establishing a Connection
Dressage 3 – Lateral Work
Dressage 4 – Advancing Your Dressage
Western Dressage
Western Dressage 1 – Introduction to Western Dressage (any saddle is fine)
Western Dressage 2 – Establishing a Connection
Western Dressage 3 – Lateral Work
Western Dressage 4 – Advancing Your Western Dressage
Liberty
Liberty 1 - The Start – Developing a Foundation (on-line)
Liberty 2 - Creating A Connection (on-line and in round pen/small area)
Liberty 3 - Advanced Liberty (on-line, in round pen/small area and open area)
Trick Training
Trick Training 1 – The Foundation
Trick Training 2 – Advanced Trick Training
Long-Lining
Long-Lining 1 – Getting Started
Long-Lining 2 – Beyond The Basics
Long-Lining 3 – Advanced
Desensitization
Desensitization 1 - Online
Desensitization 2 - In Saddle
Desensitization 3 - Obstacles (obstacle course,water, trailer loading,trails etc.)
Jumping
Jumping 1 - Getting Started
Jumping 2 - Beyond Basics
Reining
Reining 1 – Getting Started
Reining 2 – Beyond The Basics
Reining 3 – Advanced - (with bridle and bridle-less)
Problem Solving
Problem Solving 1 - ALL Problems In Hand
Problem Solving 2 - ALL Problems In Saddle
Perfect Patterns And Posture - All Disciplines
Perfect Patterns And Posture – Getting Started
Perfect Patterns And Posture – Beyond The Basics
Perfect Patterns And Posture – Advanced
4) Sign Booking Contract with Deposit
5) Marketing and Promotions
Promoting the clinic is a fun way to connect with your current list of students/friends and to build new relationships. We offer many tools to get started promoting the event and we will help promote your clinic amongst our students as well.
Social Media is a great way to connect to your large community, especially Facebook.We will create a Facebook event for your clinic and will have you listed as a Co-Host of the event. We encourage you to lead the conversations of the group and answer the questions from the students. Share inspirational and educational posts from the Melissa Ashcroft Horsemanship page and YouTube Channel.
Promotional flyers – We will supply you with a clinic downloadable flyer that you can print out and include your information about the clinic. These flyers should be posted at all nearby barns, tack shops, feed stores and other locations frequented by members of your horse community.
Email Marketing – Information about your clinic will be sent to subscribers on our email list.
6) Auditor
Auditors are a great addition to clinics. You can charge for auditors. Generally it is $20 - $35 per day, and many clinic hosts offer a discount for auditing the entire clinic. We recommend that you offer free auditor passes to friends, family, clients and other trainers in your area in order to build long-term interest in our clinics and your barn. Auditors tend to lead into future participants. (No Auditors for Trick Training Clinics.)
7) Business Development Ideas
We are happy to help you build your own business. We can help with fundraising events, youth group events, open house events, holiday parties, speaking engagements, retreats, promoting your retail product, or other ideas you may have.
Sponsorship opportunities from local businesses are sometimes excellent options to help cover the cost of different aspects of hosting a clinic, such as; travel, lodging, promotions, arena rental, clinic fees…. As a way to give back to sponsors, some clinic hosts offer benefits to sponsors, such as; setting up a vendor space during the clinic, hanging a banner at the arena, and listings in promotional material and social media posts.
8) Accommodations and Meals
It is up to the host to decide if they will provide meals and drinks during the clinic, how much they will provide and if they will charge for this. You might offer a group dinner or potluck so everyone can connect.
Participants traveling from out of town will need to know what accommodations are available: camper hook-ups, hotels, and local rooms.
Private accommodations for Melissa provided by the Clinic Host.
9) Participants
We suggest sending personal emails to all the people you think would like to be a part of the clinic. This gives them the first chance to be a participant. You can mention in the email that you will be going public with the clinic in xxx days. You will enter all potential students' contact information into our Client List Form that we will provide to you. Social media is a wonderful way to advertise and book the clinic spots.
We recommend you get a 50% non-refundable deposit from all participants. Collect payment in full 2-weeks prior to the clinic or just before the clinic starts. When the clinic is full, keep an active waiting list so that if anything does happen you can fill the spot. In that case, if you choose, you have the option of giving the deposit back to the canceling participant.
All participants will need to complete our waivers and paperwork prior to the start of the clinic. You can email this to them in advance and/or have it available at registration for the clinic.
10) Additional Events
Melissa is available for extra events during the clinic to help generate more income for the host, establish a personal connection with guests and offer some fun live entertainment. We suggest that the host sell tickets or include participant package price and/or advertise a ticket give away contest or raffle on social media. We suggest charging each from $10 to $20 per ticket and offering a package deal such as buy 3 get 1 free. Each event is usually around 2 to 3 hours. Melissa’s fee is $70 per hour and the host keeps the rest! Previous hosts in the past often combined different events so, they have a different event each night or just one big exciting evening of horse fun and education!
Event Options:
(open to personalize per clinic)
Answer and Questions With Melissa -
Hosts often offer the questions and answer portion of the clinic in the lounge or arena.
Dinner or Lunch With Melissa -
This is a chance to offer a more intimate VIP setting with your clients and Melissa. Hosts offer lunch or dinner and drinks, Melissa will eat with guests and do a Q&A segment after and/or a demonstration with the horses. Melissa would have to borrow pre approved horses on location or bring her own horses. (additional charges may apply)
Demonstration With The Horses -
Melissa will put on a mini performance and have a Q&A segment after and/or a demonstration with the horses. Melissa would have to borrow pre approved horses on location or bring her own horses. (additional charges may apply)
Thank you for being a clinic host.
We look forward to a great clinic and a long-term relationship.
Sincerely,
Melissa Ashcraft