Horse Shows: A lot happening with a lot of risk involved
PHOTO CREDIT: Lili Weik Photography
Holding a public event can be complicated and involve many people to assist, participate, and spectate. The presence and use of horses and other animals in unfamiliar surroundings with a lot of activity and stimuli adds to the risk. A lot is happening in a short period of time, and there is a fairly high potential for incidents and accidents to occur.
Liability insurance protects the insured from claims and lawsuits alleging that the insured is responsible for another person’s bodily injury or damage to their property. Commercial General Liability Insurance protects the horse show from financial loss should a participant, spectator, bystander, or trespasser become injured or their property is damaged in relation to the horse show’s operations, and a claim is made or a lawsuit is filed against the horse show for damages.
Organizers, premise owners, show officials, committee members, judges, volunteers are all at risk of being sued if something catastrophic happens at a horse show. Without adequate liability protection, a horse show will have to pay the damages and defense costs itself, which can potentially cause significant financial loss.
Horse shows are also responsible for the general safety of all horses on the show grounds whether they are competing or not. With that additional responsibility, Care, Custody, and Control insurance protects the show in the event a horse gets hurt while on the grounds.
Examples of common Liability Claims at a Horse Show:
A spectator trips and falls while walking around the horse show grounds and is injured.
A spectator is injured while watching the horse show by a flying object kicked up by a horse or thrown by another person.
A spectator is hurt while sitting in the bleachers due to falling from them or on them or the bleachers collapsing.
A rider &/or horse is injured while warming up or competing.
A loose horse gets hit by a car or runs into a parked car.
Food purchased at the horse show causes several people to contract food poisoning.
In addition to liability concerns, other risks that need to be insured are buildings, barns, show offices, golf carts, food services, campgrounds, tractors, equipment, tents, temporary stalls, etc.
If there is a special event associated with a horse show like a fund raiser or other party where food and alcohol are served, liquor liability also needs to be considered.
Insurance is also available in the event of financial loss due to forced cancellation or interruption because of inclement weather.
Horse show organizers need to be aware of the rating factors used to determine the premium for the insurance. The most common factors are:
Is the insured horse show a single event or a series of events held over an extended period of time which can be covered by an annual policy?
Number of show days
Number of human participants
Number of equine participants
Number of spectators
Difficulty of the events
History of past losses
If you are interested in having a horse show, call us. We have the experience to help you protect all those involved.