Our favorite local eventing venue Pine Hill is putting on a “Friends of Ellie” (Ellie is the facility owner’s special needs daughter) benefit derby in May. They put out a call for division sponsors (my check is in the mail!) and also asked for donations for raffle items. I love a raffle, and I think I’m in a good position (being a public loudmouth) to help get some stuff donated, so I thought I’d get a general opinion on what kind of things everyone likes to see in a raffle?
Tack and equipment, gift cards, baskets, lessons, alcohol (I know you people), non horse-related items, etc? What kind of stuff makes you want to make it rain raffle tickets? Anyone who’s helped organized a raffle, what items have been really popular? Help me get a better idea of what I should try to pursue for donations!
If you have something you’d like to donate or know of a business that might be interested, please let me know (you can email me through my Contact page!). I was mainly trying to drum up raffle items, but the show is also looking for division sponsors, and sponsors get ad space in the program if they want it. Win/win.
This event benefits four different local charities that are all, well… friends of Ellie (hence the name), and by extension, friends of Pine Hill (you can read about them on the link above) so it would be great if we could raise some good money for them. Pine Hill has been a mainstay for eventing in Texas for decades; everyone behind this is Great People.
breedrideevent.com 
At our riding league’s end of year banquet, the hot item on the silent auction table is a golf cart rental at the facility where the big summer show series is hosted. My trainer always tried to win that! Not sure that works for a raffle or your situation, but it was popular!
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I actually just went to a fundraiser for a local OTTB re-homing organization last weekend, and they had a raffle for a bunch of horse-related gift baskets. I obviously put most of my raffle tickets into the baskets that had tack shop gift cards, saddle pads (bc who doesn’t need another saddle pad?), and apparel with the OTTB organization’s logo, so those would be my suggestions. There was also a basket that included a free lesson with a local eventing trainer, which I thought was really cool, so maybe there’s a trainer(s) that would be willing to donate that?
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OTTB stuff is a great idea for this crowd, there are lots of TB enthusiasts that do events like this. I’ll try to contact one of the companies that makes OTTB stuff. I think some trainers have already donated lessons.
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We always try and have a good selection of stuff for the non-horsey parents/spouses. The “Pamper Yourself” packages with certificates for massages/facials tend to be a hit.
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Dog items. Doggie day care, bathing/grooming items, toys, treats, etc.
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One of our local associations does a raffle at the year end banquet. It’s all gift baskets, and the fun twist is that whoever donated the basket with the most interest (you put tickets in for each item separately, so they count the tickets as votes) wins a huge trophy. The point of my rambling, the ones with tack items or custom items (I’m looking at you Boy O’Boy belt…) tend to get the most votes. If it’s a kid heavy venue, GIANT stuffed animal ponies do really well too.
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Wine. With wine and more wine. Perhaps a glass or two to put it in, and a wine bottle opener so you can actually drink the wine. But yeah, that went like hotcakes at the CTDS raffle.
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I can definitely see the DQ’s enjoying their wine. LOL
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I love Pine Hill and Ruth!
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Last year one of the equine charities in my area hosted a fundraiser in which they had a bunch of different sponsored numnahs. They were a hit as there was a wide variety of colours and styles to choose from (and one can never have too many numnahs). The stud, shop or insurance broker had their name embroidered on one side of the numnah with the charity’s on the other.
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As far as non-horse items, our flyball team does raffles at our tournaments and the themed baskets that include alcohol always do well. This year there was a huge jar full of rolls of dog poop baggies. I really wanted that one, can’t ever have too many poop baggies.
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Feed is always a hot item at our dressage club’s raffle! We’ll get a feed store to donate 5 bags of Purina Senior and people go nuts over it! People also seem to like free memberships/show entries.
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I loooove the history! Super awesome ♡ I’d love to come out there some time. So cool.
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Art!
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Lessons with the BNT had the most at our raffle.
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Feed/grain
Leather halter
Jacket
Hoseshow backpack
Themed baskets (coffee, wine/cheese, bathing both human and horse…)
Gift cards
Saddle pads
Grooming supplies
Custom items
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