Just bought rodeo tickets. Where do I send the bill?

The meter is running, and I’m growing less interested by the minute.

A popular equestrian expo has graciously offered me a media pass again this year, which saves me about $30 for three-day admission. Let’s not talk about the travel, lodging, and other expenses.

Today, at the urging of a bunch of equestrian friends, I jumped on the computer to order tickets to the evening rodeo at this event. (The rodeo tickets are not included in the media pass.)

(Never mind that I’ve written HUNDREDS of articles about this expo in the past few years. I've even published stories about the rodeo.)

Although I’m not a huge rodeo fan (and that’s another story altogether), I do enjoy the horses and the specialty acts that are often part of the show.

(Never mind that I’ve seen the very same rodeo about a dozen times for the price of a county fair admission, ranging from $7 to $10.)

This particular rodeo will probably include a tribute to its late founder, Bob Barnes, whom I met several times and personally enjoyed as a fellow horse lover. It’s also likely to feature a few bonus equestrian performances.

The rodeo tickets are priced at $20. (Nosebleed seats are a bit less. Kleenex, of course, is extra.)

Here’s the kicker.

The event organizers, who used to sell the rodeo tickets through their own website, now offer them only through Ticketron.

Heads-up, rodeo fans. It’s a 15-step process, and it takes about 30 minutes.

1. I went to the Ticketron site and found the seats I wanted.
2. So I tried to order the tickets.
3. The website redirected me to an account creation page.
4. I created an account, complete with a log-in, my email address, and a password.
5. Then I tried again to order the tickets.
6. Ticketron put me in a whirling / waiting pattern, which lasted 12 minutes, while sporting a message that said something like this: “Do not leave or refresh the page, or you will have to start all over.”
7. After 12 minutes, Ticketron bumped me off the site.
8. So I tried again.
9. Finally, the rodeo ticket ordering screen popped up.
10. I entered my credit card information.
11. Then Ticketron sent me to a credit card verification site.
12. At last, I saw the blessed “order received” message.
13. I clicked to open a pop-up ticket image.
14. Whoa! I actually printed my ticket.
15. I filed my rodeo ticket in a safe place, so I won’t have to do it all again.

The $20 ticket actually cost $26.30 – after a $4.35 service fee and a $1.95 order processing fee. What!?!

Giddy-up. Let’s go.

Honestly, I am not exactly giddy about this whole process.

Although I am excited to gather with my friends in a few weeks and enjoy a night out at a horse-themed event, I’m madder than a bull in a rodeo chute at what it took to get there.

All told, I spent half an hour, just trying to order tickets to attend the rodeo at an event I am already covering. Wish I could apply my billable rate for the ordering ordeal.

Image/s:

Rodeo Bull Riding by Beat0092 – MorgueFile

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