Prize Money Calculator
Net earnings from prize money minus entry and expenses.
About this calculator
Winning a prize check is rarely the same as pocketing it, and this calculator walks through why: it starts from gross prize money, subtracts a standard 10% trainer/coach commission (a common but not universal arrangement — some trainers charge flat day rates instead), then subtracts total show expenses — entry fees, travel, stabling charged per show day, and a separate coaching fee — to arrive at net earnings. It also flips the math around to show cost per show day (total expenses divided across the days you were there) and the breakeven prize money needed just to cover expenses once the trainer's cut is factored in, calculated as total expenses divided by 90% (since only 90% of any prize actually reaches you after commission).
A negative net earnings figure isn't a bug — it's the realistic and common outcome of many competition weekends, especially at lower levels or in classes with modest purses, where the cost of hauling, stabling, and entering can easily exceed what a placing pays out. This calculator only tracks the costs it's given, though: it doesn't include farrier work, veterinary care, equipment, or the horse's regular training and board, all of which factor into whether showing is actually profitable over a season rather than just breaking even on a single weekend's entry fees.
Inputs
Results
Net earnings ($)
$3,225.00
≈ 3 smartphones
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Gross Prize Money ($) for the class or show.
- Input Entry Fee ($) for each class entered.
- Enter Travel Cost ($) and Stabling per Day ($) with number of Show Days.
- Add Coach/Trainer Fee ($) for the show.
- Review Net Earnings ($) — a negative value means the show costs more than the prize money won.
How the result changes with Prize money ($)
| Prize money ($) | Net earnings ($) |
|---|---|
| 2,500 | $975.00 |
| 3,750 | $2,100.00 |
| 7,500 | $5,475.00 |
| 12,500 | $9,975.00 |
What each input means
- Prize money ($)
- Gross prize money won.
- Entry fee ($)
- Competition entry fee.
- Travel cost ($)
- Fuel, tolls, and hauling expenses.
- Stabling ($/day)
- Daily stabling fee at the show.
- Show days
- Number of days at the competition.
- Coach/trainer fee ($)
- Coach or trainer fee for the show.
What each result means
- Net earnings ($)
- Prize money minus all expenses and trainer cut.
- Total expenses ($)
- Sum of entry, travel, stabling, and coaching.
- Trainer cut (10%) ($)
- Standard 10% trainer commission on prize money.
- Cost per day ($)
- Average daily expense for the show.
- Breakeven prize ($)
- Minimum prize money needed to cover all expenses.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersPrize money ($) = 5000, Entry fee ($) = 350, Travel cost ($) = 500, Stabling ($/day) = 75 = 6 input(s) provided
- Calculate Net earningsNet earnings = grossPrize - trainerCut - totalExpenses3225 = $3,225
- Calculate Total expensesTotal expenses = entryFee + travelCost + (stablingPerDay * showDays) + coachFee1275 = $1,275
- Calculate Trainer cut (10%)Trainer cut (10%) = grossPrize * trainerPct500 = $500
Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the trainer cut a flat 10% here?
The calculator applies a standard 10% commission on gross prize money as the default assumption, since that's a common arrangement in many disciplines, but it's not universal — some trainers instead charge flat day rates or a different percentage entirely. Check your actual arrangement with your trainer and treat the 10% figure as a placeholder if yours differs.
How is the breakeven prize money calculated?
It divides your total expenses (entry, travel, stabling, and coaching) by 90%, since only 90% of any prize you win actually reaches you after the trainer's 10% commission comes off the top. That means you need to win more than your raw expenses just to break even — the breakeven figure already accounts for the commission bite.
Why did I get a negative net earnings number?
A negative result means your total expenses plus the trainer's commission exceeded the gross prize money you entered — a realistic and common outcome, especially at lower levels or in classes with modest purses, where hauling, stabling, and entry fees can easily exceed what a placing pays. It isn't a calculation error; it's the calculator accurately reflecting that many competition weekends cost more than they pay out.
What costs does this calculator leave out?
It only totals what you enter — entry fees, travel, stabling per show day, and a coaching fee — so it doesn't include farrier work, veterinary care, tack and equipment, or the horse's regular training and board. Those ongoing costs matter for judging whether showing is profitable over a full season, even when a single weekend's net earnings come out positive.
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