Stewardbreds and Taxes

[Tammy Stawicki]

I'm seeing if I can migrate this conversation to let one small thing return to its previously scheduled programming.

To summarize:

There is a lot of drama over TBS sales. Players are worried that some players are getting more stewardbreds than others, whether this be through making lots of partnerships or the steward letting them run her future broodmares.

The steward is tired of all the drama, but TBS sales serve a purpose of bringing money out of the game. She would need an alternative like taxes

So how can we make it so taxes don't crush new players. It seems the idea currently drawing the most traction is some form of breeding/foal fee. This might also keep people from breeding 1,000+ horses with the hopes of getting a few good ones. Others are very antitax and shall boston tea party sim style throwing all their horses in the river.

I think that about sums it up. Discuss.

[Gigi Gofaster]

I think we should give the stew bred ownership limits a chance first.

[Cleo Patra]

As I said in the other thread, I’m quitting if taxes replace TBS.

[Laura Smith]

Stew-breds are (in many ways) fun. Taxes are (in every way) not fun. Replacing a fun thing with a not fun thing is not a recipe for the Steward to grow the business.
There are some aspects of the SIM that shouldn't mirror real life. Taxes are one of them, imo, along with horses breaking down on the track, drug positives, colic, and so on.

Foal fee: a small flat fee as added discouragement for people considering breeding crappy horses? Maybe. Fees to discourage people from breeding a lot of horses? Why? Those that do it put a lot of work into running their giant barns, and what's wrong with that?

[Tammy Stawicki]

I'll throw in my 2 cents. I think one issue with stewardbreds is that they just seem to be disproportionally better than player breds (at least in some divisions) so they are reaaaaaaaaaalllllllllyyyyy desireable and thus angst causing. Now admittedly they have to be desirable to make people spend millions of dollars so not sure the answer but here are some numbers for turf milers (the one throughbred division I participate in).

In last year's 4 steward's cup races 26 out of the 34 entrants were steward breds, 76%. Now I don't know what percent of total foals is stewardbreds but I'm guessing its pretty small so that is a huge overrepresentation. All 4 races were won by stewardbreds and their performance in the top 3 matched their overall percentage (75%). Looking at the last 5 years of turf mile races stewardbreds won 16 out of 21 (there was a tie in one race) again around 76%. Admittedly other divisions don't look this skewed.

I personally have debated getting out of thoroughbreds completely as I just feel like my own breeding operation can't compete with the stewardbreds and I find paints where the playing field is leveler more enjoyable. Also frustrating is that while I've had nice success on the track with my stewardbred mares they lately seem completely incapable of producing a decent foal so again there is this feeling that I am investing all this money in trying to improve my broodmare band but just can't' get any traction.

[Izzy Rafferty]

What about a marginal tax rate? You are taxed after an X amount of money you keep, or past a certain monetary threshold.
I'm *not* saying I want taxes but that wouldn't crush newer and/or poorer players.


Izzy

[Rochelle Bos]

I feel like breeding taxes will just turn into one more thing people complain about when their foals don’t turn out.

I like the new format of TBS sales, (win 2 high bid on 3), that being said I wasn’t around for any other version of the sale. From what other players have told me there are some that go for much much less now a days vs when the horses were spread out over multiple auctions and the same fistful of people would get the stewies at every auction. I’d love to see how the limit rules work out. Sure partnerships can get foals, but they are still trapped in there for 2 years, technically 3 or 4 if the partner members have 3 stewies of their own in that age group.

I would feel sad if the TBS horses were removed, they really are a great way for newer players to get a foundation horse. Without them it would have to pretty much be a random slide occurrence, no one sells great horses, especially true when it comes to broodmares.

Also another sad part about TBS horses leaving, it is the ONE way that Em is allowed to interact and play the game she created.

[Tammy Stawicki]

Also another sad part about TBS horses leaving, it is the ONE way that Em is allowed to interact and play the game she created.

That would be sad

[Stormy Peak]

Dig a Very Deep HOLE and put the idea of Taxes into it.

I come here to play a fantasy game.... the BS insurance we are already being dinged with coupled with taxes would suck just about what's left of the fantasy fun part out of this game.

Stormy

[Darcy McBride]

I'm going to get my tea and get it ready to dump into the Gulf of Mexico, if needed!

I agree with keeping the TBS Sales. The TBS Sales are fun, and sometimes I get lucky and get one. Give the limitations a chance.

I have no problem with The Steward leasing a good mare from a player, breeding for a filly for her BM Barn. The filly goes to the mares owner for 2 or 3 years; the owner normally gets to breed the first foal, and the filly goes back to The Steward's BM Barn. You get the cash for the lease (which to some of us small barns is a Godsend); hopefully make a little money running the filly, then get to breed a foal.

And can we just stop the "cheating"?

My 2 cents worth.

[Kent Saunders]

As I said in the other thread I would be disappointed if the SB's were discontinued. That said, money has to come out of the game on a regular basis. So either you need to have some way(s) to get that money from the game or you end up paying $500k for a formidable mare at auction just because we all are loaded with cash. The alternative is to try and fix the whole concept of Steward breds and I don't know how you do that. In my 17 seasons there has been rule after rule to close down loop holes and eliminate players taking an unfair advantage but it never seems to stop. The current auction rules are good for newer/poorer players to get SB's. I think thats great! But in addition to not taking as much $$ from the game we now have Partnerships..some of which are just the same 2 people reversed. At what point will there be so many Partnerships in SB auctions they push those same new/poor players back out again? I am open to suggestions and hope we can use this thread productively. If it's no taxes, thats fine...then what is it? Any by the way I am assuming players like myself would be hit the hardest if in fact some version of taxes direct or indirect would be put in place. I breed alot of horses and tend to have alot of cash...gets me either way...lol!

[Ali Hedgestone]

OK.. That's it!
Time for the Steward to stop breeding TBs and only breed mixers!

[Lori Hamill]

If we're voting - I am against taxes and I am against losing Stewbreds. I have always looked forward to the Stew auctions and it has been pretty much my only chance of getting a decent TB. Since my TB breeding program leaves a lot to be desired, even after 10 real life years.

[Tammy Stawicki]

OK.. That's it!
Time for the Steward to stop breeding TBs and only breed mixers!

That would get me to throw my horses into the river. Though may help the whole cross breeding limit problem. Don't get me wrong I like my stewardbreds but I also like having a place where I don't need to compete against them.

[Rachel Sadler]

In last year's 4 steward's cup races 26 out of the 34 entrants were steward breds, 76%. Now I don't know what percent of total foals is stewardbreds but I'm guessing its pretty small so that is a huge overrepresentation. All 4 races were won by stewardbreds and their performance in the top 3 matched their overall percentage (75%). Looking at the last 5 years of turf mile races stewardbreds won 16 out of 21 (there was a tie in one race) again around 76%. Admittedly other divisions don't look this skewed.

I would actually like to see the Stewards gallop results for her foals(yes I know she doesnt gallop them, but she must know after they have been galloped). How many freaks, compared to claimers, stakes, allowance and wings. I would guess it is a whole lot better then anyone elses on this game and to me that is not a level playing field, but a lot of players prefer it this way.

I vote for a tax or a fee. If people want to leave over something so small then go