Service Providers That Deliver

We’ve all experienced that sinking feeling when a service provider lets you down at the last minute, leaving you scrambling to come up with an alternative solution.

Choosing the right service providers can make or break a sporting event. You want suppliers who are reliable, experienced and able to deliver under pressure. The cheapest quote isn't necessarily the best option.

With so many service providers to choose from, finding the right one can be a challenge. Here are some practical tips to help you make the right choice and find providers you can rely on.

1. Look for relevant experience
Choose providers who understand sporting events and, ideally, have experience with events similar to yours. A company that understands race-day pressures will be better prepared for the unexpected.

2. Check their track record
Ask for references or examples of previous events they have worked on. Find out whether they have worked with events of a similar size and complexity.

3. Don't choose on price alone
A low quote can become expensive if the provider can't deliver what was promised. Compare the overall value, including service, reliability, experience and support.

4. Ask exactly what is included
Make sure you understand what you're paying for. A quote should clearly outline equipment, staffing, transport, setup, breakdown, technical support and any additional charges.

5. Test their communication
Pay attention to how quickly and clearly a potential provider responds to your questions. If communication is difficult before you've signed a contract, it may become even more challenging when you're under pressure on event day.

6. Check their backup plans
Sporting events rarely go exactly according to plan. Ask what happens if equipment fails, the weather changes, a key staff member is unavailable or something goes wrong on race day.

7. Consider their capacity
Make sure the provider has enough equipment, staff and resources to handle your event. This is particularly important when dealing with large participant numbers or multiple venues.

8. Look for good technology and systems
For services such as timing, registration, tracking and communications, ask what systems they use and how reliable they have proven to be. Technology should make your event easier, not create another problem to manage.

9. Check insurance and compliance
For services involving safety, medical support, transport, infrastructure or specialist equipment, make sure the provider has the appropriate insurance, qualifications and certifications.

10. Get everything in writing
A detailed agreement should cover the scope of work, costs, payment terms, responsibilities, cancellation arrangements and what happens if something goes wrong.

11. Ask other organisers
One of the best ways to find reliable suppliers is through recommendations from other event organisers. They can tell you what a provider is really like when things don't go according to plan.

12. Consider the relationship, not just the transaction
The best suppliers become partners rather than simply contractors. Look for companies that take an interest in your event, understand your objectives and are willing to work with you to find solutions.

A good rule of thumb when comparing providers is to ask yourself whether you can trust this company to deliver when thousands of participants, spectators and stakeholders are depending on them. If the answer is yes, and the price fits your budget, you have likely found the right partner for your event.

What do you need help with as an event organiser? If there is an area of organising you would like to know more about, send a mail to tim@finishtime.co.za and we will see if we can find some info for you.

Words To Live By ...
 

“Behind every great event is a planner 

quietly having a panic attack." 

– Unknown

More Than Just Sports Timing  

While FinishTime is best known for timing sporting events, the RFID chip technology used for timekeeping has a range of different applications. This was seen recently when FinishTime used their system to manage continuous professional development (CPD) tracking at the Water Institute of Southern Africa Conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

Their technology helped ensure delegates' attendance was accurately recorded, making the CPD process seamless and efficient for both attendees and organisers.

FinishTime is demonstrating that accurate timing and tracking aren’t limited to sporting events as its technology is finding applications across an increasingly diverse range of industries.


 

Man vs Horse: Can Two Legs Beat Four?
 

                                                                                                              
What started as a pub argument has turned into an annual foot (and hoof race).

According to Runner’s world, the argument that sparked it all began at the Neuadd Arms Hotel, where landlord Gordon Green bet a group of local huntsmen that a man could outlast a horse over rough, uneven terrain. The huntsmen disagreed. Pour enough pints into a pub argument and eventually someone proposes settling it outside.

For the first 24 years of the Man vs. Horse Marathon, the result was almost a foregone conclusion. From the inaugural race in 1980 through to 2003, the horses consistently beat the runners to the finish line in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales.

Then something changed. From 2004, five different runners beat every horse in the field to the finish line. Three of those five wins came within a four year stretch and people began to wonder whether the balance of nature had finally tipped in man’s favour.

In June this year however, a hooved competitor took back the title. On a newly redesigned 23.5-mile course that climbed to 4,000 feet, Rachel Lima and her mount, Zameel, won the 2026 edition in 2 hours, 31 minutes, and 37 seconds, about eight minutes ahead of Daniel Connolly, the fastest runner on the day.

The result suggested that the course itself was the great equaliser. Over a single mile of open ground, there is little doubt that a horse would have the advantage, thanks to its superior speed. But the Man vs. Horse course is a very different proposition, winding through bogs, river crossings and steep climbs, where a horse’s natural speed becomes far less decisive and the playing field is much more level.

But the biggest difference may not be speed, but temperature. Humans cool themselves primarily through sweating, while horses rely more on panting and can overheat during prolonged exertion. On a hot day, this could give a fit human the edge over marathon distance, not because the horse is slower, but because its cooling system may give out before its legs.

This was more or less confirmed in practice when a cob named Branny beat the field in 2024. It was the first time a horse had won in three years and riders attributed the result to the weather, arguing that the hotter conditions of the previous two years had favoured the runners, as riders were forced to slow down to avoid overheating their horses

Even in defeat, the runners had unsettled the huntsmen’s old argument. What used to be automatic now has to be earned, by horses and humans alike.

Do you have an unusual, wild, whacky or funny story about event organising? If so, send it to tim@finishtime.co.za (max 300 words please).