ESQHA General Membership Meeting

 

Vice President Tom Hatch called the membership meeting to order on December 2, 1007 at 10:30 a.m. at the Sherwood Inn, Skaneateles, N.Y. Those directors present were Karen Kulha, Ed Brenkus, Dan Bergstresser, Patti Hole, and Dave Phillips. Those directors absent were Gayle Farr-Moore, Regina Kernin, Charlotte & Larry Jaynes, Gene & Wendy Bingman, Ginger Tomassini, Lee Davidson, Sandy Burback, Ann Manion and Sylvia Farr.

 

Ed distributed his treasurer’s report and budget report. No committee chairs have contacted Ed to comment on the amounts budgeted for their events in 2008. We have an ending balance of $53,582.28 as of November 30, 2007.

 

Joan Waldron was introduced. She will be appointed as executive secretary for 2008.

 

Correspondence:

·      AQHA forwarded the Regional Experience Steering Committee application form and Most Valuable Professional award application. Tom will make sure they are passed on to Gayle.

• An e-mail was received from Angelo Bizzarro regarding Senate bill 311. This bill is being proposed to amend the American Horse Protection Act and it is suggested that Empire members contact their senators on December 3^rd to discourage passage of this bill.
• Lothlorien Riding Center has asked for a $1,000 donation for 2008. This request will be addressed at the January meeting.
• Thank you note from the youth for the financial support we gave the horse judging and hippology teams at Congress.
• The Genesee Valley Equine Center has invited us to participate as a vendor and/or sponsor on 2/2/08 in Wheatland-Chili. Dave Phillips did not feel it was worth setting up our booth this year. A $50 sponsorship would get us listed in the program and on the continuous slide presentation throughout the day. A motion was made to pay $50 toward a sponsorship of the Genesee Valley Equine Center, seconded and carried. Tom will ask Ginger to send membership brochures for them to put out during the event.

 

Committee Reports:

            Breeders: Our annual dues ($100) are due to the NYS Horse Breeders Association on January 1. A motion was made to pay our dues in the amount of $100, seconded and carried. A request was made by the Breeders Association to purchase an ad in their show program. The cost for a full-page ad is still $135. This request will be tabled until the January convention to think about the size of ad we will need and what changes if any will be made to the content of the ad.

 

            Promotional/Trail Riding: Dave reported that this year there were 9 participants in 16 different divisions. Dave suggests that we continue the program and he will be thinking of new ways to make the program more inviting to members.

 

            Marketing: Dan’s committee has come up with some criteria for sponsorship levels and made them available at the meeting for anyone to review and comment on. The entire package will be ready to distribute at the convention in January.

 

            Syracuse Horse Council: Joe Connors made some comments on the last meeting in which it was suggested that the council start a foundation to obtain major corporate sponsors. This money would be targeted for improvements to the fairgrounds, but not necessarily for the horses. Joe will be contacting Denny Hales in Ohio for insight into the financial impact on the Columbus area during the Congress. Joe feels that those statistics would be helpful in talking to businesses in the Syracuse area as a way of demonstrating the economic impact horse shows have on the city.

 

            Chemung Horse Council: Charlotte reported that the council is trying to do elections, but no one is interested in holding an office. The council may be dissolved, which could eliminate horse shows at the fairgrounds. The next meeting is scheduled for December 5^th.

 

            Spring Show: Charlotte has booked June 12-15, 2008 at the Syracuse fairgrounds.

 

            Membership: Ginger reported that we start running membership renewal notices for 2008. Ginger is contacting the members that did not renew in 2007 (approximately 90 between adult and youth members) and try to get more details on why they did not renew. She will have the results for the January meeting. Ginger spoke with NYSQHA and they are experiencing the same decline in membership (about 150) and have the same concerns.

 

A motion was made to accept all committee reports, seconded and carried.

           

Old Business:

• AIM workshop was held last month and the 2008 plan has been submitted to AQHA. The main goals outlined for the grant application included membership, novice shows and a luncheon for horse industry dignitaries and other clubs in the state for networking purposes.
• We are able to use the breeding to Smart Equilizer (donated by Pat Faitz) as a fundraiser at our discretion. It was suggested that we auction the breeding at the convention, stipulating a minimum bid. A notice will be put in the convention letter and website, indicating that mail-in bids will be accepted.
• No meeting was held concerning the newsletter.

 

New Business:

• A motion was made for the secretary to cast one vote for the following slate of officers and directors for 2008:

President – Gayle Farr-Moore

1^st Vice President – Tom Hatch

2^nd Vice President – Karen Kulha

Treasurer – Ed Brenkus

Directors for a two-year term: Dan Bergstresser, Lee Davidson, Patti Hole, Wendy Bingman, Ginger Tomassini, Charlotte Jaynes and Regina Kernin. Motion seconded and carried.

• After noting that there were four applicants for the secretary position, the Board appointed Joan Waldron as our executive secretary for 2008.

 

 

• A crisis fund has been established to assist Michele Kreimeyer’s recovery from her barn fire. Donations may be sent to Ed or Gayle. Jill Bergstresser spoke to AQHA and they indicated that the Professional Horsemen’s group has a crisis fund, but declined any assistance for this situation. The secretary will send a letter to Kelly Proffitt and ask if AQHA has any funds available for this type of loss.
• There were some questions from members concerning the process in nominating directors. Dave Phillips clarified that nominations are made at the October meeting, or by mail prior to the meeting, and that those persons nominated need not be physically present at the meeting. It was again stressed that members may join a committee of their choice and participate. It is not necessary to be a director to be on a committee.

 

Future meetings:

January 18, 2008, Board meeting, Renaissance Hotel, Syracuse

January 19, 2008, membership meeting at convention, Renaissance Hotel, time TBD

 

Meeting adjourned at 11:45 a.m. followed by our Christmas brunch.

 

 

 

Catherine S. Reetz, Secretary