Lewisburg, TN - The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association (TWHBEA) Executive Committee held its latest meeting February 22, 2010, at association headquarters in Lewisburg, Tennessee. The meeting began with a presentation by the White House High School FFA. The subject of the presentation, which will be presented at the Tennessee State FFA Convention, was Thermography.
Following the roll call, approval of the agenda, and approval of the minutes from the January 25, 2010 meeting, Executive Director Stan Butt presented for approval the financials from the periods ending November 30, 2009, December 31, 2009, and January 31, 2010. The statements for the period ending November 30, 2009, revealed a profit of $4,061 for the year; for the period ending December 31, 2009, the financials showed a profit of $10,941; and for the period ending January 31, 2010, the statements revealed a loss of $8,321 compared to a budgeted loss of $14,750. Year-to-date financials revealed a positive figure of $1873 for the Association.All of the financials were approved unanimously.
In his remarks, President David Pruett discussed the ongoing decline in registrations, transfers, and memberships. He explained that, compared to the same time last year, first time registrations are down 27%, transfers are down 19%, and memberships are down 32%. During his remarks, several suggestions were made regarding addressing these declines. Ideas included decreasing various fees, harsher penalties for not registering a foal within a year, and offering a discounted rate on subsequent registrations.
Senior Vice President Dee Dee Sale echoed Pruett in her remarks. She urged everyone to try and come up with revenue generating ideas.
Speaking next, Executive Director Stan Butt acknowledged the decline in numbers presented by President Pruett but noted that those declines had been anticipated and that the 2010 budget and current actual financials reflected a fairly accurate picture of the anticipated lack of revenues for those categories. He reported that, for period two, memberships had brought in $41,706 versus a budgeted $42,000, new foal registrations $14,940 versus a budgeted $14,622, transfers $15,520 versus a budgeted $16,002, overdue stallion reports $1,930 versus $1,960, DNA New Foals$11,760 versus $12,221, and iPeds $4,130 versus $4,129. “It is amazing how close we were able to project revenues,” said Butt. Moving on, Butt reported on the latest USLGE meeting and upcoming association events including Road To The Horse and Equine Affaire. He closed by asking everyone to encourage members to read the communications sent out by the association.
In the first standing committee report of the day, Breeders’ Vice President Jack Heffington reported on a communication he had received requesting that the association allow horse names to be reserved. He explained that this was common practice for some other breeds and that the association could charge a fee for this service. After much discussion, it was decided that the matter warranted further research.
Equine Welfare Vice President Dr. Linda Montgomery reported that her committee had identified several equine rescue sites and that they were working on getting these sites affiliated with TWHBEA’s equine welfare program. She also stated that her committee was working on developing a pamphlet to educate horse owners about proper horse care. By unanimous motion, Beverly Kirk was added to the Equine Welfare Committee.
Bruce Vaughn, Horse Shows Vice President, focused his report on the shoeing regulations introduced by SHOW. He also updated the group on his committee’s progress on a manual for horse show managers and addressed briefly the National Futurity.
In the next report, Marketing Vice President Marty Irby discussed a new television network, InCountry Television, which specializes in outdoor-type programing. Marketing and Programs Director Chris Coffey then reported on the European high point awards banquet and membership meeting, calling the events very successful. Turning to the recent USLGE meeting, Coffey asserted that the European and Asian markets were wide open for horses of any breed.
Owners/Exhibitors Vice President Steve Brown began by reporting on the Owners/Exhibitors Committee meeting held the previous Friday. He related that two day clinics were scheduled, one on February 27 at Abernathy Stables in Olive Branch, Mississippi, and one scheduled for March 4 at Edison Fairgrounds in South Georgia. He also discussed the possibilities of TWHBEA hosting clinics at the Pleasure International and TWHBEA hosting the Tennessee State Championship Extreme Cowboy Race at the Celebration. To close out his report, Brown named the members of the International Sub-Committee – Carla Dickhaut, Randy Johnson, Sharon Agnew-O’Brien, and Debra Jack of Canada; Ben Hoar of Thailand; Denise Bader-Keyser and Russ Keyser of Germany; Emma Jefferson of Australia; and Marty Irby, Joe Rankin, Dr. Edwin Hutchinson, Dee Dee Sale, Kathy Zeis, Kirk Peters, Steve Brown, and Chris Coffey of the U.S.
Reporting for the Performance Horse Committee, Vice President Ty Irby related that his committee was looking for new ideas about how to best promote the performance horse. He also stated that his committee would be increasing their support of TWHBEA’s existing programs that involve the performance horse.
Reporting next, Pleasure Horse Vice President Rick Wies announced that TWHBEA would be reintroducing the Honor Roll and Register of Merit certificates for versatility program participants. He also remarked that he was still working on getting versatility records included in iPeds. By unanimous motion Laura Mauney was added to the Pleasure Horse Committee.
Trainers Vice President Wayne Dean began his report by stating that he was still looking for money to support the Youth Challenge Program. He said that his committee’s goal was to be able to present $1,000 to the top rider in the program and $1,000 to that rider’s trainer. He also said that his committee would like to have approximately $3,000 to split up and distribute among the shows offering Youth Challenge classes.
Buster Black, Vice President Member At Large By Laws, reported that no action had been taken, thus far, regarding by laws. As a point of discussion, Heffington brought up his concerns regarding the by law requirement that anyone charged with a Horse Protection Act violation that results in a 30 day or more suspension be removed from the TWHBEA Board of Directors. He stated that he would like to see this issue addressed once again. A motion was made and passed to have Mr. Black look into matter.
In the final standing committee report of the day, Vice President Member At Large Youth Margo Urad, covered plans for TWHBEA’s presence at the American Youth Horse Council Symposium in March. He related that Linda Starnes would be brining two horses and that the Chip Carrier family would be bringing Breyer Horse model WGC Blue Grass Bandit. She also announced that her committee would be holding a silent auction during the Semi-Annual Board of Directors Meeting, which will be held on May 29.
Under new business, VP Wayne Dean brought up concerns regarding horse sales and the lack of transfers being submitted. He related that some sales aren’t even requiring official TWHBEA registration papers for horses they are selling and that transfers are not being completed. Following Dean, Black brought up some concerns regarding the clinic scheduled for March 4 in South Georgia. He stated that he was concerned that TWHBEA was linking their corporate identity to WHOA and that many of the communications sent out under the WHOA-TWHBEA header seemed to encourage membership in WHOA. He said that linking the two organizations was a matter of corporate policy that should have been brought before the Executive Committee and/or Board of Directors. Sale and Pruett assured the Committee that TWHBEA membership would be promoted at the upcoming clinics.
In the final action of the day, the Executive Committee set the dates and times for their next five meetings. The committee will meet on March 22, April 19, May 29, July 5, and October 18.
–Sarah Gee
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