Racking Horse Breeders Association General Membership Meeting

February 23, 2002
(Unapproved)

The Racking Horse general membership meeting was called to order by President House Saturday Morning February the 23^rd at 10 am. Mr. Frye gave invocation.  President House opened meeting with a welcome to everyone.  He asked that all members stand together and work for the Racking Horse Industry as a group.  He stated that he was glad to be president due to the many wonderful people in the RHBAA.  President House asked the general membership to promote a good horse, good times, and good friendship. 

 At this time Mr. Gullic was asked to present President House and Mrs. Taylor a copy of the Billie Nipper print to be displayed in the office from the amateur association.  

President House then asked Mrs. Taylor and her staff to stand, and Mrs. Taylor to introduce them each. 

President House called for committee reports.

President House called on Mr. Jacobs, chairman of the membership and promotions, to introduce Mrs. Laster from Horse TV.  Mrs. Laster informed the membership on what she could do for the RHBAA.  After Mrs. Laster, Mr. Jacobs continued with his committee report.  The total cost of the magazine was $18,110.37.  The total sales were $11,750.00.  Advertisement, Exhibitions, and Equipment cost $5,119.39.  Mr. Jacobs informed the membership that he was under budget.  He reminded the membership that this money was not only for advertisement but also for articles, show bills, etc.  He urged everyone to advertise as much as possible.  Mr. Jacobs said the membership is down from last year.  For the year 2001 we had a total of 2900 members, to date there is only 1600.  Mr. Jacobs informed everyone that he has set a goal of 5000 for the year 2002.  Mr. Jacobs asked for the help of all the members to solicit new members to help meet the goal.  Mr. Jacobs spoke briefly on Mrs. Laster’s presentation.  He expressed that he has many questions for her before any decisions are made.

President House called on Mrs. Jones to read the minutes from last meeting.  Half way through the reading of the last minutes Mr. Farrar made a motion to accept the minutes. Mr. Jacobs 2^nd and the motion carried. 

President House called for the treasurer report.  Mrs. Harris pasted out the year-end statement.  She informed the membership that the barn improvements went very good last year.  The account receivables that needed to be collected went very good last year.  Mrs. Harris felt that 90% of the receivables were collected.  Next year should not show a lot of receivables as the office has a hand on it now.  Mrs. Harris stressed that if you owe a bill to RHBAA you will not be able to show until your account is current.  Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Taylor spoke with the accountants and the banker this week.  She felt that both meetings were very productive.  The banker made a suggestion to go with a variable rate for the next 2 years instead of the balloon rate.  The current rate is 7.87%.  With this variable rate it will start at 4.75%.  Mrs. Harris asked for questions from the membership. 

President House asked for the Advisory Committee report.  Mr. Frye informed the membership that his committee was the largest committee, due to the large amount of things that must come through the advisory committee before going to the board.  At this time Mr. Frye read the members of his committee.  He informed the membership that him and these members could at anytime be reached for suggestions or requests.

President House then called on Mrs. Berry form the Breeders Committee.

Mrs. Berry read the names of her committee and thanked them for serving with her.  Last year we had 876 pedigree registered and 1033 commissioned registered.  Mrs. Berry said the breeders committee has worked very close with the futurity association.  She informed the membership that the breeders and the futurity are both working with the pleasure association.  Mrs. Berry said that the futurity registry was down last year due to people not making the deadline.  Her committee is working hard to make the deadline easier.  Mrs. Berry informed the membership that the board had approved late entries for weanling and yearlings to be able to show in the 2 and 3 year old classes.  The stallion report is still not being filled out correctly.  Mrs. Berry reminded us that the stallion reports are the responsibility of the stallion owner.  Mrs. Berry asked if anyone has had problems in the past to please come back by the office and they will see what they can do to help.  Mrs. Berry said the mouthing will continue at the spring and fall show as long as we continue commission registration.

President House called on Mr. Gullic, head of the D.Q.P. Committee.

He stated that the RHBAA is still under the previous contract with the National Horse Show Committee.  This contract will expire December 31, 2002.  Mr. Gullic says we will look into another HIO that wants to give a presentation for the 2003 season.

President House called for the Exhibitor Status committee report. 

In the absence of Mr. Roeher, Mrs. Hart informed the membership that the exhibitor status had not met as of this time.  Mrs. Hart read the members of the exhibitor status committee and asked that they attend a meeting at 6:30pm on 2-23-02.

President House called for the show chairman report. 

Mr. Morrison complimented everyone on a very successful fall show.  He hopes this year will be even better.  He then read his committee members.  Mr. Morrison committee met on Friday 22, 2002.  The spring show will basically stay the same as last year.  The committee did vote to drop 15.2 mares class due to only 4 entries last year.  The new pleasure class has been added for the spring show.  This is all the changes the committee had for the spring.  The committee recommended that the judging go back to 3-judge system.  Also the committee voted to raise the prize money for the fall show.  The committee recommended that all A and B classes be done away with.  If any of these classes reach the 26-horse entry then they will be split.  Currently there is only the one morning show.  Mr. Morrison asked if anyone had any suggestions to please come to him or any of his committee members. 

President House called on Mr. Thacker from the Judges Committee for its report.  Mr. Thacker started off with the introduction of his committee.  Mr. Thacker said the ballots for the judges for spring celebration would be mailed out the 1^st week of March.  He asked that each member get these ballots back in as soon as possible so the committee can meet the 30-day rule.  Mr. Thacker told the membership that his committee would be videoing the shows at random this year.  The committee is going to try to video the area that the judge is looking at instead the entire ring.  Mr. Thacker again requested that if anyone has a complaint to call him.  He asked please don’t send him letters or videotapes without signing your name.  This makes it very hard for his committee to do anything.  If he does not know who sent the complaint he cannot respond to you with what action was taken.  Mr. Thacker asked for any questions.  Mr. Charlie Brown asked if the judges were going to be informed on the criteria of the new pleasure class.  Mr. Thacker said it would be passed on to the judges as soon as the pleasure association gives it to them. 

President House called for Mr. Roberts, head of the Personnel and Property Committee.

Mr. Roberts read his committee members.  He said this committee consists of basically the same as last year due to the fact that some of the projects that were started last year are not finished so therefore he kept most of the members from last year.  One of their projects for this year is parking for the horse trailers.  The previous space used for parking is owned by Mr. Livingston and is now rented on a yearly basis.  Mr. Roberts felt that it would cost somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000 to fix parking down under the barns.  Parking will be tight at the spring show so Mr. Roberts’s committee thinks the new parking area should be completed sometime within the year at approximately cost of 40,000.  It is his feeling that we will have to improve the computers in the office within the year.  Mr. Roberts gave a report of what has been spent out of cash monies not borrowed money.  In the past 3 years we have $300,391.00 on improvements such as the new entrance, the new guard shack, the new fence, the new road, the barn tops, the concession stand, new metal on the inside arena, rest rooms, gravel and grading, front doors and side doors, and new barns.  Mr. Roberts’s projects to come in the future are a new top on the arena and a warm up arena.  Mr. Roberts asked for any questions.  Mr. John Toney asked why we didn’t get the money from the state of Alabama anymore.  Mr. Roberts explained that it is a budgeting problem with the state.  Mr. Roberts assured the membership that they are working on the state to put the RHBAA in their budget.  Mr. Nipper asked why the money was not borrowed while the rates are so low.  Mr. Roberts said at this time we just already have so much borrowed. 

President House called for the Rules Enforcement Committee chairman. 

Mr. Hiers' committee was voted last year to consist of the President of the Amateur Association, the President of the Pleasure Association, the President of the Trainers Association, the President of the Futurity, and one board member.  Mr. Hiers' goals for this year are to regain the confidence of the general member.  He said no one is exempt from a rule violation.  Per Mr. Hiers, his committee will do everything to handle all rule violations in a timely manner, and after a thorough investigation of each rule violation a discussion will be made in a fair manner. 

President House called for Mr. Siniard of the Trail, Field, and Pleasure Committee.  Mr. Siniard read the names of his committee.  Mr. Siniard asked Tommy Thompson to serve as a liaison between the pleasure association and the judges.  Mrs. Haun will serve between the pleasure and the show committee.  Mr. Siniard gave a report on the points for the adult, youth, and the logged trail miles.  It was discussed how hard it is for some of the riders to acquire points so the pleasure association has re-organized their point system.  The last supreme champion point award was in 1998.  There points will be printed in new rulebook.  Mr. Siniard’s committee met on 2-22-02 and voted to leave things as they were last year. 

President House asked for any new business.   

Mrs. Sensing asked the status on the new rulebook.  Mr. Morrison, as committee chairman of the new rulebook, informed the membership that the new rulebook would be done shortly after the spring celebration.  Mr. Court asked if the new rulebook could be put on the Internet.  Mr. Morrison said he didn’t see why the new rulebook couldn’t be put on the Breeders’ news. 

A motion was made to adjourn and 2^nd, the motion carried.