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President Marty Irby credited the association’s staff and directors for TWHBEA’s recent successes.
5/31/11
TWHBEA Holds Meetings
Lewisburg, TN - The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association (TWHBEA) held its mid-year meetings May 26 - 28, 2011, at association headquarters in Lewisburg, Tennessee. Following a series of sub-committee and committee meetings, the event culminated with the Semi-Annual Board of Directors Meeting on Saturday, May 28. It was a very productive weekend for the association as directors and members gathered from around the country and world.
Executive Committee Meeting
Preceding the Semi-Annual Board of Directors Meeting, the TWHBEA Executive Committee met briefly. Following the roll call, approval of the agenda and approval of the minutes from the May 2, 2011 Executive Committee meeting (as amended by Marketing Vice President Joyce Moyer), discussion turned to the financials from periods three and four. Discussion centered on a discrepancy involving the association’s lab expense liability account. It was reported that the discrepancy is due, in part, to changes in the accounting practices of the University of Kentucky. Ultimately, Administrative/Fiscal/Audit Vice President Rob Cornelius motioned that the financials be presented to the board of directors with the caveat that the discrepancy involving the lab expense liability account is still being investigated. The motion carried.
As the yearly audit is also affected by the above mentioned discrepancy, there was much discussion regarding whether it should be approved. After a brief report from Accountant Greg Cook, in which he asserted that the income and expense statements should stand regardless of the investigation of the involved accounts, Member At Large By Laws Loyd Hall ‘Buster’ Black, Jr., motioned that the audit be approved with the understanding that an issue with the lab expense liability account may result in the re-statement of the association’s liability accounts due to a potential dispute with the University of Kentucky. The motion carried.
Due to time restraints, President Marty Irby kept his comments brief, simply touching on the success of the meetings. Senior Vice President Margo Urad reported on her research into a potential name change for the association from Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association to Tennessee Walking Horse Association. She explained that the cost for such a change would be approximately $21,000. Pleasure Horse Vice President Rick Wies motioned that the name change be presented to the board of directors for a vote. His motion failed for lack of a second.
Citing time concerns, Executive Director Ron Thomas chose to forgo his report and the meeting move on to old business. Breeders Vice President Kathy Zies presented several motions. In the first, she requested that the Executive Committee recommend to the board of directors that she, Irby and Thomas be granted the power to negotiate a new parentage verification contract with the University of Kentucky and that they be allowed to negotiate a three or five year contact in order to get the best possible rates. This motion carried unanimously.
In her second motion she requested approval to present a motion to the board of directors that would raise the blood-typing conversion fee from $25 to $40, effective July 15, 2011. Explaining the need for this raise in fees, she stated that currently TWHBEA is paying $27 per conversion to the lab and spending at least $4 per conversion on in-house handling, resulting in a $7 per conversion loss. This motion also carried unanimously.
Her third motion was to raise the DNA kit fee from $40 to $50, effective July 15, 2011. In explaining this motion she related that in researching the fees of other registries she had discovered that the vast majority were now charging $50 for parentage verification and her committee felt that TWHBEA was justified in doing the same. This motion carried unanimously.
Zeis’ final motion focused on a new option at TWHBEA. She reported that her committee had developed and approved a new name reservation program for breeders. TWHBEA members will be able to reserve names for up to one year for $30. At the end of that year, the name reservation will auto renew with a 30 day warning and a 30 day grace period in which to pay another $30 fee to reserve the name for another year. Reserved names will be able to be transferred for $30. Her motion requested approval for this program. The motion carried unanimously.
Moving on to new business, Trainers Vice President Wayne Dean announced that a list of leased horses was now available on the TWHBEA website.
Cornelius then motioned that a resolution be passed that Article III, Section 15 of the TWHBEA By Laws, which stipulates that any increase in dues or fees be approved by the board of directors, be interpreted as follows: That any decrease in dues or fees enacted by the executive committee, which provides by its terms at the time of the enactment that it shall end and the decrease shall return to its prior level within six months, shall not be deemed an increase in dues or fees contemplated by the language of the last sentence of the first paragraph of Article III, Section 15 of the by laws. This motion passed unanimously.
Next, Marketing Vice President Joyce Moyer presented the sponsorship package from Best Of America By Horseback (BOABH). As a sponsor of the program TWHBEA will receive air time exposure consisting of opening billboards for each episode from April to November, 2011, website exposure consisting of the TWHBEA logo complete with a link to the TWHBEA website on the BOABH website and publication exposure in the form of a feature in the June 2011 Trail Club newsletter. Additionally, TWHBEA members will be eligible for a discount on the remaining BOABH 2011 trail rides, from $150 per person to $135 per person.
Horse Shows Vice President Tracy Boyd then motioned that starting with the 2012 National Futurity all two and three year olds be required to be parentage verified in order to show. This motion passed unanimously.
Closing out the meeting, Performance Horse Vice President Tom Kakassy presented two motions. In the first, which addressed the impending USDA regulations and mandatory penalties, he moved that TWHBEA initiate and collaborate in an agenda creation for an industry conference with all HIOs and other industry organizations, for the purpose of planning for and reacting to the proposed USDA regulations. In the second he moved that the association assemble a proposal for industry and USDA participation in further scientific study regarding callus formation, the effects of action devices and the promotion of uniformity in palpation techniques. Both motions passed.
International Board Of Directors Meeting
Executive Director Ron Thomas and President Marty Irby recognized five staff members for their years of service to TWHBEA. Pictured left to right are Thomas, Annette Rodgers, Marilyn Walker, Paulette Ewing, Amanda Campbell and Irby. Not pictured is Barbara McAdams.
The semi-annual meeting of the TWHBEA International Board of Directors was held Saturday, May 28, 2011. Following the call to order and the roll call, which revealed a quorum, President Marty Irby and Executive Director Ron Thomas recognized five staff members for their years of service to the association. Those recognized included Annette Rodgers, Registry, 45 years seniority, Marilyn Walker, Registry, 40 years seniority, Paulette Ewing, Voice and Youth Coordinator, 20 years seniority, Barbara McAdams, Registry, 15 years seniority and Amanda Campbell, Voice, five years seniority. Unfortunately, McAdams was unable to attend the meeting.
Next up were the approvals of the agenda and the minutes from the December 4, 2010 International Board of Directors meeting. Then, Administrative/Fiscal/Audit Vice President Rob Cornelius stepped to the podium for the review and approval of the 2010 audit. He explained that there is a discrepancy involving back billing from the University of Kentucky based on a change in their accounting procedures. He stated that due to this discrepancy, the executive committee recommended that approval of the audit be deferred until the December board meeting while the lab fees and accounts involved are investigated. This was followed by the ratification of the actions of the executive committee since December 4, 2010.
In his remarks, President Marty Irby commended the association staff and announced that the association had met and surpassed the set goal of 10,000 members. He also welcomed Executive Director Ron Thomas and expressed his commitment to TWHBEA’s role as the leader of the industry. Senior Vice President Margo Urad also thanked the staff. She moved on to address the potential association name change, which would cost approximately $21,000. Returning to the podium, Irby provided the following statistics: GO! Gelding Program is up 85 entries; membership is up 1,006; 477 members have rejoined after not being members in 2010; there are now 425 youth members, 154 of whom have never been members before; and the association is up 500 members over December 2010.
In what were his first remarks to the International Board of Directors, Executive Director Ron Thomas began by complimenting the directors for entrusting the association to a very dedicated and involved Executive Committee. Turning to ongoing projects, he related that a possible breed museum was being investigated with the assistance of the Tennessee Walking Horse Foundation, that various revenue generating ideas were being pursued, that the association was gearing up its social media and website efforts and that ways to improve the regional futurity program were being sought. He then commended the staff on their efforts to provide better customer service and stated that various ideas to make business easier and more efficient were being studied.
As there was no old business to discuss, the agenda moved on to new business. Cornelius stepped to the podium to motion that a resolution be passed that Article III, Section 15 of the TWHBEA by laws, which stipulates that any increase in dues or fees be approved by the board of directors, be interpreted as follows: That any decrease in dues or fees enacted by the executive committee, which provides by its terms at the time of the enactment that it shall end and the decrease shall return to its prior level within six months, shall not be deemed an increase in dues or fees contemplated by the language of the last sentence of the first paragraph of Article III, Section 15 of the by laws. This motion passed unanimously.
Dee Hasler, Director from Illinois, then brought up the subject of starting a half-Tennessee Walking Horse registry, stating that this could be an excellent revenue source. After a short discussion, she motioned that this subject be researched as to interest and cost and that the results of this research be presented at the December board meeting. During discussion of the motion, it was suggested by Breeders Vice President Kathy Zeis that an investigatory committee be formed. The motion passed with 15 against.
In the first standing committee report of the day, Administrative/Fiscal/Audit Vice President Rob Cornelius announced that association employees had gotten back half of the 10% pay cut they had taken last fall. Turning to the association’s finances, he reported the following account balances - $19,054.38 in the operating account, $14,250 in the commemorative garden account, $81,744 in the futurity account, $56,500.71 in the credit card account, $308,684 in the Morgan Keegan account and $100,000 in a CD. He relayed that year to date association revenue stands at $587,525 compared to expenses of $571,057 for a profit of $16,476.
Breeders Vice President Kathy Zeis presented a series of motions in her report. For the most part these were the same motions she presented during the executive committee meeting earlier in the day. The motions were as follows: That she, Irby and Thomas be granted the power to negotiate a new parentage verification contract with the University of Kentucky and that they be allowed to negotiate a three or five year contact in order to get the best possible rates; to raise the blood-typing conversion fee from $25 to $40, effective July 15, 2011; and to raise the DNA kit fee from $40 to $50, effective July 15, 2011. Each of the motions passed unanimously. Other topics covered in her report included the new name reservation program, a reduced rate of $25 for N.I. tests at the University of Kentucky lab and ongoing projects including extended pedigrees suitable for framing, versatility designations in iPeds and the simplification of the registration process.
Reporting next, Enforcement Vice President Mike Hicks related that there are no enforcement issues before his committee at this time. He then made a motion requesting that the board of directors instruct the Executive Committee to move forward immediately in developing a unified rulebook and judging system and that the Executive Committee make this task the responsibility of the Enforcement Committee. The motion carried.
Equine Welfare Vice President Dr. Linda Montgomery reported that there were few issues currently before her committee. Turning to the current EHV-1 outbreak, she assured those gathered that if there were need to take action within the walking horse community, TWHBEA would notify its members via email. She closed her report by letting the directors know that, if they were interested in holding a gelding clinic in their area, the AAEP has a program whereby they will provide $50 per horse gelded.
Horse Shows Vice President Tracy Boyd began his report by remarking that it seems likely that futurity nominations will be up over last year. He then announced that starting with the 2012 National Futurity, all two and three year olds will be required to be parentage verified in order to show. Touching on horse show development, he discussed the reinstatement of the Manchester Lions Club Show and the United Show Development Group. He then stated that a primary goal for his committee is to develop and implement a comprehensive national and international high point program. The intention is to introduce this program in 2012. He urged the directors and members present to assist in getting horse show results from all HIOs and asserted that such a program would be a foundation from which to build.
Reporting for the Marketing Committee, Vice President Joyce Moyer began by talking about the association gift shop. She mentioned possibilities with the Go Pink! breast cancer awareness program and then showed an example of what she called a ‘compromise‘ action shot that could be used on gift shop items. She also discussed allowing those that produce Tennessee Walking Horse themed gifts to use the gift shop on a consignment basis and putting together an industry cookbook. She reported that the Lewisburg Richland Inn had agreed to give the association one night per month for visitors to TWHBEA. She then touched on Genius Day, an open house held annually at her farm in Ohio, and said that she would be willing to assist anyone looking to host their own open house. Other topics covered in her report included TWHBEA’s relationship with Stolen Horse International, increasing the association’s social media presence, the success of Equine Affaire and TWHBEA’s new agreement with Best Of America By Horseback, which will give the association valuable publicity and allow members to attend their rides for $135 per person instead of the standard rate of $150 per person. To close out her report, Moyer held two drawings for one free night each at Richland Inn in Lewisburg, the lucky winners were Rick Chovan and Dee Hasler.
Owners/Exhibitors/International Vice President Stephen Brown reported that Stan Trimble shoeing clinics were still available for local and state associations and that Manna Pro would be sponsoring this year’s Celebration clinic, ‘Grab Life By The Reins,’ which will feature Tim Scarberry and be held in conjunction with All Youth Day. Turning to the GO! Gelding Program, he reported that entries were up by 40 and that there were five new entries in the European program. Moving on to international happenings he said that the European annual meeting and banquet had been a success and that expectations were high for the next European Championships. He commended the Bader-Keyser farm for their hard work promoting the breed the Europe. As for Canada, he reported on the success of Mane Event and the potential for the upcoming Gaited Experience in Alberta. He then thanked Bill Adams for his work in bringing Canadian walking horse enthusiasts together. In closing he promised that, by next May, the TWHBEA website, as well as the association’s literature, would be available in Spanish and German.
In his report, Performance Horse Vice President Tom Kakassy began by re-asserting TWHBEA’s commitment to promote all disciplines and stating that it is his committee’s position that a performance horse is any horse that enters the ring. Discussing TWHBEA’s response to the HSUS petition, he related that the response to the response has been quite positive. He then stated that a position paper on horse slaughter has been developed and released and that a position paper on humane training techniques has been developed and will be released soon. Turning to recent USDA activities, he said that the USDA had gone to rule making on mandatory penalties and that it was his expectation that they would implement these regulations, which would increase penalties and make them cumulative. He noted that it had been recently published in the Federal Register that the banning of all pads and action devices was a possibility if the new regulations and penalties do not result in the elimination of soring. He then put forth two motions. In the first, he moved that TWHBEA initiate and collaborate in an agenda creation for an industry conference with all HIOs and other industry organizations, for the purpose of planning for and reacting to the proposed USDA regulations. In the second he moved that the association assemble a proposal for industry and USDA participation in further scientific study regarding callus formation, the effects of action devices and the promotion of uniformity in palpation techniques. The first motion carried and the second motion carried with a friendly amendment to insert the phrase ‘in the best interest of the horse.’ In closing, he requested that all state associations that support what TWHBEA is doing send a letter of support to the association.
Pleasure Horse Vice President Rick Wies started his report by reminding everyone that screw in studs and cross bars are now permitted in jumping, slide plates are permitted in reining classes and ranch sorting has been added to the versatility program. He also announced that versatility points could now be counted from both two and three gait classes at the same show. He said that 450 award certificates had been sent out for 2010 and that one of his primary goals is to get those achievements listed on iPeds. In an effort to assist versatility shows around the country, he related that support is now available from TWHBEA in the form of $250 worth of license plates or license plate frames to be used as awards or for fund raising. Turning to upcoming events, he reminded everyone that the 2011 TWHBEA World Versatility Show is scheduled for July 22 - 24 at Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and that an Extreme Cowboy Race will be held June 25 at Circle E Ranch in Winchester, Tennessee.
Training Vice President Wayne Dean focused his report on the Academy and CRI programs. He related that four Academy shows had been held and that a number of regular shows had added Academy classes so far this year. He said that there are two shows coming up in North Carolina as well as several others in the works for Tennessee and other states. Discussing the CRI program, he reported that it seems to be at a standstill right now and then urged everyone to spread to word to get more licensed instructors. To end his report, he called for unity in supporting all aspects of the breed.
Member At Large By Laws, Loyd Hall ‘Buster’ Black, Jr., reported that the Executive
Committee had approved a complete re-write of the association’s by laws. He said that his committee had, thus far, identified six areas that need to be addressed - the effect of HIO and USDA suspensions on board eligibility, electronic voting and security concerns, possibly changing the order of installation of the new Executive Committee at the December board of the directors meeting, coordinating the dates in the by laws with fiscal year end dates, possibly requiring one year of committee experience before a director can run for an Executive Committee position, and staggering terms for Executive Committee members.
In the final standing committee report of the day, Member At Large Youth Linda Starnes covered the various activities of her committee and the youth. She reported that a youth survey was being prepared and that a weekly youth email blast was in the works. She also said that TWHYA’s social media presence was being amped up and that her committee was looking into acquiring a button maker to use as a fund raising source. Listing upcoming youth events, she discussed All Youth Day, scheduled for August 27 at the Celebration, the Creative Contest, which has a deadline of July 1, the TWHYA Queen Contest to be held at the World Versatility Show and the FAST Showcase, which will be a fundraising opportunity for the youth. She also touched on the possibility of changing the point system for the 4H Achievement Award, starting a FFA Achievement Award program, the importance of the Youth Challenge program and the formation of a 2012 camp committee.
Following the standing committee reports, the floor was opened for comments from members. Denise Rowland questioned whether the possibility of a stand-alone National Futurity and accompanying show was still being discussed. Horse Shows Vice President Tracy Boyd responded that he expected that topic to be tackled by his committee prior to the December meetings. Rowland then suggested that TWHBEA look into the American Saddlebred’s All American Cup and consider a similar program. Before leaving the podium, she noted that she was adamantly against the association name change and she felt there were better ways to spend the association’s money.
The meeting drew to a close with President Irby recognizing his predecessor, David Pruett, for his valuable assistance and commitment to TWHBEA and Administrative Assistant Diane White for her dedication and hard work. He then set a new membership goal of 11,000 members by the December meetings, which will be held December 1 - 3, 2011.
For further details or information, please contact (931) 359-1574.
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