APRIL 24, 2004 BOARD MEETING

 

The most exciting happening at the board meeting was the announcement of the final guidelines and the go ahead for the Performance and Pleasure Futurities.  The guidelines are as follows:

1.        Starting with the time period of the 2004 Nationals, 30 slots will be sold in each Pleasure and Performance classes.  The futurity will be held at the 2005 Grand National Championship show September 18 –24 in Perry Georgia.

2.        Each slot will cost $5,000 and will be available from September 19, 2004 through January 16, 2005 (ending date of the PFHA Membership Convention).

3.        No more than four (4) slots will be sold to any one member/family.

4.        If 20 slots are not sold by January 16, 2005, the futurity will not be held and all funds will be refunded.

5.        The owner of the slot must name the horse for the respective Futurity by 9:00PM (Eastern) April 1, 2005 as directed.  Each slot owner will be notified on April 2, 2005 of all other horses entered.  If not named by the prescribed date and time, the owner of the slot loses the right to nominate a horse and forfeits all entry funds.   Once a horse is named, the PFHA will provide a Genetic Testing Kit and Microchip.  All horses will submit to a microchip reading and/or DNA testing prior to showing.

6.        NO SUBSTITUTIONS AND NO REFUNDS

7.        Horses MUST NOT be shown in a PFHA approved show prior to the Futurity.

8.        Purchaser may transfer slot and horse at any time.

9.        No restriction on rider other than rider must be a current member of PFHA

10.     Horse must be at least 309 months of age in order to show.

 

                                             JUDGING

1.    Up to 10 judges will be selected by secret ballot by the members who purchase a slot to the respective      

Futurities.  (Purchasers of Pleasure slots select Pleasure judges; purchasers of Performance slots select   Performance judges).  One vote per slot (multiple owners of one slot are allowed only one collective vote).

2.        The top five judges will be contracted in secrecy.

3.        All five judges will enter the show ring and judge the show; after the judges cards are turned in, two judges will be selected randomly and their scores discarded.

4.        Judging: NON CONFERRING

5.        Scoring: (MOS)

6.        PFHA Judges and Stewards Committee and Events Committee to determine the class rules, if different than published  and recommended when classes will be held.

                               

                                                   PAYOUTS

1.        Thirty slots @ $5,000=$150,000

2.        One hundred thousand dollars ($100,000 and trophy to the champion horse of each futurity.

3.        Sixteen thousand two hundred and sixty-six dollars ($16,266) to the reserve horse of each futurity.

4.        Eight thousand, one hundred and thirty-three dollars ($8,133) to the third place horse of each futurity.

5.        Ribbons to the top ten horses.

 

I personally think this is a wonderful way to wake up the Performance and Pleasure market and bring up the value of these horses.  The judging system will cost as much as $6,200 per class.  This was my only objection to the whole system.  I didn’t see why we couldn’t use the existing judges.  The reason for doing it the way they chose was to eliminate any possible chance for any deals between judges and contestants.

 

 The amateur owner committee will be accepting nominations for A/O of the year in the May and June issue of PFHW.  The communications committee has designated the October issue of the PFHW magazine to the A/O.

 

Discussions are underway to have  A/O Geldings for Gold classes.  It has been discussed to make the existing Geldings for Gold classes A/O.  I am opposed to this.  The existing  classes should continue and the A/O should have their own classes.  I am the contact person for this committee for High Plains, Great Western and Northwest.  If you have any A/O ideas or input please contact me and I will present them to the committee.

 

The communications Committee members are submitting new articles for the PFHW magazine revolving around approved monthly editorial themes.  Current theme articles in the works are: Trail/Endurance riding, Handicapped/Challenged riders with Paso fino horses, the Parelli experience with training Paso Finos , and Paso Fino tack and equipment.

 

The Computer Committee is reviewing AS400 software and possible solutions due to the product and operating system no longer being supported by IBM.

 

The CONFEPASO committee announced that the 2004 General Assembly will be in the Republic of Panama for the purpose of approving the amendments of the youth riders competition Rule   

 

The youth competition has been moved to Puerto Rico due to the political unrest in Venezuela.

 

The Education Committee continues to have clinics at shows and will have clinics at the Nationals.

 

The Ethics committee is developing and will publish guides addressing the Ethical Considerations in the sale of horses.  Guides addressing the Ethical Considerations in serving on the PFHA Board.  Develop and publish a Member guide addressing the Ethical Considerations in the Trainer/Client relationships.

 

The events Committee is still working on new guidelines being considered on the formation of Regional Championship shows. They are already going to have a championship on the West Coast.  I get the feeling from the discussion that the name will be changed to AREA Championship.  The Florida people are not receptive to the idea as they have their Spectrum.  The Piedmont region has its show in Asheville, which is huge and a great success, so I don’t think they are interested in another show.  About the only thing left is the central part of the U.S.   I would appreciate feedback from our membership whether our not you want us to encourage this.

 

The Executive Director reports that registrations and transfers are down but membership is up 4 to 5 percent above last year.

As of March 31 of this year the DNA conversion is complete.  This conversion cost the Assoc. $129,192.00.

 

Kathy Krzeszewski has requested and PFHA granted release of her contract as show manager.  She was the show manager last year.  Peg Edmondson has assumed her portion of the contract.

PFHA has sent out request for Bids on the show management for 2005.

Timberline Saddle Company will provide five saddles for the Nationals.  Perry Area convention Bureau will be providing the Exhibitors Party valued at $7,500.00.  Don West will be providing a saddle to the person that has logged the most miles.  Energy Equine Insurance Agency has signed a two-year agreement as the Official Equine insurance agency.

 

John King/Fairway Ford provided PFHA with a F350 Ford diesel truck.  High Gait Farm and sadderly will provide three saddles.  C& C trailers are also a corporate sponsor.

 

Please support the sponsors when you need something.  We need them and they need us.

 

The Finance Committee approved funding for an additional marketing person in anticipation of potential  future funds was reallocated from within the existing budget.

 

The Foundation reports have increased the donations to $22,573.88 an increase of $427.85 since the end of December.  Thus far only four regions have donated.  High Plains is one of them.

 

The Futurity Committee has published the Breeders sweepstakes on the PFHA web site.  The guidelines also contain a complete list of participating stallions for the 2004 service auction.

 

The Hearing Committee reported that Mr. Andres Mejia filed a charge against Mr. Dwight Graber.  He was suspended for (30) days and fined $1,000.00.

Ms. Kathy Briggs (Williams)was suspended for three years fined $5,000.00 and permanently lost her judge’s card.

Mr.  Mike William’s was suspended for three years and fined $2,500.00.

 

The Historical Committee reported that Beverly Kritz will be putting together the History of PFHA.

 

The Judges and Stewards Committee gave us a list of  seven judges to pick five from to judge the 2004 Nationals.  The total list was Rex Bradley, Dr. Rolando Colon-Nebot, Lynn Gallup, Phyllis Gaudreau, Loly Gonzalez, Ellen Perez and Donald Schanache.  Don Schanache was picked lst, Ellen Perez 2nd, Dr. Rolando Colon-Nebot, 3rd, Loly Gonzalez 4th and Rex Bradley 5th.  Good luck at the Nationals.

 

The Marketing Committee is made up of Al Berry, Chairman, Judy Stiranka, Lynn Gallup, Laura Conde, Cathie Siemer, Ben Leon, Ron Moloff.  The committee is scheduled to meet May 29 in Kissimmee, Florida during the Spectrum.  I think the marketing committee has met only once since its beginning and that doesn’t surprise me since they have made Al Berry chairman.  This man does a terrific job but he doesn’t need something else to do. A chairman needs to be appointed out of the committee and Al should be on the committee but not chair.  Al has done a great job of getting Paso Fino programs on RFD TV.  Not too long ago I got a call from a person because he had seen Paso Fino’s on RFD TV.  

 

National Show Chairman Cathie Siemer informed us that the Prize list for the nationals will be on the Web Site not-later than may 30 and in the mail by the first week in June.

 

Professional Trainers Committee reports that they have started highlighting past trainers of the year, in the PFHW each month.

 

   The Youth Committee has recently sent out more than one hundred letters to members requesting donations to savings bond award programs for all youth national show ribbon winners.

 

If anyone has any questions or comments please feel free to contact me.

 

Steve Burgess