American Endurance Ride Conference Board Meeting January 18, 1975

 

On January 18, 1975 the AERC Advisory Board held an open meeting at the Senator Hotel, Sacramento, California. The meeting was attended by 125 riders and ride managers. AERC financing, new AERC bylaws and Junior riders were discussed.

A proposed budget of $6,500 was presented for the operation of AERC for 1975. The budget was adopted as being reasonable for the operation of the organization during the following year. Discussion followed as to the gest and most fair method of financing the budget. Some of the ideas presented were mandatory membership to qualify for AERC awards, increasing memberships to $25.00 per year per rider, trying to find a national sponsor for AERC awards, charging rides a sanctioning fee and a fee for each rider participating in the ride.

 

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION WAS ADOPTED AND SENT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

1. Starting in 1975 AERC membership shall be mandatory for a rider to qualify for AERC National or Regional awards. (In the past non AERC members were eligible for awards.) Membership will be $5.00 for individuals and $10.00 for families.

2. AERC sanctioned rides shall contribute $1.50 per rider to AERC. (In the past sanctioned rides paid no fees.)

 

THE CONSENSUS WAS THAT THIS SYSTEM:

  1. Would provide for the immediate financial needs to insure the continued operation of AERC.
  2. Would allow for the future growth of AERC without assessing additional fees.
  3. Would no impose a hardship on rides as they would be able to pass on the $1.50 to the riders.
  4. Would require riders riding many rides to contribute more than those riding just a few.
  5. Would have the advantage of allowing everyone participating in the sport to contribute to the National Organization.

 

The acceptance of this financing method was tied to a call for an election of AERC offices. Thus, a bylaws committee was appointed and a meeting set for February 1 & 2 at the home of John and Shirley Wheeler in Red Bluff, Calif.

 

The bylaws committee met for two days. There were 35 people in attendance. A new set of bylaws were drafted and submitted to the board of directors for approval. The minutes of the meeting are enclosed. The new bylaws will be printed in their entirety in the next issue of the AERC Endurance News.

 

One of the major features of the new bylaws is the establishment of an Ethics Committee for protests concerning AERC points. Article XIII Section 3 of the bylaws:

  1. The Ethics Committee shall consist of the Board of Directors of the AERC.
  2. The Duties of this Committee shall be to hear and recommend action of formal protests submitted.
    1. A rider must appeal his complaint to the ride management within 24 hours after the ride by written notice accompanied by a $25.00 check made payable to AERC. If the protest is upheld, the $25.00 is returned to the rider. If the protest is denied, the $25.00 is passed on to AERC.
    2. Should the rider loose his appeal to ride management, he may then appeal to the Regional Director by written notice within 15 days after the ride. If the decision is in favor of the rider the $25.00 is refunded.
    3. If the appeal is lost at the Regional Director level, the rider may then appeal to the Ethics Committee of the AERC which will consider the matter accordingly. If the Ethics Committee decides in favor of the rider the $25.00 will be refunded.

 

If a rider wishes to make a protest at your ride we urge you to do all that you can to settle the matter. However, if an impasse is reached forward the riders written complaint and $25.00 to your regional director. The Regional Director will get in touch with the parties concerned to resolve the matter.

 

The following resolution was submitted to and adopted by the Board of Directors:

 

JUNIOR RIDERS:

  1. There will be a separate Junior Rider Division.
  2. A Junior is a rider under 16 years of age as of January 1st.
  3. There will be a completely separate point and awards system for Junior riders.
  4. Sponsorship of Junior Riders is at the discretion of the individual sanctioned rides.
  5. A minimum age requirement is at the discretion of the individual sanctioned rides, keeping in mind of the difficulty of terrain and length of ride.
  6. A Junior Rider is not eligible for Senior or Over-all Winner, Best Condition, or Top Ten points or awards.

 

The AERC has adopted the above on the National and Regional levels. We urge you to give careful consideration to adopting it for your ride. When reporting your ride results do not include junior riders in your top ten. Juniors now have their own top ten and first place categories.

 

Juniors will not receive points for Best Condition as many rides will not have sufficient entries to make this practical. Otherwise Junior points are the same as for Seniors.

 

If you have any questions please write to the AERC, PO Box 1605 Auburn, California 95603.

 

MINUTES OF THE BYLAWS COMMITTEE OF THE AMERICAN ENDURANCE RIDE CONFERENCE INC. FEBRUARY 1 1975

 

The meeting was called to order by the chairman, Sidney Morse, at the home of John and Shirley Wheeler, Red Bluff, California, for the purpose of re-writing the ByLaws of the AERC to encompass the goals already set down at the previous meeting at the Senator hotel and other relative subjects:

 

MOTIONS CARRIED:

 

  1. The Board of Directors shall consist of two members in good standing from each qualified Region, and of eight members in good standing elected at large (Article IV, Section 1)
  2. The election of the two representatives from the various Regions is at the discretion of those regions. (Article IV Section 1)
  3. Regional directors will serve 2 year terms with the eight at large members elected on alternate years, beginning in 1976 for the at large members.
  4. The election of the eight members elected at large shall be:
    1. self nomination or
    2. Nomination by a qualified AERC member, in which case nominee must write an acceptance of the nomination by date so specified.
    3. Each nominee shall include a $5.00 filing fee.
    4. Each nominee shall submit a brief resume.
    5. All nominees must be paid up members in good standing of the American Endurance Ride Conference, Inc. (Article IV, Section 1)
  5. Time Table for the election of Members at large:
    1. Nominations are to be received by AERC by September 1, 1975
    2. Responses and resumes of those other than self-nominated are to be received by AERC before October 1, 1975. Resumes of those self-nominated are to be received by AERC before October 1.
    3. A ballot and copy of all resumes will be sent to members by November 1, and the voted ballots returned to AERC by Nov. 15
  6. The present Board of Directors (5) will serve through 1975. Three new Board members at-large who will serve through December 31, 1976 will be elected this year to bring the total up to eight.
    1. The request for nominations to be sent out in the next Newsletter, the names, filing fees, and resumes returned by the self-nominated by April 15: The confirmation and resumes of these other than self-nominated by May 15: the ballots and copies of resumes sent out by June 15; and voted ballots returned by July 1.
  7. There will be one vote for individual membership and two votes for a family membership. (Article V, Section 2)
  8. The President, Vice President and any other officers the Board of Directors deems necessary will be elected from said Board of Directors. (Article V, Section 1.)

 

RESOLUTION:

That the charter members of the AERC be accorded dues free life membership. This includes Marion Arnold, Sam Arnold, Hall Hall, Charles Barieau, Phillip Gardner, Kathie Perry, Todd Nelson, Julie Suhr.

 

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONA:

  1. Southern California and Southern Nevada will be added to the Southwest Regional by a straight line from the Northwest corner of Arizona to Beatty, Nevada, to San Luis Obispo, California. This will add more rides to the region, and five those concerned more rides within their own region.
  2. The number of the Region will be put on all entry forms. West Region #1, Southeast Region #2, Southwest Region #3, Pacific Northwest #4, Midwest Region #6, and Northeast Region #7.
  3. There will be established an Endurance Hall of Fame for both mounts and riders, to be implemented at a later date.
  4. Juniors
    1. There will be a separate Junior Rider Division
    2. A junior is a rider under 16 years of age as of January first.
    3. There will be a completely separate point and awards system compiled for Junior Riders.
    4. Sponsorship of Junior Riders is at the discretion of the individual sanctioned rides.
    5. A minimum age requirement is at the discretion of the individual sanctioned ride keeping in mind the difficulty of terrain and length of ride.
    6. A Junior Rider is not eligible for Senior Winner, Over-All Winner, Best Condition, or Top Ten Points or Awards
  5. Any horse may be tested for drugs at the discretion of the Head Veterinarian.
  6. Violations of drug abuse will be referred to this Committee for appropriate action.
  7. Any medication to the horse 72 hours prior to the ride must be declared to ride management
  8. The point structure will be changed to awards points for best condition and winner based on one point per mile.

 

GENERAL DISCUSSION:

  1. Feasibility of blanket insurance policy (general liability and accident) covering all rides.
  2. Use of Newsletter for dissemination of information and applicable balloting.
  3. Regional autonomy, growth and representation.
  4. An agenda for the Board of Directors Meeting should be mailed out to the Board Members prior to that meeting in order that they may consult their constituency, and thus express a more representative view point.
  5. Minimum voting age of individual members.
  6. How to help Regions develop and function, both individually and within the AERC. Suggest rebate part of $1.50 per rider sanction fee to Regions. This is especially important to the Mountain Region.
  7. Get more specific information from the Veterinary Committee on use of drugs, both legal and illegal.

 

THE CHAIRMAN AND THE ENTIRE ASSEMPLAGE THANKED JOHN AND SHIRLEY WHEELER FOR THEIR MOST GRACIOUS HOSPITALITY AND DELICIOUS FOOD. THERE BEING NO OTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED.