BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

March 2, 1989

The meeting was called to order at 3:00 p.m. by Tom Goton, president. Jill Nebeker was introduced as a new Board member to replace Heidi Smith as Northwest regional director. Members responding to roll call were Tom Bowling, John DiPietra, Joe Long, Arlene Morris, Maggie Price, Jeri Scott, Karrin Beason, Louise Riedel, Lindsay Taliaferro, Kathy Ray, Tom Goton, Earle Baxter, Jill Nebeker, Robbi Pruitt, Boyd Zontelli, Frank Bennet, and Cliff Lewis. Arriving during the course of the meeting were Peter Ansorge, Nina Warren, Karen Paulo, and Jackie Mitchell.

The first order of business were reports of officers. There were no reports from the president or vice-president. The secretary recommended that a copy of the minutes from the beginning of AERC be compiled and be passed along to succeeding secretaries, who would be responsible for including future minutes The treasurer's report had been circulated by mail and was accepted. The budget will be considered at the Sunday meeting. The executive director's report was circulated. She recommended that corrections to ride results be reported to the national office within 30 days following the publication of those results in Endurance News.

Committee reports followed:

Awards Committee: Karen Paulo's report was read. Action on her recommendations was added to the agenda for Sunday.

Competitions Committee Chairman Tom Bowling reported. Joe Long moved that the date of the Southeast, West and Mountain region national championship rides be changed from October 7 to October 14. Boyd Zontelli seconded. Motion carried.

A question arose as to how horses qualified in their regions for the championship series would be scored as compared with non-qualified horses. Joe Long moved, Maggie Price seconded that in scoring the national championship rides only qualified horse-rider teams shall be considered for the championship standings. Motion carried.

Lindsay Taliaferro moved, Arlene Morris seconded that the Competitions Committee establish standard criteria for the championship ride series: to be approved by the Board. Motion carried.

Joe Long moved that: if after all three rides of the championship series, there is a tie for first place in any division: whichever horse-rider team finishes ahead of the other in the final ride would be the winner. Motion carried.

A question arose as to the points to be awarded at a national championship ride if the entries in any division were less than 11, especially as applicable to the heavyweight division. Referred to the committee. Kathy Ray inquired as to whether the 20% eligibility is to be earned only in the rider's own region, or in any region. Referred to committee.

The committee meeting was scheduled for Friday at 3:15.

Ride and Tie: Wayne Hendricks, Steve Shaw, Chuck Stalley and Emmett Ross represented the Ride and Tie Association. The committee moved and Frank Bennett seconded to accept Ride and Tie into AERC and to set up a committee for sanctioning. Mark Dees spoke for the legal committee that there were no objections if our requirements were met.

Lindsay Taliaferro moved to emend the motion to read “a committee for Ride

and Tie to establish, for review by the Board, procedures for sanctioning and administration of Ride and Tie within AERC.” Arlene Morris seconded. Amendment carried. The original motion as amended carried.

Legal and Insurance Committee: Mark Dees referred to the correspondence from Sheryl Studley which had been sent to the Board. No action was recommended. Lindsay Taliaferro requested that this committee consider the animal rights movement as applied to AERC.

Hall of Fame Committee: Maggie Price reported on some of the difficulties inherent in the present system of choosing Hall of Fame candidates. She pointed out lack of records, of recognition of Hall of Fame members, of methods of nomination, etc.

The meeting was recessed at 5:00 p.m, and reconvened at 7:30 p.m.

Education Committee: Arlene Morris reported on projects completed in 1988 and suggested the following for 1989: a packet including By-laws, Articles of Incorporation and committee charters to be provided for new Directors and committee chairmen; a Riders' manual; a mid-year seminar; participation by AERC in other horse-related conventions; appointment of a Historian to start a scrapbook and to develop a history of AERC. Tom Bowling moved to approve the charter of the Education Committee Maggie Price seconded. Motion carried.

Arlene distributed copies of an alternate plan for Penalties, which had been prepared by Bob Morris, Rules Committee member. This will be considered on Sunday at the same time as the other proposal for Penalties as prepared by Peter Ansorge and the Rules Committee.

Sanctioning Committee:

Louise Riedel reported that the AERC by-laws do not provide for sanctioning events, nor do the rules grant authority to the sanctioning director. A meeting of the eight sanctioning directors is scheduled for Friday at 2:30 at which time these issues will be addressed and a charter proposed for approval of the Board.

The Committee moved and Frank Bennet seconded to approve the Renegade 5-day ride for the second year. Motion carried.

An application had been received for sanctioning of the Goodrich Trail 5-day ride for 1990. Karen Paulo moved and Jill Nebeker seconded to table this issue for further investigation, Motion carried.

A proposal was presented to sanction the Utah Games ride for mileage only. This ride would be limited to Utah residents. There was no motion.

MaggiePrice moved to re sanction the Purina Race of Champions as provided in the rules pertaining to special events rides, Joe Long seconded. The motion passed with a roll call vote as follows: Pro--John DiPietra, Joe Long, Maggie Price, Karrin Beason, Louise Riedel, Lindsay Taliaferro, Kathy Ray, Earle Baxter and Boyd Zontelli. Opposed--Tom Bowling, Karen Paulo, Robbi Pruitt, Frank Bennett. Abstain--Arlene Morris, Jeri Scott, Jill Nebeker, Cliff Lewis.

A request had been received that AERC sanction 2-day fifty-mile rides. No motion was forthcoming.

Veterinary Committee: Kerry Ridgway DVM reported. He stressed the importance of getting information out to veterinarians across the country. and feels that the new membership provision for veterinians will be helpful. The limited mileage program as proposed by the Veterinary Committee will be discussed Sunday when the Limited Mileage committee members are present.

The Veterinary committee did not agree as to the proposed motion to require a vet check within the last 25 miles.

A new veterinary handbook will be available in the near future.

Arlene Morris raised the question of the propriety of the ride veterinarian also acting as the ride manager. The feeling of the veterinary committee was that this is inadvisable. The Veterinary Committee has no objection to the use of the "Seattle Shoe," a device which promotes the recovery of the horse's legs after impact.

With reference to Ride and Tie, Dr. Ridgway felt that the Board should insist that AERC’s veterinary rules be followed at Ride and Tie events.

The best condition form is being redesigned. The Veterinary Committee will convene Saturday, and the meeting will be reported on at the Sunday meeting.

International Committee Lindsay Taliaferro explained the structure of international riding. Bruce Bryant DVM told of some rule changes that evolved at the ELDRIC (European Long Distance Riding Conference) meeting recently in Switzerland. Their rules are beginning to fall more in line with AERC (i.e. the final check will be held 1/2 hour post ride instead of the next day; gates into a hold will be used exclusively; there will be a new definition of lameness.)

Lee Wittle spoke of some features of the World Championship ride last fall in Virginia, especially as to some of the differences in crewing; he also explained the selection process for the upcoming ride in Canada. Board members were encouraged to become acquainted with the FEI rules.

Trails Committee: Crockett Dumas emphasized the need for developing rapport and communication between public and private sectors, coalition with other trail users, the adopt-a-trail program, Rails-to-Trails, etc.

Protest Committee: Pat French distributed copies of the protest committee report, setting forth the protest procedure. Directors were urged to make every effort to settle protests at the local level. He raised the question as to who is empowered to change a trail in the case of an emergency, and should riders who have completed on an altered trail receive placing or just completion. He recommended that the time limit be extended from 15 days to 30 days for the time the director should make a decision; and the 30 day period for the committee to act to be extended from 30 days to 60 days.

Trilby Pedersen asked for the floor to present the following suggestions: that the championship rides be benefit rides; that directors at large should be voted for in their own regions; and that the present system of receiving credit for riding in any region be continued.

Lindsay Taliaferro moved to adjourn at 10:45.

Louise Riedel, Secretary