BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING March 3, 1996

Reno, Nevada

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 a.m. Responding to roll call were Vonita Bowers, president, Maggy Price, Earle Baxter, Randy Eiland, David Clinton, Courtney Hart, Steve Johnson, Lynn Golemon, Amy Whelan, Brad Patterson, Jeri Ayers-Scott, Stagg Newman, Louise Riedel, Mike Tomlinson, Susan Kasemeyer, Larry Kanavy, Dane Frazier, Jim Baldwin, Barbara McCrary, Maryben Stover, Terry Huff, Dean Jackson, and Miki Morrison, Executive Director. New directors Brad Patterson, Maryben Stover, and Terry Huff were introduced.

 

LIMITED DISTANCE COMMITTEE: The committee will address the problem of short rides that are not sanctioned by AERC as limited distance rides. There will be a column in EN covering LD rides.

There is a need for standardization if a national award is to be given.

A question was asked concerning a ride which was putting on a limited distance ride on the day following the endurance ride. It was suggested that Rule 11.4 be changed from "must be held in conjunction with" to "concurrently with." It was also suggested that we may wish to allow an LD ride to be held the following day. L. Golemon moved to remand this problem to committee. Motion carried.

 

NATIONAL OFFICE COMMITTEE: M. Morrison reported that the conversion to the new computer system is progressing well. She reported that the ads in the new membership directory exceeded the cost of the directory. Press releases to national magazines are sent out quarterly, and it is planned to advertise in Western Horseman. She reviewed the budget that had been mailed to directors showing estimated income of $479,524.00 with expenditures of $416,025.00.

A. Whelan asked that part of the advertising budget be used to participate in the Equitana Trade Fair. She moved that AERC earmark up to $900 for this project. J. Baldwin moved to table the motion until after the budget is considered. Motion carried.

L. Kanavy requested that future budgets contain previous years’ figures. He proposed reducing the proposed expenditures in the amount of $6400. L. Golemon moved to accept the budget with the forementioned adjustments. Motion carried.

It was decided to form a technical support committee for computer issues. In regard to the

proposal for an AERC Web site, M. Tomlinson moved to adopt Stephanie Teeter’s proposal concerning the World Wide Web with option #2 at a cost of $50 per year (rather than per month as reported at the earlier meeting.) Motion carried. M. Price offered to donate the $50 for the first year.

A. Whelan’s motion concerning Equitana was removed from the table. It reads "That we

spend up to $900 to set up a booth to promote AERC at Equitana." The motion carried 20

in favor with 1 abstention. Valerie Kanavy offered to donate her fee for speaking at this event.

 

 COMPETITIONS COMMITTEE: Steve Johnson moved for the Competitions Committee that Rule 10.4.1.2. be changed to read “In the event of an emergency and in order to remain in competition, the Junior who is in last place and whose pre-registered sponsor is pulled, and there are no other qualified sponsors to follow, the Junior may be sponsored by an unentered qualified rider through the completion of the ride, with ride management and ride veterinarian approval. He would receive last place junior

points. This emergency sponsor will receive no credit for mileage or points. The Junior may also be sponsored by an adult on foot from the last veterinary check with the approval of ride management."

Motion carried. It will go into effect 30 days following the publication in Endurance News.

The committee needs proposals from regions for rides for the 1997 Championship Series rides. It has been proposed to change the name to "AERC Series." Remanded to committee. L.Golemon moved to include 3-day rides in the Pioneer Award. Remanded to committee.

 

HALL OF FAME COMMITTEE: The composition of the committee will be formalized to include the AERC vice-president as chairman with the past vice-president and non-sanctioning directors of each region as members. The deadline for nominating candidates will be July 1. Two-page summaries will be required, a preliminary vote will be taken to determine worthy candidates, and final voting will be done at the midyear board meeting. If there is a perceived conflict of interest involving any committee member it will be addressed by the chairman and that director may be asked to step down and be

replaced by another person, preferably of that region. These directives will be added to the Procedures Manual. lt was recommended to publicize past Hall of Fame members at the annual banquet.

 

AWARDS SUB-COMMITTEE- appointed to make recommendations for a Ride Managers’ award. C.Hart reported the committee had not met, but would develop a proposal.

 

VETERINARY COMMITTEE: D. Frazier moved the following for committee as a clarification of Rule13b. The use of additional therapies during competition shall be prohibited. This shall include any invasive procedures,(eg: accupuncture), manipulative procedures, (eg: osseous manipulative procedures), the use of any devices to manipulate or stimulate accupressure or response points, (eg: Bioscans, laser lights, magnetic

stimulation devices etc). Competition shall mean the time from the pre-ride

veterinary examination to the completion of the final veterinary examination for the

event, including the best-condition judging. Multiple day rides shall be treated as

they have been determined by AERC--either individual day events or one event if so

designated. Motion carried 16-4 with 1 abstention. To be effective 30 days after pulbication in the Endurance News.

S. Newman asked that information of interest on local levels be sent to him for inclusion in Endurance News.

 

INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE: C. Gray referred to the revised International Committee charter (now to be called International Procedures) which had been compiled by the committee on Thursday and circulated to the Directors. This document incorporates the directives developed at the midyear board meeting. C. Gray went through each of these directives and pointed out where they had been

incorporated into the document. C. Hart recommended using the AHSA statement on conflict of interest, which was read. C. Gray moved for committee to approve this document. Motion  carried.

Suggestions for promoting International were a new member packet, identification of

International members in directories, stickers to be attached to AERC membership card.

A proposed budget was presented totaling expenses of $10,750. C. Gray moved for committee that this budget be approved. Motion carried. The president requested that income for this committee be reported.

 

RIDE MANAGERS COMMITTEE: R. Eiland reported on an increase in insurance fees on the policy recommended by AERC. Remanded to committee.

A request had been received that alternate managers be exempted from AERC membership.Remanded to committee.

The Ride Managers committee was unanimous in recommending that 3-day rides should be part of the computation for the multi-day award, that each day be "per day" as computed on 4 or 5 day rides, with no points toward the Pioneer Award unless the team finish all 3 days. R. Eiland moved for committee that 3-consecutive-day rides be added into the computation for the Pioneer award, this would be effective in 1997. C. Hart recommended that a 3-day ride must stand alone and not be part of another multi-day ride. The motion was amended to add that Rides eligible for the Pioneer award may not be run concurrently. Remanded to Competitions Committee for presentation at the Midyear Board meeting. A straw vote revealed the majority in favor.

There is a problem with horses racing at the limited distance level, without regard for meeting completion parameters, but only to determine their fitness for importation by foreign countries for short distance races. A question arose as to whether such a rider can be refused entry. The rules state a rider can be denied entry only for cause. Rule 4.2 states "Cause might also be determined by the Board or one of the committees of the AERC." Remanded to Limited Distance committee.

 

RULES - ELECTIONS COMMITTEES: C. Hart moved the following for comittee: The procedure for elections is to announce the acceptance of nominations in the August Endurance News, with Oct. 1 as the closing date for nominations to be received by the office In the event this date occurs on a day the US Postal service does not deliver mail to

the AERC PO Box, the closing date will be extended to the next occurring date the US

Postal Service delivers mail to the AERC PO Box. No paid employee of the AERC

shall advise, notify, or otherwise contact individual members of the AERC relative

to the filing of nominations for Director positions with the AERC except through

Endurance News. Motion carried.

 

L. Kanavy moved that we do not sanction any ride on a date that conflicts with the

national convention dates. Terry Huff moved to remand to the sanctioning committee.

Motion carried 19 in favor with 1 opposing.

 

President Bowers distributed a list of committee chairmen. The chairmen should return committee lists to her by March ]8. B. Patterson moved to approve the list with the addition of C. Hart as chairman of the Education committee and Mike Tomlinson as chairman of the Technical Support committee. Motion carried.

 

President Bowers announced that the midyear board meeting will be held August 24 at the Hyatt Regency in Lexington. It was suggested that the meeting be held at the same time as Equitana, which is held July 18-21. The president said she would notify the Board of her decision.

 

Meeting adjourned at 1:40 a.m.

Louise Riedel, Secretary.