American Endurance Ride Conference Meeting

held via Conference Telephone Call, Tuesday July 29, 2003

 

 

President C. Mike Tomlinson called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m.  Also on the line for the call:  Vice President Mike Maul, Secretary Jan Jeffers, Treasurer Terry Woolley Howe, Directors: Jim Baldwin, Duane Barnett, Margie Burton, Connie Burns Caudill, Stan Eichelberger, Randy Eiland, L. B. Barney Fleming, Dane Frazier, Susan Kasemeyer, Stagg Newman, John H. Parke, Patti Pizzo, Robert Ribley, Louise Riedel, Jan Stevens, Maryben Stover, Roger Taylor, Stephanie Teeter, Gail D. Williams, Dean Jackson, and Executive Director Kathleen A. Henkel.  Absent:  Vonita Bowers and Maggy Price.

 

Roger Taylor moved to approve the minutes of the May 6, 2003 Conference Call.  Motion passed with one abstention – L. B. Barney Fleming.

 

Roger Taylor moved and Susan Kasemeyer seconded to accept the committee reports prepared before the meeting and append said reports to these minutes.  Passed with one abstention – Duane Barnett.  Committee reports accepted:

 

                        Competitions                                       Research Grants

                        Convention                                           Ride Managers

                        Education                                             Rules

                        Finance                                                Sanction

                        International                                          Sponsorship

                        Junior                                                   Technical

                        Limited Distance                                   Trails

                        Media                                                  Trails Grants

                        National Championship             Veterinary

                        National Office                         Welfare of the Horse

                        Past Presidents

 

 

Special ride sanction requests before the board: 

 

Color Country 4/9-11/04, MT Region, 55/25; 50/25; 50/25

Chicken Chase 4/16-18/04, MW Region, 55; 50/25; 50/25

Gambler’s Special 4/2-4/04, PS Region, 55; 50/35; 50

Silver State Point to Point, 11/28-30/03, PS Region, 55/30; 50; 50

El Paso/Las Cruces 1/16-18/04, SW Region, 50/30; 55/30; 50/30

Oregon Outback, 6/7-11/04, NW Region, 50; 50; 50; 50; 50 (no LD)

 

Connie Caudill moved to accept all special sanction requests before the board.  Seconded by Roger Taylor.  Approved.

 

Genie Stewart-Spears related to Kathleen that an article regarding AERC’s member’s efforts with respect to trails would probably appear during the winter months.

 

 

Terry Woolley Howe reported on convention income and discussion followed regarding possible convention locations for the future.  San Antonio TX is a spot the Board is interested in pursuing for the 2006 convention and it was recommended information be provided to members in Texas regarding room sizes, food and beverage needs, room nights required, etc. so they can make appropriate contacts with the Chamber of Commerce in San Antonio for convention bids.

 

Gail Williams, Limited Distance Committee Chair, advised matters regarding LD best condition judging and the proposed LD survey are contained in the committee report.  The items discussed by the committee will be presented to the Veterinary Committee.  All items before the Limited Distance Committee will be further reported on at the midyear meeting.

 

Jim Baldwin advised he would like the statement regarding entrants, passed in a motion at the Salt Lake City midyear meeting, “All entrants in any distance of a ride know and agree that their entry into the ride is with the stipulation that all activities that relate to the ride are subject to use by AERC for analysis of ways to improve and educate all concerned be they riders, ride managers, veterinarians, etc.” be placed in the preamble of the rules as the 2nd paragraph.  The matter was remanded to the Legal Committee and John Parke will report at the midyear meeting.

 

The office was directed to contact Russell Broussard, Chairman of AERC International, regarding the 2003 PAC donation.

 

Terry Woolley Howe will write an article pertaining to the unpaid rider fee list and will furnish it to the BOD for approval before printing in the magazine or online.

 

Dr. Susan Garlinghouse DVM and Dr. S. Wickler are in possession of the raw data pertaining to the Pride Project.  Barney Fleming will check on their progress and report it during one of the Reno Convention board meetings in February 2004.

 

Patti Pizzo, Rules Committee Chair, advised a set of revised rules would be forwarded to the Board in draft form in approximately a week for review.  Target date for printing the rules is December 1, 2003, in time for the 2004 ride season. 

 

Kathleen Henkel reported ballots regarding the citizenship bylaw change are in the works and mailing to the membership will begin this week.

 

The Board directed the Finance Committee to act on the staggering of some of AERC’s funds in accounts acquiring a higher interest rate than the present money market accounts. 

 

President Tomlinson reported on his attendance at the organizational meeting of the new NGB.  Valerie Kanavy has been seated on the Executive Committee as well as the

Finance and Administration Committee; Art Priesz is on the High Performance Committee and President Tomlinson has been seated on the FEI Affiliates Committee.  The disciplines have quite a lot of say on how the new NGB will be run – very different from the AHSA methods.  Moved by President Tomlinson:  The Board of Directors of the AERC hereby authorizes the President of the Board to enter into negotiations with the current President of the current NGB with the goals of (1) representation of the AERC on the NGB’s committees, (2) cooperation and support of the NGB for the AERC’s National Championship, (3) non-duplication of awards and sponsors, and (4) re-affiliation with the NGB.  Motion seconded by Stephanie Teeter.  Motion passed.

 

 The proposed new sanction form was discussed – it is requested a line be added to the form for a telephone number specific to ride questions, and also that information be added to the insurance data instructing those seeking sanction of a ride to indicate “pending” in the insurance area if they have not yet received their insurance binder.

Sanction Committee will work with the office regarding the form.

 

The office has attempted to make contact with Ms. Sanger, however, the email address and telephone number on file are not currently in service and all correspondence has been returned.  Ms. Sanger has been active on a current email list and it is anticipated a more current address can be obtained and information sent to Ms. Sanger.

 

The AERC office is working closely with the NATRC office personnel regarding the upcoming convention.  Plans are progressing regarding speakers for both groups.

 

A representative from the Nugget has been to the office and provided a contract for the 2005 convention.  The office will forward the contract to John Parke, Chair of the Legal Committee for review.

 

Barney Fleming reported the search is ongoing for a member to add to the Research Grants Committee fluent in grant writing.  The letter to the vet schools has not yet been sent, however, completion and mailing is anticipated in the near future.

 

Jim Baldwin is nearing completion of the veterinarian audiotape, with first pass to the Veterinary Committee anticipated soon. 

 

John Parke, Chair, Welfare of the Horse Committee, reported that members have been set for the Committee.  Report from the committee is appended to these minutes.

 

Motion from the Ride Managers Committee, presented by Chair Connie Caudill:  The Ride Manager Committee requests $5,000 be added to our existing $2500 budget in order to pay for the educational video.  Motion passed. 

 

Motion from the Technical Committee, presented by Chair Mike Maul:  Upgrade the present AERC home page according to the suggestions containing in the Tech Committee report for the approximate sum of $5,500 using the web developer Alphaplex.  Motion passed.

 

 

Canadian ride insurance – ride managers holding rides in Canada do carry liability insurance on their rides, however, the office has been advised by more than one Canadian ride manager that the insurance companies in Canada will now allow another corporation (AERC) to be named as an additional insured.  John Parke, Legal Committee Chair, has been furnished with a copy of one of the Canadian insurance policies and will look into the matter and report at a future meeting.  AERC continues to require that ride managers in Canada obtain liability insurance, however for the time being AERC does not have to be listed as an additional named insured, pending the outcome of John Parke’s report.

 

AERC sanctioned events currently insured through the ECTRA policy are not naming AERC as an additional insured.  The policy authors will not name another corporation (AERC) as an additional named insured.  Letters will be sent to the ride managers currently insured through the ECTRA policy explaining the Board’s position regarding insurance and the fact that AERC must be named as an additional insured on their ride insurance.  The office is also directed to forward a letter to all ride managers regarding the Board’s position in naming AERC as an additional named insured.

 

Committee budget requests are due in the office by the first of September for distribution to the Board for discussion before the September conference call.  The complete budget will be voted on during the October in-person board meeting.

 

Four trail grant proposals are currently before the Trials Grants Committee, totaling approximately $20,000 to $25,000.  The committee is currently refining the proposals before presentation to the Board for discussion and choice.  The proposals in question are located in the states of West Virginia, Indiana, Alabama and Tennessee. 

 

Barney Fleming moved to excuse Maggy Price and Vonita Bowers from this conference call.  Seconded by Roger Taylor.  Motion passed.

 

BLM/West Mojave Management Plan information will be resent to the Board for future discussion.

 

Jim Baldwin, Veterinary Committee Chair, advised the committee is presently working on a long range drug testing plan.  It is the hope of the committee to test less horses at more rides each year.  President Tomlinson applauded the efforts of Barney Fleming for his current work with respect to drug testing and requested Jim Baldwin forward his proposal to the BOD for review.

 

 

Proposals from the Welfare of the Horse and Vet Committees regarding equine deaths will be presented at the midyear meeting.

 

 

 

Vicki Rutter resigned as Chair of the Finance Committee – the Board wishes to thank her for her selfless contributions to AERC.

 

President Tomlinson adjourned the meeting at 8:04 pm (PDT).

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

________________________________

Kathleen A. Henkel, Executive Director