BoD Minutes20040405

American Endurance Ride Conference

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

held via telephone conference call

Monday, April 5, 2004

President C. Mike Tomlinson called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. Also on the line for the call: Secretary Jan Jeffers, Treasurer Terry Woolley Howe, Mike Jaffe, Roberta Harms, Connie Caudill, Howard Kent, Patti Pizzo, Gail Williams, Bob Morris, John Parke, Duane Barnett, Randy Eiland, Roger Taylor, Nick Warhol, Jim Baldwin, Barney Fleming, Dane Frazier, Mike Maul, Stagg Newman, Robert Ribley, and Executive Director Kathleen A. Henkel. Absent: Vonita Bowers, Jan Stevens, Stan Eichelberger, and Maggy Price.

Mike Jaffe, Trails Grants Committee Chair, presented a motion from committee to approve funding of $5000, a funding share agreement with the BLM to complete Phase IV of the Fort Stanton project. If approved, electricity will be added to the trailhead facility. Connie Caudill requested a roll call vote with results as follows: 17 yes votes/1 no vote, with 2 members not voting as they joined the call after voting took place. Jan Jeffers-Yes; Mike Jaffe-Yes; Roberta Harms-Yes; Connie Caudill-No; Howard Kent-Yes; Gail Williams-Yes; Bob Morris-Yes; John Parke-Yes; Duane Barnett-Yes; Randy Eiland-Yes; Roger Taylor-Yes; Nick Warhol-Yes; Jim Baldwin-Yes; Barney Fleming-Yes; Dane Frazier-Yes; Mike Maul-Yes; Stagg Newman-Yes; Robert Ribley-Yes; Patti Pizzo and Terry Woolley Howe did not vote as they joined the call after voting took place.

Nick Warhol, West Region sanction director, presented a request for special sanction regarding the XP 2004. “Move that the Board approve the ride date changes that Dave Nicholson requested in an email dated 3/1/04. The ride(s) in question is the summer XP multi-day series beginning on June 21st and ending on July 23rd. The requested changes are summarized below.

1) The first day (6/21) will begin at Bucklands Station rather than Virginia City.

2) The days off between the series of multi day rides has been changed from:

a) June 25/26 to June 26/27

b) July 1/2 to July 3/4

c) July 7/8 to July 10/11

d) July 14/15 to July 17/18

3) The last day of the ride will be July 23rd rather than July 24thy

4) The rides have had their names changed from individual places to a consistent naming scheme. Example - “Bucklands Station to San Mountain” is now XP2004.1”

This ride has already been sanctioned for the original dates. There are no additional days added, nor are the changes very significant. Motion seconded by Jan Jeffers. Motion passed.

Bob Morris presented a proposed rule as follows: “Proposed Rule 16.0 NEW RULES, CHANGES, MODIFICATIONS The preceding Rules and Regulations were promulgated by the American Endurance Ride Conference Directors, based on the experience over the years, and done in the best interests of the sport and equine welfare. It is acknowledged that any set of rules is a dynamic document and will be modified by current experience. To limit, and direct those modifications, and to assure that there is deep thought behind every new or modified rule, we set forth the following procedures to be the exclusive method for such changes.

1. Emergency Rule Change - Something that must be changed immediately to:

a) Improve the safety or welfare of the horses or other participants; or

b) Improves the perception of the sport; or

c) Eliminates a possible legal problem

Emergency is not for convenience. The emergency must be established. Serious injury, or eminent failure or potential legal ramifications must apply. Realizing that such emergencies are the result of improper planning this type of rule change could be eliminated.

2. Standard Rule Change - 99% of the rule changes.

Standard Rule Changes must be printed in Endurance News the January or

July immediately preceding the Board meeting at which they are to be voted upon.

3. New Rule

New rules must be promulgated by the appropriate committees.

Every designated Committee shall review the proposed Rule Change and

make a recommendation of either “Approved”, “Rejected with Comments”, or “No Comment”. The official action of the Committees shall be included in the

Minutes of the Committee meetings.

Rule Changes shall be available on the AERC Website in the same form as

published in the Endurance News once submitted for publication.

All proposed Regular Rule Changes will be voted upon by the Board at a regularly

scheduled meeting. The Committee recommendations will be considered by the

Board prior to consideration of each Rule Change’s approval.

All Proposed New Rules and Rule Changes submitted to the Board must include:

1) The EXACT wording of the proposed change, including what is to be struck,

moved, deleted, renumbered, etc., and the exact wording of the revised

rule to be published in the AERC Rules and Regulations

2) The financial impact

3) The affective date, retroactive, immediate, or start of next ride year

4) The recommendations of all committees, including comments

5) Be presented in final written form

The AERC Rules and Regulations will be published each November prior to the next competitive season so that all members will be aware of all rule changes.

The Board agreed to publish Proposed Rule 16 in the June issue of the magazine to obtain membership comment, accompanied by an article written by Bob Morris.

Housekeeping items:

Minutes of the Thursday, February 26, 2004 and Saturday, February 28, 2004 board meetings were approved as written.

Minutes of the Sunday, February 29, 2004 meeting not approved pending revision regarding the motion presented by Jim Baldwin pertaining to retention of rider cards. The motion was rewritten with assistance from John Parke. John advised he would furnish the revised motion to Kathleen for inclusion in the revised minutes for the Board before the next conference call on May 3, 2004.

Barney Fleming advised he also voted no regarding the addition of an FEI division to the AERC Championship ride and would like his name added to the February 29, 2004 minutes.

A draft mission and vision statement was presented to the Board by the Past Presidents Committee during the Sunday February 29, 2004 BOD meeting and publication of these statements will be handled in the May issue of the magazine with Stagg working directly with Troy regarding this issue.

Committee report received from the Research Grants Committee was accepted as written. Committee chairs were asked to submit reports regarding committee activity before the next meeting.

Terry Woolley Howe asked for approval of the Board for an addition of a 65-mile distance to an already sanctioned 100 mile distance for the Californio 100, slated for June 5, 2004. John Parke seconded. Motion passed.

Approval of charter for the Research Grants Committee. A charter was presented by Bob Morris as follows:

CHARTER

AERC RESEARCH GRANTS COMMITTEE

This Committee was established by motion of the AERC Board of Directors to solicit and manage research of matters of important interest to the sport of endurance riding.

The Committee will:

1) Hold as its tenets The following mandate prepared by the Past Presidents Committee and contained in their “PLAN FOR THE FUTURE”

a) AERC, according to its charter, is committed to supporting research intended to improve the sport of endurance especially the welfare of the horse.
To fulfill that obligation, AERC should commit adequate funds available for research.
AERC should adopt a formula that will determine the amount of funds to be set aside for research, preferably an annual contribution to a permanent fund to be used for research as acceptable proposals are found.
AERC should continue to solicited research grants that will serve our purpose.
The Vet Committee and the HWC should develop research projects based on what we perceive to be our problem areas and seek researchers to do the research.
All research supported by AERC funding must be distributed to the membership in a form that can be understood by and benefit them.

2) Consist of the Chair, appointed by the President of the AERC, and four members. These members shall include both Veterinarians and non-veterinarians.

3) Work with the other pertinent committees of the AERC in determining fields of research worth exploring.

4) Interface with the AERC Office and the Financial Committee in administering and paying for such grants as are awarded. Details as to procedures to be followed are appended to this charter

5) Research Grants in the range of up to $5,000 may be made with out AERC Board approval. Grants that exceed $5,000 will be submitted for Board review.

6) The AERC Board of Directors will allocate an annual stipend of $50,000, or 25% of profit for the previous year which ever is less, for the funding of such research grants as are awarded by the Research Grants Committee. Such amounts are accumulative from year to year if not expended; aggregate not to exceed $75,000. This funding shall be a permanent line item in future AERC budgets.

7) All Research Grants approved and made, shall result in a report to the AERC Membership and be couched in layman’s terms.

ADDENDUM 1

TO THE

AERC RESEARCH GRANTS COMMITTEE

Procedures to be followed for the solicitation of, and the granting of funds for, research projects will follow the guidelines as outlined hereafter.

1. Any decisions to be made, as to granting or funding will be made by the majority of the AERC Research and Grants Committee.

2. All grants exceeding $5,000 in value must be approved by the AERC Board of Directors.

3. Grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis and may be awarded/started at any time of the fiscal year.

4. Other pertinent AERC Committees will be consulted, where necessary, when a research grant may be important to those committees.

5. All grant requests must be received in written form (electronic transmittal accepted) and in such language as to be acknowledged by the non-technical Board Members.

6. All accepted grant requests will be reduced to a written (hard copy) form designating the important points of the research as well as interim reporting points during the research.

7. Disbursement of funds will be based on these interim reporting points.

8. All reports will follow the requirement of being couched in terms the layman can understand.

9. All correspondence will be directed towards the Committee Chair who will maintain a file on each Grant request as well as each Grant awarded.

It was requested by Jim Baldwin that item 5 of the above charter be removed, along with item #2 in the procedures. The charter was accepted by the board with corrections as requested by Jim Baldwin, with John Parke abstaining. The charter now reads as follows:

CHARTER

AERC RESEARCH GRANTS COMMITTEE

This Committee was established by motion of the AERC Board of Directors to solicit and manage research of matters of important interest to the sport of endurance riding.

The Committee will:

1) Hold as its tenets The following mandate prepared by the Past Presidents Committee and contained in their “PLAN FOR THE FUTURE”

2) Consist of the Chair, appointed by the President of the AERC, and four members. These members shall include both Veterinarians and non-veterinarians.

3) Work with the other pertinent committees of the AERC in determining fields of research worth exploring.

4) Interface with the AERC Office and the Financial Committee in administering and paying for such grants as are awarded. Details as to procedures to be followed are appended to this charter

5) The AERC Board of Directors will allocate an annual stipend of $50,000, or 25% of profit for the previous year which ever is less, for the funding of such research grants as are awarded by the Research Grants Committee. Such amounts are accumulative from year to year if not expended; aggregate not to exceed $75,000. This funding shall be a permanent line item in future AERC budgets.

6) All Research Grants approved and made, shall result in a report to the AERC Membership and be couched in layman’s terms.

ADDENDUM 1

TO THE

AERC RESEARCH GRANTS COMMITTEE

Procedures to be followed for the solicitation of, and the granting of funds for, research projects will follow the guidelines as outlined hereafter.

1. Any decisions to be made, as to granting or funding will be made by the majority of the AERC Research and Grants Committee.

2. Grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis and may be awarded/started at any time of the fiscal year.

3. Other pertinent AERC Committees will be consulted, where necessary, when a research grant may be important to those committees.

4. All grant requests must be received in written form (electronic transmittal accepted) and in such language as to be acknowledged by the non-technical Board Members.

5. All accepted grant requests will be reduced to a written (hard copy) form designating the important points of the research as well as interim reporting points during the research.

6. Disbursement of funds will be based on these interim reporting points.

7. All reports will follow the requirement of being couched in terms the layman can understand.

8. All correspondence will be directed towards the Committee Chair who will maintain a file on each Grant request as well as each Grant awarded.

Action items from previous meeting(s):

John Parke, Legal Committee, advised blanket liability releases is a work in progress and will be reported on at a future meeting.

Stagg Newman advised a written report from the Education Committee, was forwarded to the Board on 4/4/04. The education committee would like to work with the media committee regarding publicity outside AERC and would like the media committee to take the lead on this type of issue. Also, regarding educating the membership with respect to trail usage and the value of trails, the education committee will work directly with the trails advocacy committee in this area, preferring the trails advocacy committee to take the lead. The education committee plans to concentrate on ways to disseminate educational information to the membership over the next several months.

Roger Taylor, Insurance Committee, advised that $780 income has been received in the office from ride management regarding the insurance policy, primarily for rides that took place during the month of March. Bids will be requested of various companies with a report to follow from the committee at a future meeting.

Junior Committee – no report at this time.

Terry Woolley Howe, Limited Distance Committee, advised the Limited Distance Best Condition issue is a continuing project.

Jim Baldwin, Vet Committee, advised the ride managers committee did not approve of the rewrite of the motion pertaining to the retention of rider cards. The motion was revisited and re-written and has been approved by the ride managers committee and the veterinary committee. The motion has been forwarded to the competitions committee and the rules committee for review. The motion now reads:

“All sanctioned endurance rides must use an AERC approved rider card. If an equine is treated, pulled or withdrawn, the original rider card will be sent to the AERC Office with ride results where it will be kept for a period of one year from the date of the ride. The information on the card will be available to both the rider, AERC Board of Directors or its involved committees. The card should be used in its entirety so that all data can be reviewed by the rider, AERC Board of Directors or its involved committees should the need for review be necessary.” The veterinary committee would like to see the cards kept indefinitely to have time to build data for future use. The motion will be published in the magazine for member comment and voted upon at a later date.

Kathleen advised the Nugget presented a proposal for the 2007 convention. Robert Ribley, chair of the Convention Committee, advised he will forward a report to the Board regarding work being handled by the committee and requested Kathleen to forward the Nugget proposal to him for review.

John Parke moved to adjourn, seconded by Stagg Newman.

Meeting adjourned at 7:09 pm.

Respectfully submitted

Jan Jeffers, Secretary