News & Updates
Update: Things are moving fast with the clinic. We have decided to get nationally know gaited horse clinician Liz Graves. The clinic will be on Friday and Saturday, October 17 & 18, 2008 at C&W Mountain Horse Farm in Inverness, FL. See the Events page for additional details. Also, we are taking sponsorships for the Spring Gaited Classic. The form is here. As a sponsor, your information will be added to the online show bill as well as the printed show bill at the show. You will be announced as the class sponsor several times during the class.
On March 15, 2008 we held a trail ride and meeting at Greg and Danette Williams' farm. Greg treated us to pulled pork, rice, beans and plantains. Everyone else brought a side dish to share. At the meeting, everyone introduced themselves since there were quite a few new faces. Items covered included the treasurer's report, the ads and judge for the upcoming show, as well as future plans for meetings and activities. There was a great deal of interest in expanding our current shows to include a winter show in January or March, possibly at Sumter Equestrian since the fairgrounds would be unavailable. There was interest in building an obstacle course. Greg said he would build it if we could draw it. Next we talked about the elections in October. Maye and Sandy volunteered to act as the nominating committee. There was interest in having a clinic for a future club activity. Kathy will research the cost and available clinicians.
On February 15-16, 2008 we held the Florida State Fair Rocky Mountain Horse Show. It was a big success. A lot of the Florida club members came and showed their horses. We also had farms from the Carolinas, Kentucky and Tenneessee. Congradulations go to Peg Edwards who's horse Peg's Diego won the high point horse award. We had a tie for high point youth this year with Langstone Harvey from Deweese Farms in Franklin, KY and Riley Charping riding out of Conrad Skidmore's stables in Spring Hill, FL. For results click here for day one and click here for day two
On January 26, 2008 held a general membership meeting at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. A treasurer's report was presented as well as the final financial report for our Fall Gaited Classic show. We talked about the upcoming shows at both the Florida State Fair on February 15 and 16, as well as our Spring Gaited Classic on May 31st. Kathy Parrish went over the updates to the RMHA show rules. It was noted that the Spring Gaited Classic will be under FOSH rules since the RMHA has ceased sanctioning the smaller B rated shows. Kathy Parrish encouraged everyone to let her know soon what classes they would specifically like to see at our May show. Greg Williams volunteered to have a trail ride and pot luck dinner at his farm in March. He said that he will provide the meat for this event. The date was set to March 15, 2008. After the meeting everyone went out to the stables and went for a trail ride along the river.
On November 3, 2007 we held the Fall Gaited Classic show at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Many of our members attended and they all seemed to have a good time. The show was sanctioned as a RMHA class B show and a FOSH class A show. Our treasurer, Maye Carter, was the show manager, Kathy Parrish, our president, was the DQP. Korrin Dykhouse had to be in class that day, so she sent her husband, John and friend, Carrie to run the show office. They did a great job. New members, Tom and Gail Smith were the announcer and ringmaster. Also on hand to help was board member, Laurie LeRoy. Our judge for the day was Jane Blue.
On Tuesday, November 20, 2007 starting about 6pm the board had a meeting via telephone. Present for the meeting were Kathy Parrish, Maye Carter, Paul LeRoy, Laurie LeRoy and Joanie Elder. A treasurer's report was presented as well as a financial report for the Fall Gaited Classic show held earlier in the month. Future shows were discussed as well as the RMHA's expected rule change to do away with the class B show which allows other breeds to show. Everyone present thought that was a mistake on their part and expressed their feeling that we needed to continue to look toward small multi-breed gaited shows. An e-mail had been received from Dennie Begley (national SAC chairman) saying that our show during the Florida State Fair has been approved, however, after talking with other national board members it appears that the fair will need to make major changes to the show bill. Kathy Parrish will try to co-ordinate communication of the new requirements to the fair staff, however, it was noted that all these changes are still in the works at the national. The board agreed to go forward with our show program for the state fair as we have always done. Ads will be $25 for business card, $50 for a half page, $75 for a full page and $100 for the back cover. The board also approved moving forward with a spring show that would be like the Fall Gaited Classic show but do to the expected RMHA rule changes will have to be sanctioned solely through FOSH. It was noted that the next general meeting would be held during the January campout/trail ride on January 26, 2008. There will also be a general meeting held on February 16 during the lunch break at the Florida State Fair. A form for release of liability for club functions was reviewed and Laurie LeRoy agreed to make the recommended changes. Approval will be conducted via e-mail. Also reviewed were some changes to the bylaws to add an inactive member status. It was suggested that while we are making changes to the bylaws that we also move the membership year to run with the calendar year. All approved and Laurie volunteered to make those changes also. It was agreed that the bylaw change vote will be conducted by sending the change out by mail to the members.
