I would like to thank the NAPHA Board of Directors for allowing me to serve another term.  I am looking forward to 2009 and continued growth and prosperity for our breed and our association.

The Board of Directors meeting this weekend was a hard working one producing results on almost every front.  I will try to give you a brief synopsis of the items we covered.

Election of NAPHA Board of Directors

The Board unanimously approved that nominees filling positions on the Board will come from the general membership.  Anyone wishing to run for a position on the Board must be an owner member in good standing with NAPHA or its predecessors for a minimum of five consecutive years.  Nominations of candidates will be made on a petition signed by 10 or more owner members and delivered to the NAPHA Executive Director.

The Board felt this action would provide a wider pool from which to select Board members and make all members feel included in the process.  The next election for a Board position will be in September, 2009.

I had previously asked the Regional Advisory Council (RAC) and the Committee on Governance (CoG) to also discuss the issue of changing the number of elected and appointed seats on the NAPHA Board.  When NAPHA was initially formed, four of the seven seats were set up as appointed seats, to provide stability for the organization, especially through its early years.  The RAC felt the bylaws should be changed to three appointed and four elected members.  The CoG felt the bylaws should not be changed; as elections are sometimes a popularity contest and do not always bring forward people with the needed skills to guide the organization. 

Because of the differences of opinion between the RAC and the CoG, and because this bylaw change would affect your voting rights, the Board decided the issue should be put to the NAPHA membership for a vote.  We do not know the true wishes of the membership and need to hear from you how to proceed.  Staff will be drafting the proposed bylaw change to be sent out for a vote of the entire membership and we hope to have this accomplished by the end of January.  Ballots will be returned to an accountant for counting.

NAPHA Show Rules

The Board asked the Executive Director to schedule a meeting with the Rules committee in January to complete the updating of the NAPHA Show Rules.  We hope to have this accomplished prior to the beginning of the 2009 show season. Donna Bearer will be contacting the committee chairman to arrange this meeting.

Annual Meeting – February 27 & 28 in Las Vegas

We are scheduling seminars for the Annual Membership Meeting that I believe you will find helpful in working with your Peruvian horse.  Executive Director Donna Bearer and NAPHA Registrar Arlynda Castro will provide a seminar on using the NAPHA Studbook on line.  Edie Gandy will present a seminar on “How to Get Over Show Ring Jitters” and we are lining up a seminar on “Trimming the Peruvian Hoof”.  I hope you are planning to attend the meeting and I look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas.

SOME CHANGES FOR THE NATIONAL SHOW

U.S. National Regional Champion

There has been much discussion from show attendees about the fact that if they bring a horse that will enter directly into the championship classes, they can’t ride that horse very much during the show without dis-qualifying themselves from direct entry into the championship classes.  The board approved the following for the 2009 National Show.

 The first nine classes of the National Show will be dedicated to the Champion of Champions from 2008 & 2009  Regional Shows.  Theses outstanding horses will enter the “U.S. National Regional Championship” classes for their appropriate division, i.e.,

 

Regional Champion of Champions Open Performance Gelding

Regional Champion of Champions Open Performance Mare

Regional Champion of Champions Open Performance Stallion

Regional Champion of Champions Amateur Performance Gelding

Regional Champion of Champions Amateur Performance Mare

Regional Champion of Champions Amateur Performance Stallion

Regional Champion of Champions Luxury Gelding

Regional Champion of Champions Breeding Mare

Regional Champion of Champions Breeding Stallion

The first and second place winners of each division will receive the title of Champion and Reserve U.S. Regional Champion.  The first place winner of each division will advance to the U.S. National Champion of Champions class.  Those not winning will then be free to enter classes that will qualify them for the championship classes.  This will give every horse two opportunities to qualify for the U.S. National Championship classes and also put some of our best horses back into the competition.  We feel this will provide more recognition of the accomplishments of Regional Champion of Champions and provide additional opportunity for a horse to work its way into the Championship classes.

A New Class

A Premio Aficion Class was approved.  This is a class requiring a three horse entry: Mare, Stallion & Gelding that must be owned and bred by the same ranch.  It is a difficult award to win and is considered very prestigious.  I know there will be several ranches that will compete for this.

Zootecnico

With the ability of Horse Studbook to calculate our show points, the Board agreed that Zootecnico will count for points in the breeding division at all shows beginning January 1, 2009.

Stallion Reports

In keeping with other breeds and to bolster NAPHA’s bottom line, the board has approved a $50 filing fee for Stallion Reports for members and $100 for non-members.

IN CLOSING

It has been my hope that these UPDATES have been helpful to each of you, our members.  I hope that by writing these after each Board meeting and under special circumstances you will feel that there is a connection to the organization and it’s Board of Directors.  It has also been my hope that by becoming better informed and seeing that issues are being addressed, more of you will join with us to better the organization and improve our horses standing in the larger breed community. 

NAPHA is a young organization.  It is not either of its predecessor organizations and therefore it will require stability in its leadership, skilled individuals to craft its strategic capabilities and a vision for the future.   I hope that in 2009 we can all work together more cooperatively for our horse. 

Thank you and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and healthy and fulfilled New Year.