Icelandic Horse Society of Great Britain Ltd

 

Annual General Meeting

29th November 2008 1:00pm

Minutes

 

1.      Apologies [Secretary]

Apologies were received from: Ruth & Jim Aitken, Cathleen Baldwin, Warick Best, Jennie Boerema, Denise Brant, Ellen Brimble, Nigel Corbally Stourton, Sara Driver, Chris & Christine Driver, Heather Dunn, Nick Foot, Rona Frame, John Freeman,  Kate Gardiner, James Joicey, Elizabeth Knott & Dennis Collins, Sheila Lockhart & Martin Hind, Melville Moss, Jill Noble, Clive & Liz Phillips, Liz & Julia Reeves, Mic Rushen & Maria Wright, Ann Savage, Jacky Sorrell, Andrea Stauffer, Emma Stanley, Gill Turton & Family, Graeme & Fiona Tyson, Moira Wedel

 

Cathleen -Can you also please thank the trustees for all their continuing hard work for the Society.

 

 

Minute Checker - Jackie Alexander. 23 attended the meeting.

 

2.       Minutes of Annual General Meeting 2007 [Chairman]  Ian proposes acceptance as a true and accurate reflection of the minutes from last year. No objections so minutes approved.

 

3.       Matters Arising [Chairman].  Action: Mike Adams to talk to Sport committee with regard to oral checks at competition(s).  This was done at the BC’s in 2008.  Action:  Ian Pugh to list qualifications of trainers on IHSGB website.  Not yet done but published in each newsletter.  Anyone who would like their name / qualifications added to let Ian Pugh know.

 

4.       Questions on Trustees Report – issued [Chairman].  Ian invited each of the trustees to review their reports and add any additional comments. 

Chairman. Yesterday, Clive Phillips emailed Ian Pugh and Mike Edwards advising of his intention to wind up the SIHA studbook and transfer stock to IHSGB.  This transfer is not yet agreed but Chairman believes that the IHSGB should be receptive to this.  Mike Edwards pointed out that there must be a formal agreement between SERAD, SIHA & DEFRA. Gundula requested that negotiations that take place to transfer the funds remaining in SIHA (if any) to cover any re-issue of passports if necessary so that members were not out of pocket. 

Sport.  Janice Hutchinson raised a point regarding the formation of the Sports Squad and why it wasn’t mentioned in the report.  Iris explained that this is an idea that is just being looked at and nothing is agreed as yet.  Any rules would need to be agreed by the Trustees and put to the membership for comments prior to any agreement.  This process can take months and team selection for the WC 2009 could be outside this.

Breeding.  Jane Stone questioned the proposal that the International Breeding Assessment to take place every other year and a breeding seminar/assessment in the intermediate year.  Tim & Ian clarified the position.  The Society cannot afford to run a full International Breeding Assessment with the number of horses being presented every year as it needs two judges etc, etc.  A debate was held around why a member should go to all the expense needed for the marks then not to count in World Fengur and it was felt that you may as well wait until the next year.  The difference between a seminar – should be encouraged to take horses along and learn about breeding assessments and an assessment – when the results will be recorded was explained.  Ian requested that anyone who wants to present their horse at the breeding show next year to register their interest with Tim ASAP.

Youth.  Ian introduced Kirsty Carson who has been co-opted as Youth Leader during the year.  There was nothing further to add to the report.

Studbook.  Mike reported that there are more horses now and more foals are being registered every month.  Tim thinks its interesting that over half of the horses registered were born in this country and therefore it is even more important that we encourage high breeding standards.

Press & Publicity.  Nothing to add.

Education & Leisure.  Janice asked if the handbook(s) will be issued for proof reading by members prior to their issue.  Gundula explained that this is still in the making and that the trustees are looking abroad for ideas.  Janice added a caution that European/American horse husbandary can be different because of the different conditions. It may be published electronically in the future and the society is planning to produce more ‘How To’ leaflets which could be put in a ring binder.

 

5.       Treasurers report.  Ian circulated a draft copy of IHSGB Financial Statements for YE 31st July 2008.  These are yet to be approved by the Trustees.  For the last year the Society spent nearly £9k more than they got in.  This is not sustainable.  In the text of the report Ian has listed the areas that have caused the increase in expenditure.  The Newsletter costs have increased owing to the use of an external printer and distributor.  Trustees travel expenses – the Board need to review how Trustees meet and claim expenses. Owing to the changing geographical locations of the trustees future meetings will be alternated between London and Edinburgh in order to reduce costs.  Breeding Assessment – showing a deficit which is why the proposal is to hold them once every two years. Youth Fund is depleting due to market conditions.  A few hundred pounds of expenditure from the BC 2007 were not accrued so are showing in this years accounts.

Questions & Answers:

Q:    What is £900 write off? 

A:    This was to cover various stock that had either been disposed of during the year or in previous years.  £299 was promotional leaflets.  Approximately £600 was due to various materials (eg. old passports) that have been consumed in previous years but not written down.

Q:    What are FEIF costs? 

A:    Subscription and travel to FEIF conference(s).  FEIF are having funding difficulties at the present – board currently have no plans to increase subscriptions.  Q: Where are World Fengur charges shown? Under Breeding – includes subscription fee, fee for member’s access and cost of producing passports.  There are ongoing discussions being held in FEIF as to where this is funded.

Note: with regards to Ice Tolt the £500 was a contribution towards the publicity of the event and not the organisation of it.

Newsletter.  Two monthly deadline when contributions need to be finalised.  Whole process takes about 10 days.  Always looking for contributions, articles and advertising.  Anne Davis was praised for her efficiency regarding the advertising.

 

6.       Trustee Appointments [Chairman] – the rules require 1/3 of trustees retire in rotation.  Ian explained the process and that there were 5 absent members who have given proxy votes to members present.  The following Trustees are willing to stand for re-election, no further nominations had been received.

·         Mike Edwards – Studbook

·         Gundula Sharman – Leisure & Education

·         Kirsty Carson – Youth

·         Iris Ashman - Sport

 A vote was taken and the results counted. All trustees were re-elected.

 

7.       IHSGB Budget presentation [Chairman] – budget for 2008/09 was a work in progress for the Trustees and so far has been based primarily on the results for YE 31st July 2008. Ian took those present through the main assumptions:

·         Subscriptions – remain constant

·         Donations / Fundraising – under threat due to current economic climate.

·         Shop didn’t do as well last year.  Could it be due to lack of advertising?  Graeme and Fiona no longer have time to run the shop and the Society is looking for a volunteer(s) to take over.

·         Newsletter approx £600 - £700 per edition.  Print about 165 copies – members, other FEIF member countries and the FEIF Board. The question was posed: Could it be done on line? Always looking for ways to do this cheaper / volunteers to help etc

·         Committee meetings.  Reviewing the costs of these due to the shift in Geographical location of Trustees.  Going to alternate between Edinburgh & Heathrow.  Janet Fentiman pointed out that in future, a Trustee may be absent from meeting(s) if it will save the Society money however this does not mean that the Trustee is not working for, and contributing to, the Society.

·         Administration. May be over estimated.

·         Insurance.  Likely to increase again.

·         Publicity & Promotion. Laura requested this be increased as this wouldn’t even cover one stand at the HOYS.  Would need to increase this to at least £1200.  NB:  to date there have been no new members as a direct result of the IceTolt 2008 or the stand at HOYS in 2008 however, there were new members as a result of the demonstration in 2005.

Tim Hutchinson highlighted the fact that 44 members had not renewed their membership this year and that the Society should also be looking as to the reasons behind this.  Some is due to members letting their subscriptions lapse despite reminders from the Secretary.  A discussion was also held around enhancing the role of Riding Club Co-Coordinators in attracting new members and doing more for the current membership.

ACTION:  LC & ER to produce a leaflet to go out with passports to encourage new members.

·         Education & Training.  Cut as no expenditure in 07/08.

·         FEIF activities – decreased and need to try and cut it down some more.

·         Regional Activities Budget – not much uptake on this last year. 

·         Contingency – ZERO.

Darren Ashman is in negotiations with a German fencing supply company to offer a free membership to a society (could be IHSGB) included with the fencing.

8.       IHSGB Subscriptions and Charges [Chairman] 

·         Membership Fees.  The last increase to subscriptions was in January 2007 and it was decided to limit this to once every three years.  The secretary is still having difficulty getting some members to change this from the last time despite numerous reminders.  In the New Year the Society will be getting tougher on the low payers by suspending their membership(s) and stopping their newsletters. 

·         Studbook Fees.  Mike Edwards proposed to increase the registration fee of a foal from £30 to £35 from 1st January 2009 for members.  A proportionate increase would be applied to non-members – currently £45.  There was a suggestion to raise the transfer of ownership fee from £10 to £15.  This would potentially raise an additional £300+.  

Vote: All attendees were happy to support this proposal.

 

9.       Discussion on Stallion Licensing – [Jane Stone]  Jane presented her paper to the meeting.  This has been discussed within the Breeding Team but a consensus not yet reached.  Tim thought it was important to bring this to the membership through this meeting in order to gain opinions.  If a stallion is licensed through the two criteria stated is the society approving and recommending the use of this stallion?  This does not take into account temperament / conformation etc, etc. Information on each stallion will be on the IHSGB website with details of DNA / vets check / proof of parentage / any assessments etc.  Concerns were re-iterated by members present that they would assume that a licensed stallion was an “approved” stallion.

Show of hands (not an official vote):  License is a good idea = 4, stick to what we do now = 12.

 

10.  Performance Awards [Gundula Sharman] 

·         Trustees Special Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to the work with the Icelandic Horse.  Gundula presented the first award to Fi Pugh for her work with the Society since its inception and her ongoing contribution and most recently for becoming an International Sports Judge.  The second award is awarded to Doris Russell for organising the recent IceTolt and the presence at the Horse of the Year Show in previous years.

·         Performance Awards.  There are a small number of members taking part in the scheme.  This supports the versatility of the Icelandic Horse.

Happy Tolter award – Denise Robinson

Annouska trophy – Janet Fentiman.

11.  AOB

·         Hestfest – not long until the 25 year anniversary.  Would like people to think ahead and send ideas through to Gundula.

 

12.   Date & Venue of AGM 2009 – Sat Nov 28th 2009 in Edinburgh, venue TBC.

 

Kirsty Carson proposed a vote of thanks to The Chairman which was supported by all.

 

The meeting closed at 4.10pm.

 

Version Control

AGM 2008 DRAFT minutes V4 checked by Jackie Alexander.  Comments from IP, ME & TH incorporated.