Following are highlights from the American Morgan Horse Association Board of Directors Fourth Quarter Meeting, which took place November 4, 2017, in Chicago, Illinois.
- The 2018 Budget was finalized and approved with a much larger expected profit margin than in previous years and provides for promising growth in the coming years ahead.
- Growth in registry transactions continues, and processing at the home office continues to run smoothly following the software conversion this summer.
- The Directors Guide was updated and will be available via the website shortly.
- Updated Director Nomination forms were finalized and also will be available online when the new cycle begins on April 1, 2018.
- It was reported that the 2018 Membership renewals have been mailed, and the ability to renew online via the new software also was available.
- The Breed Promotion Grant committee was selected and will be reviewing applications immediately following the January 15, 2018, deadline so that recipients can be announced at the February 2018 Annual Meeting and Convention.
- The Fall/Winter newsletter (THE NETWORK) has gone to print and will be mailed to all AMHA members (directly to those not subscribing to TMH and bundled with TMH to members who also subscribe).
- The 2018 Stallion Service auction proudly has 43 stallions participating, and the catalogs will be bundled with the Nov./Dec. issue of "The Morgan Horse" magazine.
- Discussion was held in regards to clarifying and simplifying the Champion Title program. The Board sent some thoughts back to the Disciplines Committee for further review in regards to this program.
- The following shows were selected as the 2018 AMHA Regional shows -- EASTERN: Citrus Cup, Southern States, New England Morgan and New York Morgan; CENTRAL: Gold Cup, Summer Daze and Jubilee; WESTERN: Far West at the New Country Classic and Morgan Medallion.
- The 2018 Convention is coming along and the registration materials are available online and will be in the Fall/Winter version of THE NETWORK and the Nov./Dec. issue of "The Morgan Horse" magazine. The Convention is scheduled for Lexington, Kentucky, February 15-17. There is the opportunity to add on an optional Tour and Taste of Lexington bus trip on Wednesday, February 14. This will include a tour of and lunch at The Castle. It will be limited to the first 50 people that submit their request and fee.
- In order to encourage more membership participation and involvement in the governance process, the First Quarterly Board Meeting will be held on Friday morning of the Convention as a scheduled event to be followed by an open forum discussion.
- The 2019 Convention is scheduled for February 6-9 at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa in San Antonio, Texas.
- Three judges' schools were approved for the 2018 year. They include the following options: 1) In conjunction with the Annual Meeting and Convention in Lexington, Kentucky, (for Large R judges only); 2) In conjunction with the Carousel Horse Show; and 3) In conjunction with the Southern States Regional Morgan Horse Show. Additional information will be available soon from the AMHA office.
- The candidates for the 2018 Board of Directors election were announced. From the Eastern Region, incumbent Karen Marlin and Steven Handy. From the Central Region, incumbent Kris Breyer and Mary Westman. From the Western Region, Terri Sturm. Ballots will be emailed to eligible members on or around December 28. Be sure that AMHA has your current, correct email address on file before the list is submitted to the ballot company on December 8th.
- The updated promotional booth materials have been delivered to the AMHA office and are ready to be unveiled at our upcoming events. They include a stand up banner and a table top banner as well as a new tablecloth, brochures, and other promotional handouts. They will make their debut at the Superior, Sale November 16-18.
- The Calendar Project was extremely successful in that all months are sold out, increasing AMHA revenue (after expenses) of approximately $9,000. All TMH magazine subscribers will receive a free copy of the calendar bundled with their Jan./Feb. issue. After much conversation with previous calendar purchasers, it was determined to also order a select number for individual retail sale.
- "The Morgan Horse" magazine continues to excel with increased ad sales and revenue and has instituted a new, faster way to invoice clients following issue releases. The office has received many favorable comments regarding the new option to pay invoices online.
- The software conversion that occurred in August has a few loose ends to iron out but operations in the office continue to improve. Several changes and upgrades have been made to the website (such as the extended pedigree report - online registry/ability to pay invoices online/ability to purchase premium memberships online/etc.). However, please note that with limited staff hours, we still have a long way to go in the organization and development of this site. The conversion required all ID's and password's to be temporarily changed. If you are unable to log on, please call the office to quickly obtain your correct ID and Password. Do not create a new account. We appreciate your patience during this process.
- AMHA and US Equestrian are finalizing the project that will allow AMHA membership (competing levels) to appear on the USEF's online search of membership cards. This will greatly assist the show secretaries, so please be sure to include your USEF number with your 2018 membership renewal (it is on the new forms and online as well).
- New in 2018, premium members will receive small red indicator stickers to place on your Registry work envelopes to ensure you receive your membership "expedited" registry service all year. Be sure to take advantage of this significant membership perk.
- Discussion regarding the great success of the October 28 "Day of the Morgan" open barn day events was held and it was noted that another round was being held that same day as the meeting (Nov. 4). The Board was extremely grateful to all the participating barns AND to organizer Sandy Sessink for her countless hours of planning, promoting, and overall organization of the event. It could not have happened without her dedication and commitment.
The 2018 Quarterly Board Meetings are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
First Quarter: Feb. 16, 2018, in conjunction with the Annual Meeting and Convention being held in Lexington, Kentucky at the Hyatt Regency hotel.
Second Quarter: April 27 and 28, 2018, at the Atlanta Airport Marriott in Atlanta, Georgia.
Third Quarter: September 7 and 8, 2018, at the Denver Airport Marriott at Gateway Park in Aurora, Colorado.
Fourth Quarter: November 9 and 10, 2018, at the Embassy Suites Dallas (DFW) Airport South in Irving, Texas.
Call-in information will be available closer to the dates of the meetings and will be provided on the AMHA website. Questions regarding the meetings can be directed to Carrie J. Mortensen, executive director at the AMHA office by calling (802) 985-4944, ext. 201 or emailing execdir@morganhorse.com.
-- via AMHA