Message from President Dave Diehl

LETS GET IT ON!!

Here we go again. I hope everyone has been riding and is ready to show this season as we are set to kick off the 2010 show year in Eugene in a couple weeks. Thanks to George Lizer for sponsoring the show. We appreciate the generous help.

For those of you not at the banquet we have made some changes to the individual show schedule. You will see on the premiums some classes deleted and some combined, also some classes will be moved from thier usual time slots. The board listened to the member’s emails we received and made changes according to the majority of input given.

We would have loved to have had more input on these items but as only 3 members beyond the board showed for the general membership meeting that didn’t happen. Those of you who came know who you are and I and the board appreciate the efforts you made to be part of decision making process. We feel like we have made the changes the club wants but expect that there will be those who are not in total agreement.

The Saturday herd work and Sunday rein work have been cancelled. We think these will be positive changes as far as convenience for exhibitors nights were long and getting home on Sunday was late. On the operations side of these issues these changes create financial challenges for our club. Cancelling reining reduces income that has no overhead associated with it. Cancelling the herd work on Saturday is even more financially straining to the club but was truly a necessary evil. So everyone understands – herd work runs are what we use to pay the cost on cows for the fence work portion of the show. By cancelling Saturday those costs get applied directly to the individual cow horse run basically cutting profitability for the individual show in half. All these reductions effect what we can
do at the year end.

Some other considerations with regards to current changes are the beginner boxing class. We received numerous email complaints from beginners regarding the times that they had to show, and admittedly the final show day was late for these folks. The solution to this issue was to run the beginner class concurrent with the NRCHA boxing classes. The ramifications for doing this, which some will find disappointing, is that they now show only once per day. As far as the herd work is concerned–it is what it is- the long nights and endless turn back were killing everyone. The board has developed a new show structure that we think will excite everyone and create some financial stability in the process. This new structure is what we call The Challenges. Each show, less the Bend show, will offer a all-around structured event herd, rein/fence Saturday and rein/fence Sunday the composite score from the weekend will win a Morrison bronze and the lions share of the 200 dollar per rider add-back. Eugene will be the “ Open Challenge “ and all open horses will be eligible hack, two rein, bridal enter as many as you like. Lynden will be “ Non-pro Challenge” All the same information applies ( limited riders not eligible ).

To take care of our Limited riders the board opted to include a Limited rider Challenge at the Paul Dice Memorial – herd, rein/box Saturday and rein/box Sunday composite. The winner of this will also win a bronze as well. All these will be run concurrent with your traditional NRCHA divisions and pay out separately from those classes. You may enter both but not Just the challenge as it is a one time jackpot fee applied to the herd-work. You may enter The herd work only as well. All members are encouraged to enter the herd work and get practiced up for there perspective events. That includes you too Limited riders do the math if everyone enters it makes
for a great jackpot that pays deep!!!

In closing I must sing the same old song, we need help with the club, we need committee members and people that can take over
projects, Primarily we need a sponsor chair and people willing to help with that issue, also we need people to help events at the
shows.

Good luck to all of you my friends
Dave