AMHA Membership Numbers and my thoughts on the little guy being heard.

[whimsical]

I am a happy AMHA member. There are problems and always have been as long as I have been a member (1999). I think it boils down to compromise. Which doesn't seem to be on many's mind.

I also do think that a few decide for the many. I saw a small taste of that at the World Show meetings. Which made me aware that if I want change I need to be proactive. But consider all aspects.

I appreciate all our BOD tries to do. I do think we need mail in votes though. Maybe not on all the small things. But any major issue, it should be voted on by a majority of people. I believe that if the members felt like they contributed to the issue it would create a little more compasion and compromise.

 

[Lauralee]

Jane is right on.

12,000 votes would not be that difficult to count, especially with the technology now available such as bar codes and scanning devices.

If the registry can send out 12,000 membership renewal letters, and then process all of those as they are returned, then they can easily send out 12,000 ballots.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Ok I hate to be stuck on this but really I can't get past the 10,000 to 15,000.00 to ONE HORSE not to mention other grand champion winners getting 5000.00 as well.

I mean sure it would be great to win that huge amount of cash but I guess I am just not understanding why the registry can't ask the very generous sponsors to spread that out among the other classes so that the actual fees for the National show can be lowered a bit again I dont go there so I dont really matter however that was what you had said (sfmini) was a goal for AMHA to lower the fees for the 4 shows that AMHA puts on. So instead of not giving awards or plaques to the top ten horses why not spread out the 10,000 alloted to go to one horse among the rest ?

I guess I am just missing the point

: Again it is wonderful that AMHA has managed to find sponsers who are so willing to give so much money to pay for jackets, buckles and cash prizes that is great marketing on their part I just don't see the need for one horse to get so much money when there is talk of cutting down on awards and prizes to others?

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I have NO idea how AMHA manage their Sponsors but I have always told ours- or at the very least strongly suggested, how their money be placed- and we offer packages that are set.

Thus if this were to be me, a $10,000.00 sponsorship might well get you the Supreme but it would also pay for the ribbons, the plagues, the cups, the prizes- in fact it would pay for the whole class, not just the winner.

What the HECK is going on??????

 

[kaykay]

wowwwwwww i had no idea they gave out cash awards like that! just curious who won the supreme??

I just want to say though jodi has posted the information to get mail in or online voting so many times i have lost count. so really someone SHOULD PUT OUT THE PROPOSAL!!! Its not one of my big gripes so i do not feel compelled to do it. but i know people here always gripe about that. so do something!

 

[Sunshine Acres]

Kay,

I beleive it has been Miss Kentucky for the past 3 years that won the supreme. I could be wrong on this but Im sure she has won the past 2 years.

 

[Buckskin gal]

And boy does she deserve it...just breathtaking!

:

:

Kay,

I beleive it has been Miss Kentucky for the past 3 years that won the supreme. I could be wrong on this but Im sure she has won the past 2 years.

 

[Boinky]

I propose a online forum/messageboard owned by the AMHA for AMHA members only, where they post many of their going on's (maybe even small stuff) where people can go, look, read what is going on, learn their side and thoughts to it. That would be a way to help INFORM the members as to what's going on and would also provide a forum or a message board where the idea's formed by these members could be heard by the registry as well as the BOD ect. I have already just sent a PM to Jody, since she said she was part of the computer committe about this idea.

I think not only would it provide an outlet to inform the membership but it might help the directors get more input from people who may not know who their directors are or how to contact them. The membership would not feel so "in the dark" about most of the issues. The Registry could reveiw input and then decide to cast votes ect. and could also express their reasonings for what they are doing as well as gain reasons why to or why not to do it from others. This is done by other species (like canine) registrys and is a very good tool for those that CARE what's going on with their registry or the registry to reach people that they normally wouldn't otherwise.

 

[coopermini]

I have to say here on the topic of membership numbers, If AMHA has been holding its own for the last 7 years that is not the horrible disaster some have mentioned. Take a look at most of the other livestock and equine organizations member levels. Many many of them have had major declines over the past 5 years. A number of them have lost 25% and more. A very few have had slight increases and some have been able to maintain steady. Most of the organizations are operating on a very tight budget the past several years.

I would be interested in seeing the numbers for AMHR over the same time span.

Thanks Ronnie for posting the initial info starting this post

Mark

 

[maryann]

To hardship a horse in should not be cheap because it only helps the breed if the horses being admitted to the registry are of exceptional quality. The idea of hardship is to bring in animals that will add quality to the breed not just numbers.

I feel pretty sure you did not mean those words to demean anyone but that is the type of verbage that has always made me, as a small fish , not feel welcome in the AMHA. It signifies to me that since I don't have $1200 lying around to hardship my stallion that he must not be worthy. So therefor if I don't have a lot of money my horses must not meet your standards.

I was under the impression that when you hardshipped a horse ,you had to have an AMHA director approve the horse first. To be sure it would add quality to the breed . It should not be a just a money matter.

Again I am sure you did not mean to imply that , but just a heads up that this is the type of thing that keeps me and others from getting that warm and fuzzy feeling from this registry.

We are members and will stay members as long as we have any horses that are AMHA reg. But as far as showing and breeding it just has not proven to be convinent for us.

And again thank you Ronnie for taking your time to try and solve some problems and get some information. mary ann

 

[sfmini]

The mindset on the cost is not who can afford what, but more the idea that the animal be considered of a quality that makes the investment worth it. Not intended to be demeaning at all, but I sure see where you are coming from.

When we inspect a horse for hardship, we are only checking for undesireable characteristics (PC term for dwarf characteristics), off bites, count the stallions testes. Quality doesn't enter into the inspection, as that is such a personal opinion. What is quality to one may not be to another. We also take in send in our own set of pictures.

 

[hhpminis]

Personally, I understand the steep price of hardship. It does make a person think about the true quality of the animal before spending that kind of money. A breeding animal should be the top of the breed. That being said, I think maybe we could reduce it slightly for breeding stock.

However, I would love to see a drastic reduction in hardhsip cost for non-breeding stock. Say geldings that would be for showing only. This would encourage youth, amateur, and open as well. Geldings show for many years as they dont drop out to the breeding barn at age 3 or 4. They are a wonderful promotion for the breed and the entire industry for that matter. I see people gelding better and better horses and the quality in the ring continues to improve each year. This would bring income at all levels of the industry from local to a National level. I am not sure of the logistics of this but perhaps even a mare that was issued non breeding papers, show purpose only papers could be hardshipped at a reduced fee. These mares if they ever had offspring would not be eligible for registration in AMHA without paying the hardship fee, however it would allow people to show them. People buy mares for their show purposes as well and then continue on into the performance level with them. I have 2 clients that are not interested at all in breeding, they just want to show.

Could one of you directors tell me how to go about making such a proposal?

 

[rabbitsfizz]

How about a Register for Performance only??

Any animals, for a small fee, can be registered as a Performance Animals, and shown as such, alone.

No progeny registration rights whatsoever.

 

[nootka]

I personally don't mind the hardship price and have done so w/one mare. I feel it was WELL worth it and yes, the cost made me consider many aspects of the horse's worthiness, and $1200 is NOT too much for a stallion that truly has something to contribute. ONE stud fee should back that up, and $1200 is not unheard of for a stallion that has "it".

Anyway, I do feel lowering the hardship is the thing to do for geldings and a performance division would be great! I would have loved to do that w/my little mare that loved to show but was conformationally unsound for breeding.

I feel that if I had to choose one registry, I would choose AMHA. I have had the best luck, and the most satisfaction overall from their customer service and policies. I don't feel the cost is that much different for anything, though my horse's values are better being A only (compared to R only, which noone wants to pay for, at least in THIS region, and yes, I have had experience selling and buying both, also watching the markets for both).

I love both registries and want them both to flourish and grow, with our input.

Liz M.

 

[MarsMinis]

I am a member of both registries. But as long as I can show more

horses in more classes at more shows for less money in AMHR than

in AMHA and find the AMHR shows more often closer to home, AMHR

will get more of my support.

Sorry, but that is just the way the $$ works.

 

[Neil]

Well Said Jean B!! :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033:

As a member of the computer committee, I plan to bring up the topic of webcasting the general meeting. That said, how about you who are wanting this present me with some possible ways to fund this, what would you be willing to pay for this if anything?

Please do not forget, the AMHA only puts on 4 horse shows per year, the remainder are independently put on by clubs and individuals, they are the ones setting the fees, talk to them! AMHA is looking at ways to reduce costs for the 4 shows we do put on. Looking at trophy and ribbon costs, possibly eliminating either the top ten plaque or the ribbons, facility costs, etc.

The membership committe has proposed eliminating the initiation fee and that is being looked into.

When you do have an opinion on an issue, do you contact your director? I have to say that I hear from very, very few people on issues.

Folks, I am one of the little guys, not wealthy, I work a full time job and am always strapped for cash. I have an equal vote at these meetings, and I also think you would be very suprised to see just how few of the 'big guns' really attend these meetings. I would say the majority of the attendees are just plain, every day folks like me. The 'big guns' don't get involved in the politics much, it is those of us who passionately love and enjoy our little horses that rule the majority at the convention.

Hay, lookie what I found from Dec '06. Jody suggested having a webcast for the general meeting and she delivered this year.

See what can happen when you get involved and follow through.

Thanks Jody.

 

[Margo_C-T]

Since I have been searching the AMHA website for a list of the current Regional Directors(haven't found one; anyone know where it might be available? Names, and contact information?), I have seen this: a notice that as of 4/1/08, a renewal of AMHA membership will cost $65, no longer $55, as has been referred to on at least a couple of posts in this thread. As for the AMHA membership--some of you may have seen my post on another thread, where I noted that, the last I recall, AMHA membership was around 12,000(posted well before Ronnie's helpful figures; remembered from some previous info that orginated from AMHA...)You see, I DO read, and I DO pay attention, and for stuff like this, my memory most often works PHENOMENALLY well(it is because it is a subject that I am passionate about)-but I can't remember it if I was never privy to knowledge of it!

Margo C-T( AMHA member since either '85 or 86, Lifetime since--approximately(and I do still have the records to check, just as I have every Rulebook AMHA has ever published-so memory does not HAVE to be relied upon!)--1995 or so.

 

[mizbeth]

Well said Ronnie!

Thank you,

Beth Wirht - Sequoia Ranch

 

[Becky]

Margo, if you will check the AMHA website's homepage, there is a clickable link to the Regional Map on the right side of the page. If you click on each region, it will give you the director and contact information.