TERRITORY VI TOWN HALL MEETING

South Windsor, Connecticut

December 7-8, 2007

ISSUES OF INTEREST

Membership

Regional club board members who are not ApHC members

            Loss of members

            Building our numbers

            Incentive for new members

Judges

            Change from four to two

            State Fair/Livestock Shows

            Rule Knowledge

            Costs

            Rating system

Show Structure

            Number of classes offered

            Expense of regional shows

National Point System & Fees

Marketing

            ApHC

            Regional clubs

            Encouragement for breeders

            More incentives for color

            Raise the standards of integrity within our breed

Location of National Show

Distance Program

MEMBERSHIP

Why wouldn’t a regional club leader want to be an ApHC member? Officers should be ApHC members.

Looking for “useful” benefits for members -- incentives such as NTRA will be helpful.

Consider “affiliate” membership that includes a Journal, but not necessarily other rights and privileges of regular membership.

Support for changing to anniversary date membership renewal rather than calendar year; also some discussion of moving to April to March membership year.

Regional newsletter could be used as a recruiting tool (make it available to nonmembers).

Be sure to have membership forms available at exhibits, trade shows, events, etc.

Consider: Welcome & Incentive/Benefits Packet for new members with discount certificates (Country Supply, Nutrena, etc.).

Youth Interscholastic Equine Association – communicate with and support.

ApHC Considerations - Membership:

Why are we losing members?

·        Less enjoyment in showing; too many classes

·        ApHC shows – have fun, encourage people to participate; promote the breed, not just the show

BUILD MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS

Need to encourage growth in transfers (and first-time registration).

Regional clubs need to provide email addresses to ApHC.

Take advantage of opportunities such as booth at Equine Affaire.

Always need more communication.

Encourage, not discourage.

Pass Journals along to non-owners.

Affiliate membership for regional club board members?

Territorial newsletter from all clubs could be used as a recruiting tool.

Welcome packet – to anyone involved in new sales/transfers.

Education & communicate – promote our Appaloosas.

Reduced 1^st year membership? Discount for non-Appaloosa owners (affiliate membership); could we give a multiple-year discount?

“We miss you” reminder – with opportunity to renew at a reduced rate?

Include ApHC membership with regional club membership?

Membership based on horse, not owner?

Volunteer programs.

Welcome info packet with new membership or free registration – let them know about all the incentives/benefits/programs and provide a list of regional clubs in their area.

Answer emails.

Regional Experience (AQHA) type of activity?

Give value to membership

            Recognize members

            Give “something” with membership

            Print a “Guide to Being a More Effective Member”

JUDGES

Reach out to judges carded with other breeds; make it easier for them to get ApHC card.

More recognition with two judges…4 judges = 4 opinions; Increases cost to get points

Dominant opinion is to change to two judges – nationwide.

Expand opportunities for exhibitors/members to review/rate judges.

Could ApHC conduct random monitoring of judges at regional shows?

Require judges, if asked, to judge W/N show at least once every five years.

Rule Knowledge:

            Good overall

            Evaluation forms need to be better publicized so that exhibitors can provide input

Could we develop a rating system for judges to help regional clubs identify experienced judges and their areas of expertise?

Post score sheets for specific classes when they are used to determine placings.

Need information posted on ApHC website about judges, # of shows judges, areas of expertise, etc.

Cap judges’ fees for the sake of regional clubs.

SHOWS/ISSUES

NATIONAL POINT SYSTEM

Open, Non-Pro and Youth should all have to qualify for World Show/Youth Show;

(including Non-Pro halter).

Cost advantage to regional club if using two judges rather than four; consider loss of revenue for ApHC.

Will exhibitors pay the same fee total for two judges?

Keep blanket fee the same, lower individual class fees?

Revise # of points required to qualify – should be based on an average shown in each class across the country.

Regional clubs should get a rebate on point fees; or – do away with point fees!

STATE FAIR/STOCK SHOWS

Should State fair shows be state-sponsored to qualify for double points?

Should run at same time as fair; no advantage if our shows are held separate from the fair.

Could keep state fairs double-pointed if we increase mileage between fair show and any established regional show or if show is during the week and not competition with another show.

*There seemed to be consensus that state fair shows should not be double-pointed.

NATIONAL/WORLD SHOWS

Discussion of class schedule – no clear answer. When asked if all Non-Pro classes should be run together, before open classes – the response was “no.”

Some discussion favored moving National Show to a new location every three years.

There was interest in providing a microphone to allow audience to hear Q&A in Heritage class.

Some ongoing concerns about webcam picture quality, etc.

*Majority of those surveyed favor keeping the individual line-up for each judge.

Eliminate National Show and just have a Youth World and an Open/Non-Pro World.

SHOW STRUCTURE

*Non-Pro categories should be limited to THREE:        Novice

(or streamlined somehow)                                             Non-Pro

                                                                                    Masters (45+)

Combine halter classes at World & National for Non-Pro (not every age group) – i.e. Jr. and Sr. mares, stallions & geldings and grand & reserve in each division.

Novice designation should change after 25 points by class.

Announce winners in the pen – when possible.

Consider a “paperwork sweepstakes” with a rebate/prize if regional clubs submit show applications and reports in a timely manner.

Increase requirements for Youth Superior Award; Eliminate walk/trot from Superior Award points.

Most participants agreed that we have too many classes.

            Suggestions:      Eliminate Saddle Seat classes;

                                    Adjust Non-Pro categories (Masters at 45+)

                                    Eliminate 35 and over category

                                    Reduce # of FPD classes (include all sexes)

Regional club members need information about pending rule changes in PLAIN ENGLISH!

ApHC directors and regional clubs need more and better communication.

Standardize entry form.

Sponsors need to be shown what value they get by supporting regional clubs.

Consider increasing mileage limit to 250 miles.

MARKETING

NATIONAL MARKETING

More publicity for our breed so that everyone knows about Appaloosas; there have been improvements this past year. Need a broader reach; more and better press releases (do some bragging).

Advertise in more non-Appaloosa publications (ApHC needs to share information about the advertising we’re already doing).

Include all coat patterns, including solids, in our advertising.

We’d like to see more “outside” ads in Appaloosa Journal.

Broader distribution of Journal (tack stores, etc.)

Advertise in AQHA, TB, Arabian magazines.

We’d also like to see more “outside” sponsorships

            Don’t cut off Journal subscriptions for bigger/critical months (January);

            Offer more than one notice; friendly reminders that “this could be your last issue.”

Sponsor recognition – more publicity for affiliations that we have established and the discounts/services that are available.

Promote the medallion program inside and outside our breed.

The APEX awards need to be re-emphasized and publicized.

Journal “Sale Ring” ads are too expensive; Need earlier notification of ad specials, packages and deadlines.

Research multiple subscriptions to the same household.

Need more “how-to” articles about ApHC programs.

Website needs to be updated and kept current (i.e. “Hot Spots”).

Advertise the sale farther in advance.

Billboards?

REGIONAL MARKETING

Utilize member marketing.

Workshop topic: Help regional clubs recruit sponsors.

Provide advertisements to regional clubs for their use in area publications.

Regional clubs could pay for gift subscriptions for libraries, schools, professional offices, etc. Send copies of Journal and newsletters that mention a sponsor’s name.

Get together with other regional clubs and COMMUNICATE. 

Take advantage of free listing in local media calendars.

ApHC needs to selectively sponsor big regional events (Equi-Faire, etc.) and take advantage of media opportunities in high-population areas.

Work with regional clubs for mutual benefit of sponsors and ApHC.

More and better quality trade show displays and materials – continuous loop DVD; need an updated DVD for showing at exhibit booth and for distribution to western stores, and other places of business that might use them.

There were positive comments about Performance Permit (positive reaction to explanation that some of the money will be used as a color incentive by territory).

Timely posting of show results on website; keep them longer.

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR BREEDERS

Make a bigger deal of Breeders Trust program; tips on how to participate.

Incentive program for bred mares sold in the sale with resulting foals that do well.

Continue with price breaks on advertising in the Journal.

We need to identify/designate HYPP horses; we support appropriate medications and testing; should be identified on papers once tested.

Drug changes that allow horses to be “comfortable” are not supported; need to address each drug.

More publicity for Performance Permit Program.

COLOR INCENTIVE

Color sells color.

Concerns about how ApHC Registration Dept determines “base color.”

Color is icing on the cake – still want value for solid babies; market is there for solid foals, but color preference.

INTEGRITY OF THE BREED

Align ApHC rules with other groups (driving, snaffle bit, jumping, etc.).

Encourage breeders to register horses that participate outside of ApHC activities.

DISTANCE PROGRAM

Regional clubs should do more to recognize distance/trail riders.

Need for more oversight/monitoring of distance program.

MISCELLANEOUS

Send a Rulebook to every adult member.

Reconsider DQ for refusal in Non-Pro & Youth classes (i.e., trail).

All-breed saddle log hours.

Yearly territory board meeting to share ideas and workload?

Communication between regional clubs and ApHC.

Could ApHC help negotiate a reduced rate on liability insurance for regional clubs?

Some discussion and interest in “Zone Shows” or “Territory Shows.”