ENDURANCE GB SOUTH EAST GROUP

MINUTES OF ANNUAL MEETING

HELD ON SATURDAY 11^TH DECEMBER 2004

AT THE HAWTH, CRAWLEY, WEST SUSSEX

COMMITTEE Margaret Montgomerie Su Middleton

PRESENT: Liz Walton Leo Davenport

Peter Davenport Jane Cook

Georgie Calcutt Linda Burrows

Maggie Pattinson

1.	APOLOGIES
	Apologies were received from Pat Corridon, Clare King, Hilary Weaver, Tracy Attfield, Sharon Covey, Fiona Hamilton, Jo Youngs, Clare Sadler and Julia Harman.
2.	MINUTES OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 13^TH DECEMBER 2003
	These were approved and signed. Proposed by Sally Clay. Seconded by Sally Payton.
3.	MATTERS ARISING
	There were no matters arising.
4.	CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
	Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you for coming to the SE AGM and Awards Evening at the end of the third year of EGB. Hopefully tonight will be as successful as last year. I am pleased to report that this has been another successful year for the SE Group. Unfortunately the main society has made a big loss - I will give a brief resume from the National AGM at the end of the meeting.
	The SE season started off with 2 training events and both were very successful. The first was the seminar at Chertsey on "Endurance - the fastest growing equestrian sport", organised by Maggie Pattinson and Su Middleton. The second was the Training Day at Slinfold, organised by the Training Committee - this included riding instruction, advice by a vet and farrier, and use of the heart monitor and judging pace. My thanks to all those involved with these events, both of which were very informative and enjoyable. Some training events are already in hand for 2005 but if you have any other ideas, please let one of the committee know.
	During the year there were four training/pleasure rides. The first was the annual ride at Hale Court, Withyham followed by one in the Isle of Wight, and then the Seven Sisters ride at Eastbourne and later in the season the Bramshill ride near Reading. The latter two will become competitive rides in 2005. We had hoped for more rides but unfortunately they had to be cancelled - one through lack of entries. We need more training rides across the area but members do need to support them, as it is disappointing for organisers putting in a lot of work and then having only a few participants. Remember it is these rides that provide income for the group.
	On the competitive side we had fourteen ride days, including one FEI ride. The rides in chronological order with the maximum distance at the ride shown in brackets were Tilford (66), Primrose (66), Goodwood (65), Ride the Wight (40), Berkshire Downs (160), Southdown's (160 day 1, 80 day 2), Plumpton (70), Glassenbury (68), Hornshill (64), Ashdown Forest (68), Firle Park (68), Devil's Dyke (50). Many thanks to all the organisers and their band of helpers - we do appreciate all the work put in running a ride. In the main the weather was kind for the ride days, but some did receive some wet weather at times - both before and during the rides. However as true endurance people we managed to keep smiling - at least for most of the time!
	During the year some of our members took part in team competitions. Unfortunately we did not manage to field a team for the Inter Regional Championships. However we had two representatives in the English team for the Home International at Red Dragon. Well done to Tracy Attfield who successfully completed the 80km ER but commiserations to Diane Barlow who had a nasty fall in the slippery conditions in the 160km ER.
	During the year we have been very fortunate with sponsors who have given prizes and awards at rides and the annual prize giving. Please remember to thank them and also support them where possible in raising their profile and purchasing goods or using their services where appropriate. Remember, without sponsors we would not receive all those "extras", so look after them.
	I have come to the end of my three-year term of office as Chairman, so you will have a new chairman from January. Can I take this opportunity to thank all who have made this such an enjoyable experience?
	Before closing can I give a very big thank you to all the ride organisers, helpers, farmers and sponsors as without them there could be no rides. Can I also thank the committee for all their hard work during the year? Unfortunately two of them, Maggie Pattinson and Linda Burrows, will not be on the committee next year.
	Can I leave you with some things to reflect over: - Always ride considerately - not everyone is as capable as you - walkers may even be frightened of horses. Thank everyone - even if things are not going well. Be cheerful at all times - it doesn't cost anything. Offer to help at rides - there's a job for everyone. Think of organising something for the Group.
	In closing, can I wish you all the best for the festive season and hopefully I will see you around next season enjoying yourself.
5.	SECRETARY’S REPORT
	Hello. It's nice to see so many of you here. The committee have met five times this year at the Red Lion in Bletchingley, which is fairly central to the region and close to the motorways for those far flung committee members. It is under new management now and the food has got even yummier - if that is an incentive for anyone to join the committee!! We had fourteen competitive rides last season and a similar number are planned for 2005. Any profits made by the competitive rides go into national EGB funds, whereas the Group finances training or social rides and profits come our way. So it is very important for the health of the Group to support these rides and run them too!! Jane has compiled a very good and comprehensive guide to running a training ride, so if anyone is interested in taking the plunge, see her for a copy. I believe it is going to be posted on the SE website so you can also access it there. Thank you so much to all our ride organisers past and present. This sport is all about attending rides, and without our gallant band of ride organisers, it just would not exist. They really are the lynch pin of everything we all enjoy. The committee decided to give each of them a small cash bursary this season in recognition of all their hard work. I hope you all think that this was a good use for some of our group funds. I'm sure Peter will give you more details in his treasurer's report shortly. As well as actually organising rides, we also need lots of helpers, doing all those jobs - secretary, vet steward, vet writers, the oh so important paperwork runners to ensure there are no delays, checkpoint stewards, timekeeper, TS, gate marshals and road crossing stewards. Personally I always really enjoy helping. It is a great day out and you usually get to gossip with everyone - far more people than as a rider! As a ride organiser the list of people to find always seems endless and the help is so vital to let the day run smoothly and efficiently to everyone's enjoyment. So a great big thank you to everyone who helped at rides this year. As you know it is one of our group rules that you have to help at one SE ride per year to be eligible for any of these lovely trophies and distance rosettes tonight. This season the committee also instigated a further incentive of a free newsletter subscription for 2005 to those who helped at 3 or more SE rides. Thank you so much to the following people who gave up so much of their time:- 3 rides: Diana Stewart, Sally Clay, Jane Cook, Linda Burrows, Lesley Groves, Janet Keeler, Maggie and Jim Parker. 4 rides: Sally Payton, Clare King, Liz Walton and James Chipperfield. 5 rides: Peter and me. And a massive 7 rides each: Sallie Dudley and Margaret Montgomerie. Thank you again so much. The newsletter is still only £7.50 pa and thank you to the 80 people who have already signed up for 2005. Thank you to Su for all your hard work in preparing the newsletter. We have sold 69 tickets for the dinner here later this evening. This is 20 or so down on last year. Last year we used some group funds to subsidise the meal slightly. This year £15 is the cost price to us from The Hawth. The group isn't profiting at all. I think the meal here is very good value for money, as are the facilities, but obviously we want the evening to be as inclusive as possible. What are your opinions? Should the evening include a meal? Something cheaper? If so, what and where? Please let us know what you think. Likewise there has been very little correspondence or feedback this season, to me as Secretary at least. Why is this? I'd love to think you were all so happy with the product that there is nothing to say, but I doubt that to be the case. I know nationally EGB is having its problems and communication from the Management Committee to the members is certainly one of them. I would like to see more communication at this group level between the committee and you out there. Any ideas on how this could be achieved? Would it help if minutes of the committee meetings were published on the website after they'd been ratified at the subsequent meeting? Would you come and chat if we had some local informal get-togethers during the year in an evening, perhaps all treat ourselves to a pub supper or something, maybe one or two committee members and those who live locally to them? The SE is a big area and obviously it is a very long way for some people to come tonight - and thank you to those who have made the considerable effort to do so. Let us know if you have any good ideas to improve the Group and its value to you. Some discussion followed. Rosemary Attfield and several others would like the idea of local meetings to be instigated. Karen Fullbrook suggested starting a chat room on the SE website, though a moderator would be required and the cost would need investigating.
6.	TREASURER’S REPORT
	Peter referred everyone to their copy of the accounts to 31^st August 2004 that had been distributed round the room. Newsletter subscriptions had remained constant despite the first one of the year being sent to all EGB members living in the SE. An extra 200 were sent out and 30 people joined. The subscription at £7.50 still covers the production and postage costs of the newsletter. Therefore it is profits from group training rides and other events that provide income to be spent on equipment, this AGM etc. Ride profit was significantly down this year. The donation came from AHS SE and has been spent on medallions to be awarded to horses upgrading. Peter thanked Paul Ewing for his sponsorship of the distance rosettes tonight. Payments to EGB were insurance surcharges collected at training rides and the donation was a SE group prize for the national EGB raffle. If the website seemed expensive, this was because we had taken advantage of a discount and paid for two years at once. The bank balance has decreased from £2.026 to £578 over the course of the year. Peter reported that the cancellation of two proposed training rides, plus the general decline in profit due to rising costs at the others, had thrown the budget out slightly during the year. The bursary to ride organisers had been a considerable outlay. It was introduced for one year only and will be reviewed by the committee. Following a question from Paul Titcomb, it was generally felt that ride organisers had appreciated it. Kevin Hawes questioned if Peter was worried by the overspend. He replied that he was concerned and aware but not worried as it was likely that the training rides would make more profit next season plus the ride bursaries will not be continued if the group cannot afford it. The accounts were proposed by Jim Parker and seconded by Ursula Wanostrocht. Margaret thanked Peter for all his hard work including the finances of Glassenbury, Berkshire Downs and all the training rides.
7.	ELECTION OF COMMITTEE.
	Margaret thanked Linda Burrows and Maggie Pattinson who have sadly decided to resign for their input to the committee. Peter's term on the committee has expired but he is standing again for election. Nominations have also been received from Paul Titcomb, Karen Carruthers and Diane Barlow. Margaret suggested that they all be elected to the committee. Proposed by Margaret Montgomerie and seconded by Nicola Cramond. This was unanimously agreed. Peter, Paul, Karen and Diane were therefore elected to the committee for a period of three years. The first meeting will be in early January.
8.	PROPOSALS.
	No proposals had been received this year.
9.	ANY OTHER BUSINESS.
	Margaret reported from the National AGM in Warwick. All 3 amendments were passed at the EGM first. The main talking point at the AGM was the dire state of the finances. The treasurer was asked lots of questions and Margaret's personal opinion was that they were not answered. Subscriptions have risen to £40 which is a significant jump. It was widely expected following the expiry of the initial promise to hold subs for 3 years. This promise partly explained the huge loss. The Management Committee proposals passed were:- Reduction of lowest speed to 9kph (with penalties). Vet penalties - max of 1 per lesion. Halfway halt/vetting on longer GR and SSR to be run as a vet gate with the ride clock continuing until vetting successfully completed - there would then be a 30 mins hold. French Formula - to be trialled at several rides alongside the graded system. Opening dates will continue unless the organiser objects - date to be as postmark however. There is a new constitution for the branches. The next national AGM will be on 26^th November 2005. Members proposals: The only one carried was that slow track novices must successfully complete their rides before upgrading. This was implied before but now had been firmed up in writing. Gilly Payton corrected that the proposal that the points system be reviewed with more emphasis on distance rather than grading had also been carried. The main topic under AOB was the European Championships which are a worry financially. They have until February to make a final decision. A 2-day format for the AGM was suggested. There was also discussion that all distance awards should be presented in the evening, rather than the lower distances being posted. Gilly reported that John Hudson had made a good presentation on the Europeans and that he is looking for help with fund raising and on the day. Those interested in helping should contact Maggie Pattinson who is co-ordinating all helpers with Jane Hudson. Maggie stated that it was imperative for endurance that we retain the Championships and make them something to be proud of. Gilly asked if the Group were thinking of running a fund raising ride. Margaret agreed that this was to be discussed at the first committee meeting. However the Hale Court ride is necessary for supplementing group income. We need another early season venue, route and organiser. Kevin Hawes suggested that a £1 donation be asked for, bib money, at all SE rides and this was generally liked. Following a question from Sally Payton there was a lot of discussion on advertising forthcoming training rides with particular reference to Bramshill. Su Middleton detailed the A4 brochure which is prepared each year for all training and pleasure rides in the SE. Liz Walton explained that flyers are sent out to local tack shops, livery yards, local magazines etc. Maggie Pattinson accused many of the members of being apathetic about running rides and events. Lesley Groves suggested that 20 miles is too long for many local pleasure riders and that 12-15 mile options should be offered where possible. Pauline Higgs discussed the negative attitude many riders have to endurance and suggested reviving the road shows. Su and Maggie are organising the Chertsey introductory day again in January. Margaret said that committee members had given talks to riding clubs and pony clubs. Jo Carter felt that many local riders are put off by the perception that endurance riders ride too fast. Margaret replied that this was why we should all be very aware and responsible. Caroline Sutherland felt that the perpetual reporting of ER rides only gave the wrong impression of what endurance is about to the majority. Rosemary Attfield suggested a nanny/buddy scheme. This has been tried before, but will be repeated in the newsletter. Karen Fullbrook observed that it is the way of the world that only bad things are talked about and remembered and Su observed that whingers rarely help or organise anything. She was trying to publish reports in the newsletter which contain experiences to encourage others. Bad manners amongst some race riders were discussed. Gilly and Maggie both suggested everyone doing everything possible to raise endurance's profile by submitting articles about 'ordinary' rides to local papers, parish magazines, free sheets - bombard them with interesting articles and human interest stories. Lesley Groves felt that the huge increases in subscriptions and entry fees would put many people off from entering rides. Margaret mentioned that there was a list of proposed SE rides for 2005 pinned on the wall. Also details of the seminars at Chertsey and Plumpton. Chertsey will be designed to introduce the sport to new members so please bring along as many as possible. Su has information packs which can be sent to livery yards, tack shops etc. The Plumpton seminar will start with conformation and riding assessment by Donald Kear. After lunch vet gates will be discussed, bearing in mind these will now be used on longer graded rides as well as endurance rides. A representative from Dobson & Horrell will talk on feeding the endurance horse and a farrier will talk on shoeing the endurance horse. Margaret reminded everyone that Horse Health Products had a stand here this evening in the food area. The meeting closed at 8.15 pm.