Well, I’ve just returned from my first Board of Directors meeting as your representative. There are some very exciting things happening within the ApHC!

Our new President is Eric Beené of Nesbit, MS with Larry Baker of Sumner, TX as Vice President. The Executive Committee consists of Laura Lyon of Howell, MI (chair, Planning and Review), Debbie Letham of Yukon, OK (chair, Rules), Jack Zuidema of Alachua, FL (chair, Finance) and Bill Thiel of Oconomowoc, WI (chair, Marketing).

Our marketing department, headed by Merida McClanahan, has been working hard to secure marketing partners for us. Nutrena Feeds will continue their presence. The Merial Corporation has joined us and there are negotiations with Aflac Insurance for a program for our members. The Boy Scouts of America are also working with us in the area of their equine merit badges. Juli Smith Thorson, noted writer and editor, is now working for the ApHC part time in the role of communications consultant and coordinator to assist our more than capable marketing staff in a rebranding effort for our horse and our association. She presented the BOD with a marketing analysis and outlined what must be done sooner rather than later to get Appaloosa marketing efforts on a going-forward track. Our new slogan is “Appaloosa the Breed of Choice.”

Our work on the international front has been met with great success. There was a large foreign contingent at the show. I was pleased to meet the Presidents and Vice Presidents of the Brazilian Appaloosa Club, the Australian Appaloosa Club and the German Appaloosa Club as well as an exhibitor from France. Also present at the show were representatives from Austria, Mexico, England and Italy. Many of these visitors purchased horses for export back to their country. Our youth foreign exchange program has been met with great success, and this year we will be sending youth riders from here to the European Championships in the fall. The BOD has instituted the International Registration Incentive Program (IRIP) where horses registered with the ABCC of Brazil, the AAA of Australia, the ApHANZ of New Zealand and the ApHCC of Canada (pending further discussions) will be allowed to register their horses in the ApHC’s IRIP program and be added to our list of approved outcrosses. They will also be eligible for futurity money at shows held in their countries.

The Sale Committee, of which I am a member, is looking into the possibility of on-line bidding for this year’s World Showcase sale. This sale will be moved back into the sale arena and even if we don’t do the on-line bidding, it is hoped we will be able to at least have the web cam there. There will be an 8% commission on horses sold and/or bought back. Consignments are due August 1 so if any of you have something you’d like to sell, get those pictures and papers in!

There are several new activities planned for the National Show next year. We are looking to revive The Miss Appaloosa America program. The board has not been presented with a proposal on this program yet but I hope it can happen quickly to allow the regional clubs opportunity to develop and implement their programs in time for the 2008 National Show. I will be working with Stacey Sordahl, Youth Chairman, on inaugurating a youth horse judging contest. At this point we are looking at a 4-H division and a collegiate division. Jack Zuidema and his committee has put together a halter and pleasure slot futurity to be launched at the 2008 National Show.

The performance department will be renewing our contract with Fort Worth for the World Show. The dates offered to the ApHC are October 24-November 1, 2008. Please note this is one week earlier than we have been. We are also looking into developing a Masters Non-Pro show in Reno, NV.

A new drug rule was passed. Conditionally approved drugs are Bute, Banamine, Surpass, Ketofen, Arquel, Naproxen, Acetazolamide, Furosemide or Lasix, Lidocaine/Mepivicaine and Dexamethasone. We also passed very stiff sanctions and penalties for abuse of drugs.

The next BOD meeting will be in Albuquerque, NM March 10-12, 2008. Any member is welcome to attend the meetings unless they are executive session so please feel free to join us.

Sandra Matthews

Director Territory II Zone C