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Michigan Draft Horse Breeders Association Annual Meeting Notice and Newsletter January 29, 2010
MICHIGAN DRAFT HORSE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION
January 2010
ANNUAL MEETING: The annual meeting will be held Saturday, March 6, 2010 at the Masonic Temple in Charlotte. The Masonic Temple is located on the northeast corner of Cochran Street and Seminary Street in downtown Charlotte. Coffee and rolls will be available at 9:30 a.m., with the meeting starting at 10:00 a.m. The meal will be Swiss Steak, peach and brown sugar baked chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans with bacon, garden salad, rolls, assorted pies and desserts, and beverage served buffet style. The cost of the meal is $13 for adults and $9 for children. Please return the dinner reservation form and check payable to Michigan Draft Horse Breeders by February 25, 2010. We would like to thank in advance any members who bring door prizes for the meeting. Please label door prizes with the donor’s name and address so I can send thank-you notes to them. Hope to see you there!
DUES: Enclosed please find a dinner reservation and membership form. If you did not receive a ballot, your 2009 dues were not paid. You may send your dinner reservations, dues, Draft Horse Journal ad, and ballots at the same time. Please place only your ballots in the “BALLOTS ONLY” envelope provided. Make checks payable to M.D.H.B.A.
BALLOTS: An envelope is enclosed should you wish to return your ballot by mail along with your dues and reservations for the meeting. Ballots are also accepted at the meeting. Please place only the ballot in the enclosed “BALLOTS ONLY” envelope. This year two Director at Large positions are up for election. Bill Crego and Howard McCalla are the incumbents. Bill has served two consecutive terms so he will not be able to run. The board and membership will truly miss the knowledge and leadership Bill has provided to the association. Howard is eligible to serve another term. Candidates for the two Director At Large positions are: Dr. Russel Erickson, Amy Frey, Lori Luther, Howard McCalla, and Wendell Weber. We are fortunate to have these members willing to run for the board! To acquaint you with these candidates, here is a little information about each one. Dr. Russel Erickson is a former professor at Michigan State University, instrumental is starting the Draft Horse Program there. He is in charge of our association website and is one of our Michigan Horse Council representatives. Amy Frey raises and shows Percherons and is active in both the MDHBA and the Percheron Horse Association of Michigan (PHAM). Lori Luther also raises and shows Percherons. She is active in MDHBA, chairing the Stallion Expo Committee, and the PHAM. Lori and her family are hosting this year’s picnic. Howard McCalla is currently serving as a Director at Large and is our President. He also is on the MGLI committee. He raises and shows Belgians. Dr. Wendell Weber is a former Director at Large. He has a veterinary practice in Big Rapids. He raises and shows Belgians. Be sure to vote for two candidates. Please note there is a place on the ballot for write in nominees. Candidates may be nominated from the floor at the meeting.
YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE: The board of directors decided to continue to have “Youth Representative” instead of a “Queen”. This opens up the position to any young person, male or female. Anyone interested in running for the position of the 2010 M.D.H.B.A. Youth Representative should contact Deb Swihart, 517/522-5416 before February 16. Ballots will be handed out at the meeting. The candidates must be dues paying members. The Youth Representative is required to attend the annual picnic, the M.D.H.B.A. State Show, and the Great Lakes International. This is a very important function and is expected to be treated as such. Thank you goes to our 2009 Youth Representative Kay Moody! She represented our association well at all events!
QUILT RAFFLE: The quilt raffle is our major fundraiser. Thank you to all members who worked so hard selling tickets last year! Proceeds from the raffle allow us to help sponsor events such as the M.G.L.I. and the State Breeders Show. Tickets will be available at the annual meeting. We should have the quilt by the annual meeting so we will all get to see it. There will also be color pictures of the quilt for you to use when selling tickets. Members are encouraged to pick up tickets at the meeting or contact Doreen McCalla 734/475-7635 or Renee Dingman 269/763-3839. Tickets will also be sold during the Stallion Expo and at the Great Lakes International. If you are available to help sell tickets at either of these of these events, please contact Doreen or Renee.
STALLION EXPO: The dates for this year are March 12 through 14. This year is the year a Belgian stallion is to be on display. As of this date we do not have a stallion, so if you have a stallion you would be willing to have on display (any breed), please contact Howard McCalla or Renee Dingman. Lori Luther has volunteered to chair the booth (thank you Lori) and is looking for volunteers. Contact her at 989/666-8412. Working at the booth is an opportunity to share information with a wide variety of people. We need more pictures from members highlighting the different uses for draft horses. Please send any pictures you would like to share to a director or bring them to the annual meeting. 2011 will be the year for a Clydesdale stallion, so all you Clydesdale breeders who are interested in having your horse at the 2011 Expo, please submit this in writing to one of the directors.
DRAFT HORSE JOURNAL AD: Enclosed please find an ad form for the association’s Draft Horse Journal ad. The price of an ad is $60. This is for four issues and with its large circulation, reaches a tremendous number of people. If you are interested, please complete the enclosed ad form and send to Renee Dingman or bring to the annual meeting.
HIGH POINT PROGRAM: Lori Pillars presented the 2009 high point awards at the 2000 Michigan Great Lakes International in front of a packed house, giving our youth tremendous recognition. All youth members need to remember to keep track of your winnings in 2010 and get them to Lori.
GREAT LAKES DRAFT HORSE SALE: Belgians and Percherons will sell at the Great Lakes Draft Horse Sale February 11 and12 at the Michigan State University Livestock Pavilion. M.D.H.B.A., in conjunction with the Michigan Great Lakes International, hosted a hospitality room for consignors the last seven years. This has been very well received, so it was decided to host it again. We are looking for volunteers to help work in the hospitality room. The main responsibilities are to keep the coffee pots going and the cups out, which leaves plenty of time to watch the sale. Tack and equipment will sell Thursday, February 11. All horses and stallion services will sell on Friday, February 12. A Stallion Service Auction will again be offered. One fourth of the profits of this Stallion Service Auction will go to the Michigan Great Lakes International and one fourth will go to the M.D.H.B.A. State Show. If you are interested in helping with the hospitality room, please contact Renee Dingman.
WEBSITE: Russ Erickson has set up and maintains our website www.midhba.com. Thanks Russ! If you have any information you would like to have included or would like to have your own website listed on or linked to this one, please contact Russ.
MICHIGAN HORSE COUNCIL: Michigan Horse Council has a website, www.michiganhorsecouncil.com, which not only outlines their activities but also includes general information about the equine industry.
See you at the annual meeting!
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