AMMHA May News

Hello! Here is the report for the month of May. We've added a few new members and have seen an increase in Club participation. Not too bad for just two months of revival.

Membership:
We are now officially open for membership. If you would like to become a member and haven't paid your 2007/2008 dues, please consider doing so now. First off, since we are starting so late in the season we have decided to make the membership active for both 2007 AND 2008. In essence, when you pay the $5.00 membership dues you will be a member for both 2007 and 2008 ... can't beat that!

Please remit your $5.00 2007/2008 Membership to Thomas Bainbridge. You may do this via PayPal at: bainbridge@jackpine.com or thru snail mail at:

Thomas Bainbridge
7393 Chief Road
Kaleva, MI 49645

When making payment, please be sure to note that it is for AMMHA membership. Effective immediately you must be a member to be eligible to show in AMMHA Point Only Shows (June 2007 onward), gather points towards Year End Awards, gain points towards accumulative AMMHA Medallion awards, entry to Nationals, voting privileges and other forthcoming Club special functions.

We currently have 19 paid members and 4 "gratis" Members. Gratis members are those who hold an official office in AMMHA, their membership is included.

Our six (7) new members for May are:

Diane Thiele, TX
Jodi Hollenbeck, NY
Brent Perry, Alberta Canada
Anna Fisher, UK
BJ Owens, FL
Ann Bilon, OH
Marie J. Phillips, CT

May Treasurers Report:
We added $44.00 to the Club treasury during May. We had seven new members (see above) @ $5.00 each = $35.00. POS entry fee for May brought in $4.00 (Thank you BJ Owens for judging) and we had a $5.00 donation from Delana Metcalf. Our total account balance is $112.00 currently with no expenses to report.

Show News:
Point Only Show (POS) judges will get an adjustment in their points for missing their show as participants. The point keeper will automatically add 5 points to each of your horses previously shown prior to judging date as a leveling effect for your judging. This way someone who doesn't judge all year long will not have an unfair advantage of one additional shows points, which they wouldn't if they had judged and eliminated that option. But this is for horses that were exhibited *prior* to the judging date.

Point Only Shows will also give additional "bonus" points to Champion/Reserves in each division. 20 added points for Champion and 15 added points for Reserve Champion, per division per show. These added bonus points will be added to the class in which the horse qualified for the Championship in. If there were multiple classes in the division (such as performance) then the bonus points will be added to the class with the greatest placing.

The POS are growing in size --- last month had a number of classes with entries of 20 or more in the class. We already have our first judge of 2008 lined up with Ann Bilon taking on the January POS.

Show results are now being posted on the official website. Just go to: http://www.starrfyre.com/ammha/results.htm to view. Thank you to Beth Gustas for her endless devotion of time and energy to keep the website updated and fresh.

Registration News:
It has been brought to my attention that people should be careful with naming models after famous real Morgans, especially without the owners permission. The same goes for use of prefixes, which are recorded with AMHA. Famous prefixes such as Waseeka, HVK, Troutbrook, etc. have been recorded with the registry and the owners may not appreciate people using these prefixes without permission. This doesn't effect pedigree assignment at all, just the individual naming of show models. There are plenty or naming options out there, so there isn't a real need for name duplication anyways unless it is an approved portrait model, etc. Have courtesy for those recorded owners, please.

Club Donations:
I have been asked if the Club will accept donations? Heavens yes! No matter what it is --- they can be used for Year End awards, National Awards, raffled, auctioned, etc. We are always in need of additional fundage. Also, if you have a skill that you can donate (such as newsletter editing, etc.) please let me know, we can use your help. So clean out that clutter and think about us --- your trash may very well be our treasure. I hope to have a list of donated items in the next couple months - both for sale and for future Club use.

I guess that wraps it up for now. Any questions, comments, ideas, concerns --- please feel free to email me at bainbridge@jackpine.com and I will be sure to pass them along. We are slowly but surely gathering steam and hopefully by 2008 we will have all our programs in full swing and an eager and active membership in place. This Club is only what you make it! Thank you!

Thomas Bainbridge
bainbridge@jackpine.com
AMMHA President/Treasurer and 2007 Pointkeeper

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