Appaloosa Reining Horse Association

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Effective 1/01/ 2020

Appaloosa Reining Horse Association By-Laws

ARTICLE I. TITLE, OBJECTIVES, LOCATION
Section 1. This organization shall be known as the Appaloosa Reining Horse Association and shall be operated as a non-profit association in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.
Section 2. The association exists to promote and encourage the breeding and showing of Appaloosa reining horses, the development of standards of performance and judging for all reining horse contests sponsored or approved by the Appaloosa Reining Horse Association and to develop and distribute information to provide contestants and spectators a better understanding of proper reining horse performance in the show arena.
Section 3. The principle office of the association shall be in Wadsworth, County of Lake, Illinois. The association may have other offices as designated by the Board of Directors or as business of the association may require.
Section 4. The association is an affiliate of the National Reining Horse Association, whose contest patterns, rules and regulations will apply to all contests sponsored or approved by the association. Any exceptions must be approved by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE II. OFFICERS
The officers of the Association shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and four (4) directors. All officers are elected to two-year terms and will serve until their successors are elected and qualified. Directors will serve two-year terms and will serve until their successors are elected and qualified. Three (3) directors will be elected each year. All officers and directors must be current members of the ApRHA in good standing.
ARTICLE III. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Elections of officers will be by the general membership and will take place during the World Championship show. All nominees for office must be current ApRHA members in good standing of the Board of Directors. Election of officers shall be voted on at the annual Membership meeting.
ARTICLE IV. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the association and be chairperson of the Board of Directors. The President shall appoint all special and standing committees in accordance with the bylaws, rules, and regulations. The President shall be ex-officio a member of all committees. The President may sign, with the Secretary or any other person designated by the Board of Directors, any deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments which the Board has authorized. The President shall perform all duties incidental to the office and such other duties as prescribed by the
Board.
Section 2. The Vice-President or his appointee shall be the chairperson of the Futurity Committee and, in the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President.
Section 3. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings, maintain an accurate membership roll; issue annual notices of membership fees to all members; notify officers, directors and members of pending meetings 2 days in advance of the scheduled meetings.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall keep accurate records and prepare a yearly financial report(s).
Section 5. The officers shall be charged with the daily operation responsibilities of the Association, including decisions necessary for continuity and those requiring immediate attention. All other matters shall be brought to the Board of Directors. The officers shall not involve the Association in long term contractual agreements of more than two years. On the agreement of no fewer than three officers, single expenditures of not more than
$1,000 or 50% of the general fund, whichever is smaller, may be made without the consent of the Board.
Section 6. Any officer may be removed by the Board when the best interests of the Association would be served, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person removed. Two unexcused absences from regularly scheduled meetings in a one- year period will automatically disqualify an officer or director. All officers and directors will receive written notices of any disqualifications.
Section 7. A vacancy in any office may be filled by the Board of Directors for the unexpired portion of the term.
ARTICLE V. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall be comprised of the President or Vice-President and four (4) directors.
Section 2. The Board of Directors shall have general charge of the affairs, finances, and property of the Association.
Section 3. The Board of Directors shall hold a regular meeting at the World Show. Special meetings may be called by the President or Vice-President.  Notices of special meetings shall be given at least two days in advance, either by personal notification or by written notice, delivered personally at regularly scheduled events. All meetings of the Board of Directors except for an executive session, shall be open to all members of the association, but voting will be restricted to the members of the Board.
Section 4. The Board may fill vacancies by an affirmative majority vote. A person elected to fill a vacancy will serve the remaining term of his/her predecessor.
Section 5. A quorum shall consist of at least five (5) officers and directors of the eight (8) total, and a majority of such quorum shall decide upon any business that may come before the meeting.
Section 6.  In order to maintain a Board of Director status, all Board of Directors and Officers attendance is required at the annual General Membership Meeting held in conjunction with the Appaloosa Horse Club World Show.
ARTICLE VI. MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Section 1. An annual meeting of the Association shall be held at the World Show at a time and place designated by the President or Vice-President. Notice of such meetings will be posted at least 4 days in written or verbal form prior to the meeting.
Section 2. Special membership meetings may be called by the Board. Notice of such meetings will be given to members at least 2 days in advance.
ARTICLE VII. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. An individual of good character and reputation interested in the reining horse may become a member of the Association. All members must be members in good standing of the Appaloosa Horse Club.
Section 2. Each member shall pay annual dues as approved by the Board. Dues are due and payable at the commencement of the fiscal year, which runs from January 1 to December 31. Notices of dues will be mailed to each member by the Secretary no later than the commencement of the fiscal year.
Section 3. Lifetime memberships are available as single or husband/wife at a fee of ten (10) times the regular membership fee at the time of purchase.
Section 4. Owners and riders of all horses entered in ApRHA-sponsored events must be current members, in good standing, of the ApRHA. In the case of dual or joint ownership as listed on registration papers, all owners must be members of the ApRHA in good standing.
ARTICLE VIII. COMMITTEES
Section 1. Four (4) standing committees shall be created by the Board: Futurity, Rules and Disciplinary, Judges, and Buy, Breed & Win.
Section 2. The Futurity committee will be chaired by the Vice-President or his/her appointee and consist of three (3) members appointed by the President, for a total of four (4) people on the committee. The committee will be charged with organizing and operating all Association-sponsored Futurities.
Section 3. The chairperson and members of the Rules and Disciplinary Committee shall be appointed for a two-year term by the President with the approval of the Board. The committee shall consist of three (3) members to be determined by the Board. The committee will be responsible for reviewing all proposed rule changes and recommending appropriate action to the Board. The committee will be responsible for hearing all protests and disciplinary actions and recommending action to the Board.
Section 4. The chairperson and two (2) members of the Judges Committee shall be appointed for a two-year term by the President with the approval of the Board. The committee shall be charged with the responsibility of creating and maintaining a list of judges qualified to judge Association sponsored events.
Section 5. The Buy, Breed & Win committee will be chaired by the Secretary or his/her appointee and consist of two(2) members appointed by the President with the approval of the Board.  The committee members will be appointed for a two-year term and will be responsible for continuing to grow the Buy, Breed & Win program, as well as maintain financial responsibility for the health of the program.
Section 6. Additional committees may be created by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IX. DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
Any member may be disciplined or suspended from the Association and the member or non-member may be denied all privileges of the Association, whenever it has been determined at a hearing conducted by the Rules and Disciplinary Committee, that such person has knowingly violated any rules of the Association. Any person who becomes a member agrees to be bound by all rules of the Association and renounces any recourse which he/she may have against the Association so long as the latter acts in good faith and in compliance with the rules of the Association.
The following procedures will apply when anyone is accused of a violation:
A. Written notice will be given to the accused by registered mail and postmarked not less than 30 days prior to a hearing on the accusation by the Rules and Disciplinary Committee. At the hearing, the accused shall have the opportunity, in person or by counsel, to be heard and present evidence in his/her own behalf and to refute evidence against him/her.
B. The decision and action of the Board shall be final and binding on all parties.
C. Show management or an official judge of any Association event shall have authority to direct a member to leave or withdraw from that class for any reason of misconduct, unprofessional conduct or disrespect to the show committee or judge. In the event that a member is directed to leave or withdraw because of misconduct, the Rules and Disciplinary Committee shall review the case and render a decision. The hearing must be held within 30 days of the date notice is received by the Association, and the member must be given at least 30 days written notice of the hearing.
D. Any suspended member of the Association will not be allowed to participate in, or act as, agent for any entry in any Association event. If the suspended member enters an approved show or class as owner, rider or agent during the period of suspension, the period will be increased six months and all winnings will be forfeited.
E. Any member may be suspended or non-member denied privileges of the Association for failure to pay, when due, any obligation owed to the Association or for giving a worthless check for entry fees, stall fees, premiums or any other fees or charges. Suspension and denial of privileges under this article shall be
terminated upon full payment of the obligation due to the Association.
F. There will be a $30 charge for all returned checks, plus any additional fees that may apply.
G. Unsportsmanlike conduct toward judges, show management or other exhibitors will not be tolerated. Violations will be reviewed for possible disciplinary action.
H. Any Association member suspended by the Appaloosa Horse Club or the National Reining Horse Association will not be eligible to participate as owner, rider or agent in any ApRHA event.
I. All written notices will be sent to the last known address.
ARTICLE X. PROTESTS
Any protest or complaint must be presented in writing to the Secretary of the Association, who will refer such protests or complaints to the Rules and Disciplinary Committee for investigation and recommendations. If in the Committee’s judgment, the matter warrants a full hearing, appropriate notice will be given to all parties. If the Committee determines the protest or complaint is not serious enough to warrant a full hearing, the Committee will report that decision along with a recommendation for appropriate action. Any protest or complaint must be accompanied by a cashier’s check, certified check,
money order or cash in the amount of $200, must be in writing and must be filed within 10 days of the incident. If the protest is disallowed, the fee may or may not be refunded at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The person filing the protest will be liable for the costs associated with it if the protest is not sustained.
ARTICLE XI. AMENDMENTS
Proposed amendments to the Association by-laws must be presented in writing to the Secretary and postmarked at least 60 days prior to the annual meeting, and the Secretary will give written notice to the members at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting. Proposed amendments will be considered and voted upon at the Futurity show general membership meeting and must be approved by a majority of the members present and voting, only if there is a quorum.