MAY 2008 – Newsletter

 MARCH SHOW: Despite the bitter cold temperature, attendance at the first MoRHA horse show of the 2008 Season was red hot!  This resulted in large classes with lots of points for the winners.  We were fortunate to have enlisted the sharp eyes of ARHA judges, Linda and Bill Black, of Indiana to call the winners their way. The MoRHA members could not have been more pleased with their expert decisions. They made the difficult choices despite the fact that they were suffering from that Indiana flu-bug they brought our way.

DIRECTORS MEETING:  Our March directors meeting brought some changes to the board. Linda Conti is our new MoRHA Secretary and her duties will include official liaison with the ARHA. Linda will take care of all ARHA business as related to our local charter. I will be taking over the newly created position of Administrative Assistant in addition to writing the newsletter.

 MoRHA is pleased to have Linda Conti of Wentzville, MO, Dr. Roger Cole (DVM, and equine dentist) from Marshfield, MO, and Tina Beutenmiller from Union, MO as additions to our board of directors as of January 2008.  In March of 2008, Quintana Garcia, also of Union, MO was voted in as our newest and youngest board member at the March director’s meeting.  We know that they will be assets to our charter leadership.

REINING CLINIC WITH JIM DUDLEY: We are in the process of putting together a reining clinic with world renown reining trainer, Jim Dudley of Columbia, MO.  The date is not finalized and we encourage you to check the website frequently for information regarding this event.

ABOLISHMENT OF YEAR-END SPONSORSHIP FEES:  The Year-End-Awards program will be available to all members and points will start counting as soon as your membership to MoRHA is paid in full. Points prior to your joining MoRHA will not count towards year-end-awards.

2008 YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE: Christine Wright. Mike Kavanagh and Quintana Garcia will be involved in setting up the criteria for the youth scholarship this year. Details are to be worked out regarding scholastic achievement, financial need, merit, community service, etc. Good Luck to all you upcoming seniors. More details will be forthcoming.

2008 ARHA WORLD SHOW AND ICE CREAM SOCIAL:  MoRHA members will be heading to Tennessee to the ARHA World Show in June 2008. Consider taking your outstanding ARHA/MoRHA horse and trying for ARHA World Championship honors. The Show-Me State will become the “Show You State” as we rack up some Champion, Reserve Champion and Top-Ten in the World honors.  MoRHA will sponsor the Ice Cream Social at the show.  If you are interested in helping dish out some ice cream to fellow ARHA members, please contact one of our board members to volunteer. This is a wonderful opportunity to make new friends with ARHA members from other states.

2008 ARHA World Show - June 23-28 2008 – Miller Coliseum – Murfreesboro, TN

ST. JUDE’S BENEFIT TRAIL RIDE: Christine Wright, our MoRHA Youth Director, was the front person on this trail ride held March 30 at Bridlespur Hunt Club in Eolia, MO. I have no doubt that she had a great turnout of MoRHA members and other equine enthusiasts that rode the trails for this worthy cause.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Would you like to help hand out ribbons, run errands, or work in the office? If you are interested in volunteering at one of our events, please contact Terry Luebbert, our volunteer director and show manager.  We can always use volunteers to help with the many and assorted jobs that are needed in order to make our shows the success they are.

APRIL 12, 2008 SHOW:  Our April show was held in Mt. Vernon, MO. This newsletter is written prior to the show, but I am confident that a majority of our members headed to the Southern Missouri area to help establish a relationship between the ARHA, MoRHA and the far corner of Missouri. We are hoping to have had participation from KS, OK, and AR ARHA members. I am sure it was a super success.  We can thank Dr. Roger Cole for organizing this event in the land down-under (down under Highway 70 and Columbia that is).  Maryann Cash, ARHA judge was the designated judge at the April show and I am sure she made all the right decisions.

MAY 17, 2008 SHOW: The May 17^th show will be held at Midway Expo Center in Columbia, MO. It is a one-day show and is going to be in the outside parking lot arena. Carrie Dowell from KY, and ARHA judge extraordinaire, will be seeing it her way at the May show.

JUNE 7, 2008 SHOW: ARHA Jimmy Shaw, President of the TN-KY Ranch Horse Association will be our judge in June. The show will be at the parking lot arena at Midway Expo Center in Columbia, MO.   Hope to see you there. Budget Inn is our Host Hotel for the events at Midway.

POINTS AND RESULTS:  Please check the ARHA website for your show point totals and the results of the MoRHA shows. You should check your points and keep track of your wins. The ultimate responsibility is with you, the exhibitor, to make sure that they are correct.  If you feel they are not accurate, please contact us immediately so we can check everything and get back to you on our findings.

SPONSORS AND DONORS:  We have had great support this year. Golden Hills Trail Ride in Eminence, MO donated a week long vacation package for two people that was auctioned off at our Award’s Banquet.  Cross Country Trail Rides in Eminence donated a weekend package for one to their Labor Day Ride.  Manna Pro and Charlie’s Farm and Home in Wentzville again donated equine products for the March show give-away.  We also have had support from several members, Mike Kavanagh of Kavanagh Quarter Horses and Christine Wright of the Wright Equestrian Center each became sponsors in 2008.  Crescent Ridge Ranch sponsored a $100.00 jackpot reining class at the March show. We also want to thank Dr. Brook Travis of the Lordex Spine Center in Columbia MO for being a 2008 MoRHA sponsor.  We encourage all MoRHA members to support these MoRHA sponsors and donors.  Thank you one and all for your generous donations.

BLUE ROAN FILLY: – Check out this Filly up for raffle to benefit the ARHA Youth Scholarship Fund!  Donations are $10.00/ticket; please see the MoRHA office for more information. Hope you win!

SUGGESTIONS:  Do you have any suggestions or constructive criticisms that you would like to voice? Please make your comments known and e-mail me at: missouriranchhorse@yahoo.com. I will see that your voice is heard at our next director’s meeting. Remember, if you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem.  We cannot fix what we do not know is broken. The MoRHA leadership team is made up of volunteers and we appreciate any positive feedback you might wish to share.  If someone has made your show day special, please write me and I will recognize that person in this newsletter.

Until next time - Happy Tails,

Shannon Hart-McInerney