| THIS N' THAT February 2010 |
| Whenever it comes time for me to put one of these columns together, I always spend quite a bit of time sitting here staring at the computer screen wondering just what it is that I’m going to write this month. These things don’t take too long to read, but I can spend hours working on them trying to get them “just right,” and whether I really accomplish this or not is probably up for grabs.
I will start this month by saying that this issue of the “Spotted News” is the final one that you will receive unless you renew your membership for 2010. The MeApHC is the only regional in New England that continues to distribute its newsletter to members each month. You can choose to have it delivered by the postal service; or if you have access to high speed internet service, you can have it sent to your email address. From March ’09 thru to November ’09, the electronic delivery of the newsletter to our members saved us the cost of more than three reams of paper and over $100 in postage expenses. Every little bit helps in our effort to keep our expenses at the minimum. Our Show Dates for 2010 have been secured at the Skowhegan Fairgrounds. The May Spring Classic Show will be held May 15th & 16th with judges Dave Parlier, Jim Anderson and Gayle Matson-Kozak doing the honors. The State Show is scheduled for August 27th -29th. Mike Baker, James Coones and Shannon Ketcheson-Baker will be judging. More details about both shows will be forthcoming in future issues of the newsletter. Our In-State Committee Chairperson, Rita Glaude, is busily putting together the list of pointed shows for that Circuit. Once this is finalized, we’ll be publishing the list in the newsletter and on the website. John Hamel is already soliciting advertising for our 2010 edition of the Membership Directory. You can help him out by submitting your ads early, and you can help me by making sure that when you send in your membership application that it is legible. I put together the membership portion of the Directory, and I do have problems with people not including their full address and the complete information for all the horses that they own [ year foaled, sex, names of the sires & dams complete with the registration numbers of the sires & dams]. Also, I need to be able to read your e-mail address if you want it listed correctly. Though there is no specific spot for it on the membership form, if your horse has the FPD certification on his registration papers, please provide the FPD percentage when listing him on your form. Have you all been toting your digital cameras around in your pocket lately in an attempt to capture your Appaloosa bud in a great winter photo? I hope so. We’re looking for eye-catching photos that we can use in our 2011 calendar project. Since we only had about twenty people voting for their favorite photos in the 2010 contest [and I did a lot of “arm twisting” to get some of these], we’ve decided to present all of our photo contest entries to everyone attending the August State Show. While you’re in the Secretary’s Booth conducting business, you can peruse the photos and cast your ballot for your twelve favorite pictures. The photos receiving the most votes will be used for the new calendar. In our January issue, we unveiled information about the Nutrena Club Support Program that we would like to participate in. Nutrena very graciously donated a number of 50# bags of grain that were awarded at our 40th Annual State Show last year. Tom Cox, sales rep and equine nutrition consultant, who arranged for the donation, has told us that thru this program Nutrena paid out $6,000 to the Connecticut Quarter Horse Association last year. Of course, not all of our members feed out Nutrena products, but if you do use Nutrena, please consider cutting out those proofs of purchase before you consign your empty grain bags to the garbage. As I mentioned earlier, every little bit saved or earned helps us maintain financial stability. I seriously doubt that we’d ever reach Connecticut’s $6,000 level, but even a couple hundred dollars would be helpful. |