FALL NEWS

Our reward for enduring a pitifully mediocre summer appears to be this absolutely beautiful fall! I sure hope you’re all out there doing fun things with your horses and taking in the green grass and bright sunshine before it’s gone…. for about 7 months!

State high points have been tallied and awards are being ordered. We’re very excited about the banquet October 23rd in Anchorage and want to remind you that we host a general membership meeting that day as well. The youth have chosen this year’s theme, “A Bit of Blue.” We hope to see you all decked out in your best blue getup! We also present year-end Horseback Riding Program awards and will have a $100 gas card for the Flat Stanley winner and a plane ticket voucher for the earner of the most PATCHES this summer. Remember that the deadline for submitting patch requests is September 30th. If you’ve attended a meeting or clinic, participated in a show or HBR, entered a fun event, brought us a new member, or volunteered your time to help us out this summer, make sure you send us an email through the website so I can get you credited for your accomplishments this summer. The Patch Program was one of our AIM plan projects this summer and the only way we’ll know if it worked to increase participation is if everyone requests their patches so we can document those numbers. In order to justify funding the program for next year, we need to hear from you! If you’re not sure if you qualify, go to the “Incentive programs” tab on our home page.

All of your officers will be rolling up their sleeves in Fairbanks September 11th  and 12th for our annual Board Retreat. If you have any suggestions for next year, let us know ahead of time so we can discuss your ideas. We will also be working on the 2011 AIM plan, sponsored by AQHA and Bank of America, which funds many of our new programs. If you’ve ever had a BIG pie-in-the-sky idea for ASQHA, but figured we couldn’t afford to do it, this would be the time to share your thoughts with a board member. And speaking of board members… it’s time to step up and serve your association. Several seats will be open for 2011-2012. Be looking for your official board nomination opportunity in September.

Congratulations to all of you who accomplished your equine goals this summer. The turn-out at the shows was great and everyone looked like they were having a lot of fun. I appreciate all the positive comments you sent our way. Keep letting the "good vibration" spread!

See you on the Rail!

Laura Fitzgerald O'Neal

ASQHA President

AQHA Professional Horseman