New York State Club News

President’s Letter - September 29th 2008

As I write this message we’re unpacking from the final NYSMHS horse show of the 2008 season, and breathing a big sigh of relief. With all of the uncertainties of the economy, skyrocketing fuel and feed prices, 2008 could have been a fiscal disaster for our club. Amidst all of the nail biting over the year, a clear trend began to emerge…Equine events across the country that provided a high quality product were gaining participants at the expense of the weaker events. As the dust is settling I’m happy to report that we’ve weathered this storm with some of the strongest levels of participation in recent memory. Our Eastern District show posted a record number of entries, our Western NY show continued to add to its prestige with the roll out of the highly successful WNY Classic, and our Regional Show took us to places that few could imagine. Our only significant drop off in participation this year occurred at our amateur show, which we believe had more to do with it’s overlap on graduation weekend than the quality of the offering. Congratulations to all of our show chairs and their hard working committees, we all appreciate your dedication and hard work! Our NYSMHS has faced adversity and emerged with the realization that we are in fact offering a very high quality product to our horse show community.

I’d also like to report the appointment of two new committee chairs, Alicia Fraser and Suzanne Haberek. Alicia will assume the role of High Point chairperson from Patti Waring starting in 2009. Patti’s years of dedication to this committee are greatly appreciated, and her request for a break is most certainly deserved. Alicia has some very big shoes to fill! Suzanne will assume the vacant role of Promotion committee chair, effective immediately. Suzanne ‘s enthusiasm for her new role is incredible. She is currently organizing a parade of Morgan champions at the Syracuse Invitational Tournament in October. This event will be televised nationally, and is most certainly a strong first step to promote the Morgan! Look for further details as they develop on the club’s website.

Finally, on an administrative note, our board of directors has tentatively scheduled it’s annual budget meeting for October 26th. The exact details of this meeting will be published on the clubs website, pending confirmation of availability from all board members. All committee chairs are required to be present, and members are encouraged to attend.

Best Regards,

Jeff Evans, President NYSMHS

Wrap up from the New York Morgan Regional Horse Show

WOW, what a show! About 400 horses from as far away as Georgia, Indiana, and Maine attended the NY Morgan Regional held September10-13, 2008. The NY Fairgrounds were open for early arrivals on Monday. The weather was perfect, the barns were filling, the drapes were up, we were ready for a great show. The in hand and performance classes were filled with great quality horses. As with all shows, a little rain did fall, but even those down in the soggy dressage ring pressed on regardless.

Ivan Beattie was wearing a big smile on Friday night when Equinox Premonition won the Weanling Sweepstakes and he also led Equinox Scandalous, for Diane Miers, for the Reserve title. That’s the way to prove your breeding program! Winning the Western/Hunt Seat Sweepstakes was Jamie Bish on Three K’s Titleman. The pair came back later in the evening to place in the Amateur Western Pleasure Championship, too!
Jennifer Mason rode the beautiful LVM The Black Ace to the tri color for owner David Lantz. Thank you to Nancy Galusha for heading up the SSA committee.

A big thanks to all those who helped the show run smoothly, Naomi and her staff not only kept the office running but also kept track of the various raffles, collections, and donations for our “pink ribbon” activities. The show was a result of hours of work from many members deserve a world of thanks.

Thank you to Sarah Ruby and her many volunteers for getting the ribbons and trophies organized and out to the ring side. Thanks to Sue Evans who kept me on track and provided a secondary hospitality area for those in the Dairy Barn. Thank you to Patty Casler for co-coordinating the parties (great food!!) and hospitality. Thanks to JoAnn Smail for keeping the coffee hot and the tables clean. Thanks to Ilene Goulette for filling the pop corn container. The youth of the club kept very busy.

Nancy Vidler’s youth group set up all the chairs for the boxes on Tuesday, thanks for your enthusiasm and young strong backs! The Jr. Exhibitors from Reindance and Rolling Oaks did an admirable job selling pink ribbons, bracelets, hats, and ducks for chucking to benefit the drive for a cure for breast cancer. By the way, we don’t have the exact final tally, yet, but we made thousands to donate to the Susan G. Komen foundation.

Finally, a big thanks for all of you who attended the show this year. We couldn’t do it with out your great horses. One of our exhibitors reminded me that you can put on the greatest show in the world, but unless you have great horses it would be just another horse show. We had both this year.

Submitted by; Mary Ellen Mulligan—Show Chairman

9/29 -

Eastern District Morgan Open Horse Show

This year was blessed with nice weather, other than a half hour or so of rain, great attendance of horses and exhibitors, and a hard working committee. A huge THANK YOU to Everyone—exhibitors, sponsors, secretarial staff, ring mistresses, gate attendants, announcers, and volunteers for making this such a successful show! There were 178 horses in attendance! There is no bouquet of flowers large enough to present to Nancy McCormick for all that she has done as past show manager of this show. THANK YOU NANCY!

This year the money raised from the silent auction items went to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation which is the world’s largest grass –roots group of cancer survivors and activists working to fight cancer and find a cure.

Mark your calendars for next year---July 31, August 1 and 2, 2009—Fonda Fairgrounds-Fonda, NY
Submitted by: Jackie Ross-show manager
607-432-8977 springbeauty33@yahoo.com

Trail Ride News

Our photographer got us going rather than coming, but here we are at Otter Creek the weekend of Aug. 15th. Pictured here (photo to come) are NYSMHS members Jim Conkling, Kelly Donovan, Sally Conkling, and Karen Felton. Members who joined us for Saturday's ride were Mary Ann Virgo and her husband, Joe, and Barb and Jim Hemstreet. Non-member friends Karen Giroux, Rick and Kim Sakadolsky, Sandy Hemstreet and her friend Jennifer also came along. Riding that day in another group were Judy Hinman and her sister, Sheila, along with other members of their family. The weather held and it was great to be out for 3 days with our horses and our family and our friends. For Kelly, age 6, summer means at least one camping trip to Otter Creek. This was her 4th year.
Submitted by Sally Conkling

EASTERN DISTRICT TRAIL RIDES

We've had quite a busy summer in the eastern district, with surprisingly good weather for riding - not too hot and between rain showers.In June wehad two rides - one early in the month on the trails on the eastern side of Lake George, and then at the end of the month here at Beebe Hill(Columbia County).Both were very pleasant rides . In July we rode at Brookfield, in August at the Santononi Preserve in the Adironkacks, and in September at Rockwood State Forest near Johnstown.The rides were all well attended,having from 8 to 18 riders, with each ride drawingriders local to the areaswhere we were riding .It was fun and interesting to meet some new people and to enjoy riding with them and picnicking with them after the rides.We all thank Jim Conklingfor bringing his grill to each ride and providing hamburgers and hotdogs - he and Jim Hemstreet shared the cooking at Rockwood, and everyone else for bringing dishes to share.
Our next ride is scheduled for Mt. Utsayantha on September 28.In October there are two rides - Old Chatham on Oct. 5, and Mohonk Preserve near New Paltz on Oct. 19.Anyone interested can contact me at highbreeze!@aol.com, or (518) 392-4143. Hope to see more new faces out there!

Submitted by Carolyn Bove

9/3/08 -

Bylaw changes:

All NYSMHS members are invited to make suggestions for changes to the Bylaws. A committee made up of the following members has been formed to review the Bylaws and suggest changes to the Board of Directors: Diane Garrow, Sue (Mrs. Jeffrey) Evans, Carol Rog, and Carrie Churchill. The Constitution and Bylaws can be found on pages 4-8 of the current Directory. Please send your suggestions (in legible writing) to one of us by email or US Postal service.

To NYSMHS Members from Jeff Evans, President, NYSMHS (dated 5/28/08):

Last October Naomi Blumenthal and I went to the Onondaga County Convention & Visitors Bureau to introduce the Equine Alley project and discuss the need for the tourism group's involvement in the promotion of horse shows at the NY State Fairgrounds. They took good notes and used them to apply for a state grant, which as you can see by the press release below has been approved. Total funding is ~$100k after matching funds from the counties.

I will be meeting with the President of the Bureau within the next two weeks to discuss the implementation plan. Your thoughts on how we can use this effort to help promote our regional horse show would be appreciated. Please note that this grant is fairly limited in focus to promotion of horse shows. Facilities and breed specific spending are excluded.

You may contact me at: valiantfarm@yahoo.com

More information is provided below as published on syracuse.com...

Grant to Promote Horse Shows
Madison County, Syracuse to jointly promote CNY for bookings
Posted Tuesday, May 27, 2008 By Rick Moriarty Staff writer

Syracuse may not be horse country, but tourism officials believe it can be a horse show capital.

The Syracuse Convention & Visitors Bureau received a matching $45,000 grant earlier this month from Empire State Development, the state's economic development agency, to promote Onondaga and Madison counties as places to hold equestrian events.

The money will be used to publish materials that promote the area to the sponsors of horse shows and will be matched by $45,000 from the Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau and Madison County's tourism office. Read the rest of the story here....

NY Morgan Horse Show Youth Contest

The Youth Contest is designed to encourage youth to become well versed in all areas of horsemanship. Although many excel in certain areas, the competition rewards a cumulative score in four divisions. Each division is awarded 250 points. An award and eight ribbons will be given for the best scores in each division. The cumulative scores for each division will result in a Junior (Under 14) High Point Award, and a Senior (14 through 21) High Point Award. If more than three Seniors compete, the Senior High Point Award winner will be eligible to compete in the 2009 AMHA Youth of the Year Finals in Oklahoma City. Congratulations to Kelsey Bornt, 2007 High Point Senior who is eligible to compete at the 2008 AMHA Youth of the Year Finals. Each division champion will receive a trophy with ribbons awarded through eight places.

CONTEST DIVISIONS
1. A written General Knowledge Quiz – Friday, September 12th - TBA
2. Horsemanship: A predetermined pattern to be performed with a Morgan either riding or driving – Thursday, September 11th
3. Oral Presentation: A three to five minute speech on a specified topic – Friday, September 12th - TBA
Judging Contest: Two In-hand classes, two Performance classes and, reasons for one of these classes – Saturday, September 13th – morning session –exact times TBA
This year’s oral presentation topic is the following:
Imagine for a moment that you have worked hard each year competing in the NY Morgan Youth Contest and finally got to compete at the Youth of the Year finals in Oklahoma City at the Grand Nationals and World Championships. You won this prestigious contest and received a month-long trip to the country of your choosing. Where would you decide to go? and identify ways you would serve as ambassador of the Morgan breed. Juniors include at least two ways and Seniors include at least four ways. Please e-mail Katie Ballard (ballard@whminer.com) if you have any questions.
Download our contest entry form here...Entry Deadline: September 1, 2008

President’s Message to the NYSMHS Members - March/April 2008

Members of the NYSMHS:

I’ve been working with our board of directors this winter to improve the operations of our club. We’ve been establishing goals, and have been addressing our operational effectiveness and decision making processes. The main themes that we keep returning to are pride, unity, and inclusion. These are very strong words that quite simply will define our future successes and failures. I’d like to focus this month’s letter on those themes.

We’re very proud of our club, and of the people who make up our membership. Our people continue to stamp an indelible mark on the Morgan breed. Just last month for example, Valerie Low was named AMHA Woman of the Year, and the Scussell’s received the prestigious AMHA Golden Reins award. Our club, through its activities, is also the standard bearer for Morgan breed clubs. Our clinics, horse shows, trail rides, publications, and breeder’s functions collectively set the NYSMHS head and shoulders above all others. Despite all of this, it is very easy to view ourselves in the eyes of what we are not, rather than what we are. Our board recognizes this tendency, and has committed to focus on the positive. The changes may be subtle but the outcomes will be obvious. An example of this subtlety will appear on the cover of the combined prize list, where the board removed “Second Largest Regional Show” as a tag line. Quality of the experience certainly overrides quantity of entrants. As a member of the club your challenge will be to follow this lead, and promote pride in each other individually and collectively.

Inclusion is one of the greatest challenges for an organization of our size. It is far simpler to rely upon a select group of individuals to implement the tactical activities of our operation, than to manage a larger group of members for same. It is also very difficult to communicate our actions to the club as a whole. The board recognizes these challenges and is committed to overcoming them. Our committee chairs are being strongly encouraged to diversify their membership, by inviting and welcoming others to contribute. This encouragement is already paying dividends as is evident in the pages of this Trader. Our editor, Mark Langdon, has actively recruited contributors and their work is making a noticeable impact. Furthermore, our board has committed to communicating more frequently with the members. Our draft board meeting minutes are being published on the website as soon as practical, and our directors are compiling email lists to communicate directly with their constituents. Please be mindful that inclusion is a two way street, our club needs you to step forward.

Unity is a goal that will come as we develop pride and inclusion. As many of you are aware our club has been historically divided across district lines. Our most recent election has validated that premise. To advance our club and realize our true potential we need to forgo our arbitrary divisions and work collectively towards a common goal. Our board has committed to achieving unity in purpose, and we ask our members to pursue the same. Your thoughts and suggestions on this goal are welcome.

Warmest regards,
Jeff Evans
President, NYSMHS

NYSMHS Promotional Sales
The following are some new items that we are selling as part of club promotional sales:

1. MORGAN HORSE CARABINERS! We now have metallic blue Morgan horse head carabiner key chains with "MORGANS" laser engraved in white on one side of the carabiner. These are for sale for $5.00 each and make a great little gift for somebody special. They are also a wonderful way to show off your Morgan spirit - not to mention make it difficult to lose your keys! Just hook the horse head to your belt loop or purse strap to save yourself from time spent looking for your keys!

2. POLO SHIRTS W/ EMBROIDERED NYSMHS LOGO - NEW DESIGN! We gave these shirts a "test run" at the NY Morgan Show last September, and they were a hit! We sold out and now have ordered more for the spring in various sizes. These shirts are high quality and are for sale for $30.00 each.

3. MORGAN NOTE CARDS! These Morgan note cards were also available for the first time at the NY Morgan Show last September. They were received extremely well, and we sold out of them too. We now have more available. They are greeting card size, artistic line drawings of Morgans being ridden English pleasure, hunt seat, dressage, and Western. They are sold with envelopes in boxed sets of 12 for $14.00 and are for sale by discipline. In addition, we offer a "variety" boxed set that includes 3 cards of each discipline.

We still have excellent quality NY Morgan Show sweatshirts in gray or white (reduced to $20.00 each) and NY Morgan Show t-shirts in gray (reduced to $10.00 each). Also still available are the light blue "Youth" shirts (reduced to $8.00 each). In addition, we have the gray and navy 3/4 sleeve baseball t-shirts (reduced to $10.00 each) and regular NYSMHS promo t-shirts (reduced to $10.00 each). These price reductions have been put into effect to make room for new inventory.

The Promotional Club Sales Booth will be set up at some shows and club events, such as the upcoming clinics sponsored by the NYSMHS. Please support the club by purchasing some of these wonderful items. If you are unable to attend these events, you can always order them. Please email Erika Stormer at elsteaka@netsync.net or call (716) 569-5936 for more information on these items, to place an order, and/or check on availability of colors, sizes, etc.

If you have any questions regarding the NYSMHS or if you would like to become active and help with an event or project please contact our President, Jeff Evans valiantfarm@yahoo.com If you would like to contact your local district director you will find them listed on the Contacts Page of this web site.

For membership information contact: Al Celecki at cumlaude@frontiernet.net

Mark Langdon, Editor "The Morgan Trader". If you have any news to submit or questions regarding the NYSMHS please email: christmaspast1@earthlink.net

Published monthly, The Trader contains:
Minutes of NYSMHS Board meetings
News and Notes from members
Pertinent AMHA information
"Mane Trade" Classifieds & advertisements
Results from NYSMHS shows and activities

Joining the NYSMHS insures that the Trader is delivered direct to your home each month. Other membership benefits Include:
-The opportunity to enter the prestigious NYSMHS Hi-Score year end awards program

-Discounted rates at select NYSMHS sponsored events

-Inclusion in the BI-annual NYSMHS Directory

-The ability to participate in the NYSMHS Breeder's Futurity Program
Annual membership levels are Youth at $15, Single at $25, Family at $35 and Lifetime Membership at $300.

To join, complete the membership form, indicate the level desired and send a check payable in US funds to the NYSMHS and mail to: Al Celecki 339 Smith Rd., Pittsford, NY 14534 or send email to cumlaude@frontiernet.net.