Dear ODS Members,
Each fall is a time of transitions within the Oregon Dressage Society. Elections will be occurring, both at the Chapter and Organization level and we will be thanking some volunteers for their service as they step down and welcoming new volunteers into their roles. Watch your e-mail so that you can exercise your voting rights.
Transitions during this time of year offer a perfect opportunity for new volunteers to step forward, to offer support and assistance – to learn about the organization’s mission, to hear about the current challenges and to share towards future planning.
The Oregon Dressage Society is a volunteer driven organization with one part-time employee whose main responsibility is to oversee the daily operations.
The role of the ODS Board of Directors is especially important under this model, which is why it is critical that we have strong volunteer leadership (which could mean YOU stepping forward). The board is the body who steers our organization towards a sustainable future ensuring our non-profit organization has the resources which are adequate to advance our mission. The board is also responsible for governance and policy decisions from which chapters, committees and the office operate.
The Board of Directors is elected by the membership; Regional Representatives serve 1 year terms and Directors at Large serve 3 year – rotating terms. Officers come from the pool of Directors at large.
While ODS remains the third largest group member organization in the United States Dressage Federation, over the past year we saw a decline in membership and did not reach 1000 members. We also saw a significant decline in volunteer support; subsequently, some items that were planned did not happen.
Please mark your calendar now and join us on Saturday, November 12th at the at Bella Via, on 22418 SW Pine Street in Sherwood, OR for the ODS Annual General Membership Meeting as well as the ODS Special Awards and Anniversary Reception with Auction – follows meeting. Full details will be announced on the ODS website and via ODS broadcast e-mail.
For those of you not interested in a position within the governance and leadership of the organization, please either send the ODS Office an e-mail with your volunteerism offer / listing your strengths and how you would like to help the organization or visit the ODS website’s volunteer page and see what is listed. There will be several openings for committee and state-wide volunteer spots being advertised soon.
I would also ask that anyone interested in future volunteering put the date of the 2017 ODS Annual Retreat on your calendar; it will be January 28 & 29, 2017. It is a very affordable, fun and educational weekend.
Thank you,
Corinne Tindal Stonier
Executive Director, Oregon Dressage Society, Inc.
Chapter News:
Columbia County Dressage Chapter
We had a great summer with some exciting meetings that included an Educational Series. We will continue this series in all our upcoming Chapter Meetings since it was met with much enthusiasm.
We were also excited to have our monthly Musical Freestyle Clinics throughout the summer. Since we had some on a waiting lists, we have decided we might continue this program with two levels, Beginning and Intermediate. Please call if you are interested in participating. Thank you all for your support and attendance!! We had more people trailering from outside our county for this so it was very exciting!
We are taking recommendations for officers and volunteer positions for the next year. Please let Lesley know if you are able to help out in any way!
Lower Puget Sound Chapter:
The Lower Puget Sound Dressage Chapter of ODS has just completed a fantastic 2016 show season! We held 8 shows during May to September with a total of 465 entries which is an average of 58 rides per show! We wish to thank all of our show judges for this year: Nikki Charbonneau”r”, Jill Seely”L”, Amanda Wilgenburg”L”, Trish Morine”L”, Diane Royce”R”, Beth Anderson-Ness”L”, Erin Jorgenson”L” and Shannon Lockwood”L”. Also many thanks to our show venues: Green Hills Farm, Sawda Equestrian Center and Kitsap Saddle Club. This was the first season that we introduced Western Dressage classes into our schedule and both riders and spectators enjoyed this new twist on the traditional Dressage test! Having this and the Musical Freestyles as part of each show day has added fun and scope to our offerings.
We were also very privileged in having Diane Royce conduct a Ride and Review clinic on July 10th at our newest venue – Kitsap Saddle Club. The clinic went smoothly with a full day of instruction on a very hot July day!
Our other summer event is now the annual member appreciation BBQ at the Schugren/Seymour place where great food and music by the Nitemates was enjoyed. We wish to thank all our dedicated volunteers for pitching in and making all our events so successful. Everyone needs a welcome break from such a busy show season but…we are pleased to say that many of our members are now off to NW Regionals at Donida Farms!
A very special event this year was held as part of the Summervale Festival in August. Mary Brady and Shatar rode their Centurion Ride and will be inducted into the USDF elite club – The Dressage Foundation’s Century Club.
The Century Club recognizes dressage riders and horses with a combined age total of 100 years or more. Mary has been a rider all her life and is a very active member of LPSDC taking on the role of Washington State Horseman’s Dressage Representative.
We are now preparing our Fall / Winter Clinic Schedule to keep our riders in shape and on top of their horses during our colder months. We hold our monthly meetings at 7pm on the second Tuesday of every month at the Schugren / Seymour house – members are all welcome!
LPSDC
Office Notes
Year –End Tax Deductible Gifts:
The Oregon Dressage Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and contributions made are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Please consider ODS when you are doing your final year-end gifting; we have several scholarship funds as well as a general contribution fund. Mail your contribution to ODS – PO Box 959, Hillsboro OR 97123.
Time to submit for the 2017 Show Approval and Calendar: Any show that is planned for 2015 should have their applications turned in this month. If you had a show in 2016, you should have already received your forms via e-mail; if you have a new show, or if you would like to add your show to the ODS Calendar, please contact the Office for the correct forms and to have any questions answered.