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Saturday, September 4, 2010:
It's hard to
go outside to this beautiful day on Delmarva - with no CESHS show for the past three weeks and no more for the next seven
months. If anyone would like to host a show in September, we'd like to talk to you.
We have posted 2010
High Score points - all divisions are posted through the first ten shows (Miles River). Check out the page for your results. Let us know if you have questions or see errors so we can keep them straight as we go - ceshs@msn.com.
The website has been a little stagnant lately, but
YOU can change that. Rand has been the webmaster, but welcomes your input. Submit your photographs, articles,
questions, etc, to ceshs@msn.com. If you have an interest in developing the website, the position of webmaster or assistant
webmaster is available - see Classifieds.
There are horse events in progress outside CESHS.
Check out EQUINE EVENTS for some of those, or check our LINKS page and the website for ESSCHSA. Check "Equine Events" for schooling shows in our area.
If you would like to post your information, send it
to ceshs@msn.com. Have you checked out FOR SALE lately? We have more than sales - also wanted and lease - so check it
out if you have a horse or tack to sell, or e-mail us if you are looking for something we can post. Posted there you
will find tack, trailers, horses for sale/lease/stud, farms. Yes, even farms. Send us your equine related item
to list for you.
CESHS - The Magazine is looking for articles. We have a few, and would like to hear from YOU as well. You can submit yours to us at
ceshs@msn.com and we will post it.
We would also like to add photos to our site - especially
if of interest to all (group photos, banquet awards table, etc) - email them to us at ceshs@msn.com.
CESHS
Our annual
banquet is approaching - Saturday, November 27. WE will also have a board meeting in September or early October.
Before that meeting, we have a couple of needs. First, if you have a challeng or perpetual
trophy from the 2009 banquet, please clean it and return it to Gayle Dunkleman or Myra Spencer. We need to get them
to the engraver to have them ready for the 2010 banquet. Second, we are looking for nominations for the Dave Green Pal
Award (adult sportsmanship) and the Keep Smilin' Award (junior sportmanship). You may email a nomination to ceshs@msn.com, mail it to Myra Spencer, or present it at the board meeting (to be scheduled).
For the 2010 banquet, we
are looking for auction items - gifts, services, entry fees, etc. It's not too early to start. With entries
down at all shows, including the CESHS show, our income has been down in 2010. We'd like to have some nice auction
items to boost our treasury. More information will be posted on who to contact, but the officer group is a good
place to start.
We are always looking for your input on the future of CESHS. You can email us at ceshs@msn.com, drop us a note, or call. The complete officer/director list is available in Officers & Directors.
We would like to expand the slide show of photographs for the 2010 banquet,
starting now. If you have photographs of the 2009 banquet to share, please e-mail them to ceshs@msn.com. We will also make this reminder throughout the 2010 season to get photos from
different people at each show.
If you have an idea of how to make our shows and our association
even better, contact your 2010 president, Stanley Morris, or your secretary, Myra Spencer.
WICOMICO EQUESTRIAN
CENTER CORNER
Thank
you to everyone supporting the shows at WEC. With attendance down, it has been a struggle to meet budget.
WEC has some ideas for 2010, but would love to hear from you as well. Contact board president Rand Thaw at storybookfarm@msn.com.
The next board meeting is Monday, September 13 , 2010, 7:15pm at WEC. Important
topics will be the 2011 budget, 2011 directors and officers, and a meeting schedule for 2011. If you would like to
be involved with WEC, contact the nominating committee - Kelly Thaw, Kelley McGee, or Trina Thompson.
Our
new website is up and running - www.wicomicoequestriancenter.org. Your input would be appreciated. Check it out and contact Ginny Morris with content or ideas.
We hope you enjoy the improvements to WEC in 2010. Two more stalls
were added to the main barn, bringing the total to 42. This has been possible in part due to the addition of trailers
in recent years to hold our jumps during the year. We increased electric to the small barn, to serve that barn
and possible additional uses. We added a few new jumps this year, and are always working to maintain the existing inventory.
We expanded the schooling area adjacent to the Devon Ring to make that safer, reduce traffic in the Grass Ring schooling
area, and to allow shows more flexibility in the use of the grass rings. The new wash rack adjacent to the annex barn
has seen a lot of use with the warm (hot) weather. We are considering a few improvements, but also undertaking
an comprehensive review, regarding the small barn to decide on a best course of action - renovate, replace, remove.
We are also researching the cost and feasibility of permanent rest rooms. We welcome your input on the future of your
Wicomico Equestrian Center.
Please be assured we are being good stewards of the money we have raised, but at the
same time we are investing in our future. Just a reminder: WEC receives no tax funding. We support
the facility - from renovations to maintenance, grass cutting to paying the electric bill - entirely through funds raised
by the WEC board. Those funds come from WEC memberships, advertising, renting the facility, the shows we sponsor,
and other fundraisers.
We are also on line with a new website - www.wicomicoequestriancenter.org. Contact Ginny Morris to contribute or help with that.
Tuesday Open Rides are almost over
for 2010. The sand rings will be open, with jumps, and the schooling areas will be available. The time
will be 5pm to 7:30pm. The remaining date is August 3.
We
are excited about the events at WEC, and look forward to adding more. If you are interested in renting WEC, contact
Rand Thaw at storybookfarm@msn.com or 410-835-2070.
*****
Wicomico
Equestrian Center is owned by Wicomico County. It is operated by a volunteer board under the Wicomico County Recreation,
Parks & Tourism Department. WEC is an enterprise operation, meaning we must be self-sustaining. Through rental
of the facility, sponsoring shows, and other fund raising, the volunteer board raises the funds necessary to cut the grass,
pay the electric, purchase jumps, etc.
While we are "self-sustaining," we are not an island. We
rely on Rec & Parks for administrative services, maintenance supervision, and other input. Therefore, with the ongoing
budget constraints in Maryland and in Wicomico County, we are being asked to contribute financially to those services.
The volunteer board has maintained a sound budget into 2010 and hopes the financial stability we have built carry WEC forward
for many years. At the same time, we may face an ever tightening belt as Rec & Parks funding is reduced in 2010
and beyond.
If you would like more information about the financial impact of the budget talks on Rec & Parks,
go to http://www.wicomicorecandparks.org/whitepapers.htm. Here you will find the powerpoint presentations Rec & Parks has delivered to the County Council and the "stakeholders"
(WEC and others who operate facilities, leagues, or events under the guidance of R&P).
There is also a link
on the Rec & Parks home page to direct comments or questions to Director Gary Mackes. We'd also encourage you
to let your county and state elected officials know how important WEC and Rec & Parks are to you, our community, and our
equestrian world.
Rand Thaw Chairman, Wicomico Equestrian Center.
*****
We
hope you notice and enjoy our continuing improvements and we welcome your suggestions for the facility. Let
us know what we have done well and what you would still like to see - facilities, events, communication, or anything
else. E-mail Rand Thaw, chair, at storybookfarm@msn.com. Wicomico Equestrian Center is owned by Wicomico County. It is operated
by a volunteer board under the Wicomico County Recreation, Parks & Tourism Department. WEC is an enterprise operation,
meaning we must be self-sustaining. Through rental of the facility, sponsoring shows, and other fund raising, the volunteer
board raises the funds necessary to cut the grass, pay the electric, purchase jumps, etc. While we are "self-sustaining,"
we are not an island. We rely on Rec & Parks for administrative services, maintenance supervision, and other input.
Therefore, with the ongoing budget constraints in Maryland and in Wicomico County, we are being asked to contribute financially
to those services. The volunteer board has maintained a sound budget into 2010 and hopes the financial stability we
have built carry WEC forward for many years. At the same time, we may face an ever tightening belt as Rec & Parks
funding is reduced in 2010 and beyond. If you would like more information about the financial impact of the budget
talks on Rec & Parks, go to http://www.wicomicorecandparks.org/whitepapers.htm. Here you will find the powerpoint presentations Rec & Parks has delivered to the County Council and the "stakeholders"
(WEC and others who operate facilities, leagues, or events under the guidance of R&P). There is also a link
on the Rec & Parks home page to direct comments or questions to Director Gary Mackes. We'd also encourage you
to let your county and state elected officials know how important WEC and Rec & Parks are to you, our community, and our
equestrian world. Rand Thaw Chairman, Wicomico Equestrian Center.
*****
We
hope you notice and enjoy our continuing improvements and we welcome your suggestions for the facility. Let
us know what we have done well and what you would still like to see - facilities, events, communication, or anything
else. E-mail Rand Thaw, chair, at storybookfarm@msn.com.
| Taking apart the south end storage room. |
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| New stalls taking shape (left of photo). |
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Want to support the Wicomico Equestrian Center?
Here’s
how:
When anyone purchases items on the www.CountrySupply.com website using our code of "winterplace",
we will be earning 5% of your purchases (excluding dewormer or shipping).
This is a great way to support the WEC while purchasing horse
supplies and other items that you may purchase online anyway.
Just enter the code of "winterplace" when you check out and Country
Supply will send the Wicomico Equestrian Center 5% of your purchases.
| This used to be the junk/brush next to Devon Ring. |
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| A new jump for the Sand Ring. |
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Empty feed bags can be turned into cash for horse-related organizations through Southern States'
Special Horse Organization Winners (SHOW) Program. Wicomico Equestrian Center is a participating member of the Southern
States S.H.O.W. program.
For more information, check out the Southern States website: http://www.equussource.com/articles/news/1204_mp_coopnews.jsp.
You may give your coupons to any WEC board member or leave them at the show office at any WEC
event. Just mark them "WEC" so they get to us. Thank you.
EDITORIALS and COMMENTARY
Every year we see the same people helping to run CESHS and helping
with the shows. Occasionally, we are fortunate enough to get a little new blood. I am not alone in noticing
this, Dan Short made the same comment at the CESHS Open Meeting on January 25. My peeve goes beyond the lack of help
and to the reason some state for not helping. Over the past several years, various professional trainers (by professional
trainers I am referring to those who pay their bills by training as a primary profession) have said they do not have the time
to help during the shows.
My question is: How much time would you have if the others, who do
not rely on CESHS and its shows to make a living, did not step up? The answer I suspect is "a
lot more." If those who don't make their living with horses, which is the majority of those carrying
the load, did not do so, would we have the quantity and quality of shows? If we then did not have the quantity and quality
of shows, would the professional trainers have the same number of students and be scheduling the same number of lessons?
To both, I think the answer is "no."
The professional trainer has a financial stake in the prosperity of our shows and our association. The next
time we are setting jumps on a Wednesday evening, having lessons scheduled should not be an excuse. Those lessons should
be scheduled at a different time. The next time help is needed at a show, particularly the CESHS show, there should
be more flexibility - helping for the time a division is going in which you are not training. If not, the alternative
may be that we have less shows, then less need for help, then less need and opportunity to have those evening and show day
conflicts.
Posted by Rand Thaw.
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