Sunday, September 21, 2008
Thoughts on proposals???
Hey all! I've been keeping an eye on the blog to see if there's any discussion on the proposals. I've been disappointed not to see any... I would like to hear thoughts on the proposal to change the season to July 1st to June 30th. I'm not sure what the benefit would be.
Anyone?
Anyone?
Anyone?
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13 comments:
Since my name is on it, I'll jump on this one. The original thought was to change the season from May to June because of the weather - those of us at State this year remember how hot it was. Personally, I was in shorts, tank tops and sandals all weekend because I was horseless! And no, I didn't care for it so much - the horseless part. Anyway, after A LOT of discussion around this, a number of people brought up the fact that there are a number of County Fairs in August. Others thought May to June was too early. Some of us can’t get rid of our webbed-toes till May!
If we change the season and have State earlier in the summer, that could open it up to more juniors and intermediates that would be able to participate at State Finals that otherwise go to their Fairs. I know, I know, there are Fairs in July too. However, after the discussions I’ve had with members, it was encouraging to possibly open the door to State Finals for more kids to compete.
PSHA’s future is in the kids. If we don’t encourage them, offer them opportunities, we won’t have any kids to carry on.
Yes, change is hard………but look at what we have accomplished in one short year. If we all think out of the box, and think about what is best for the organization as a whole and not just about “me”, look what can happen.
Done - now I won’t have to stand up at Annual Meeting and talk!!
In reference to Dewain's changing the barrel pattern to a triagle with equal equations -- What would be the point?
And would this still allow the existing pattern to be used also?
This year's calendar has worked very well with our kids. They participated in King County Fair and could have gone to Western Washington (too young) Fair had they qualified. We were able to fit all of the events into our summer, and it went very smoothly...As new members (I guess we all are, for that matter) we are kind of dismayed that such a new organization would want to institute such a radical change so soon after it has been formed.
Last year there was a lot of contention leading up to PSHA becoming a seperate entity...yet now there seems already to be a breach forming. I would strongly urge the organization to continue as is without instituting any large changes for at least a few years until we have stabilized.
And as for my family and my kids, the current schedule is perfect!
Okay, I've been the show chair for games shows or second chair for South Seattle Saddle Club shows for more than 20 years.
I would like to know who will compensate, monetarily, our club for following our own Cascade Region rules? We chose July 25 and 26 as our first date for the 2009 season. That means if the last proposal on the PSHA website [at least I think it's the last proposal that showed up on my computer today, Sept 26 08, 16 days after all proposals were to be submitted], were to be approved, our all VOLUNTEER Club would be out, monetarily between 1500.00 and 2000.00. Quite a financial hit for a club that pays it's King County taxes and pays for terribly high liability insurance. As far I as can tell, outside of Cascade Region, all other groups or clubs rent [privately owned or maintained by an another group] their grounds. Gosh I wish I didn't have to put 5 months of work into the grounds plus going to all those meetings...
Anyway, if you all would like to see Cascade Region's clubs go down in flames financialy, by all means vote for a new rule where the gaming season goes from ankle deep mud to cowboy heel deep mud.
gambit1
The screw up to posted blogs on the Web site is mine (the Webmaster). I was converting all proposals to a PDF link, but on Sept 8 I converted to simply posting on the Web page. When I did I inadvertently left out three proposals. So sorry about confusing people.
Our region (Olympic Peninsula) Clallam County fair is always on the third weekend in Aug., same as the state finals. We always have several qualify for state that can't make it.
Jan and Gambit1, you do bring out excellent points about not changing the date/season. Definetly points for me to consider.
Karen
Hey Karen, I figured that the proposals that didn't show up until after the deadline were probably due to a technical glitch.
Anway, I would like to point out that life is full of choices...Especially when you belong to more than one horse group in western WA. Important dates for fairs and shows here have always overlapped so your family must make the dreaded choice, do we go to fair or do we go to State? Historically, in Cascade Zone/Region, the kids that grew up with our buckaroo classes have missed one show in the region [in July] for 4H and went on to pick State Finals and Interstate as being more important than fairs. These same kids [I'm thinking of Tricia {Lien} Sewell] took the chance to ride at Interstate and she still holds the junior Cal. Stake record that she broke 24 years ago in Prinville OR]. The C/R kids still rode at the State fair and did well.
I realize this is a hard choice to make, but those kids who did are still riding today.
I would like to see PSHA keep the annual calendar the same as this year. Having two riders doing both 4H and PSHA, I know it is possible to get in a three time, two arena average for PSHA. 4H scheduled 5 gaming shows that did not conflict. Sometimes we went to the Saturday 4H and then Sunday PSHA. Both girls rode at the KC Fair and State Fair. They did well because of PSHA and all the encouragement they get there. Miriam even got a blue danish for Barrels with Amber!
For reasons I can't figure out, KC 4H riders are reluctant to participate with PSHA. We need to reach out to those riders and encourage them to participate in both groups. Maybe other regions pull in more 4H riders and fairs conflict but in KC we don't have conflict with dates.
Let's keep things the same for another year.
Because of our structure, you have to make a proposal just to get the idea talked about. You know, just because someone has an idea does not mean that it's a done deal. No one is trying to force anything on anyone, we just would like to talk the things through...It's how good idea's are formed.
I would also like to remind everyone that no matter what we choose to do as an organization it should be base on what's best for PSHA, not any one person or group, and that includes me and mine.
Touche'!
I agree with you bstrong to a certain extent. However, the info that has been coming C/R's way indicated that sentiments in other regions were not taking into account trying to run shows in April. At SSSC we were having problems with PARKING in May/June let alone the arena conditions.
gambit1 [Robin]
Actually, we have talked with alot of folks, and yes, we have heard the concerns of your region. We have never intended for this to be an "end run", but was intended to stir a conversation which it has. It seems to me that everyone is getting upset because they forget that this IS NOT WSH, and that is not our style. We have no desire at all to make life difficult for any PSHA regions or clubs, but do want to have the ablility to talk throught these ideas without people hitting the panic button. My suggestion would be to contact the sponsors of any proposal your concerned with and not 'stir the pot' prematurely. Second hand information and assumptions will always cause more problems than they will ever solve. We all should have the same goal in my opinion, and that is to grow and support this young organization. This just looks to much like the 'Old Way' of doing business to me. But again, this is just my opinion.
Brian
Stirring the pot huh? LOL Good thing the pot I'm stirring isn't a caldron;)
Here's the deal, a question was asked on this blog about how everyone felt about the proposals [especially the change of season dates]. I responded to a pretty reasoned argument to change this rule with my own local feeling. As far as I know, as long as a person responds in a non-rude/non-vulgar way, all opinions are welcome on this blog site.
This democratic way of doing things has been in place for the 40 years I've been a member of WSHGD/PSHA [and yes, I'm that old!]. This is one of the reasons why folks stay so long with an organization; our voices can be heard, as opposed to an organization that only considers changes from their leaders.
Celebrate the differences!
Robin
OH NO....I think I'm turning into a frog....Revit. I certainly didn't mean to imply that anyone was old, or that I was a leader...What I was trying to point out, is exactly what your saying Robin. We should all be open, honest and even better encouraged to state our opinions. But I would hope that we can come up with a way for the conversation to happen before folks 'Draw Conclusion'. I was thinking that if there was a way to encourage the conversation before the proposal stage, and maybe even make it more formal that we could avoid getting peoples underwear in a twist. This is a time to try and change things for the better, but that will take everyone with ideas to express them somehow, and do it in a constructive way. My problem with the way this conversation has gone(Not your and mine, but the whole conversations) is that we get stuck on the 'oh no that won't work for me' and not on the 'that could work if we just did ....'
NOW WOULD YOU PLEASE TURN ME BACK! I've got a frog in my throat.
Brian
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