In closing, non-member fees

[jlong@mti.net (Joe Long)]

I think this perennial debate has about run its course for this year.
But I'd like to close with one more observation.

The registration fees for the AERC Convention are higher for
non-members than for members.  Now, y'all might be surprised to hear
that I agree with that.  I think it's appropriate.

Why?  Because the Convention is our annual party.  It is an event put
on BY the AERC FOR the membership.  It's where we gather to honor
those of our members who have made noteworthy achievements, and to
learn how do better care for our horses.  If non-members want to join
in it's proper to expect them to pay extra for the privilege.

Endurance RIDES are a whole different thing.  Since the very earliest
days of modern endurance riding, a bedrock principle was that they
were OPEN TO ALL.  Our bylaws prohibit any AERC ride from being
limited to a particular breed of horse, or to the members of a
particular club.  If you want to have a ride for just Appaloosas or
just for the members of the Tall Pines Trail Club, it can't be AERC
sanctioned.  This was one of the things that set us apart from other
equine sports (and a very good thing IMO).

Saying to people who are not members of AERC "Well, OK, you can ride,
but you've got to pay extra" is IMO incompatible with this principle.
When the AERC adopted non-member fees we lost something very special.

And I think that's sad.

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@mti.net
http://www.mti.net     Business
http://www.rnbw.com    Personal


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