The AEF Annual General Meeting will be held on March 17, 2012 in Red Deer.  We encourage all of our members to come to the AGM and share your voice and your vote; after all, the AEF is your organization.

This special E-News bulletin contains the photos and biographies of AEF members that are putting their name forward for election and position desired to the AEF Board of Directors. They are listed alphabetically by last name.
 

There are 14 positions available for election for the 2012 year. Twenty-two (22) nominees are interested in working toward the goals and objectives of the AEF and ultimately, working for you.

This is your opportunity to review the nominees list so that you can come out and vote for the 14 that you would like to represent your interests.

All nominees will have the opportunity to speak at the AGM briefly as to why they would like to be on the AEF board and why they are the best candidate.  There will also be the opportunity for members to ask questions of the nominees.

Use this opportunity to come out and vote, use your voice and we will listen....
 

Cindy Holyoak

Vice President

Although a "city kid," Cindy was attracted to horses at a very young age. Her family moved to Calgary from Winnipeg when she was 10 years old and the passion was born. The family home was in Acadia, which, at that time, was the "end" of the city and many small farms, with horses, of course, were nearby. Fortunately for Cindy, she was given numerous opportunities to work with and ride a great variety of horses.

Since this time, she has trained and shown with a number of horse breeds, including Appaloosas, Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, Arabians and a wonderful Sport Pony among some of the most noteworthy. Her philosophy has always been not to be concerned with what skin is over the horse, but what is in his soul.

Cindy has dabbled in Western and English disciplines, trail riding and, for the last fifteen years, has added carriage driving to the repertoire. Her kind and generous Arabian gelding, Adamas, is her present equine companion of eleven years and is eager to participate in whatever they want to do on any given day. Cindy and her husband have guided his training since buying him as a green five year old and he has proven to be an extremely dependable partner.

A major goal Cindy would love to achieve by serving on the AEF Board is to bring some of the fun back to sports through the AEF grassroots competition system: the Wild Rose Program. The very basic philosophy of the Wild Rose Program is to provide a less intimidating environment for those who wish to participate in showing for any number of reasons. There are those who wish to be part of the social aspect of showing and those who do not wish to feel competitive pressure but have set personal goals.

Cindy served as an Individual Director for the AEF in 2010 and when no director put their name forth for Chair of Sport in 2011, Cindy stepped up to the plate and took this role on. Cindy is seeking the position of Vice President whereby she can accept the responsibility to act as the president in his or her absence and support the president's role by ensuring board matters are handled properly, including preparation of pre-meeting materials, committee functioning, and recruitment and orientation of new board members.

Brian Irving

Chair, Recreation

Brian has spent 17 years in various leadership positions with Scouts Canada, 3 years in girls softball, 3 years 4-H and 2 years Pony Club.  Other volunteer positions include HIAA and Wild Pink Yonder.  Brian is currently employed with Canada Post as a letter carrier.  Brian and his family have a "herd" of their own horses used for trail riding, amateur penning and sorting, 4-H, Pony Club, cattle drives and gymkhanas - with plans to take up driving as well.  Brian has attended many horse related conferences including, Owners and Breeders, Stable Owners and Mane Event.

Brian served as the Chair of Recreation for the AEF in 2011 and is again seeking this position for 2012 as he is passionate about using horses for fun and pleasure in many different areas.  During 2011 as the Chair of Recreation, Brian encouraged new recreational groups and their members to join the AEF.  He provided support to several trail projects throughout the province by attending meetings, showing up to dig dirt for a Trail Upgrade in Bragg Creek and by providing regular reports to the AEF board.  Brian is also the chairperson of the first ever AEF Fundraising Trail Ride to be held this September.

Brian's diverse interests are suited towards helping AEF Recreation grow, develop and advertise how much you can do with your horse.  Considering the different backgrounds of so many horse owners, he wishes to work towards the expansion of AEF membership, trail database and the Trail Supporter Program.

Brian's family has strong ties to their local horse community.  Cindy, his wife, is a certified Equine First Aid instructor and fellow rider.  His youngest daughter is currently involved in 4H and will attend Olds College in the Vet Tech program this fall.  Brian is also a Level 3 EAL facilitator, a program that utilizes horses as learning partners.

Carina (Kippy)

Maitland-Smith

Vice President

Kippy has ridden all her life: fox hunting, Pony Club, evented to national level.  Kippy and her husband had a Polled Hereford herd of 100 cows before retiring to start a commercial boarding and teaching stable.  After her husband died she sold the stable and now has a tack shop in Rocky Mountain House supplying all breeds and most disciplines.  Kippy has been a director of the AEF for several years and was briefly a director on EC's board for Recreation.  Kippy was a 4-H leader for 16 years and still volunteers for them.  She also volunteers for Further Education teaching English as a second language and last year helped locally with the Wild Pink Yonder Ride for Cancer.  She is a Pony Club National Examiner, gives clinics and judges.

Kippy was the Vice President in 2011 with many years experience on the AEF board as rep for 4-H, Chair of Education, on the High Performance Committee, and Co Chair of three AB Equestrian Games. She is rep to the AB Stables Association, on the Bylaw committee, Nominating committee and any other committees and jobs as needed, like the Olds College Equine Advisory Council.  She is also a volunteer for Rocky Ag Society; RMH horse show, UK Retraining of Racehorses, Pony Club and 4-H.

Kippy is widowed and lives in the middle of a horse pasture with 4 dogs and shares the farm with her son when he's not pipelining.  She pasture boards horses along with 17 of her own.  Kippy's interests are people, reading, riding, travelling, gardening and antiques like herself. 

Patricia McCormack

Treasurer

Pat has served as a director on the AEF Board for three years. She joined the AEF Finance Committee in her second year and in her third year she became Treasurer. In Pat's non-horse life, she is a Professor at the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta. She has a great deal of experience with boards and committees, mostly related to her professional work.

Pat is asking to be reelected as Treasurer. AEF has gone through some difficult years financially, and with the involvement of the Finance committee, AEF is now becoming fiscally responsible again and working with a balanced budget. However, it still must address the considerable deficit that developed over the past three years and ensure that spending does not exceed revenue. The renewed relationship between the AEF and Equine Canada will factor into our financial picture in multiple ways, mostly still unknown. The AEF Board-approved 2012 budget has already had to be readjusted to accommodate required membership fees paid to Equine Canada. Pat is thankful for her experience over the past two years and ensures that she will bring continuity to this position and the overall financial management of the AEF and will continue to maintain fiscal transparency.

Pat is an anthropologist by training and has extensive museum experience. She began to ride when she started a project about horse and ranching traditions with First Nations in Southern Alberta. She rides a Spanish Barb mare, an all around horse that is comfortable with both English and Western Style. Pat continues to do serious dressage training as a lower level recreational rider. 

Raylene McWade

Individual Director

Raylene has been involved in the Alberta horse industry for the last 30 plus years, largely in part due to her commitment to and support of the American Saddlebred Horse Association of Alberta. She has served on the ASHA Board of Directors in a variety of capacities over a number of years including the position of President and her current role as Treasurer. Raylene is currently the American Saddlebred Horse Association of Alberta representative to the AEF Board of Directors. She is a past World Cup Saddle Seat Equitation Team Canada member where she had the privilege of representing Canada at competitions in the United States (2004) and South Africa (2006, 2008). Raylene currently holds certification as an Instructor of Beginners in Saddle Seat and operates a lesson program just outside of Sylvan Lake where she resides with her husband Rob and daughter Samantha.

Raylene feels she can best serve the AEF as a director at large due to her understanding of the history of the AEF, Equine Canada and general Alberta horse industry as well as her own involvement with horses in Alberta. She has been involved with horses in Alberta as a lesson student, recreational rider, breeder, show competitor, international team member, parent of student/competitor and instructor. Raylene has an appreciation for all disciplines and levels of activity with horses within the province and applauds the efforts of AEF to be the voice for horses and those who love them. It would be her pleasure to do what she can to further the efforts of the many people who have already dedicated so much to the various programs of the AEF and to support the future endeavors of the AEF on behalf of the equine community in Alberta.

Raylene is blessed with sharing her passion of horses with her husband of 25 years, Rob. They reside just outside of Sylvan Lake and have 2 grown children. Their eldest, Sean  married Meghan this past summer and live in Edmonton where they are finishing their studies at the University of Alberta. Their daughter Samantha is also a student (Red Deer College) and shares the horse habit with Raylene and Rob. She is an accomplished competitor in her own right and shares the general appreciation of all things horse related!

Individual Director

No Photo Submitted

Julie has been involved with horses since she was a child - more than 40 years.  She has shown, ridden or trained almost every breed except heavy horses and would do that if someone would let her.  She has been fortunate to be trained by some of Canada's and Europe's best instructors as a young rider and now in her 50's, she only just began to appreciate the quality of that education.
 

Julie has won multiple Provincial championships in multiple breeds and divisions and shown in both Canada and the United States.  She currently holds NCCP Level 2 coaching credentials, a National Bronze certification from CADORA and still rides, trains and competes.  Julie annually logs over 1,000 hours riding in one form or another.  She currently owns rides and trains, Holsteiners, Thoroughbreds, and Quarter Horses.  Julie is also a life member (over 30 years) of the Canadian Kennel Club and handles some of Canada's top show dogs in the ring. Julie has also been a General Performance judge for AEF for two years.

Julie has been a board member for 7 years with a one year break in 2010, her current position on the AEF Board is as a Director at Large and she is pleased to let her name stand for this position again.  It allows her the flexibility to participate where she feels her skills can be most useful to the Federation.

Les Oakes

Individual Director

Les has been working as a financial planner for over 30 years. He has great organizational and time management skills that help him to juggle his work, personal life and volunteer time. Les has been involved with horses and the horse industry for over 15 years including Pony Club and Gymkhana and he is an active member with Sam Steele's Scouts.

Les desires to be a director for the AEF board and knows he would be a great asset as he is a high energy person who becomes passionate about the job at hand. He has tremendous people skills that have been acquired over a 20 year period as a financial planner that allow him to be a great listener and enables him to mitigate conflict and find solutions.

Les lives with his wife and youngest daughter east of Calgary. They breed and train American Paint horses and enjoy both English and Western events. They also breed, show and hunt with English and Gordon Setters.

Karen Sheets
Individual Director
 

Karen has been around horses all her life; she started Western in her younger years and then later became an active competitor in the show jumping ring. Karen also trains horses and for the past two years has been a CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association) certified instructor, teaching Western and English at a reputable facility. Karen has volunteered for 4 years as a 4-H leader.

As a teen, Karen worked her way through the ranks at numerous barns ranging from the race track to large show barns. Horses are Karen's life although right now she works as a bookkeeper to support her horse habit until such a time that she can find the means to work full time with sustainable income from working solely with horses.