Dear Pyramid Society Members and Egyptian Arabian Enthusiasts:

While an overwhelming majority of members have directly expressed agreement with the recent Egyptian Event changes approved by the Board of Directors, there has also been some confusion about how these changes affect this year's Egyptian Event classes. A series of E-blasts have been published in March to help clarify these changes, and we apologize for the earlier confusion. Hopefully, this E-blast series and accompanying FAQ's will provide answers to all of your questions.

The blasts may be accessed directly on our Facebook page (facebook.com/ThePyramidSociety) and the accompanying FAQs in our Egyptian Event Updates list, a page you should bookmark, at www.pyramidsociety.org/egyptian-event/egyptian-event-updates.

Some of our members have justifiably expressed disappointment with the restricted participation for Egyptian Sired horses and have proposed the creation of separate classes and Championships. However, the Board's decisions were based on the historical Egyptian Sired level of participation at the Egyptian Event. For example, in 2013 the vast majority of Egyptian Sired entries were in the yearling and performance classes, and these opportunities still exist for futurity-enrolled participants, as well as for participation in the performance and amateur classes. The senior classes, on the other hand, had minimal participation. The Stallions 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 and 10 & over classes had a total of one (1) entry. The Mare Classes had: 4-5 (1 entry), 6-7 (1 entry), 8-9 (2 entries) and 10 & over (1 entry), for a total of five (5) entries. These numbers, representative of historical numbers in these classes, do not justify the creation of separate classes or Championships for them. The potential loss of entries is always a major concern, but neither increasing the cost nor holding one or two-horse classes would be enjoyable for exhibitors or a sound financial decision. The new, five-day schedule for the 2014 Egyptian Event will result in cost savings for all participants and The Pyramid Society.

Still, in our efforts to be practical, there are a few things we have neglected to say. For one, I wish to state that The Pyramid Society and your Board of Directors fully support Egyptian Sired breeders and will continue to explore opportunities and venues in which to do so. I encourage your direct involvement in a positive manner by assisting in the development of concepts for the promotion of the Egyptian Sired Arabian and based on sound economics for all parties. Please contact me directly with your ideas at bob@miarsarabians.com.

Finally, I want to again share about The Board of Directors' discussion concerning the Extended Specialty (3-4 year old) Futurities. These classes were deliberated at length as to whether they should be phased out or cancelled. The overriding argument was, with the likely duplication of entries in the Futurity and World classes and the declining Futurity participation, that the financial success of the Egyptian Event would be best achieved with a five-day schedule. This required eliminating these four non-sustainable classes.

I am confident you will experience a vibrant and memorable 2014 Egyptian Event celebrating Gleannloch Farms: The Legend and the Legacy, and I look forward to seeing you in Lexington in June. Let's not forget the truth behind our favorite catch-phrase: "it's more than just a horse show, it's an EVENT!"

Sincerely,