Notice of CQHA Annual General Meeting

Boardroom II - Capri Conference Centre, Red Deer, Alberta  

 Saturday, January 14, 2012 - 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

(Carberry, MB - December 3, 2011) ---  CQHA cordially invites you to attend our 2012 Annual General Meeting to be held in conjunction with the 2012 Annual Horse Breeder and Owners Conference, in Red Deer, Alberta. The CQHA is proud to be a sponsor of this 30th Annual Horse Breeders and Owners Conference and invites you to visit our booth and meet our Board members in the display hall sometime over the weekend.

Everyone is invited to our AGM, there is no fee or pre-registration required to attend our meeting. You do not have to be a CQHA member to attend (unless you wish to vote). 

We are privileged to have as our keynote speaker Prof. Richard Wilcke of the University of Louisville's Equine Industry Program, the only accredited business college program with horses in the United States. He is the immediate past president of the Kentucky Quarter Horse Association and co-founded the KQHA's Public Policy Committee, the first state public policy committee of any AQHA affiliate. He has been a major force in the use of state lobbyists - planning legislative receptions, advising legislators on a number of issues and spending time in Washington, DC. Professor Wilcke will speak on the topic of mobilizing grassroots members with regard to proposed legislation affecting horse ownership. The appearance of this engaging keynote speaker at our AGM, is being generously sponsored (for the fourth consecutive year) by the North American Equine Ranching Information Council (NAERIC). A separate media news release will be issued  with more detailed information about our keynote speaker and his topic.  

Besides the usual association business, there will be two proposals on the AGM agenda to amend the CQHA Constitution and By-Laws:  

• 1) to reduce the number of members required to be present at the AGM to constitute a quorum
• 2) to limit the number of consecutive years a Director may be serve in any one executive position - President, Past-President, Vice-President, Secretary and/or Treasurer. Notice of these proposals was presented during the 2011 AGM in Ottawa, Ontario.

The Annual Horse Breeders and Owners Conference is held each January in Red Deer, Alberta, and features internationally recognized speakers on a wide range of topics of interest to horse owners, breeders and professionals. In addition to the CQHA AGM, we encourage our CQHA members to participate  in this valuable weekend conference January 13 - 15, 2012  (there is a conference registration fee). For more information regarding the conference speakers, agenda or to pre-register, please visit their website at:Horse Industry Association of Alberta website.  

CQHA members interested in attending either the CQHA AGM and/or the Conference are encouraged to book their hotel room at the Capri Conference Centre 1-800-662-7197 or local 403-346-2091 before the cutoff date of December 14, 2011 to receive the special rate of $115/night for a double Queen or single King (rates vary according to room size). To receive the Capri's special group rate, mention the "Horse Industry Association of Alberta Conference" . Additional accommodations have been arranged at the Red Deer Lodge 1-800-661-1657 (code HBOF) rates starting at $109; and the Sandman Hotel 403-343-7400 (Block #190058) rates starting at $99.

CQHA is looking into shuttle services from the Calgary airport to the conference centre in Red Deer for those who may be flying in. Should you need this airport shuttle service, please contact Marnie Somers after you have booked your flight and hotel.

A shuttle may also be set up between Grand Prairie and Red Deer with stops along the way, if interest warrants it, please contact the host group by email at: Horse Industry Association of Alberta, for more information.

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