ApHCC National President (Donna),

 

I feel compelled to write to you and the other National directors via this email to convey my profound disappointment and surprise at the manner and tone in which you have chosen to communicate with the directors of the Kawartha Regional Appaloosa Horse Club (KRAHC).

 

I can understand that ongoing issues and differences of opinion have led to a strained relationship, however what I cannot understand is a factually incorrect letter that would seem to have only one objective, that being to intimidate and harass the KRAHC directors.

 

There may or may not have been a procedural oversight with regard to the formal notice provided for the KRAHC AGM, however that should be a matter for the directors and membership of the KRAHC to sort out internally.  Your reference to the ApHCC and the Animal Pedigree Act (APA) are both incorrect and misleading, in that the APA governs the actions of associations / breed registries incorporated pursuant to the act.  The KRAHC is not incorporated pursuant to the act, the KRAHC is not a breed registry, the KRAHC does not have mandatory APA reporting requirements (financial, registrations, memberships, by-laws, meeting minutes, etc), the ApHCC does.

 

The KRAHC is an Ontario Appaloosa club that has chosen (and was sanctioned by the ApHCC) to be an ApHCC Regional affiliate as per  ARTICLE III, B.5.f.i. of the ApHCC constitution and as per  Section V,D of the ApHCC By-laws.  If either the KRAHC or the ApHCC choose, for whatever reason, to end the affiliate relationship, then that is their choice.  The ApHCC has no "ownership" of the KRAHC name and has no claim to funds raised and held by the KRAHC, to infer so in your letter is misleading and the mention of "turning it over to the appropriate authorities" is in my opinion a blatant attempt at intimidation and coercion.  The ApHCC can suspend the KRAHC directors from the ApHCC, what you can not do is suspend or remove them from their position as directors of the KRAHC, that is for the KRAHC member to decide upon.  The ApHCC can direct the KRAHC to cease operating as an ApHCC affiliate, you can not direct the KRAHC to cease operating as an independent club, again this would be a decision for the KRAHC members to make. 

  

While I was composing this email I was made aware of an unusual meeting request from Lanz McLaren advising that there would be a Kawartha regional club AGM on the 12th Feb.  The stated reason for the meeting is " for the purpose of reclamation of all property, assets, records, documents, liabilities and entitlements due to the KR.AHC."  It goes on to state that "This meeting will be hosted by the ApHCC Provincial Director, Sandra Landry".  So I am sure you can imagine my surprise at this impromptu meeting, when the pretext for suspending the KRAHC directors from the ApHCC, was that they did not provide the required 60day notice of a AGM.  To my reckoning Feb 12th is 19days from today??  The other thing that has me curious is under what authority is the ApHCC director planning on "reclaiming" property that belongs to the membership of the KRAHC, when neither Lantz or Sandi are members of the KRAHC??  Just what KRAHC "property" does the ApHCC feel they have the right of ownership to??

Schoolyard bullying tactics such as those apparently being employed by the ApHCC against a long standing regional affiliate club are hardly representative of the professionalism that should be the hallmark of a national breed registry.

  

If the intent of your letter (however misguided) was to simply point out the potential procedural error with regards to the Kawartha AGM, then I am sure the Directors will work with our membership to correct the situation. If however your letter is aimed at intimidating the KRAHC Directors and membership because of their move towards an ApHC affiliation, then I fear that the leadership of the ApHCC is in jeopardy of losing the support and perhaps more importantly, the respect of the majority of its membership.

 

In your capacity as president of the ApHCC I would ask that you reassess just what it is that the ApHCC are trying to accomplish and what it is that you want the ApHCC to stand for.  The ApHCC has a long and proud reputation as the Canadian champion of the Appaloosa, such an organization should not tarnish the image of those (you and all the other Appy owners out there) that have worked so hard to get the ApHCC where it is today.  Without a strong regional structure that reaches out to and supports  ALL Appaloosa owners / breeders / trainers, I fear that the ApHCC is destined to become a regionally insignificant association of closed minded people that work for their own benefit, as opposed to working for the greater good of the Canadian Appaloosa. 

 

I have no idea what action the KRAHC directors will take in response to your letter, however I am sure that the damage that has been done will not be repaired any time soon unless a line of open and honest dialogue is pursued.

 

The content of this email is my personal opinion and thoughts regarding the unfortunate state of affairs between the ApHCC National office and the Directors of the Kawartha club, however I have cc'd those people that I thought should be included.  Please feel free to respond or forward this email to anyone you feel appropriate. 

 

Ed Lafond

I thought I would pass this on to the ApHCC directors for you to see as well.  Please consider the dire consequences to the Appaloosa membership in Ontario should you decide to continue with your decision to move forward in the manner that has been laid out.  Already it is causing strife and hard feelings.  Please seek a more civilized way to address what you deem as a problem.

 

Yours truly

Kathy Atfield

****************************************
Bluewater Horseman's Centre
Hugh and Kathy Atfield
email: bluewaterapps@bmts.com
web: www.bluewaterhorseman.com

 

----- Original Message -----

This morning I did something that I normally don't like to do, and that was to reply on Facebook to the invitation to attend a meeting that has been called by the ApHCC director Sandra Landry (although it appears to be coming from Lantz).  This meeting is moving forward based on the fact that the ApHCC feels that proper protocol was not followed by the directors of the Kawartha club, and rather then address that issue, and provide some peaceful resolution, they are moving forward like a bull in a china shop.  I am really angry with this whole scenario, and feel threatened that it may result narrowing the options for us in Ontario to go show our horses.  I feel that the ApHCC has not handled this in an ethical manner, and they are not following their own set of rules for such a "hostile takeover".  I have enclosed a copy of my "blurb" on facebook.  I would like to see all the Ontario appy members help out here to take back our shows and get along and have fun again without being forced by the will of a few.  I for one am tired of it, and I know I am not alone.  This crazy drama must stop.  Anyway, One last ditch effort to try to resolve some sense in what has seemed to go way over the line.  We all need to make sure that the best interest of the Ontario appaloosa members being attended to. 

 

For years now the Kawartha AGM has been held at the Kawartha Banquet, just as the OAHA has held their general meeting at their banquet for many years.  Most if not all members of the club know this is the case.  As I understand it, most of the Kawartha members were present at the AGM - far more then enough for a quorum.  The members voted at that time, and the vote was an overwhelming no to continuing with the ApHCC.  Therefore the directors have moved ahead as their members have asked them to - a novel concept don't you think?  Janie, if you have genuine concerns about the clubs future, you need to speak to a director, perhaps Donna or John Walker  who have been members for many many years would be happy to discuss your issues with you. Or the club president, Doug Mileham.  The thing everyone seems to be missing here is that the Kawartha Club is still in existance, still hosting shows and clinics, and still working for its members to promote the horse, and provide services.  The services that they were paying for the ApHCC to provide were not being provided, soooo they have voted to move to another service provider.  It's simple. We are not with Bell and now with Rogers. This club belongs to its members, NOT the ApHCC.  The members and its youth have raised the money and spent the time to promote the horse - not the ApHCC.  The ApHCC Director(at least that is what it says although it has all come from Mr McLaren)has no business calling a meeting that has already been held, and no business bullying appaloosa members and volunteers.  We've all had enough.  You are overstepping boundaries here, and it will not be any good for anyone of us.  A civilized solution must be attained. What possible benefit could the dissolution of the Kawartha club be for anyone in Ontario showing an appy??  Has anyone from the ApHCC actually spoke to the Kawartha directors and asked if it can be fixed?  Or are you just going to proceed ahead and "pick a fight" with your war paint on??? Take a lesson from your horses - agression leads to resistance and agression.  Civilized words and co-operation might take you a long way.

****************************************
Bluewater Horseman's Centre
Hugh and Kathy Atfield
email: bluewaterapps@bmts.com
web: www.bluewaterhorseman.com