ApHC outlines fiscal
management strategy
Newly elected Appaloosa Horse Club President Frank Larrabee
and ApHC senior staff met recently to develop specific financial goals
for the current fiscal year and to initiate a specific response to
the realities of a changing economic climate. Rising costs are affecting
the horse industry, the Club and its members. The strategy sessions
were meant to address both the revenue side of the Club’s activities
and all categories of expenditures with the primary goal of preserving
members’ equity in the association and to end the year with
a balanced budget. “Our job as directors
and staff is to work harder and smarter to maintain the core strengths
of the Appaloosa Horse Club, provide honest stewardship of the resources
necessary to maintain a high level of member services and sponsored
programs, and to enhance the overall appeal of the Appaloosa breed”
Larrabee said.
A number of cost-cutting measures and basic savings
are included in the plans. Some of the key areas include reductions
in staff travel, personnel costs and administrative expenses. Several
proposals for cuts related to Board of Director meetings will be
considered for both the short and long term. According to President
Larrabee, the serious work of maintaining members’ equity
should start with the board leading by example to evaluate all costs
of doing the Club’s business. A reduction in the number of
face-to-face board meetings, limits on travel expenses for directors
and other controls are expected to be implemented.
Program expenditures specific to shows, trail rides
and awards will be adjusted to account for significant savings as
well. In combination with administrative cuts by the board and ApHC
management, the Club expects to realize a savings of at least $250,000
to help sustain current levels of member equity.
Additional strategies on the revenue side include
repackaging sponsorship agreements, being more aggressive in reaching
out to potential new supporters, providing a variety of Journal
and web site advertising options and promoting the benefits of programs
such as the International Registration Incentive.
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Appaloosas
to be SPOT-lighted at 2008 Reichert Celebration
The Reichert Celebration, one of most prestigious all-breed western
pleasure futurity shows in the nation, adds even more reasons to celebrate
this summer. The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) joins the show schedule
this year with an ApHC-approved show, held Aug. 8-10, with four judges.
The Reichert Celebration will be held at the Tulsa Expo Square in
Tulsa, Okla. Aug. 8-17, 2008. Some of the
most anticipated ApHC classes will be highlighted in the evening
performances—the ApHC Heritage class and the ApHC Rope Race
will add excitement and fun to the Saturday, Aug. 9, evening performance.
“We are extremely proud to be adding an Appaloosa
horse show to the Celebration as we believe it will add even more
excitement and interest to an already exciting show. The Rope Race
is a fun class that no one will want to miss,” said JR Reichert,
of The Reichert Celebration.
Equine enthusiasts can expect to see the most colorful
breed in the world display agility, athleticism and conformation
in western disciplines. Exhibitors and spectators can also look
forward to the newly added games classes, including the Youth Keyhole
Race, 18 & Under; Open Keyhole Race; Youth Camas Prairie Stump
Race, 18 & Under; Open Camas Prairie Stump Race; the Youth Nez
Perce Stake Race, 18 & Under; and the Open Nez Perce Stake Race.
A complete class list can be found at www.reichertcelebration.com.
The ApHC encourages members to saddle up their Appaloosas
and head to Tulsa to compete in the 3-day show. However, stalls
are going fast and interested competitors need to get their stall
reservations in as soon as possible. Stall reservation information
can be found at www.reichertcelebration.com.
The Reichert Celebration is held at the Tulsa Expo
Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The 2007 show brought over 2,000 horses
to the city last summer to compete for over $1.5 million in cash
and awards. The Celebration includes a full NSBA futurity show,
AQHA shows, APHA shows, PHBA shows and the Reichert Pleasure Stakes
and Premiere Signature Classes. In addition to the horse show, the
Reichert Pleasure Stakes Sale features yearling prospects who are
eligible to compete in the closed Reichert Stakes Classes the following
year as two year olds. The popular sale program has added three
year old class eligibility for these stakes horses as well.
Along with the competition, the Reichert Celebration
offers the best in equine entertainment with a huge trade show,
exhibitor parties and social events all week. The Premiere Signature
Classes are held each evening during the week where talented horses
and riders compete for huge purses and specially-designed awards,
following opening ceremonies of fireworks, energy and excitement.
In addition to the competition in the show arena,
exhibitors often compete in games and contests to win lucky prizes,
such as show saddles, Arena Werks drags, custom jewelry and much
more.
The 2008 show will mark the 10th Reichert Celebration
and plans are underway to make it the best Celebration yet. If you’ve
attended past Reichert Celebrations, you know this is no small task.
The Reichert Celebration began in Waterloo, Iowa in 1999 with an
AQHA show and NSBA show. In 2004, the Celebration moved to a larger
facility in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri and featured the first ever
$100,000 purse paid out to a western pleasure class winner in the
Equine Sports Medicine Two Year Old Western Pleasure Challenge.
In 2006, the Celebration moved to the new facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma
and expanded the show schedule even more, bringing more show, more
money, more prizes and more fun to the party.
To keep updated on the 2008 Reichert Celebration,
visit www.ReichertCelebration.com.
For information on the Reichert Celebration, contact The Reichert
Celebration, PO Box 380, Williamsburg, IA 52361, (319) 668-2699.
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