March Board of Directors Meeting:  Wednesday 17^th March, 2021 via video conference commencing 9.30am eastern summer time.  Members are reminded that any material they wish to be presented at the Board meeting must be submitted at least fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting so it can be included in the Board papers.  If an urgent issue arises after that date and does not require the Directors to research the topic then a late item can be accepted up to four (4) days prior to the meeting.

State Committees: Nominations open on March 1, 2021 and close on March 22 for positions on State Riding Pony Committees commencing May, 2021. State Committee members who were elected in 2018 must re-nominate to remain on committee.

To be eligible to nominate a member must have held a membership with full voting rights for at least a year and have been a voting member in the state for which they are nominating prior to 31^st January 2021.  The form must also be signed by a member nominating the candidate.  This person must also satisfy the above conditions.  A resume must be attached to the nomination for it to be accepted.

To download the 2021 State Committee Nomination Form, click on the following link: https://www.rpsbs.com.au/2021-state-committee-elections/

State Committees play a most important role in the Society.  It is through their efforts that members get the opportunities to exhibit their animals in their respective states.  I encourage all members to consider nominating and, for those members unable to make that commitment to support their state committee by supporting their events by competing or offering assistance.

Registration Rule Changes: Last newsletter the following important Registration Rule change was announced.

Membership is required in order to register, transfer or lease Section A stallion, colt, mare or filly but other animals can be registered, transferred or leased without a membership requirement.  Membership is needed in order to show in any RPSBS classes run under RPSBS Ltd. rules.  Transactions for non-members will incur a $40 surcharge per transaction.

This change has been re-introduced to encourage the numerous non-Riding Pony breeders using Riding Pony stallions, to register their foals without the necessity of become financial members of the Society.  Obviously, communicating this rule change to non-members is difficult.  We ask for the assistance of our breeders and members to communicate this rule change to non-members who have bred to Riding Pony Stallions and encourage them to register the foals.

The next Board Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 17^th March 2021 commencing 9.30am Eastern Summer Time.  Any submissions to the Board are required by 3^rd March.

A reminder that the RPSBS Ltd landline 02 4577 5530 is manned daily from 11am to 4 pm eastern summer time each working day. 

For all registration and membership inquiries please email: registrar@rpsbs.com.au and, another reminder to check the Society’s website www.rpsbs.com.au before phoning the office as all fees, forms and most information can be accessed on the site.  The web site is an up-to-date comprehensive source of information and forms.

For communications to the Board of Directors please email: secretary@rpsbs.com.au.

Members are reminded to check their paperwork carefully before submitting to the National Office.  There are many incomplete forms being submitted with most of these having to be returned for a second time.  Please do not Direct Deposit monies into the Society’s account until you email or post the corresponding paperwork and ensure that the deposit is referenced with the member’s name.

A $20 send back fee is imposed for any paperwork that has to be returned a second time to the member for correction.

A penalty of up to $1,000 may be applied if a registration application is submitted with false or misleading information; e.g., registering an animal as a gelding that has not been gelded.

Members requesting transactions to be processed at short notice will be charged a priority processing fee.

Geoff Penaluna of “Courtney Lodge”, Pakenham 18.6.1945 – 26.1.2021 was a founding and life member of the Riding Pony Society in Australia.

Geoff was Registrar/Treasurer in 1978; Vice President/Treasurer in ’79; Federal President from 1980 – 82 and then a Victorian Federal delegate for a number of years. He was on both the RPSBS Judges’ and Classifiers’ Panels in those early days when animals were being classified as Riding Ponies. The Society will be forever grateful for his many years of dedicated service.