HDRC Constitution

HOLSWORTHY & DISTRICT RIDING CLUB  

  1. 1.      TITLE

The Club shall be known as HOLSWORTHY & DISTRICT Riding Club (hereinafter to be referred to as ‘the Club’) 

  1. 2.      OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Club shall be

(a)   To encourage riding as a sport and recreation, to promote good fellowship amongst members and to improve the standard of riding, training and horsemanship in the district. 

(b)   To organise instructional training, competitive events, fun activities and teams to represent the Club at Area Qualifiers and National Championships. 

(c)    To be affiliated to the British Horse Society and to support their campaigning and lobbying on equine issues. 

(d)   To investigate the use of bridle tracks and rights of way with a view to opposing those that have been closed and assist in the maintaining and defining more clearly those that are in existence. 

(e)    To acknowledge and accept that at all times the welfare of the horse must be paramount and must take precedence over all other demands. 

  1. 3.      MEMBERSHIP

(a)   This shall consist of persons who have attained the age of eighteen years (and persons aged seventeen and under if a junior section is formed) and, having  paid the due subscription for the current period agree to abide by the rules and regulations of the Club. It is a condition of membership that each member will help with the organisation of at least one annual Club event. 

(b)   Honorary life membership of the Club may be conferred upon any person, by   the Committee, deemed by them, to have rendered notable service to the Club. 

(c)    No junior member may be a voting member of any riding club. However, a junior committee may be appointed to discuss matters relevant to the junior membership. The Chairman of the junior Committee may make recommendations to the adult Committee for their consideration. 

(d)   The Committee may suspend or exclude from membership of the Club, a   member who has breached any of the rules of the Club, or whose conduct, in the opinion of the Committee, has been derogatory to the character of the Club. 

(e)    Members and horses shall be correctly turned out at all mounted Club events. Hard hats must be worn to the specification required by the BRC (see BRC Rulebook) with the harness properly fastened. 

(f)     All members are solely responsible to ensure that they are fully conversant with the BRC Rules and Codes of Conduct as set out in the BRC Official Rulebook. 

  1. 4.      JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP

A Junior section of the Club, once instated will remain so until such time that the Committee and members decide at an Annual or Extra-Ordinary General Meeting to repeal their decision. 

  1. 5.      SUBSCRIPTIONS

(a)  The annual subscription shall be payable on the first day of the Club’s financial year, with the amounts being determined at the AGM. 

(b)  The Club will endeavour to keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating. 

(c)  Members joining after August 1st shall be deemed to have paid their subscription for the ensuing year. 

(d)  Any member whose subscription is more than 3 months in arrears shall have their name removed from the Membership List after notice by email or in writing has been sent to them. 

  1. 6.      ADMINISTRATION

The Committee

(a)   All powers of management shall be vested in the adult Committee consisting of the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, who shall be Officers of the Club, together with a maximum of 12 other members, 5 elected members are required to form a quorum for a committee meeting to take place providing the Chairman or Secretary is also present. 

(b)   The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected annually by the Committee from amongst their number. 

(c)    All other Committee members shall be voted in by re-election of those whom wish to continue in office and any member proposed, at the AGM, to fill a vacancy. 

(d)   The Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of the rules and for anything relating to the Club not provided therein. 

(e)    The Committee may establish any sub-Committees deemed appropriate to assist in meeting the objectives of the Club, and to delegate to those sub-Committees such duties as may be considered appropriate.  

(f)     The Committee shall have the power to co-opt any member onto the Committee should a vacancy arise, but any member so co-opted shall retain office only until the next Annual General Meeting and then shall be eligible for re-election. Co-opted members do not have a Committee vote. 

(g)   The Committee shall hold regular meetings to discuss correspondence received, club funds, competitions, activities and any other business matters arising. Minutes of the meeting shall be recorded and kept on file.  

(h)   The decision of the Committee shall be final unless over-ruled at an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting. 

  1. 7.      ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in September/October of each year to transact the following business:

(a)   To receive the annual report of the Chairman / Secretary 

(b)   To receive and if approved to adopt a Statement of the Club’s Accounts to the end of the preceding year. 

(c)    To elect the Committee for the ensuing year. 

(d)   To determine the annual Subscription. 

(e)    To deal with any special matter which the Committee may desire to bring to the attention of the members and to receive suggestions from the members for consideration by the Committee. 

(f)     To consider any amendment to the Constitution of which due notice has been given to all members. Any proposed change to the Constitution must be received, in writing, by the Secretary at least 14 days preceding the meeting in order that all members shall have sufficient notice of said proposal. 

(g)   Notice convening the Annual General Meeting shall be sent, in writing, to all members not less than 14 days before the meeting and shall specify all matters to be dealt with. 

(h)   All registered members of the Club at the meeting shall have one vote. In the case of equality of votes the Chairman will have a second, casting vote. The Chairman will decide whether voting is by a show of hands or by ballot. 

  1. 8.      EXTRA-ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

An Extra-Ordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be called by the Committee, or by a request signed by not less than 5 members specifying the business to be discussed.

(a)   The Secretary shall give all members not less than 14 days notice by email or in writing of the date of the meeting and shall specify matters to be dealt with. No other business shall be discussed. 

(b)   Procedures for voting shall be as used for the AGM. 

  1. 9.      FINANCE

(a)   The financial year of the Club shall commence on October 1st of each year. 

(b)   All funds belonging to the Club shall be deposited with a bank or building society in an account that shall carry the Club’s title. The account shall operate on two or three signatories, one of whom will be the Treasurer and either or both the Chairman and Secretary. 

  1. 10.   DISBANDMENT

(a)   In the event of the Club disbanding the Committee have made provision for the disbursement of Club funds. 

(b)   All Club equipment shall be sold or disposed of by the Committee.  

(c)    The Account balance, after settling all liabilities of the Club, shall be shared, as the Committee sees fit, between the following charities: Devon Air Ambulance, Cornwall Air Ambulance and The Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund.  

  1. 11.  CONSTITUTION

(a)   This Constitution replaces the Club’s original Constitution, and shall be formally adopted by way of vote at the next AGM. 

(b)   The Constitution may be altered but only by resolution passed by two-thirds of those present and voting at an AGM or an EGM called for that purpose.