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Annual General Meeting 2016

Mrs Mandy Hill, President, chaired the AGM wonderfully today before handing over the presidency to Mrs Anne Western.  Your new President Elect is Mrs Jill Graham who is a long-standing member of the Society and a respected judge and inspector.
Dr Sue Baker was made an Honorary Vice-President in recognition of all the work she has done over the last forty or so years – many will know her book Survival of the Fittest.
Your outgoing Trustees are Mrs Gill Langdon, Mrs Ruth Thomas and Mrs Jackie Wharton.  In a closely contested election Mr Nigel Hill, Mrs Fiona Dickson and Mr David Brewer became your new Trustees and David Brewer was made an Honorary Life Member in recognition of all the work he has done for the Society.
Following the AGM, the Trustees met to elect their new Chairman, David Brewer with Mr David Wallace as Vice-Chair.  The committee will meet again on Monday, 7th June on Exmoor.
Presentations

  • Mrs Mandy Hill presented the Helen Dashwood Trophy to Mrs Sarah Taylor for services to the Society in her role as Breed Show Secretary.
  • Mrs Clare Phillips, the incoming Breed Show Secretary presented the cumulative points cups for the 2015 Breed Show:
  • The Ellis Cup went to Miss Lindy Mitchell as breeder of Knightoncombe Blue Jay H8/160 who had the most points in Classes 1-9 and at Devon County and the Royal Bath & West.
  • The Sculpture went to Mesdames Ablett and Langdon owners of the Tawbitts Herd (H17) as breeder with the most points in classes 1-20.
  • The Miles Bowl went to Mrs Maureen Richardson as owner of Dunkery Wigeon 78/158 as the stallion with the most points from the Breed Show, Devon County and the Royal Bath & West.
  • The Scottish Trophy went to Miss C Phillips as owner of Eddra Chillies 21/83 whilst Mrs Stephanie Poulter received the Orpheus Trophy for the best pony bred in Wales, Faience 171/23.
  • Mr David Wallace presented The Derek Sparks Memorial Trophy (Young Handler) to Charlotte Matravers and The Rosie Wallace Memorial Trophies (for the best Exmoor at Olympia) to the breeder Mrs Mary-Rose Bryant and rider Mrs Elizabeth Etchells of Moonpenny Aquarius 438/2.
  • Mrs Mandy Hill advised that the winner of The Moorland Kingfisher Trophy (for the best Exmoor at HOYS) was Anchor Fairytale A/553, bred and owned by Emma & David Wallace – the trophies had not managed to make their way down from Northumberland.
  • Mrs Ann Nicholls who runs the EPS Performance Awards presented The Hon Mrs Jane Price Cup to Mrs Jackie Wharton owner of Gaoth 309/8 who had topped the awards for the fourth year running.
  • The Cinderella Trophy (pony with the most in-hand points) went to Threeshires Zanatan owned by Mrs Susanna Muir and had been presented at Eastern Area Awards.

Marion Williams Bursary Award 2015
This year it was agreed by the Committee that all four applicants deserved the award and thus it was shared between:

  • Georgia Evans
  • Kitty French
  • Charlotte Matravers and
  • Rosie Williams

Each received a Marion Williams Bursary Award sash and a cheque for £125.
Exmoor Pony Star – The popular winner by a long way was Huntscott Jan Ridd 266/1 who is a RDA pony at Barrow Farm with Frithesden Chickadee 9/122 as Runner-Up. 
The Northern Star was won by Warren Ceasar H52/8.
Flowers were presented to Dr Sue Baker, Mrs Maddy Buttner and Mrs Susannah Muir for their work for Friends who made a contribution of £3000 to the Society.
The raffle made £200 and the winner of the Bonanza 200 Club Draw, Mrs Jackie Ablett, donated the sum to the Society.
The minutes of the Annual General Meeting and notes from the Open Forum will be circulated in due course.
Open Forum
Notes from the open forum will be circulated to members in due course.
GENERAL MEETING 2016
Members request for the Trustees to consider re-wording Article 54

After considerable discussion with the debate being both ‘for’ and ‘against’ the proposed amendment to provide greater access to Committee Meeting dates, agenda and minutes, the Chairman requested a show of hands.

The result taking into account the 17 Proxy Votes received was

  • 24 FOR
  • 55 AGAINST
  • 12 ABSTENTIONS

Thus the current wording of Article 54 will remain in place.
The Trustees had considered the request for greater access to Committee Meeting dates, agenda and minutes at its June 2015 meeting.  It had been agreed that meeting dates and short post-meeting reports would be published on the website.  In addition, abbreviated minutes, giving due consideration to items under discussion and the rules relating to publication of information on individual members, ponies or herds, could be made available upon request.
A full report of the General Meeting will circulated to members in due course.