Green Mountain Miniature Horse & Donkey Association Meeting Minutes for Feb 5, 2017
Attendees: Pat Verdon, Charlene Hopkins, Linda Nelson, Deb Hayes, Susan Lang, Hannah Lang, Leslie Weelock, Jean Cross, Marge Alden, Howie Alden, Jean Cross, Joan Stasulis, Sharon Whittle, Mary Ann Villemaine, Deb Barewicz with Chlore and Ryan, Greg Stadtlander, Kristin Quimby, Karen Witt, Kyle Polhemus, and Linda Bailey.
Members that joined but were not able to make the meeting were: Cindy Dailey, Dot Maggio, Marsha Cloutier and Christina Carnes.
Meeting was called to order at 12:30 by President Kristen Quimby.
Membership forms were handed out and dues collected for 2017. If you were not able to pay your dues at the meeting please mail the form to Jean Cross, 271 Plank Road Vergennes VT 05491.
Joan Stasulis proposed that the club sponsor a class at local shows such as: Northwest Horse shows in Fairfield and the Freedom Farm shows in Jericho. Joan was asked to get the cost of sponsoring a class at the shows for the season and to report back to the club.
An email will be sent to members for everyone to vote on the final decision.
The club will be meeting 4 times and a year and the future meeting dates are:
May 7th 2017 (Sunday)
August 6th 2017 (Sunday)
November 12th 2017 (Sunday)
The plan is to combine the meeting with a drive on a couple of these dates. More information about that will be forthcoming. Start time of the meeting will be depend on if we are doing a drive that day.
A sheet of paper was passed around to the members for suggestions of speakers at our quarterly meetings and we got some excellent suggestions. Members are interested in learning more about nutrition for minis, to learn tricks, learn more about showmanship, Horse Agility or horse language with Heidi Potter, have a veterinarian speak about health concerns for minis, especially Potomac Horse Fever, Therapy – how to get started in doing it and what training is required, clipping for show preparation and liberty training. These are all wonderful suggestions and if there are any members that would like to be in charge of organizing these speakers please contact President Joan Stasulis @ [email protected] or 802-899-2553. You would not have to do this alone, you would have help. We are very lucky to have available to us the use of the Shelburne Farms breeding barn to hold any indoor clinics. Thank you Jean Cross for helping us with this.
The club decided to do something monthly whether it be a drive or walk your mini or a clinic. The dates for the monthly activities are: April 8th, May 7th, June 11th, July 9th, August 6th, October 8th, November 12th and December 10th. Please pencil these dates into your calendar and more information will be sent on the activity planned for that date. September was left off due to a camping activity for the weekend of Sept 9th and 10th and because it is a very busy month for shows.
The club would like to do drives or rides in different locations throughout the year and 4 suggestions were two different places in Jeffersonville, Shelburne Farm, Danville and Groton VT. If you know of any other places that you would like to go please let Joan Stasulis know and we will definitely look into it. The drives will be no more than 2 hours with a picnic brown bag lunch rest in between. Kristin Quimby will be organizing the fun dives. Contact her @ [email protected].
Parade season is coming soon and it was suggested that the club would be represented in the parades. We would like to have two individuals to carry the banner. You can drive your horse in the parade or just walk it. If you would like to walk in the parade, but do not have a mini there are members that have minis that you could lead. The two parades that were suggested was the Memorial Day Parade in Jericho and one in Williamstown. If anyone else has suggestions for parades that the club could attend send an email to Joan Stasulis @ [email protected] and we will look into it. People love seeing our minis in the parades.
For many years the GMMHDA has provide a wonderful service during the holidays on Church Street by providing cart drives to children and adults of all ages. We see many of the same people come every year and it becomes a tradition. It starts on the day after Thanksgiving and continues each Saturday until Christmas. Four horses are needed on November 24th, three on November 25th, December 2nd, December 9th and December 16th. We not only need members to lead the horses around in the cart but we also need help with helping the individuals get in and out of the cart and passing out candy canes. The hours are 11:00 to 3:00 on those days. People walking leading the cart are paid for their time but the helpers are volunteers. A sign-up sheet was circulated for people to reserve their date and time to work. Contact Joan Stasulis @ [email protected] if you are willing to help.
The 4-H horse consignment sale is coming up in March but we are waiting to hear the exact date. For those that have never been, it is held at the Champlain Valley Expo and you can bring horse related items to sell or purchase. If you are selling them the 4-H keeps 10% of the selling price and you get the balance. Items are dropped off the day before or the morning before the doors open. You are responsible for picking up any of your items that do not sell at the end of the sale. It is a wonderful sale to find those things you are looking for and other things you didn’t know that you needed. It also helps to support the 4-H. When we get the date of the sale an email will be sent and also put on Facebook.
It was also suggested to involve some 4-H clubs to help with some clinics such as learning showmanship and to have members of the 4-H come and judge. They will be learning what to look for in judging. Members that attended the meeting that are involved with 4-H please contact Joan and she will speak with the 4-H leader to arrange for a date and time to do this.
Each year during the Champlain Valley Fair, member Kyle Polhemus oversees the Horse Breed Tent and is in charge of filling the stalls with different breeds of horses for the public to learn about and touch. She is always looking for minis because the public just loves them. It is a wonderful experience for the minis because they get a lot of attention and socialization. You receive two tickets to the fair for each day you exhibit your horse. You must stay with your horse while it is there to answer any questions that are asked about them. The time schedule is 10:00 until 8:00 at night. If you do not have a mini but have another breed of horse and would like to speak to Kyle about bringing them contact her at [email protected]. She also can use volunteers to help out at the tent during the day or evening to help close the tent and clean the stalls to prepare for the next day.
Jean Cross talked about the Shelburne Farm Harvest Festival that is held each year at Shelburne Farms and the mini horses are invited to attend and provide cart rides. This is a very popular activity and each year there are long lines of kids that can’t wait for their ride. Donations are accepted and shared among all of the attendees that bring a horse. We normally have 4 minis there but would love to have more as there are many riders. If this is something that you would be interested in helping with, contact Howie and Marge Alden @ [email protected] or call them at 802-899-3029.
Jean also provided information about a weekend drive and overnight camping event that is scheduled for Sept 9th and 10th that is being organized by the Vermont Draft Horse Association. The drive will be at an Adirondack State Park in New York. A huge dinner will be provided the night of the 9th. It will be a beautiful 5 mile long drive to a beautiful log camp at the end. There is a campground nearby that provides campsites and stalls for the horses. I am trying to get in touch with the camp ground owners to see if they have campers to rent on site. If you do not have a mini or a horse to drive but still want to attend one of the members of the Draft Horse club has a business that gives wagon rides to the log camp. More information will be shared about this as we get it, but if you are interested let Joan know and she will make sure that she gets answers to all of your questions and to help you to coordinate this trip or contact Jean Cross at [email protected].
The option to purchase shirts and sweatshirts with the club logo was discussed and it seems that we do have a logo and a company that we can order them from. Joan will look into the cost of these and provide that at a future meeting or through email.
One thing that was failed to be mentioned at the meeting is an upcoming Beginner’s Driving Clinic at Shelburne Farms on April 22nd and 23rd. I will get more information about this from Jean Cross or you can contact her directly for more details @ [email protected]. If you do not know how to drive and want to learn this is the place to go. They don’t do just mini, it is for all horses.
Joan was contacted by someone in the community that has a sulky style cart and a harness that is excellent condition that she would like to sell for $175.00 Email Joan @ [email protected] if you are interested and she will give you the contact information. The harness fits a large mini.
2017 show dates: (not a complete list until I get confirmed dates from Freedom Farm Shows in Jericho and the Danville Shows)
May 14th – Freedom Farm
June 4th – Northwest Open Horse Show in Fairfax VT
June 18th – Northwest Open Horse Show in Fairfax VT (may also be the date for a Freedom Farm Show)
July 16th – Bradford Fair Horse Show ?
July 29th – Lamoille Valley Field Days?
August 12th – Addison County Field Days Open Horse Show?
August 13th - Northwest Open Horse Show in Fairfax VT
Sept 3rd – Champlain Valley fair Open Horse Show
Sept 24th - Northwest Open Horse Show in Fairfax VT
Oct 1st – Freedom Farm Open Horse Show?
Election of officers:
President – Joan Stasulis
Vice President – Deb Hayes
Treasurer – Jean Cross
Secretary – Marge Alden
A door prize drawing was held and Pat Verdon was the winner of a mini halter and lead rope.
Meeting was adjourned at 2:00.
Message from new president:
I want to personally thank Kristen Quimby, past president for all the time and personal commitment she has provided to the club and its members over the past years. Your love for minis has shown with your pictures and actions. I look forward to working with you on our activities during this upcoming year and will be turning to you to share your experience and knowledge.
I also want to thank all of the past members for coming to the meeting today and seeing all of the new faces of our new members. I want you to all know that this is our club and my goal is to try to meet everyone’s needs and goals for the reasons you were interested in joining. Our lives are busy and all of us want to learn and have fun with our minis/horses. Please email me at any time with questions, concerns, ideas, suggestions or feedback so we can make your time with the club productive.
Attendees: Pat Verdon, Charlene Hopkins, Linda Nelson, Deb Hayes, Susan Lang, Hannah Lang, Leslie Weelock, Jean Cross, Marge Alden, Howie Alden, Jean Cross, Joan Stasulis, Sharon Whittle, Mary Ann Villemaine, Deb Barewicz with Chlore and Ryan, Greg Stadtlander, Kristin Quimby, Karen Witt, Kyle Polhemus, and Linda Bailey.
Members that joined but were not able to make the meeting were: Cindy Dailey, Dot Maggio, Marsha Cloutier and Christina Carnes.
Meeting was called to order at 12:30 by President Kristen Quimby.
Membership forms were handed out and dues collected for 2017. If you were not able to pay your dues at the meeting please mail the form to Jean Cross, 271 Plank Road Vergennes VT 05491.
Joan Stasulis proposed that the club sponsor a class at local shows such as: Northwest Horse shows in Fairfield and the Freedom Farm shows in Jericho. Joan was asked to get the cost of sponsoring a class at the shows for the season and to report back to the club.
An email will be sent to members for everyone to vote on the final decision.
The club will be meeting 4 times and a year and the future meeting dates are:
May 7th 2017 (Sunday)
August 6th 2017 (Sunday)
November 12th 2017 (Sunday)
The plan is to combine the meeting with a drive on a couple of these dates. More information about that will be forthcoming. Start time of the meeting will be depend on if we are doing a drive that day.
A sheet of paper was passed around to the members for suggestions of speakers at our quarterly meetings and we got some excellent suggestions. Members are interested in learning more about nutrition for minis, to learn tricks, learn more about showmanship, Horse Agility or horse language with Heidi Potter, have a veterinarian speak about health concerns for minis, especially Potomac Horse Fever, Therapy – how to get started in doing it and what training is required, clipping for show preparation and liberty training. These are all wonderful suggestions and if there are any members that would like to be in charge of organizing these speakers please contact President Joan Stasulis @ [email protected] or 802-899-2553. You would not have to do this alone, you would have help. We are very lucky to have available to us the use of the Shelburne Farms breeding barn to hold any indoor clinics. Thank you Jean Cross for helping us with this.
The club decided to do something monthly whether it be a drive or walk your mini or a clinic. The dates for the monthly activities are: April 8th, May 7th, June 11th, July 9th, August 6th, October 8th, November 12th and December 10th. Please pencil these dates into your calendar and more information will be sent on the activity planned for that date. September was left off due to a camping activity for the weekend of Sept 9th and 10th and because it is a very busy month for shows.
The club would like to do drives or rides in different locations throughout the year and 4 suggestions were two different places in Jeffersonville, Shelburne Farm, Danville and Groton VT. If you know of any other places that you would like to go please let Joan Stasulis know and we will definitely look into it. The drives will be no more than 2 hours with a picnic brown bag lunch rest in between. Kristin Quimby will be organizing the fun dives. Contact her @ [email protected].
Parade season is coming soon and it was suggested that the club would be represented in the parades. We would like to have two individuals to carry the banner. You can drive your horse in the parade or just walk it. If you would like to walk in the parade, but do not have a mini there are members that have minis that you could lead. The two parades that were suggested was the Memorial Day Parade in Jericho and one in Williamstown. If anyone else has suggestions for parades that the club could attend send an email to Joan Stasulis @ [email protected] and we will look into it. People love seeing our minis in the parades.
For many years the GMMHDA has provide a wonderful service during the holidays on Church Street by providing cart drives to children and adults of all ages. We see many of the same people come every year and it becomes a tradition. It starts on the day after Thanksgiving and continues each Saturday until Christmas. Four horses are needed on November 24th, three on November 25th, December 2nd, December 9th and December 16th. We not only need members to lead the horses around in the cart but we also need help with helping the individuals get in and out of the cart and passing out candy canes. The hours are 11:00 to 3:00 on those days. People walking leading the cart are paid for their time but the helpers are volunteers. A sign-up sheet was circulated for people to reserve their date and time to work. Contact Joan Stasulis @ [email protected] if you are willing to help.
The 4-H horse consignment sale is coming up in March but we are waiting to hear the exact date. For those that have never been, it is held at the Champlain Valley Expo and you can bring horse related items to sell or purchase. If you are selling them the 4-H keeps 10% of the selling price and you get the balance. Items are dropped off the day before or the morning before the doors open. You are responsible for picking up any of your items that do not sell at the end of the sale. It is a wonderful sale to find those things you are looking for and other things you didn’t know that you needed. It also helps to support the 4-H. When we get the date of the sale an email will be sent and also put on Facebook.
It was also suggested to involve some 4-H clubs to help with some clinics such as learning showmanship and to have members of the 4-H come and judge. They will be learning what to look for in judging. Members that attended the meeting that are involved with 4-H please contact Joan and she will speak with the 4-H leader to arrange for a date and time to do this.
Each year during the Champlain Valley Fair, member Kyle Polhemus oversees the Horse Breed Tent and is in charge of filling the stalls with different breeds of horses for the public to learn about and touch. She is always looking for minis because the public just loves them. It is a wonderful experience for the minis because they get a lot of attention and socialization. You receive two tickets to the fair for each day you exhibit your horse. You must stay with your horse while it is there to answer any questions that are asked about them. The time schedule is 10:00 until 8:00 at night. If you do not have a mini but have another breed of horse and would like to speak to Kyle about bringing them contact her at [email protected]. She also can use volunteers to help out at the tent during the day or evening to help close the tent and clean the stalls to prepare for the next day.
Jean Cross talked about the Shelburne Farm Harvest Festival that is held each year at Shelburne Farms and the mini horses are invited to attend and provide cart rides. This is a very popular activity and each year there are long lines of kids that can’t wait for their ride. Donations are accepted and shared among all of the attendees that bring a horse. We normally have 4 minis there but would love to have more as there are many riders. If this is something that you would be interested in helping with, contact Howie and Marge Alden @ [email protected] or call them at 802-899-3029.
Jean also provided information about a weekend drive and overnight camping event that is scheduled for Sept 9th and 10th that is being organized by the Vermont Draft Horse Association. The drive will be at an Adirondack State Park in New York. A huge dinner will be provided the night of the 9th. It will be a beautiful 5 mile long drive to a beautiful log camp at the end. There is a campground nearby that provides campsites and stalls for the horses. I am trying to get in touch with the camp ground owners to see if they have campers to rent on site. If you do not have a mini or a horse to drive but still want to attend one of the members of the Draft Horse club has a business that gives wagon rides to the log camp. More information will be shared about this as we get it, but if you are interested let Joan know and she will make sure that she gets answers to all of your questions and to help you to coordinate this trip or contact Jean Cross at [email protected].
The option to purchase shirts and sweatshirts with the club logo was discussed and it seems that we do have a logo and a company that we can order them from. Joan will look into the cost of these and provide that at a future meeting or through email.
One thing that was failed to be mentioned at the meeting is an upcoming Beginner’s Driving Clinic at Shelburne Farms on April 22nd and 23rd. I will get more information about this from Jean Cross or you can contact her directly for more details @ [email protected]. If you do not know how to drive and want to learn this is the place to go. They don’t do just mini, it is for all horses.
Joan was contacted by someone in the community that has a sulky style cart and a harness that is excellent condition that she would like to sell for $175.00 Email Joan @ [email protected] if you are interested and she will give you the contact information. The harness fits a large mini.
2017 show dates: (not a complete list until I get confirmed dates from Freedom Farm Shows in Jericho and the Danville Shows)
May 14th – Freedom Farm
June 4th – Northwest Open Horse Show in Fairfax VT
June 18th – Northwest Open Horse Show in Fairfax VT (may also be the date for a Freedom Farm Show)
July 16th – Bradford Fair Horse Show ?
July 29th – Lamoille Valley Field Days?
August 12th – Addison County Field Days Open Horse Show?
August 13th - Northwest Open Horse Show in Fairfax VT
Sept 3rd – Champlain Valley fair Open Horse Show
Sept 24th - Northwest Open Horse Show in Fairfax VT
Oct 1st – Freedom Farm Open Horse Show?
Election of officers:
President – Joan Stasulis
Vice President – Deb Hayes
Treasurer – Jean Cross
Secretary – Marge Alden
A door prize drawing was held and Pat Verdon was the winner of a mini halter and lead rope.
Meeting was adjourned at 2:00.
Message from new president:
I want to personally thank Kristen Quimby, past president for all the time and personal commitment she has provided to the club and its members over the past years. Your love for minis has shown with your pictures and actions. I look forward to working with you on our activities during this upcoming year and will be turning to you to share your experience and knowledge.
I also want to thank all of the past members for coming to the meeting today and seeing all of the new faces of our new members. I want you to all know that this is our club and my goal is to try to meet everyone’s needs and goals for the reasons you were interested in joining. Our lives are busy and all of us want to learn and have fun with our minis/horses. Please email me at any time with questions, concerns, ideas, suggestions or feedback so we can make your time with the club productive.