May 6, 2025 | NCDCTA BOD Meeting - Virtual
Attendees:Helen Ingersoll Amy Brumbach Heather Turner Jordan McKenzie-Solis Ali LaTorre Katherine Thornton Ellie Balakrishnan Heather Boyer Lisa Chisholm Charlotte Meli Amanda Delgado. Absent: Mandi Martyn Todd Erickson Will Barrus
President, Helen Ingersoll, called the meeting to order at 7:03
Helen read the NCDCTA Charter.
NCDCTA BOARD TEAM CHARTER:
- We the board of the NCDCTA hold the following values as guiding principles to carry out the mission of our organization.
- To educate, promote camaraderie and recognize achievement in dressage and eventing.
- Respect, Humility, Patience, Self Awareness, Supportiveness, Accountability, Listening, Generosity, and Helpfulness
- Communication that is: Clear, Flexible, Ongoing, Supportive, Constructive and Safe while celebrating brave efforts to question and disagree.
- Decision making that is shared. Roles that can be flexible and board members that are engaged, present, and share appreciation for and with one another, freely.
Reports:
- Membership Secretary Report: Will Barrus
- Memberships and Horse Registrations are current.
- Calendar is being updated with an eye on transferring data to the new website.
- Membership fields are being updated and modified in the NCDCTA database to make transition to the new website easier.
- 329 HOY results have been received since the last update and are being processed.
- Ex officio, Western Dressage Representative: Amanda Delgado
- Helen has appointed as an ex officio, Western Dressage representative for the NCDCTA
- Operate in a non-voting role
- Amanda is on National Board of WDAA as secretary
- The discipline promotes horsemanship
- USEF fastest growing sport
- Western Dressage NC community towards NCDCTA:
- Felt unseen and lack of opportunity
- More opportunities with clinics, shows, and western specific awards
- Partnership with NCDCTA to expand membership
- NCDCTA will include opportunities for volunteerism into community
- Amanda will send article for Western Dressage partnership for newsletter
- There are WDAA grants available
- Presidents Report: Helen Ingersoll
- Continues to support board members in their efforts and projects
- Vice Presidents Report: Amy Brumbach
- Current membership numbers for 5/5/2025
- Total Members: 545 (May 2024 - 525)
- Volunteer Card Horses: 75
- Total Horses: 381 (May 2024 - 366)
- Other member information of interest
- Other Horse Information of Interest
- Volunteer Card Information
- Outstanding Volunteer Cards: 2723
- Searching for Western Dressage clinician
- Will partner with Heather Boyer and Amanda to find an appropriate candidate
- Consider Heather Stalker WD and USEF “R” judge
- Festival is one week before Western Dressage World Competition which may impact clinicians and participants
- Finalizing contract with Carolina Horse Park
- Plan to meet with Lisa on marketing plan
- Will partner with Charlotte to determine volunteers needed
- Treasurer Report: Heather Turner
- Main account balance: ~$21,500
- NCDCTA is Gold level sponsor for Carolina Horse Park
- Continue to receive sponsorships
- Communications Report: Lisa Chisholm
- Dawn Weniger invited to co-chair with Lisa
- Familiarized with platform
- Working with High Time Photography to choose photos for website
- Missing Western Dressage photos
- Please send any anonymous photos to include
- Working with will to create/finalize brand kit
- Go-live remains July 1, 2025
- Plan to include scholarships, eventing articles, western dressage introduction/article
- Several items pending including Festival promotion
- Scheduling reminders for HOY points
- Marketing plan for Festival:
- Planning to send monthly email reminders
- Ensure that all obligations are met
- Shared drive list put together by Heather Boyer to ensure all are met
- Sponsorship Report: Heather Boyer
- Concerned about 2 tack shops having in-kind donations
- Planning to have one supply cash donation
- If anyone knows of interested sponsors, please forward to Heather Boyer
- Heather Boyer planning to send email to sponsors on list
- Dressage Report: Ali LaTorre
- Richard Malgram confirmed
- Georgia is starting L program
- Maintain cancellation policy, can only cancel if program is full
- Helen to connect with Ali about marketing strategies
- Possible to use USDF marketing resources (possibly mailing list, website promotion, other region 1 GMOs)
- Competition Report: Todd Erickson
- Eventing Report: Katherine Thornton
- COMPLETED - Discussions with CHP (Margaret Crevar)
- Clarified what, exactly, we are asking for re “eventing championships” at Nov War Horse
- Secured our ability to utilize the venue and a tent location
- COMPLETED an NCDCTA eventing-specific calendar workbook, checked it with organizers and with Will
- Next steps are to email it to eventing members, get it on the website, keep it updated
- Ongoing Discussions USEA Area 2
- Get Area 2 eventing championships at CHP –
- Connected with USEA to solicit the bid for the Area 2 Champs at CHP for 2027
- Sent email to HT organizer at CHP to make that bid
- Requested eventer emails to stimulate membership – from USEA
- Identify scholarship opportunities, and clinic support
- Completed-Reached out re eventing clinician for Fall Festival and did receive a list of names
- UNDERWAY – working with Will to update the HOY rules
- Any HOY qualifier can be used towards championship
- UNDERWAY - Finalize Eventing page on NCDCTA.org – work with Will, highlight this in the communications
- NOT YET STARTED Order Eventing Championship Ribbons from Hodges
- COMPLETED - I bought a few medals from Hodges to send to 2024 recipients
- NOT YET STARTED - Begin process for “Organizer Standards” program based on USEA Organizer Committee work
- COMPLETED - NCDCTA IS USEA Affiliate Member
- COMPLETED - Worked with Mandi to add Jr/YR scholarship for the Eventing Championships for HT and CT
- COMPLETED – Submitted an article for the newsletter
- COMPLETED - Medal Program - on hiatus for 2025
- COMPLETED Eventing Championship plan
- Hold Championship at Nov War Horse
- Use HOY qualifying points tracking system – approved with Will
- Post standings somewhere on the website as we go along (excel spreadsheet)
- COMPLETED – Emailed introduction to Organizers
- COMPLETED – Revised the HOY qualification for Modified HTs
- Ongoing 1/4ly FAQ emails to stimulate membership
- Sent FAQ#1 with good response
- FAQ#2 is ready – explain “How to Qualify for Eventing Champs”
- Started FB posts – “Why Combined Test”
- Future FB topics include: Benefits of NCDCTA membership; Why school XC?
- Beginning education campaign about CTs and their value to encourage beginning and aging competitors
- Drafted second newsletter article, “Moving up isn’t necessarily the point” for eventers
- Jr/Yr Report: Mandi Martyn
- Volunteer Report: Charlotte Meli
- Gala Report: Ellie Balakrishnan
- Will work with Amanda Delgado on Western Dressage prizes and individuality
New Business:
- Heather B: interested in NCDCTA sponsoring the Sandhills Western Dressage 1 & 2 Show on August 16–17, 2025 with $750
- This sponsorship ensures balance and goodwill across the disciplines
- Supporting Western Dressage reflects NCDCTA’s commitment to broadening opportunities and reinforcing harmony in the sport
- Plan to support with 3 highscore ribbons for open, amateur, and junior
- Heather to get back to board with details around benefits of sponsorship
- Motion to add a HOY track for nationally recognized CTs. Moved by Katherine Thornton. Heather Boyer seconded the motion. Two opposed. Four requested abstention. Two in favor. The motion is suspended.
- This is a 4th eventing track and in place of the medal program
- Will require additional ribbons and prices at Gala (will be more affordable than previous medals)
- Information required: has this been tried before? Financial considerations? How many people would be interested?
- Motion to close meeting. Moved by Lisa Chisholm. Seconded by Jordan McKenzie-Solis. The motion carried with all in favour and none opposed.
Next meeting: June 3, 2025 - Virtual
Helen adjourned the meeting at 9:18
Minutes respectfully submitted by Jordan McKenzie-Solis, Recording Secretary.
