Jun 2, 2026 | NCDCTA BOD Meeting - Virtual

Attendees:  Katherine Thornton, Helen Ingersoll, Jordan McKenzie-Solis, Haven Salzwedel, Anita Quinn, Charlotte Meli, Amy Brumbach, Amanda Clodfelter, Jennifer Swanson 

Absent: Ellie Balakrishnan, Sarah Bookner, Mandi Martyn, Shannon Stone, Will Barrus, Ariana Rogers, Heather Boyer 

President, Helen Ingersoll, called the meeting to order at 7:07pm EST

Jordan 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:

• President Report: Helen Ingersoll

• Vice President Report: Amy Brumbach

• • Membership numbers for 6/2/2026 are:

  • Jr/YR: 86

  • AA: 356

  • Open: 109

  • TOTAL MEMBERS: 551 (565 this time last year)

• Horse Registrations

• Paid: 273

• Volunteer Card: 63

• TOTAL HORSES: 336 (398 this time last year)

• Discussing information sheet/video on how to register horses

• Concern that low numbers are due to having to self report scores

• • Plan to create info sheet around what NCDCTA membership dues cover  

• Treasurer Report: Anita Quinn 

• • Current balances:

  • • Checking: $39,197

    • Saving: $1,596

    • Show account: $1,000

    • PayPal: $2,547

    • Investment account: $139,082

    • TOTAL: $183,423 (difference from May 2026: -$4,683

  • May Revenue and Expenses:

  • • Revenue: $4,791

    • • Education income, HOY/gala, memberships

    • Expenses: $8,736 (increased due to switching from monthly to annual website payment)

    • • Communications, education, memberships, overhead 

• Volunteer Report: Charlotte Meli

• • Getting incentive program up and running

  • Volunteer Card Implementation - A notice will be sent to the board sometime during the week of June 8 with the proposed plan to self-report volunteer cards

• Sponsorship Report: Heather Boyer 

• Gala Report: Ellie Balakrishnan

• • Starting to think about prizes for HOY, taking suggestions. Considering social media survey 

• Communication Report: Sarah Bookner, Haven Salzwedel

• • Please let Sarah and Haven know well in advance of respective chair’s related closing dates/application due dates for social media promotion

• Competition Report: Amy Brumbach

• • First in Flight July Show

  • • 7 people signed up for First in Flight show 

    • Can have up to 60 rides 

    • Plan for tack sale 

    • • Can donate tack to NCDCTA with proceeds going to NCDCTA

      • Can pay for table 

    • Plan for concession stand for lunch

    • • Alternative to article is volunteering at concession stand 

    • Heather B is working on vendors 

    • Need volunteers for setup 

  • Harvest Moon and Autumn Leaves

  • • Getting in touch with HorseShowOffice for prize lists 

    • Working through tasks list with Leigh

• Eventing Report: Katherine Thornton

• • Spoke to Will about including Windridge Horse Trial in HOY

  • Horse Trial and Combined Test year end awards

  • • Will be asking War horse to do the same 

  • Have not organized eventing

  • • Considering getting sponsor 

  • Thinking about succession planning and how to get other eventing leaders involved 

• Education Report: Shannon Stone 

• Jr/Yr Report: Mandi Martyn

• • Three Jr riders will be attending the Region 1 Youth Team Challenge in Virginia with scholarships from the NCDCTA. 

  • • Have been in regular communication with the parents of these riders, and they were informed that they will receive a scholarship for a total of $215 each

    • Sent an ad to the organizer of the show for their program

  • Recruiting some Jr riders for July First in Flight show. 

  • • Provided this as an option to the 3 Jr scholarship awardees as a way to "give back"

• Membership Secretary Report: Will Barrus

• • Equine Brain & Body Symposium - Currently 22 registrations. Two have opted to make partial payments. Will send out emails reminding individuals that partial payments are due again at the end of June and July.

  • Horse of the Year - HOY continues to have some reporting difficulties related to the new membership system. I have most of them worked out and will be able to report updated HOY results early in the week of June 8.

  • Membership/Horse Registration - A new Horse Directory was put online so people can find their horse numbers without going into their membership profiles.

  • Competition Recognition - The old competition recognition form has been replaced with a new form using Google Forms. Organizers no longer pay when requesting approval, but after approval is granted.

  • NCDCTA.org - We continue to use 123FormBuilder for certain forms that require the submission of attachments/files for scholarships and HOY. The annual fee will be due in August and the Treasurer has been informed.

• Western Dressage: Amanda Clodfelter

• • Discussing western dressage championship

  • • Needs to be in conjunction with breed specific show (not USDF recognized show)

  • Evaluating how to increase western dressage membership 

  • • Considering adding western dressage to local shows (WDAA recognized)

  • Knows tack supplier who may be able to supply tack as prizes for HOY

  • Directory on website would be helpful for who to talk to about what 

• Newsletter: Ariana Rogers

• Leadership coach: Jennifer Swanson

• • Available for coaching around role difficulties and brain storming

  • Evaluate strategic planning throughout the year

  • Jennifer is available in any way assistance is needed

  • Access Jennifer through: all1herd@gmail.com

Old Business: None

New Business:

• What are the asks for Jillian and Dr. Peters for brain and body symposium 

• • Considering award sponsorship, educational membership/access code (i.e. 20% off) 

  • Amanda to share Brain and Body symposium in western dressage community 

• Horse show participation

• • Spreadsheet created based on NCDCTA calendar from 2022-current of rated shows in NC

  • Goal is to track and show number of shows each year, the number of horses and rides down center per show 

  • So far has seen the number of shows is decreasing due to decreased number of entries

  • • Costs increased to compensate for this 

• What are the benefits of GMO vs personal membership to USDF?

• • Comes down to HOY, camaraderie, education, community 

• Discussion of optics around First in Flight show at board member farm 

• • Hosting show was meeting gap of what members wanted and what can be provided 

  • NCDCTA board is not financially benefitting from show, goal is to recoup sponsorship fee ($1250)

  • Plan to provide list of fees requested by FlightLine for transparency

  • • Lingo around “haul in fee” is issue 

  • Plan for social media post explaining who FlightLine is and goal of the show itself

Next meeting: July 7 @ 7pm EST - virtual 

Helen adjourned the meeting at 9:13pm EST

Minutes respectfully submitted by Jordan McKenzie-Solis, Recording Secretary.

Minutes passed by majority Board vote.