Aug 11, 2026 | NCDCTA BOD Meeting - Virtual

Attendees: Katherine Thornton, Ellie Balakrishnan, Sarah Bookner, Will Barrus, Ariana Rogers, Helen Ingersoll, Jordan McKenzie-Solis, Heather Boyer, Anita Quinn, Charlotte Meli, Amy Brumbach, Shannon Stone,  Amanda Clodfelter

Absent: Jennifer Swanson, Mandi Martyn, Haven Salzwedel

President, Helen Ingersoll, called the meeting to order at 7:03pm

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:

• President Report: Helen Ingersoll

• • Executed Brain and Body symposium. Was a big success!

  • Next items are championship horse shows

• Vice President Report: Amy Brumbach

• • NCDCTA membership numbers for 8/10/2026 are:

  • Members

  • • Jr/YR - 96

    • AA - 374

    • Open - 118

    • Total - 588

  • Horse Registrations

  • • Paid - 311

    • Volunteer Card - 68

    • Total - 379

• Treasurer Report: Anita Quinn 

• • Total balance: $194,398

  • Revenue: $13,228

  • • Competition cBLM: $4,550

    • Education: $5,350

    • HOY/gala: $1,050

    • Membership: $2,278

  • Expenses: $2,304

  • • Communication: $548

    • Membership: $1,756

• Volunteer Report: Charlotte Meli

• • Hoping to roll out Volunteer Incentive Program in the next week

  • • Plan to promote via social media

  • Emailed NC state dressage and eventing team 

• Sponsorship Report: Heather Boyer 

• • Ezium is doing hospitality all 3 days for cBLMs

  • We have a sponsor for lunch for all 3 days of cBLMs

  • Brookside doing welcome wagon

  • Need wine and cheese sponsor for Friday/Saturday night

  • Planning for fun championship for 50th anniversary 

• Gala Report: Ellie Balakrishnan

• • Developing prize ideas 

  • Creating inventory of ribbons, prizes, etc on hand 

• Communication Report: Sarah Bookner, Haven Salzwedel

• • Sending regular emails including submitting scores, meeting minutes, etc

  • Social Media:

  • • Instagram top post this month:

    • • Harvest Moon closing date post

      • 770 views · 415 reached · 13 interactions

      • Upcoming events and shows consistently get more views and engagement.

    • Facebook top post this month:

    • • Your Expert Fitter sponsor post

      • 4,317 views · 2,361 reached · 23 interactions

      • Viewers seem to be responding well to saddle fitting and saddle-based sponsor posts

    • What worked well this month?

    • • Posts were able to be scheduled ahead and led to more consistency in the posting calendar

    • What needs attention or improvement:

    • • I could use some more community engagement posts! August was a bit of a lower engagement month, possibly due to the brutal weather

    • Upcoming priorities for the next month:

    • • Trending well with wrapping up almost all sponsor posts this year. We should complete posting obligations for 3 more sponsors in September.

• Competition Report: Amy Brumbach

• • First in Flight show in July, big success! 

  • • 68 rides, 45 competitors, 22 NCDCTA members 

    • Lots of ideas for the future including types of competitions to be involved in 

    • Flight Line Dressage was licensed show management

    • NCDCTA sponsorship offset Flight Line cost 

    • P&L:

    • • Income $9235

      • Net cost to NCDCTA $1905. Viewed as an investment to the membership 

    • Survey results:

    • • Many enjoyed a mid-week show 

  • Harvest Moon/cBLM championships:

  • • Horse Show office submitting to USDF on time

    • Prizes:

    • • Planning to transition to prizes only (vs cash)

      • Considering halter with name plate for reserve champion

      • Ezium, among others, sponsoring specialty prizes 

• Eventing Report: Katherine Thornton

• • Actions:

  • • Ordered Eventing Championship Ribbons with Amy’s help

    • Confirmed that we can use Nov War Horse finals for our Champs – as before

    • Eventing Grant promoted and two current applicants – challenges with the form update

    • NOT YET STARTED - Begin process for “Organizer Standards” program based on USEA Organizer Committee work

    • COMPLETED - Medal Program - on hiatus for 2026

    • 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- ADD a HOY track for Recognized CTs

  • Communications:

  • • Ongoing FAQ emails to stimulate membership

    • • Re-Send FAQ#1 , #2, #3

    • More FB posts – “Why Combined Test”

    • 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 eventing

• Education Report: Shannon Stone 

• • Brain and Body Symposium:

  • • 33 registrants, 2 students, 2 sponsors 

    • Very impactful

    • Many participants as well as Jillian and Dr. Peters commented on how great the group and community was 

    • Putting together write up and summary of the weekend 

  • Brainstorming for education:

  • • Considering weekly social media educational post 

    • Quarterly educational deep dive supporting yearly symposium 

• Jr/Yr Report: Mandi Martyn

• • 1 young rider applicant from Winter Solstice show has asked to use their deferred scholarship for Harvest Moon 2026 - granted this request. 

  • • As a reminder, we agreed to allow the 2 scholarship awardees from Winter Solstice 2025 to use their scholarship at a 2026 competition since Winter Solstice was canceled.

  • Have received no other scholarship applications so sent an email today to the Social Media chair with an updated Jr/YR scholarship announcement for Harvest Moon & Autumn Leaves.

  • • Due date for Harvest Moon is August 15th, and September 15th for Autumn Leaves.

    • Have also updated the website to reflect these dates on the Scholarship page.

• Membership Secretary Report: Will Barrus

• • HOY in process, most recent update will be next week

  • Calendar: updating dates based on 2026/2027 dates

  • Working with Charlotte on the volunteer webpage. Will include forms:

  • • Recording form 

    • Horse registration form 

    • Volunteer card exchange 

  • Volunteer of the year award: 

  • • What to do in the event of a tie

    • Prizes: Charlotte and Ellie to brainstorm

    • • Considering cash prize of $1000 

• Western Dressage: Amanda Clodfelter

• • WDAA is currently talking with USDF in regards to a possibility of changes that might allow WD events to occur at the same horse show. This would be a huge move forward!.

  • In regards to an in kind membership with WDAA, it does not seem like this is something they will do. I have a follow up check in few weeks to get a final answer. 

  • NCDCTA type championship show - need to table it first this year and consider patterning with NCWDA for this next year. 

  • • The horse park might consider hosting this, and talking with the NCWDA president as far as moving this forward . 

    • Any shows that are strictly western will need to be USEF approved as well as WDAA and possibly AQHA. This will draw the neighboring states interest. Especially if we can accommodate 3 days of showing. 

  • Putting together an email to tend to all judges and hosts of dressage that offers WD. First thanking them for offering it, then sharing the differences in the disciplines. 

  • • I have heard about and seen several comments from non WD judges who are penalizing (unknowingly!) about things such as use of voice, planting a pivot foot, etc. 

  • Meeting with a professional who helped put on the East Coast Celebration show at the end of August. We are scheduled to discuss what worked well, challenges, etc. 

  • Headed to Kentucky in the fall to trail ride and hope to meet with the tack vendor who might offer us some discounted awards for HOY prizes. The quality is fantastic and I think they will be well received. 

• Newsletter: Ariana Rogers

• • Planning for last week of August for next letter

  • • Interview Breezeway as title sponsor 

    • Articles with various sponsors 

Old Business: none

New Business:

• Considering CPI increase for Will Barrus 

• • Asked for list of duties and hours spent 

• Planning for 2027 BOD

• • Please notify Helen if planning to rotate off the board 

Next meeting: September 1, 2026

Helen adjourned the meeting at 7:27pm EST

Minutes respectfully submitted by Jordan McKenzie-Solis, Recording Secretary