By Laws

Organized in 9/93
Amended December 2008

Article 1: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Western Haflinger Association (WHA), a not-for-profit association, the purpose of which is to promote and enjoy the Haflinger breed of horse.

Article 2: Membership
Membership shall be open to anyone interested in the Haflinger breed and shall be granted upon payment of the annual dues. Membership shall extend to family members in a single household and each family shall have one vote.

Members who own Haflingers (purebred or crosses) are welcomed and encouraged to participate in all WHA sponsored activities with their horses, with the exception of Haflinger Breed Demonstrations. WHA-sponsored Breed Demonstrations shall include only members pure-bred, registered Haflingers, for the purpose of exhibiting typical breed standards.

A member may be suspended or expelled by a 2/3 vote of the Board of Directors (BOD) for failure to abide by the rules and regulations of the Association, for unsportsmanlike conduct, nonpayment of dues, or for an action which is opposed to the objectives and purposes of the Association; however a ten (10) day notice in writing shall have been given by the Association so that he/she may be given a closed and private hearing with the Board of Directors called for that purpose. Upon termination of membership, a prorated portion of the current dues shall be remitted to the expelled member and he/she shall have no other rights or interest in the property of the Association.

Article 3: Officers and Duties
Section 1: Board of Directors
The Board of Directors shall consist of eight (8) members. Board member terms shall be two (2) years, with four (4) members being elected each year. The membership shall elect the members of the Board of Directors annually.

In order to begin this two year cycle format, the current (2009) terms shall be as follows:

TERMS THROUGH DEC. 2009:
Del Fox
Marjorie Puckett
Catherine Stout
Lorraine Waite

TERMS ENDING DEC. 2010
Gale Emmons
Kiola Krienke
Doug Stout
Robin Walker

Section 2: Election of Officers
At the first meeting of the Board of Directors, after the election, the Board shall elect, by majority vote, a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer from within the members of the newly elected and current Board. Officers shall be elected annually. All other members of the Board shall be known as "Directors"

Section 3: Duties of Board Members
President
Calls, presides, and conducts meetings
Casts deciding vote to break tie
Appoints committees
Serves as chief officer of the Association and shall preside at all meetings of the members of the Association and of the Board of Directors, and the Annual Event.

Vice President
Performs duties of the President in his/her absence
Assists the President as required
Serves on the Board of Directors

Secretary
Keeps records of the Association and reads them when called upon
Prepares correspondence for the Association
Serves on the Board of Directors

Treasurer
Receives, disburses, and accounts for the finance of the Association
Provides reports as necessary
Serves on the Board of Directors

Director
Fills vacancies by appointment
Serves as regional rep
Serves on committees

Section 4: Quorum
A quorum shall consist of four (4) Directors

Section 5: Power of the Board of Directors
The Board shall have general charge of the affairs, funds, and property of the Western Haflinger Association, and shall have full power to carry out the purposes of the WHA in accordance with its charter and bylaws.

Section 6: Removal of Officers or Directors
An Officer or Director may be removed from office by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors at any Board meeting. An officer shall not be allowed to miss more than two (2) scheduled meetings annually. Officers and Directors must be paid in full members. In the event of an Officer or Director vacancy, the Board of Directors shall select a replacement.

Section 7: Accounts of the Association
Accounts may be audited by a committee appointed by the President as requested by the Board of Directors. This audit shall be reported to the next Annual Meeting following its completion.

Article 4: Elections
Directors shall be elected by a secret ballot of the general membership. Only paid up members shall receive a ballot. The voted ballots shall be mailed before the Annual Meeting. The ballots shall include those candidates running for the Board plus a write-in space. The ballots will be tabulated at the Annual Meeting by the Secretary.

Article 5: Nominating Committee
The nominating committee shall be consisting of one Board member and two members from the general membership. They shall be appointed by the President. Duties include soliciting candidates and creating ballots for the general membership. Every attempt shall be made to nominate at least two persons for each open Director�s position.

Article 6: Annual Meeting, Quorum, BOD Meeting, and Notice of Annual Meeting
Section 1: Annual Meeting
The Annual business meeting shall be held at a place and date as designated by the Board of Directors. At such meeting the Board of Directors shall transact business within their powers deserving attention. Notice shall be given at least thirty (30) days prior to date of Annual Meeting.

Section 2: Quorum
The number of members present shall constitute a quorum for transactions of business at any regular or special meeting of the members.

Section 3: Board of Directors Meeting
The annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held prior to the general meeting for purposes of planning the meeting agenda. A special meeting of the members may be called at any time for any purpose by the President or the Board of Directors or may be called by the representation of a majority of the members.

Article 7: Membership Dues
Dues shall be set by the members and are payable for the calendar year. Annual dues shall be due and payable on the first day of January in each year. The same shall become delinquent January 31 of that year. Failure to pay dues shall automatically eliminate said member from voting privileges in Association business until delinquent dues are paid in full.

Article 8: Amending the Constitution/Bylaws
The Constitution/Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the membership by a majority vote and shall be reviewed annually by the Bylaws Committee. Any member may submit a proposed amendment to the Board of Directors for consideration by the general membership. Said proposed amendment must be submitted to the Board at least thirty (30) days prior to the general membership meeting, and same must be sent to the membership at least two weeks prior to the Annual meeting.

Article 9: Order of Business
The regular order of business at all meetings shall be as follows:
Call to order
Roll call or count of members in good standing
Reading of the minutes of the last Annual meeting
Treasurer�s report
Committee reports
Consideration of special or unfinished business
Consideration of new business
Adjournment

Article 10: WHA Regions
WHA North: Washington , Montana , Northern Idaho (north of WA/OR state line), Canada , Yukon , BC and Alberta
WHA Central: Oregon , Southern Idaho (south of WA/OR state line), Wyoming , Nevada , Utah and Colorado
WHA South: California , Arizona , and New Mexico

Article 11: Annual Event / Rotation of Annual Event Site / Insurance
Section 1: The Annual Event
The Annual Event shall be hosted by members residing within the region scheduled for the given year including all aspects of planning, advertising, sponsoring, hosting and running the event for that year. If a region is not able to take on this task, then the event will be available to other regions for that year. The WHA Board of Directors will consult and assist, but will not become the primary planners.

Section 2: Rotation of Annual Event Site
2009 WHA South
2010 WHA North
2011 WHA Central
2012 WHA South
2013 WHA North
2014 WHA Central
2015 WHA South
And so on

Section 3: Insurance
The WHA will continue to supply insurance for the entire three WHA area/regions, North, Central and Southern, and will continue to do the newsletter with input from all three regions. The area/ region that will be hosting, organizing, and putting on the Annual event will get three (3) days of coverage to be used for the annual event. The two remaining regions will receive two (2) days a year of insurance coverage for events/clinics, etc. Additional coverage may be purchased on an as needed basis. See funding request form for more details.

Article 12: Application for and Distribution of Funds / Funding Applications for Events / Events Calendar
Section 1: Distribution of Funds
The WHA Board shall determine and budget equal funding amounts to each region should an event be planned within a particular region in which monetary support is desired. Funds shall be distributed on a �first-come, first-served� basis.

Section 2: Funding Applications for Events
The WHA Board shall consider applications for funding from each region by reviewing written applications and considering/approving the funds reserved for each region. Meetings for this specific purpose will be scheduled in March, June, September, and December, unless no applications are pending. Additional association business may be conducted as well.

Section 3: Events Calendar
The WHA Board shall oversee a master calendar of events approved for funding. In order to help avoid conflicts of schedules, this will be shared with the Newsletter editor(s) for publication.

Article 13: In the event of dissolution of WHA
(a) In the event of disbanding of "THE WESTERN HAFLINGER ASSOCIATION" all monies and property of "THE WESTERN HAFLINGER ASSOCIATION" shall vest in the "THE AMERICAN HAFLINGER REGISTRY ." [or name some other non-profit agency]
(b) Should the "THE AMERICAN HAFLINGER REGISTRY" no longer be an entity, the following will apply:
"In the event of the liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the corporation, whether voluntary, involuntary or by question of the law, the club officers shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the corporation, dispose of all of the assets of the corporation exclusively for the purposes for the corporation in and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under Section 501 C of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the club officers shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the County in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes."

Signed and approved with amendments by a vote of membership: December 2008
President: Eric Bickel
Vice President: Kiola Krienke
Secretary: Linda Bickel
Treasurer: Carter Chess