President's Message & Announcements
Welcome to Summer!
Unfortunately, we had a rough start to our show season. Due to injuries or Covid some of our shows had to be cancelled. Not something any of us wanted to see but we will work hard to make sure we can finish the season with a bang. For those showing out of state this summer we wish you all great success.
Now on to the good news! When I was elected as board President, my #1 goal was to make the UHJA a 501c3. Anne Harding, our Treasurer, has worked very hard and made that dream come true. We are now officially a Non-profit 501c3. This is very exciting news for the UHJA. Donations can now be tax deductible. WOOHOO! This creates a pathway to grow the club so that in the future we will be able to afford to host rated shows. While this will take time, this is the first step, and we are off to a great start.
When I first became a member of the UHJA 20 years ago it was like a family gathering at every show. Unfortunately, over the last several years it hasn’t felt that way and our membership has decreased. Which leads me to my #2 goal - bringing everyone back together. We are stronger together. We need to support each other at all shows - big or small. Yes, we are competitors, but we are also friends and family. Every single horse and rider that comes to a show should feel welcomed and supported by all. Positivity is the name of the game! If you have a negative comment about a horse or rider, please keep it to yourself. There is no place for such toxicity on show grounds. This is something we as a board feel very strongly about and will address issues if we hear of any such indiscretions. We all work too hard throughout the year to let these kinds of actions bring it all down.
We still have lots of changes to make and I would love everyone’s input to help us make the club be the VERY best it can be. I want to hear about all topics you have something to say. We will be looking at updating the rule book, because even for us, it can get confusing. So please, no matter what is on your mind - big, small, personal or operational - I want to hear about it. I cannot stress enough how important all of you are to the future of the UHJA and I know all of us can make it into something special! Thank you for all your support and I look forward to hearing from you.
Melissa Kovner
UHJA President
