Election Results and A Path Forward
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Dear Members,
Thank you to everyone who participated in last week’s annual meeting of the American Saddlebred Horse and Breeders Association. The passion shown by our membership demonstrates just how deeply we all care about the future of the American Saddlebred.
A few highlights from the meeting:
•Sara Mayer introduced as new executive director. Sara brings a wealth of experience in nonprofit leadership, business consulting, and event production to our association — along with a passion for horses and a lifelong connection to the American Saddlebred. You will be hearing much more about Sara and her plans in the coming days.
•Proposed bylaw changes not adopted. The proposed bylaw changes were defeated by a vote of 858 to 534. A link to view the annual meeting is available on our website.
•The meeting will reconvene on Monday, February 24th at 5 p.m. via Zoom for the sole purpose of receiving the report of the nominating committee results. Meeting details will follow in the upcoming days.
We know that this has been an unsettling time for the association, and while members may have differing views on the best path forward, one thing remains clear: we are all united by our love of the American Saddlebred.
The spirited conversations leading up to this vote have underscored an important reality — our members want a greater voice in how our association is governed. We hear you. To that end, the Board has resolved to return to popular election by the membership for all Board seats, as terms expire, beginning with the election later this year. We will rely on you to nominate a diverse group of members who will represent our great breed with honor and integrity.
Now it is time for us to come together and move forward as one. Our horses deserve our best — and that means working side by side to support our breeders, trainers, exhibitors, and enthusiasts. To that end, we are re-opening the opportunity for you to join one of our committees and support the important work we are doing. Click here for the application form for our committees. Applications are due by March 7 (if you have already submitted an application for a 2025 committee, you do not need to apply again).
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to this breed and this association. Let’s continue building a strong future together.
Sincerely,
ASHBA Board of Directors
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