FOUNTAIN RIDING AND ROPING CLUB

GENERAL RULES

WITH COMMITTEE RULES

MARCH 2017

Rules are a guideline to facilitate Club activities. It is expected that members of the FRRC exercise Club citizenship by participating in the operation of the Club; i.e., attend meetings, assist with putting on events, clean up days, etc. It takes the work of numerous individuals to sustain the operations of the Club and provide safe, fun, and enjoyable activities. While requirements to attend a certain number of meetings and/or work events have been eliminated, it behooves all Club members to contribute to the success of the Club.

I. MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

1. First year membership dues of $40.00 will include:

a. The rights, duties and obligations of the Club for two (2) adults.

b. The rights, duties and obligations of a junior member of the Club for children are 17 years

old and under on January 1 of that year and are in the same family.

  1. Any single person 18 years of age and over, as of January 1st, will pay an individual membership.
  2. Renewal memberships are $25.00 per family or single individual, payable annually.
  3. A member is responsible to notify the Secretary of any change of address and/or telephone number.
  4. Children may ride under a grandparent’s membership at day competitions when not competing for a year-end award. If visits during the season qualify the children for year-end awards, then a parent membership must be paid.
  5. A membership applied for and accepted at the September meeting or before the year-end will be carried over to the next year.

2. Applications for membership will be accepted from an adult member of the family. New membership applications must be voted on by the General Membership at regular Club meetings. This may be by secret ballot. No application will be considered unless filled out, signed by an adult or legal guardian and proper fees turned in.

3. A junior member is defined as any member, 17 years old and under on January 1 of that year.

4. To qualify for year-end awards, competitors must be in good standing. Adult competitors must comply with the FRRC general rules for eligibility for year-end awards. In addition, adults must attend two (2) meetings and work at five (5) money-making events.

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5. Membership may be terminated by:

  1. Any member in good standing may resign from the club upon written notice to the Secretary. Such resignation will be announced at the next regular club meeting. Dues owed and other indebtedness to the club remain financial obligation to the Club until paid.
  2. A membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such member’s dues remain unpaid by the March meeting. As of the March meeting, new membership fees shall apply.
  3. A membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically suspended, if such member’s indebtedness (other than dues) to the Club remains unpaid thirty (30) days after the date of the first billing. The Board may, at its discretion, grant an additional thirty (30) day grace period to such delinquent members after which membership will be terminated. An individual whose membership is so terminated may not reapply for membership until all past obligations ever owed to the club have been paid or waived, in part or whole, by the Board of Directors.
  4. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as voted on by the Board of Directors for actions held to be detrimental to the club.
  5. Any membership that was terminated by expulsion cannot be renewed for new membership without first being reviewed by the Board of Directors.

II. RULES AND BEHAVIOR

1. Dress Code: Riders will not be allowed in the arena for any event without appropriate apparel; heeled boots and long pants are required, and long sleeved shirts with collars are recommended. Short-sleeved shirts with collars will be allowed. No tank tops, spaghetti straps, midriffs, low cut neckline will be allowed at ANY FRRC event. A medical release will be honored. (Dr’s note is needed for anything other than heeled boots.)

2. Riders, in the opinion of the Arena Director, who have unruly animals or unsafe equipment (i.e., clip-on spurs, frayed cinches, etc.) will be asked to make the correction; if they do not comply, they may be asked to leave.

3. Unsportsman-like conduct will not be tolerated, either in or around the arena. Anyone indulging in any such behavior will be asked to cease the behavior and may be asked to leave. If any irresponsible behavior occurs (i.e., fighting (verbal or physical), extreme use of profanity, drinking, etc.) which in the opinion of the Arena Director could result in injury either to a person or an animal, the person(s) responsible may be asked to leave the grounds.

4. You are required to clean up around your trailer.

5. If Club membership has been terminated or expulsion occurred, any accumulated points for the current point year will be lost.

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6. All members are representatives of the Club and are expected to conduct themselves with dignity and respect at events. Issues with Club rules, activities, etc., should be conducted at Club meetings and not aired in front of the public.

7. Livestock shall not be tied with reins to a hitching post or arena fence.

8. No livestock shall be allowed in the bleacher area, split rail fence, around the clubhouse, or

Concessions on the west side.

III. TREATMENT OF ANIMALS

1. No stallions can be handled by anyone under 18 unless previously approved.

2. No unruly animals.

3. Animals are to be at a walk outside the arena unless warming up in the designated area.

4. A red ribbon must be tied on the tail of any animal that kicks. These animals must be parked away from other trailers, if possible.

5. All dogs are to be on a leash.

6. Riders/participants are responsible for their animals. Perception or obvious mistreatment of animals will be addressed, and rider may be asked to leave.

7. It is expected that competitors maintain their livestock in good health and not knowingly expose other animals to communicable diseases.

IV. MISCELLANEOUS RULES

1. A proposed rule change or an addendum to an existing rule to be made during the year shall be proposed in writing at a General Membership meeting, then published to the Membership and voted on at the next regular meeting by members present.

2. Gifts, cards and/or flowers will be limited to only members’ funerals, not to exceed amount to be determined on an annual basis by vote of the Membership. Any other life event known to the Club will be limited to cards only.

  1. Inventory of Club assets will be conducted annually and kept in the Secretary’s and Treasurer’s records. No Club assets will be loaned out. All Club keys will be turned in at the conclusion of each year and reissued for the following year.
  2. All rules concerning the competitive events or for year-end awards for Club points (barrel racing, gymkhanas, roping, sorting, royalty, etc.) shall not be changed once the competition year begins. Copies of all event rules, including jackpots, shall be available to members competing or interested in those individual events.
  3. The arena gate is to be closed and latched during all events. Competitors must enter and exit the gate at a walk. The gatekeeper must be at least 18 years old and make sure horses are under control when entering and exiting the arena.
  4. A parent, instructor, or designated person must be present to accept responsibility for junior contestants.

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  1. All spectators will be requested to be in the bleacher areas provided. Spectators are not to mingle among the competitors during any event held. No spectator is allowed within 20’ of the gate.
  2. The Board of Directors may authorize expenditures of $100 per month without membership approval.

V. COMMITTEES

1. The President shall appoint any committee necessary to carry out the functions of the Club.

a. At the February meeting the President shall appoint any other committees deemed

necessary to fulfill the activities of the Club for that year.

  1. The Nominating Committee shall be appointed at the September meeting. The Nominating Committee should include one member of the Board of Directors and one Junior Member.
  2. Additional committees shall be appointed as needed.
  3. Any vacancies in the committees shall be filled by appointment by the President.
  4. If possible all committees should have at least five (5) members.
  5. Event committees are responsible for reviewing and updating rules and presenting revisions/changes prior to the start of the event season. Establishing dates for competitions for Club review, keeping records of all events, tracking points (if needed), keeping financial records of all events for submission to the Club Treasurer, and working with the Awards and Banquet Committees, for year-end awards.
  6. Stock committee shall be responsible for the care and feeding of Club owned or leased livestock and ensuring there is no abuse of animals.
  7. Committees serve at the leisure of the Club and have a certain amount of autonomy to handle the day to day issues for which appointed; all financial obligations or commitment of Club assets must be brought to the General Membership for vote.

2. Specific committee requirements are:

  1. NOMINATING COMMITTEE

The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee at the September General Member-

ship meeting. The Committee shall consist of three (3) to five (5) members & will include

not more than one (1) member of the Board of Directors and one (1) junior member.

1.) The Nominating Committee shall nominate at least one (1) candidate for each office and each vacancy on the Board. Consent must be obtained from each nominee. Consent may be oral to the Nominating Committee.

2.) The Nominating Committee will report back to the General Membership at the October meeting with their slate of nominees. A list of all nominees shall be published in the October newsletter. Elections will be held in November. Nominations may be accepted from the floor at the November meeting. The person/persons so nominated must consent to accept the office if elected, either personally or in writing.

3.) All nominees must be FRRC members in good standing and preferably a member for at least

one year

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  1. GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE

The Grievance Committee shall be responsible for:

1.) Collect a $100.00 grievance filing fee from the complainant at the start of Grievance meeting.

2.) Review all formal complaints and recommend corrective measures to resolve such disputes in the timeframe outlined in the By-Laws.

3.) Retain or refund the $100.00 filing fee in accordance to the Committee’s final decision on grievance.

4.) Report results of grievance to the Board of Directors for disposition.

5.) No members from the same paid membership can serve on the Grievance Committee.

  1. HISTORIAN COMMITTEE

The Historian Committee shall be responsible for:

1.) Keep the official scrapbook with newspaper clippings, photographs, etc., up to date.

2.) Make appropriate information/pictures/articles etc., available to be scanned into the FRRC website.

3.) Historical artifacts/memorabilia shall be displayed at appropriate locations or events.

  1. PUBLICITY/ADVERTISING COMMITTEE

The Publicity Committee shall be responsible for:

1.) Publicizing all upcoming events that are, open to the public, in the local newspaper.

2.) Arranging for announcements concerning FRRC to the media. Such announcements are to include contact information of chairpersons or persons responsible for entries.

3.) Coordinating with Website Committee to update calendar and posting of

upcoming FRRC events.

4.) Social media may be used for FRRC communications. The Publicity Committee will

monitor such communications to ensure it is within the Club’s objectives and

standards.

  1. PHONE COMMITTEE

Coordinate with Committee Chairpersons to assist in notifying FRRC members of cancelled and/or rescheduled events. Weather permitting a three (3) hour notification of cancellations is recommended.

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  1. WEBSITE COMMITTEE

The Website Committee shall be responsible for:

1.) General maintenance and oversight of the FRRC website, including but not limited to , posting upcoming events, event rules and results as well as updating the seasonal calendar.

2.) Payment of website fees and/or annual dues to be reimbursed by FRRC.

  1. CONTRACT COMMITTEE

The Contract Committee shall be responsible for:

1.) Review existing Arena Use Agreement Contract and recommending changes/revisions prior to start of event season. Contracts must comply with FRRC General Rules, when applicable.

2.) Coordinate with outside entities to negotiate and sign arena use contracts, including insurance requirements.

3.) Collect arena use fees and deposits.

4.) Establish event dates without conflicting with other FRRC scheduled events.

5.) Coordinate with Concession Committee for event coverage, if necessary.

6.) Keep financial records of expense receipts and income to assist the Club

Treasurer with accurate bookkeeping.

7.) Coordinate with Maintenance Committee for ground conditioning, if necessary.

  1. CONCESSION COMMITTEE

The Concession Committee shall be responsible for:

1.) Keeping an inventory of all food stuffs and drinks available and order replacements as needed.

2.) Keep financial records of expense receipts and income to assist the Club Treasurer with accurate bookkeeping.

  1. MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE

The Maintenance Committee shall be responsible for:

1.) Repair and /or managing repair for all FRRC facilities, including but not limited to

buildings, fence/panels tractors, etc.

2.) Report to FRRC General Membership, repairs needed to facilities or equipment.

3.) Keep financial records of expense receipts and income to assist the Club

Treasurer with accurate bookkeeping.

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J. GYMKHANA COMMITTEE

The Gymkhana Committee shall be responsible for:

1.) Review existing Gymkhana Rules and recommending changes/revisions prior to

the event season.

2.) Gymkhana rules will become part of the FRRC General Rules.

3.) Establish event dates without conflicting with other scheduled FRRC events.

4.) Inventory show ribbons/trophies available and order replacements as needed.

5.) Keep records of all shows, workers and individual contestant points for year-end

awards.

6.) Work with the Awards Committee to select appropriate year-end awards.

7.) Children who are visiting members will pay the same entry fee as the member.

8.) Keep financial records of expense receipts, income and payouts to assist the Club

Treasurer with accurate bookkeeping.

9.) Coordinate with Concession Committee for event coverage, if necessary.

10.) Coordinate with Maintenance Committee for ground conditioning, if necessary.

K. JACKPOT BARREL RACE COMMITTEE

The Jackpot Barrel Race Committee shall be responsible for:

1.) Review existing Jackpot Barrel Race Rules and recommending changes/revisions

prior to the event season.

2.) Jackpot rules will become part of the FRRC General Rules.

3.) Establish event dates without conflicting with other scheduled FRRC events.

4.) Coordinate with Concession Committee for event coverage, if necessary

5.) Coordinate with Contract Committee and General Membership on outside

entities wishing to participate or combine events (WPRCA, SCBRA, NBHA, etc.)

6.) Keep records of workers for year-end awards if applicable.

7.) Keep financial records of expense receipts, income and payouts to assist the Club

Treasurer with accurate bookkeeping.

8.) Coordinate with Maintenance Committee for ground conditioning, if necessary.

L. STOCK/SORTING COMMITTEE

The Stock/Sorting committee shall be responsible for:

1.) Review existing Stock/Sorting Rules and recommending changes/revisions prior

to the event season.

2.) Stock/Sorting rules will become part of the FRRC General Rules.

2.) Establish event dates without conflicting with other scheduled FRRC events.

3.) Locate cattle to buy or lease for the jackpot/point season.

4.) Oversee the feeding, medical care, general well-being and humane treatment of

cattle.

5.) Coordinate with Concession Committee for event coverage, if necessary.

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6.) Keep records of all shows, workers and individual contestant points for year-end

awards.

7.) Keep financial records of expense receipts and income to assist the Club Treasurer

with accurate bookkeeping.

8.) Coordinate with Maintenance Committee for ground conditioning, if necessary.

M. SPEED POINTS COMMITTEE

The Speed Points Committee shall be responsible for:

1.) Review existing Speed Points Rules and recommending changes/revisions prior

to the event season.

2.) Speed Point Rules will become part of the FRRC General Rules.

3.) Establish event dates without conflicting with other scheduled FRRC events.

4.) Coordinate with Concession Committee for event coverage, if necessary.

5.) Keep records of all shows, workers, and individual contestant points for year-end

awards.

6.) Work with the Awards Committee to select appropriate year-end awards.

7.) Keep financial records of expense receipts and income to assist the Club

Treasurer with accurate bookkeeping.

8.) Coordinate with Maintenance Committee for ground conditioning, if necessary.

N. OBSTACLE COMMITTEE

The Obstacle Committee shall be responsible for:

1.) Review existing Obstacle Rules and recommending changes/revisions prior to

the event season.

2.) Obstacle Rules will become part of the FRRC General Rules.

3.) Establish event dates without conflicting with other scheduled FRRC events.

4.) Coordinate with Concession Committee for event coverage, if necessary.

5.) Keep records of all shows, workers and individual contestant points for year-end

awards.

6.) Work with the Awards Committee to select appropriate year-end awards.

7.) Keep financial records of expense receipts and income to assist the Club

Treasurer with accurate bookkeeping.

8.) Coordinate with Maintenance Committee for ground conditioning, if necessary.

O. PARADE COMMITTEE

Coordinate club participation in parades.

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P. ROYALTY COMMITTEE

Committee is responsible for setting up rules and getting approval from the General

Membership before the event season begins.

Q. TRAIL COMMITTEE

(Rules Pending)

R. BANQUET

The Banquet Committee shall be responsible for:

1.) Secure a facility to hold the annual Awards and Banquet that meets with allotted

budget.