Hello fellow Pony and Mini Owners...
I am writing today to address an issue that I feel is very serious and can be devisive and devastating to the ASPC/AMHR.
Once again, there is a proposal to move Congress to the Ohio State Fairgrounds during the Horse Show portion just prior to the fair. As I understand, the Congress would not be a production of the ASPC, but rather a show hosted by the OSF. The show would be managed by the show manager of the OSF and would be done in conjunction with the other breeds and our classes could or would be intermingled with those. The Fair show offers paybacks, yes. That is the part that might draw many people into the show. Here is how I see it, and of course I know there are many differing opinions. I hope you read through my entire email and perhaps some of what I have to say will make sense to you.
#1 This is OUR NATIONAL SHOW. It belongs to the exhibitors of the American Shetland Pony. I do not want OUR National Show to be a Fair Show much less mixed in with other breeds who are simply doing....a fair show. I have researched and can find NO other breed that does their National Show with other breeds in a State Fair show.
#2 They do offer paybacks at the fair show, but I do not consider them significant enough to give up OUR NATIONAL SHOW. But guess what, if anyone DOES feel that way, that show already exists. ANYONE CAN ALREADY SHOW THERE AND GET PAYBACKS. The show happens every year and there are mini AND pony classes already in the show. Those people who want to show there CAN do just that. Yet some want to take away the National Shetland Congress or sell it to the OSF. WHY? Because they are not happy with the location?...so rather than find a suitable home for THE NATIONAL SHETLAND CONGRESS we do away with OUR NATIONAL SHOW to incorporate it in one that already exists? You NOW have the CHOICE to show at OSF, yet some want to away OUR choice to have a show run and under the control of the American Shetland Pony Club as OUR NATIONAL SHOW.
#3 This issue is quickly becoming a very devisive one in the American Shetland Pony Club. Of course there are those that will never want to change or make way for new ideas and new people. And there are those that have foresight and vision...who understand that change is inevitable. It always seems to be the ones losing control who fight the hardest to keep it at all costs. Often it is to the detriment of the whole, because it CAN tear us apart. We cannot allow that to happen. But we have to move into the future...not go backward. History is something to cherish and honor, but not something to stifle growth or opportunity. We have to consider where the American Shetland Pony is going. Regardless of what the $$ signs say about Congress any given year, this club has GROWN. Shetland ponies are SELLING to Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, California, Washington AND all points in between. This might be only the beginning. What was happening to the Shetland pony 10 years ago? I know here in Texas not much. Do we want to go back to that? A few years ago we asked for a MORE central location. Congress HAD to move and we were given Cloverdale. That didn't work out so we AGAIN asked for a MORE CENTRAL location and the proposal was submitted for Ohio. And then it was submitted AGAIN at a board meeting. Last year we went to Ardmore...okay maybe that isn't central either, but some who are NOW yelling NOT CENTRAL NOT CENTRAL are the very same that submitted the proposal and/or supported said proposals to OSF. Which is definitely NOT central. We CAN find a home for the Congress ... there are many many level headed people working on finding a home for Congress. But please do not allow this issue to alienate half of the members. We can find something better. We need to be PROUD of OUR registry and OUR National Show.
#4 This proposal has been submitted at least two or three times ALREADY. Isn't it time to put it to bed and say NO. Can we continue to fight this fight every year? We need EVERYONE to attend Convention. If you are from Area V or ANY other Area PLEASE come to Convention or CALL, WRITE, EMAIL YOUR DIRECTORS to let them know that you do NOT want to turn OUR NATIONAL SHOW over to the Ohio State Fair. We cannot continue to find a home for Congress and do WHAT IS RIGHT for the association as a whole when we must keep fighting grass fires. Let's make some grown up decisions that are GOOD FOR THIS REGISTRY. NOT out of anger or spite or a power play, but what we think will benefit the American Shetland Pony Club as a whole.
What I want and most thinking people want is EQUITY, FAIRNESS, GOODWILL, CONSIDERATION. We are NOT asking the show move permanently to Oklahoma or Texas. But there are those that are asking that it move to OHIO. Yet when you look at the numbers attending past Congresses, they are certainly not indicative of an Ohio majority. Let us find the RIGHT home for Congress and please let us settle this issue by allowing the National Shetland Congress to be afforded the respect it deserves by finding it a home that serves us all best.
Thank you so much if you read all the way down!
Michelle Koster
Member of the American Shetland Pony Club
I am writing today to address an issue that I feel is very serious and can be devisive and devastating to the ASPC/AMHR.
Once again, there is a proposal to move Congress to the Ohio State Fairgrounds during the Horse Show portion just prior to the fair. As I understand, the Congress would not be a production of the ASPC, but rather a show hosted by the OSF. The show would be managed by the show manager of the OSF and would be done in conjunction with the other breeds and our classes could or would be intermingled with those. The Fair show offers paybacks, yes. That is the part that might draw many people into the show. Here is how I see it, and of course I know there are many differing opinions. I hope you read through my entire email and perhaps some of what I have to say will make sense to you.
#1 This is OUR NATIONAL SHOW. It belongs to the exhibitors of the American Shetland Pony. I do not want OUR National Show to be a Fair Show much less mixed in with other breeds who are simply doing....a fair show. I have researched and can find NO other breed that does their National Show with other breeds in a State Fair show.
#2 They do offer paybacks at the fair show, but I do not consider them significant enough to give up OUR NATIONAL SHOW. But guess what, if anyone DOES feel that way, that show already exists. ANYONE CAN ALREADY SHOW THERE AND GET PAYBACKS. The show happens every year and there are mini AND pony classes already in the show. Those people who want to show there CAN do just that. Yet some want to take away the National Shetland Congress or sell it to the OSF. WHY? Because they are not happy with the location?...so rather than find a suitable home for THE NATIONAL SHETLAND CONGRESS we do away with OUR NATIONAL SHOW to incorporate it in one that already exists? You NOW have the CHOICE to show at OSF, yet some want to away OUR choice to have a show run and under the control of the American Shetland Pony Club as OUR NATIONAL SHOW.
#3 This issue is quickly becoming a very devisive one in the American Shetland Pony Club. Of course there are those that will never want to change or make way for new ideas and new people. And there are those that have foresight and vision...who understand that change is inevitable. It always seems to be the ones losing control who fight the hardest to keep it at all costs. Often it is to the detriment of the whole, because it CAN tear us apart. We cannot allow that to happen. But we have to move into the future...not go backward. History is something to cherish and honor, but not something to stifle growth or opportunity. We have to consider where the American Shetland Pony is going. Regardless of what the $$ signs say about Congress any given year, this club has GROWN. Shetland ponies are SELLING to Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, California, Washington AND all points in between. This might be only the beginning. What was happening to the Shetland pony 10 years ago? I know here in Texas not much. Do we want to go back to that? A few years ago we asked for a MORE central location. Congress HAD to move and we were given Cloverdale. That didn't work out so we AGAIN asked for a MORE CENTRAL location and the proposal was submitted for Ohio. And then it was submitted AGAIN at a board meeting. Last year we went to Ardmore...okay maybe that isn't central either, but some who are NOW yelling NOT CENTRAL NOT CENTRAL are the very same that submitted the proposal and/or supported said proposals to OSF. Which is definitely NOT central. We CAN find a home for the Congress ... there are many many level headed people working on finding a home for Congress. But please do not allow this issue to alienate half of the members. We can find something better. We need to be PROUD of OUR registry and OUR National Show.
#4 This proposal has been submitted at least two or three times ALREADY. Isn't it time to put it to bed and say NO. Can we continue to fight this fight every year? We need EVERYONE to attend Convention. If you are from Area V or ANY other Area PLEASE come to Convention or CALL, WRITE, EMAIL YOUR DIRECTORS to let them know that you do NOT want to turn OUR NATIONAL SHOW over to the Ohio State Fair. We cannot continue to find a home for Congress and do WHAT IS RIGHT for the association as a whole when we must keep fighting grass fires. Let's make some grown up decisions that are GOOD FOR THIS REGISTRY. NOT out of anger or spite or a power play, but what we think will benefit the American Shetland Pony Club as a whole.
What I want and most thinking people want is EQUITY, FAIRNESS, GOODWILL, CONSIDERATION. We are NOT asking the show move permanently to Oklahoma or Texas. But there are those that are asking that it move to OHIO. Yet when you look at the numbers attending past Congresses, they are certainly not indicative of an Ohio majority. Let us find the RIGHT home for Congress and please let us settle this issue by allowing the National Shetland Congress to be afforded the respect it deserves by finding it a home that serves us all best.
Thank you so much if you read all the way down!
Michelle Koster
Member of the American Shetland Pony Club