- Title
The club shall be known as the “WEST SUSSEX RIDING CLUB”. - Objects
The objects of the Club shall be:
2.1 To encourage riding as a sport and recreation, to promote good fellowship amongst riders and to
improve and maintain the standard of riding, horsemanship and welfare.
2.2 To organise instructional meetings, lectures and competitive events and other activities deemed
to further the objects.
2.3 To be affiliated to the British Horse Society and to support and co-operate with recognised
organisations interested in the breeding and use of all breeds and types of horses and ponies.
2.4 To investigate the subject of equestrian access and rights of way with a view to opening those
that have been closed and maintaining and more closely defining those that are in existence.
2.5 To concern itself with any object which will benefit the horse and horse user in the district. - Members
3.1 Full Members (hereinafter described as members) shall comprise Junior Members between the ages of 12 years and 17 years and Senior Members 18 years and over, who have paid the due annual subscription for the current period and agreed to abide by the rules as laid down by the committee.
The committee has the right to refuse Membership to any person without giving their reason for so doing. Honorary Membership may be conferred by the committee upon any persons who have rendered exceptional service to the Club.
3.2 Membership of the Club shall be determined by the status of the rider rather than horse owner. - Anyone desirous of becoming a member shall forward their name and address to the Membership Secretary of the club on the appropriate Nomination form.
- The annual subscription shall be payable on the 1st day of JANUARY in each year. Any member whose subscription is in arrears shall not be entitled to any of the privileges of Membership nor be entitled to vote at any meeting. Any indulgence given to any member shall not ipso facto confer any rights. Any member whose subscription is three months in arrears shall have their name removed from the Membership list after written notice to the effect has been sent to them.
- The Committee may expel from membership of the Club any member who has
disobeyed any of the rules of the Club, or who has in the opinion of the Committee been guilty of any conduct derogatory to the character of or prejudicial to the interests of the Club, provided that before expelling them the Committee shall call upon them for an explanation of their conduct and shall hear what they may argue in their defense. - Any member participating in any mounted event organised by the Club must be correctly dressed in recognised riding attire including hard hat approved by British Riding Clubs, unless otherwise
decreed by British Riding Clubs. - Administration.
8.1 All powers of management shall be vested in a committee consisting of the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretaries, Honorary Treasurer, to a maximum of 8 other committee members. Seven shall form a quorum providing that the number consists of either the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and either Honorary Secretaries or Honorary Treasurer.
8.2 At the Annual General Meeting each year, one third of the committee shall retire. The members to retire being those who have been longest in office and as between those who have been in office for the same length of time the Members to retire shall be determined by lot. Retiring Members
shall be eligible for re-election.
8.3 Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretaries and Honorary Treasurer shall be elected annually by the committee from among their number.
8.4 The decision of the Committee shall be final unless over-ruled at a General Meeting.
8.5 The Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of the rules or for anything relating to the Club not provided therein, and their decision shall be final and binding on the Members.
8.6 The Committee may formulate by-laws for the detailed running of the Club and elect sub Committees for any special activities of the Club which the Committee may authorise.
8.7 The Committee shall have the power to fill any casual vacancy arising among members of the Committee, but any person so co-opted shall retain office only until the next following Annual General Meeting and shall then be eligible for election. - The financial year of the Club shall commence on the lst day of January in each year and end on the 31st day of December in the same calendar year.
- Every member or representative must help at a minimum or 2 events per year.
- The Committee may appoint annually a President and Vice-President. These may not by virtue only of such appointment become members of the Committee.
- The Annual General Meeting shall be held in January/February in each year to transact the following business:
12.1 To receive and if approved to adopt a statement of the Club's Accounts to the end of the preceding year.
12.2 To elect a Chairman for the ensuing year who shall in addition, be Chairman of the Committee during their office that is from the A.G.M. To take office immediately in line with the newly elected Committee.
12.3 To fill vacancies on the Committee.
12.4 To appoint an Auditor.
12.5 To deal with any special matter which the Committee may desire to bring before the Members and to receive suggestions from the Members for consideration by the Committee. Notice convening the General Meeting shall be sent to the Members not less than four weeks before the Meeting and shall specify the matters to be dealt with. - The Committee
13.1 Members desiring to nominate a Member to serve on the Committee shall notify the name and address of such Member to the Secretary not less than four weeks before an Annual General Meeting together with the name and address of the Member seconding, together with an intimation that such Member is willing to serve. At any Annual General Meeting where the number of retiring Members wishing to serve again plus those freshly nominated exceeds the number of vacancies on the Committee, election shall be by ballot during the course of the Meeting. The votes so recorded shall be scrutinised and the result declared by two independent scrutinisers.
13.2 The serving Chairman shall not be entitled to nominate or second any officer for election to the new Committee.
14. A Special General Meeting may be called by the Committee or by a request signed by not less than seven Members, specifying the business to be discussed. The Secretary shall give all Members four weeks notice of the date of such a Meeting and shall specify in such notice matters to be dealt with at such meeting.
15. The Accounts of the Club shall be audited each year by the person appointed at the previous Annual General Meeting.
16. Notice may be given to any Member by sending it by email or post to their address in the United Kingdom registered in the records of the Club. If any Member has no address in the United Kingdom such Member shall not be entitled to receive any notice. The accidental omission to give notice of a Meeting or the non-receipt of a notice of a meeting by any Member shall not invalidate the proceedings of that Meeting.
17. All Members shall be required to assist at a minimum number of Club Events in any one year (defined in (10) above). Members will be advised of the requisite number on joining or when invited to renew their membership for the ensuing year.
18. The Club, its Committee or persons acting on their behalf shall not be held responsible for any accident or injury to any persons or property howsoever caused.
19. These rules may be added to, repealed or amended at any Annual or Special General Meeting, provided that no such resolution shall be deemed to have been passed unless carried by a majority of at least two-thirds of the Members present and voting thereon, and provided that prior notice has been sent to all Members stating the proposed amendment.
20. Club membership data may be maintained on a computer and the provisions of the Data Protection Act shall apply to those records, where appropriate.
21. The use of Facebook is for information purposes only, any inappropriate personal comment made shall be removed.