Ontario Competitive Trail Riding Association
Endurance, Competitive Trail, Ride n Tie, Limited Distance and Set Speed events throughout Ontario
Hi all! While you are sitting inside staying warm and cozy, just a reminder that the OCTRA Membership Secretary is too! I am ready to receive membership renewals for 2020 so why not do it today!!!
Use this handy link online form.
If you are a lifetime member or have prepaid, just enter ‘NA’ in the dollar amount. Hope to hear from you all soon.
Plans are underway to hold the 2019 OCTRA Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday February 22 once again at the Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn & Convention Centre. The election of two officers and one director is on the agenda. All nominations must be received by the Nominations and Elections Committee by December 24 (60 days prior to to the AGM). The Nominations and Elections Committee will publish personal profiles of all nominees by January 23 (30 days prior to the AGM).
Nominations will be accepted, as per the rotation outlined in bylaw 3.5.2, for:
Members may login to update many details about themselves such as address, insurance coverage, phone numbers, etc.. Several changes to this capability have just been implemented including non-OCTRA membership numbers and Equine infectious anemia date (EIA date) for horses. Also, Family Memberships are now included more thoroughly in the “do it yourself” approach to data management at OCTRA.
Read more about these changes
Changes to the enrollment process for the Distance Rewards Program have been approved by the Board of Directors to increase clarity and member participation. The changes affect renewing members, new members, currently competing horses, all new horses, and horses changing owners. In brief, beginning in 2019, OCTRA Membership automatically includes the Distance Rewards Program for riders. In addition, for a horse to compete for any year end award, the horse must be registered with OCTRA.
A year in review issue The Pulse – May 2018 – The Yearbook has just been released. Thanks go to Judy Durst (Editor), Rose Danko (Pulse Committee), and Kristen Howard (Production and Design) for this 79 page compendium. It is chock full of pictures, statistics, results, award winners, articles, and more. This is a very impressive release. You can find it here..
At the 2016 AGM members introduced voting by proxy. This permits members who cannot attend the AGM to still have their views expressed and to contribute their vote on OCTRA resolutions and elections. The rules are outlined in paragraph 3.1.2 of the OCTRA Rule Book including a basic example proxy form.
The 2017 AGM is the first time OCTRA will allow proxy voting. Therefore the likely number of proxy assignments is a complete unknown to the AGM organizing committee. In order to forestall possible complications and delays at registration, members are requested to inform the OCTRA Secretary ten days in advance (i.e. by Wednesday, February 7, 2018) of their intention to assign proxy and to whom their proxy will be assigned. Please send this information by email to secretary@octra.on.ca.
NOTE: Notwithstanding the above, the AGM registration desk will continue to process proxy forms up to the start of the AGM meeting.
For your convenience, here is a link to an useful proxy form that covers all the bases.
Dear OCTRA Member
The OCTRA Board of Directors has decided to recall the request for a membership vote on four resolutions recently sent via Constant Contact due to identified issues in the mechanics of voting and difficulties ensuring the full membership receipt. The resolutions will be returned to the Committee Chair.
Please ensure as a member, that the OCTRA Membership Secretary has your current email address especially for family memberships as individual email addresses are required. Since the majority of members have email access, the OCTRA Board of Directors will continue to reach out using this format. As a member should you not have email access please indicate a current mailing address.
In the future, recommended resolutions by committees will be posted, with an end date, as a draft resolution to the OCTRA website Forum for member discussion and will include a review requirement by the committee chair, before the final recommended resolution is submitted to the OCTRA Board of Directors for approved membership distribution and voting.
We thank you for your understanding and contributions during a time of reorganizing and restructuring and encourage members to volunteer for specific committees. Presently a Rulebook Committee is forming and requesting volunteers.
Sincerely,
OCTRA Board of Directors
UPDATE OCTOBER 2017: the website discussion forum moved to the Facebook Members Only page.
You asked for it. Now you have it. On the For Members page there is now a link for logged in members to the OCTRA Discussion Forums. All forums are restricted to members.
For the past four years Michelle Bignell has kept OCTRA’s books and financials on a solid footing with her extensive background in commercial finance and accounting. This spring she decided to resign as OCTRA Treasurer. OCTRA will miss her eagle eye and QuickBooks acumen. Thank you for your years of service and all you have contributed to the health and vitality of this community.
The Board of Directors has launched a search for a new treasurer. Interested members should contact president@octra.on.ca.
The Board of Directors has appointed Rick Burnside as Treasurer.