I have also asked for opinions about me forming a judges nominating cmte for sheepdog judges. This year we had only 4 people nominated for the required 4 spots. All four a good solid judges, so no  problem. However, If I get a group formed with the specific task of soliciting nominations from the members, then making sure each nominee has a good solid written resume for the directors to look at before voting, I feel it will add something positive to the judge selection process. It should also insure that we have choices for the positions.

We are looking at ideas for the 2010 finals from director Dean Holcomb and Donald McCaig. They are doing the ground work for going back to the same site as was used in Virginia on 99. It is called Belle Grove plantation. The people at the plantation want the finals there and it seems to be coming together well. I feel that getting a site selected this far in advance will help the local people in their efforts to have a good event. This is all in the planning stages, nothing decided for sure as of this date.

We now have the addition of “pay pal “  feature to our web site.  Hopefully this is a useful tool for members. You can use it for any money you may want to send to Francis, membership, entry fees, sponsorship, etc. The idea was from Laura Hicks, who is soliciting individual dog sponsorships for the National Finals contestants at Sturgis. People should contact her if you are interested in sponsoring a dog.

Thanks you for reading   Herbert Holmes

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March 13, 2008

I have been doing financial projections and a bit of analyzing the finance of the HA. While we have enjoyed 4 years of good growth in our finances, there are red flags for our future soundness. We enjoyed a tremendously good finals money wise at Gettysburg. However, that was the first in a while where we recouped sheep cost. I do not think we can count on that year to year. All cost related to the finals are going up. We have lost $15000 in sponsorship the past two years, and do not have long term prospects on the radar. The overall economic projections are not great in the near future, fuel prices are rising, so we need to be on top of declining dog entry's, resulting in declining sanctioning fees (our main source of revenue, other than finals entry fees). We need sound ides from folks about fund raising as well as the desire to follow up with leg work for those ideas.    

Respectfully,

Herbert Holmes

Jan.  30,  2008

Membership,

 A brief update on the board of directors discussion. Nothing at all has gone on the past three months or so that was an "official motion".

I did report to the board that the USBCHA had a net of $30,000, plus or minus a few dollars for the 07 year.

 The Gettysburg finals paid us back all of the livestock fund money.

 I got positive feedback to raising judges salary at the cow and sheep finals to $2,000.00 per judge.

 There is now a discussion on the subject" what can we do for our members", with an emphasis on giving some kind of worthwhile memento for those who accomplish their goal of making the national championship, then the semi's and the finals. All of that is just discussion.

 One board member has brought up the sanctioning of arena trials and is soliciting opinions on that.

 I am now soliciting proposals to host the 09 cowdog finals. Those proposals need to be into us by the end of May. It is also time to be thinking of 08 sheepdog judges. We will soon post a questionnaire that must be completed before a persons name will be posted on the ballot. 

 That is  all I know of at this point in time,, Herbert Holmes 

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Membership,

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Hello To all.

It has been a while since I wrote anything for this venue. I apologize for that, but it seems that we are busy with one thing then another around here. The sheepdog finals are long over and the cattle finals are fast approaching. It takes a lot of hard work on the part of volunteer members to make these events fly. Thank you. We are getting in bids for both the 07 cattle and sheep finals. This is encouraging, on the cattle end of it. That program needs a good boost. 

The finances for the USBCHA look good in general. The bank has $50,000 in general funds and $7500 in the livestock fund. A lot of the livestock money is committed to this years finals, but all in all it looks good.

The memberships are slightly up, the sanctioning fees are up as well. This is all a welcome change from a year ago. Again this is mainly due to membership support and fiscal responsibility on the part of the directors. The directors are going to be busy the next couple of months, so stay in touch with them for anything you might want discussed  

Thanks a lot, Herbert
Feb. 24. 2006

Proposals for the 07 cattle dog finals need to be in the office by March 1, 2006. Anyone needing info please contact me thru the email herbertholmes@direcway.com .

Things are going smoothly for the sheepdog finals in Oregon. The cattle committee is working like a herd of turtles on the Big Lake finals for 06.

We need host site for the cattle in 07. Please get your thoughts into us if you are interested in the thing. Also, the members need to get the nominations for judges for cattle and sheep into Francis ASAP.

Thanks a lot, Herbert
 

hmh 

July 18, 2005
Here are the things the BOD have discussed in the past month. Some of them will not come up at the BOD meeting in September because they do not have the support. The items that had the support, but require a BOD vote will be on the agenda at Sturgis, other items will be implemented w/o BOD vote, as it was not officially required.

Lifetime membership fund - All life time membership money will go into a separate fund to be invested for us, with a 10 year amortization period. In other words, no one can spend over 10% of that money per year. Hopefully future officers will follow that procedure. I am going to get the BOD to vote that in at Sturgis so no individual can change it.

We are going to put out a statement, not a rule, the the BOD will strive to pay back to the contestants 75% of the entry fee, before sponsorship money, at all future national finals.

Cattle finals entry fees raised to $250. This will  be voted on at Sturgis. A majority of the BOD are in favor

A member ask that we try to implement a modified international shed. It was decided to keep it the same.

Judges nominations will come to the BOD from the general membership. A guideline and questionnaire for the judges is forthcoming. Also included in this will be a vote to allow judges to work the finals only once every 5 years.

The 7 day period for filing a protest will be extended to 14 days, to be voted at BOD meeting, most directors in favor of this.

Prize money at the finals will be cut by about $1500, part in nursery, part in open. This will reflect the cut in the number of dogs running in the semi finals and finals of the open, and bring the nursery pay out in line with the numbers of dogs and the entry fees. This is not a BOD meeting vote, it is already approved and done.

HH

HH
 

June 19, 2005

     Hello to all, hope this finds you in good health and good spirits.

     The world trial competitors are all leaving in the next few days. We wish them the best of luck, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for the trouble and expense they incurred to represent us at the world trial. Thank all of you very much.

     As always, I am talking about money and budgets. Things look very good to me at this time in regards to our income. I believe we are going to hit our budget mark of $10,000.00 in savings for the year, plus our lifetime membership money in savings as well. I missed the cattle dog report by $4000.00. We did not make any money there, but we did break even, which in itself was $1750.00 under budget. Having said that, we must hold a firm line on our spending in the future, through more competitive bids for sheep and cattle, and holding discretionary spending down. Craig Rogers is soliciting cattle dog finals host sites with all that in mind. In regards to the cattle finals, we have to find a site and livestock that cost no more than $7500.00, or it will not work.

      We have two proposals before the BOD at this time. One is to change the time for filing official complaints from 7 days to 14 days. The other is to guarantee 75% of the finals entry fees be paid back to the handlers in prize money, before any sponsorship is added to it I believe both of these are good proposals. Please contact your director with your thoughts on these things.

      In the near future, the BOD will address going up on the cattle finals entry fee (from $200 to $250). Get you ideas on this public. The reason I am going to propose the raise is simple. We need it to keep the prize money on the increase, and to pay expenses. The sanctioning fee money from the cattle trials does not generate enough money to help with the cattle finals. It takes all plus more of that money to pay the cattle share of the office expense. One other reason is the side pot the competitors had at Big Lake. More than 50% of the people participated in that, so I feel a $50 raise will be accepted.

      The directors did a lot of work the first 4 months of the year. They are starting to ramp it up again. I think that this board is the most active I have seen. You should keep in mind when you post derogatory things about them, or hint that they are not operating honestly, that they work hard, for free, and absolutely never do they get a thank you. I believe that one of the best things you could do for this association is thank a director for the work they are doing. This is the only pay they get so make it positive at times.        

Thanks, Herbert Holmes

March 19, 2005

To:  Membership
From:  Herbert Holmes

      Hello, I hope this finds all of you doing well this month. It has been a hectic two and a half months around our house in regards to the Handler’s business. Also trying to work a dog or two, plus a day job. I must take this time to thank my wife for her patience during all this, as well as her support. Sad to here the news of Ralph Pulfer’s death a man who ‘s influence on the dog trialing scene will be sorely missed. “Seven Spanish angel’s took another angel home”. 

     The business of the handler’s association is running along smoothly. We have prospective bids coming in from Sturgis as well Klamath Falls. You members should voice your support for these two groups for their hard work in preparing these bids. A lot of planning and effort for the whole finals has to be done before they send in the bid, and then someone does not get to do it. So again, try to tell them thank you.  

     The finances are coming in to order as the monthly cash flow from memberships and sanctioning fees comes it at or slightly above last year’s numbers. It is too early to shout hurrah, but your director’s and officer’s are making cut’s in the budget wherever it is possible. The “cash cow” we had become is dry and people are realizing this and taking the appropriate steps to get it right. Emil Luedecke is hosting a trial to raise money for our national finals. This is an effort that never got off the ground last year, but if each district put one of these on, we would see a quick turn around in our fund raising efforts. We have solicited sponsors for the buckle program at $175.00 per sponsorship. So far we have a good response to this, with seven sponsors so far and more on the horizon. In return, the “buckle sponsors” receive $175.00 worth of classified adverts. Anyone interested please contact the sec office.  

     The upcoming cattle final promises to be a good one. The people at Big Lake are doing a good job. Jimmy Walker out cattle cee. Chairman is working very hard and seems all preparation is coming together. There are also two or three bid prospects coming in on the cattle finals for 06. I think there are some exciting possibilities there.  

     The board is going to start on the sheep finals budget in the coming weeks. They have been doing a lot of work on the sheep finals themselves over the past month. Most of this work are things that the cee. has done in past years. I think this gives the board more hands on input into things. This was a much-needed thing at this time for the organization. Please tell your director thanks, because I know they are all working at this time.  

Herbert Holmes     

USBCHA ADDRESS

            Hello, My name is Herbert Holmes. I have been elected by the board of directors to be the president of your Organization. I have previously served in this capacity, although that was many years ago. I run sheep dogs at the trials and use my dogs on cattle, sheep and goats at our place in Sanderson, Texas. This is where my wife Alison and I make our home.

           This organization is the flagship for a great sport for the agrarian minded sportsman. It is the best vehicle in the world for promoting the Border collie dog in the work it is meant to do. The past couple of years, the Cattle dog program was launched, with great enthusiasm, by the BOD. This is a new and welcome addition to the sheepdog finals that have been in place since 1979. All concur the prospect of the cattle dog trials is limitless, given the number of cattle in our country. The cattle finals are currently suffering from growing pains, and will suffer more of the same, as it will continue to grow under the guidance of the duly elected board of directors. This is really nothing new.  The sheepdog finals suffered the same growing pains in its infancy, and still does as it grows annually.

           One of the things the whole association needs to become better at is fiscal responsibility. The board is aware of this and is taking immediate action to cut back on spending, and make each of it’s endeavors stand on their own financial merit. The board members are listed here on the web site, so feel free to contact them, e-mail being the method of choice.

           We are off to Big Lake, Texas the first of April for the cattledog finals. I am looking forward to seeing you there. I will make an effort to keep this spot updated as time goes by.

 Thanks,

 Herbert Holmes