Dear Members,

At the recent ASHS Annual General Meeting, Members were presented with a number of special business items to consider and vote on.
One of those being Motion 6 (The Membership Vote on the Reintroduction of the Registration of First Cross Stallions - Regulation change). Unfortunately, this Motion was not captured in the Notice of Meeting and original proxy form, and therefore it has been determined that all eligible voting Members were not given every opportunity to cast a vote.

As a result, the Board proposes pursuant to the power at clause 7.15 of the Constitution to now "consult the Members... by ballot in lieu of a General Meeting" on the ongoing issue concerning the reintroduction of registration of First Cross Stallions.
You will soon be receiving a mailing containing a covering letter, a ballot paper for completion and a self-addressed return envelope. Please take the time to read the information and visit the ASHS website for further details.

For those Members who have viewed the document titled, 'Members Special Resolution' posted on various Facebook pages, please be assured the Board is diligent in its corporate governance and compliance. The document includes a number of unfounded claims, by way of example the ASHS Office email address not functioning on the morning of Thursday 26th July, which is incorrect. As CEO, I acted on the mistaken belief that by electronically broadcasting the revised proxy form including Motion 6, this was compliant with our Constitution and the Act and I take full responsibility for the error.

The Board has over an extended 12 month period consulted the Membership of its consideration(s) regarding the reintroduction of registration of First Cross Stallions. This has included, but is not limited to the following:

• the presentation made to Members at the 2017 ASHS AGM;
• the questionnaire circulated at the 2017 ASHS AGM;
• a revised questionnaire circulated to Members at the 2017 Dalby Stock Horse Sale;
• the June 2018 E-newsletter;
• ASHS website notifications ending on 24 July 2018; and
• the further presentation made at the 2018 ASHS AGM

I trust this clarifies the matter and I encourage you to consider the options and cast your vote.

Please note for your vote to be counted it must reach the Returing Officer by 4pm Friday, 12th October 2018.

Kind Regards
Chief Executive Officer

Compulsory Tests For Genetic Disorders
Some Australian Stock Horses have been identified as carriers of HERDA - Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia. It is a severe skin disorder, causing blistering and lesions, leading to secondary infections and early death. HERDA can be traced through Quarter Horse lineage to a mare called Miss Taylor (born in the USA in 1933), the dam of influential Quarter Horse sire, Poco Bueno. Members should research the disorder before breeding. The AQHA requires horses to be tested and results are available on the AQHA database.

On 9th March, the ASHS Board discussed Genetic Disorders and how to manage them - OLWS, HYPP, HERDA, PSSM1, MH, GBED. They agreed, management is paramount. For further information and key points relating to sire registered stallions, progeny of horses testing positive (carrier or affected) and registration of progeny born after 1st August 2020 (must be negative) as adopted by the Board - click here.

Click to hear from Dr Natasha Hamilton of Equine Genetics Research Centre - Racing Australia, who provides some insight into the work that they do and how they are partnering with the Society to assist with the recent adoption of DNA testing for hereditary diseases.

Stallion Owners Notice

• All Sire Registered stallions must be tested for Genetic Disorders by 1st August 2019. Results will be noted on the horse’s registration. 
• Stallions or colts being Sire Registered will require Genetic Disorder Testing.  Any horse returning a Positive Test (carrier or affected) will be REJECTED for Sire Registration.
• Stallion owners can test their stallions now, enabling results to be disclosed to mare owners before mating.