LFA Bylaws Committee

The following information is provided to apprise you of the work being done toward the unification of ALBA, LANA and the USLR into the LFA. Work continues within the Bylaws Committee (ALBA-Ingun Littorin, June Boardman, Linda McGuire, LANA-John Gliege, Carolyn Proeber, USLR-Tim Foley, Muffin Smith, Gail Mackie) and the latest information will be presented at the Symposium. Your attendance and input at this event will be invaluable in the unification process. We believe we owed our members disclosure of the committee's work this past spring and apologize for the delay in delivering this material to you.

Thank You,

Muffin Smith

Secretary. - USLR

540/721-4801

LFA Bylaws Committee Timeline

2006

10/17 J.Gliege circulates LFA bylaws and LFA Articles of Incorporation to the group and states group’s purpose is to propose amendments to existing LFA bylaws.

11/29 M.Smith asks J.Gliege and C.Proeber for copy of LANA bylaws and asks I.Littorin and J.Boardman for copy of the ALBA bylaws.

11/30 C.Proeber circulates LANA bylaws.

12/1 I.Littorin circulates LANA, ALBA, USLR, and LFA bylaws, the LFA Articles of Incorporation, and the LANA Rules and Regulations.

2007

1/29 M.Smith completes rough draft of LFA bylaws and circulates to USLR Board for comments on format, typos, etc.

2/26 M.Smith emails J.Gliege asking for comments on international representation, receives no response.

3/10 M.Smith emails draft bylaws to LFA Bylaws committee members.

Draft Bylaws - PDF

3/12 Draft resent by USLR office after M.Smith email technical problems.

3/18 C.Proeber establishes Yahoo group.

Late March Haute Ecole, Spring 2007, cites M.Smith for violations of protocols and describes committee as “stalled”.

3/22 J.Gliege suggests and committee agrees to expand to 9 members.

3/25 Linda McGuire added as 3^rd ALBA representative.

4/2 J.Gliege starts discussion on developing LFA purpose statement.

4/3 C.Proeber responds for LANA.

4/4 J.Boardman responds for ALBA.

4/6 M.Smith responds for USLR and refers to draft already submitted.

4/8 J.Gliege posts analysis of the three different purposes statements and asks for responses.

4/25 M.Smith redrafts purpose and reposts draft for comment by group.

6/2 J.Boardman responds after technical problem delay, suggests ownership of data not an issue as long as members have access, suggests representative form of democracy with office staff, stresses importance of continuing breed evaluations and adoption of LIF standard as breed standard.

6/9 J.Boardman discusses breed evaluation.

6/17 M.Smith responds to J.Boardman’s 6/2 letter that member ownership of pedigree data was voted for by members.

6/17 G.Mackie added as 3^rd USLR representative.

6/18 J.Gliege and M.Smith discuss ownership of pedigree data.

Pending:

Designation of 3^rd LANA representative

Resolution of the ownership of pedigree data

Further discussion and agreement on purposes and objectives of the combined organization

_________________________________________

John Gliege's content letter of April 8th.

In looking at what has been proposed for the purpose of the LFA there appears to be considerable overlap in ideas

ALBA	LANA	USLR
Goal One of the Lipizzan Federation Of America is to preserve the Lipizzan horse in its historical heritage, genetic soundness, and classical baroque type. Historically, the Lipizzan has been the mount of nobility and has been linked closely to events of major historical importance in European culture.	ACT AS A COMPLETE REPOSITORY OF CURRENT AND HISTORICAL INFORMATION	educating the American public regarding the qualities and historical significance of the Lipizzan horse by providing instructional materials and opportunities to become more familiar with the qualities of the Lipizzan horse;
	To encourage breeders and new owners to register their foals and to inform the LFA of changes of ownership, status (i.e. death or gelding), changes of address, etc., aiming toward 100% accuracy To continue to expand the research efforts in order to gather data pertaining to international Lipizzans, relatively ancient Lipizzans,	assisting breeders and owners of Lipizzans in making educated decisions regarding the improvement and protection of the breed;
	PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY AND PURITY OF THE LIPIZZAN BREED To preserve the database of records pertaining to Lipizzans with certainty of 100% accuracy, including but not limited to: Pedigrees DNA data Historical records and information To continue to expand the research efforts in order to gather data pertaining to international Lipizzans, relatively ancient Lipizzans,	working with a combined pedigree database that incorporates the LANA Lipizzan Pedigree Trust information, the USLR Pedigree Database, and the ALBA stud book information.
The LFA will conduct and/or sanction training for the education of judges, breeders, and public in general.	To make this information available to the public For ease in breeders' being able to compare pedigrees for breeding purposes For educational purposes To promote the breed
	TO REPRESENT THE AMERICAN LIPIZZAN COMMUNITY TO OTHER ENTITIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO [NOTE: This brings another question ... should it be North America, N. + S. America, or the U.S. only?] 1. United States Dressage Federation 2. United States Equestrian Federation 3. Lipizzan International Federation 4. International Lipizzan Union
Goal Three of the Lipizzan Federation of America is to protect the Lipizzan horse from extinction. As a rare breed the Lipizzan could easily be eliminated by disease, inbreeding, human or natural disasters. In its function to protect the Lipizzan horse the LFA must work together with other Lipizzans organizations worldwide to encourage breeding and stock interchanges, genetic studies, fund raising for use of horse rescue and any other

There also appear to be a few ideas which may be better left to something other than the bylaws:

ALBA

LANA

USLR

To adapt a breed standard

To measure American adherence to the breed standard by sponsoring evaluations with minimum components being the following:
       Conformation
       Movement
       Temperament
and additional components being offered as a second and maybe third set of scores/statistics:
       Rideability
       Proven statistics such as a mare's percentage of years attempted insemination/successful insemination, foals carried/live foals born; stallion's % of fillies/colts, last reported motility,

encouraging breeders and owners to develop the highest quality Lipizzan horse according to classical breed standards;

Goal Two of the Lipizzan Federation of America is to promote the Lipizzan horse as a riding and driving horse of the highest calliber through
advertising and promotions. The LFA will also encourage the use of Lipizzans in competitions by working with the USDF and American Carriage
Driving Associaiton and any other group in which Lipizzans are competing.

Breed Promotion:

PROMOTE THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT/POPULARITY OF THE LIPIZZAN BREED

1. Encourage [NOTE: through the regional organizations? a travel grant program? other ideas?] the presence of Lipizzan representatives at major shows such as Dressage at Devon and perhaps the other regions' dressage finals [NOTE: also Equine Affaire type trade shows? Perhaps encourage members simply to take LFA brochures to shows in which they participate?]

2. Establish a system to encourage and enable the regional organizations to take on some of the tasks at local/regional levels, including but not limited to
        Sponsoring one or more breed classes in their region
        Conduct clinics with SRS riders
        Sponsor regional evaluations
        Sponsor "open houses" and barn tours
        Host educational programs open to the public

3. Conduct publicity/publication outreach efforts
       Magazine
       Web site
       Discussion forum
       Continue modest advertising efforts (i.e. Classified Ads) and sponsor an occasional co-op display ad

And of Course there are ideas over which there are apparent differences

ALBA	LANA	USLR
The LFA will maintain documents pertaining to the Lipizzans' past signnificants, current importance, and future influence on horse culture in North American and in the World. The LFA will maintain all records of breeding and conduct the registration of purebred and partbred horse	Lipizzan Pedigree Trust owns the data base.	. This newly formed LFA pedigree database will be owned by the membership. LANA, USLR and ALBA will retain rights to the original information sent to merge into the LFA database, but once merged the information becomes property of the LFA membership. All new information entered into the database will become the property of LFA members

And then there are a few missing items, and I’m sure that we collectively will think of some more:

1. Evaluations

2. Manner of governance of the organization, a pure democracy versus a representative form of governance.

THE BIGGEST ISSUES:

The Biggest issues which we are going to have to examine are:

1. Who owns the data base of information:

2. The Breed Standards

3. Evaluations and the impact of them.

4. Manner of governance

So for now I think that we have a few things to get done:

1. Look at the areas of overlap and determine how to set them down as one set of purposes

2. Look at the Biggest Issues and provide input as to how they should be resolved and why so that we can then proceed to structure this organization.

Hopefully addressing these items will bring us all closer together. So, I will await your input and then put out another combined concept paper and we can work towards a completion of the purpose of the organization.

______________________________
John G. Gliege
Gliege Law Offices