Rules and Constitution of the SVRC

TITLE
1. The Club shall be known as THE STOUR VALLEY RIDING CLUB.

OBJECTS
2. The Objects of the Club shall be:

(a) To encourage young people to ride and to learn to enjoy all kinds of sport connected with horses and riding.
(b) To provide instruction in riding and horsemastership and to instil in members the proper care of their animals.
(c) To promote the highest ideals of sportsmanship, citizenship and loyalty, thereby cultivating strength of character and self-discipline.
(d) To be affiliated to the British Horse Society and to concern itself with any object which will benefit the horse and horse user in the district.

MEMBERSHIP
3. This shall consist of persons approved by the Committee who have paid the due subscription for the current period. Honorary membership may be conferred by the Committee upon any persons deemed by them to have rendered notable service to the Club.
4. Anyone desirous of becoming a member shall apply to the Honorary Secretary of the Club for an application form which, upon completion, requires endorsement by both a proposer and a seconder from the Club before being returned with the relevant fee.
5. A year's membership subscription extends from the day the membership fee and completed application form are received. Renewal subscriptions are payable before the expiry of membership. Any member whose subscription is more than three months in arrears shall have their name removed from the Membership list, after written notice to that effect has been sent to them.
6. The Committee may expel from membership of the Club any member who has wilfully 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 or prejudicial to the interests of the Club, provided that, before expelling him, the Committee shall call for him for an explanation of his conduct and shall hear what he may wish to urge in his defence.

ADMINISTRATION
7. The Committee
(a) All powers of management shall be vested in the adult Committee consisting of the Chairman, who sub-Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and at least two other Committee members. Three of these shall form a quorum.
(b) The Committee shall meet at least three times a year. At the Annual General Meeting each year [save in it's first year] one third of the members of the Committee shall retire, the members to retire being those who have been longest in office and, as between those 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.
(c) The Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall be elected annually by the Committee from among their number.
(d) 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.
(e) The Committee may formulate bye-laws for the detailed running of the Club and elect committees for any special activities of the Club which the Committee may authorise.
(f) The Committee shall have the power, at any time and from time to time, to increase or reduce the number of Committee members, provided that the number shall not at any time be of filling member or reduced below five. For the purpose of so increasing the number of its members, or any casual vacancy or vacancies, the Committee may at any time elect a new members to its Committee.
(g) Nominations of candidates for Committee membership may be submitted in writing to the Honorary Secretary at any time providing it has the approval of the candidate.
(h) The decision of the Committee shall be final unless overruled at a General Meeting.

8. The financial year of the Club shall commence on the 1st October in each year.
9. The annual subscription shall be on a 'per head' basis at a level as shall from time to time be determined by the Committee.
10. The Committee may appoint annually a President and Vice-Presidents. These shall not by virtue only of such appointment become members of the Committee.

GENERAL MEETINGS

11. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in November or December each year to transact the following business:

(a) To receive and, if approved, to adopt a Statement of the Club's Accounts to the end of the preceding year.
(b) To take nominations for candidates for Committee membership [discussion of such appointments shall take place in Committee separately].
(c) To appoint an auditor.
(d) To decide on membership fees for the following year.
(e) 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 14 days before the meeting and shall specify the matters to be dealt with.

12. A special General Meeting may be called by the Committee, or by a request signed by not less than 5 members specifying the business to be discussed. The secretary shall give all members ten days' notice of the date of such a meeting and shall specify in such notice matters to be dealt with at such meeting.
13. The Accounts of the Club shall be audited each year by the person appointed at the previous Annual General Meeting.
14. Notice may be given to any member by sending it by post to him to that address in the United Kingdom registered as being his in the records of the Club. If any member has no address in United Kingdom, such member shall not be entitled to receive any notice. The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the non-receipt of a notice of a meeting by any member shall not invalidate the proceedings of that meeting.
15. These rules may be added to, repealed or amended by resolution 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 providing that prior notice has been sent to all members stating the proposed amendment.
16. Should personal attendance at any General Meeting not be possible then a proxy may be appointed to attend and may submit that member's voting paper [providing it is lodged with the Secretary by the start of the vote] or vote by any other means suiting the circumstances. The votes for those under the age of 17 are automatically transferred to the parent as proxy to vote on their behalf.

MISCELLANEOUS

17. The Club, its Committee or persons acting on their behalf shall not be held responsible for any accident or injury to any person or property howsoever caused.
18. Members should be correctly turned out at all club events. Normally a shirt with a tie, jodhpurs and jodhpur boots together with a jacket or jersey are the minimum requirements unless an instructor has arranged for alternative dress to be worn. Hard hats of BSI standard are compulsory when mounted on a horse. Back protectors are to be worn when undergoing cross - country schooling.

Amended June 1993 * marks or underlining indicates revised material