ONTARIO CUTTING HORSE ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION

 

As amended January 26, 2019

 

ARTICLE 1

 

Section 1

 

This Association shall be known as the Ontario Cutting Horse Association and shall function within the Rules & Regulations of the National Cutting Horse Association, and is incorporated under the Provincial revised Statutes of the Province of Ontario.

 

Robert’s Rules of Order shall be adhered to for conducting all meetings of the Ontario Cutting Horse Association.

 

Section 2

 

The purpose of the Ontario Cutting Horse Association is to encourage the development and breeding of finer cutting horses, and to increase participation through the promotion and sponsorship of Cutting Horse Contests, either as standalone events or in conjunction with Horse Shows, Rodeos and Livestock Exhibitions or Agricultural Fairs.  The Ontario Cutting Horse Association will also endeavor to foster better horsemanship among its members and to maintain the highest standard of sportsmanship at all events with which it is associated.

 

Section 3

 

The Head Office of the Ontario Cutting Horse Association shall be situated at the residence of the Secretary/Treasurer, which shall be in the Province of Ontario.

 

Section 4

 

The Ontario Cutting Horse Association shall be a not-for-profit organization in which there will be no capital stock.

 

Section 5

 

There shall be an annual general meeting of the membership for the purpose of electing Directors, to receive and review the financial statements, appoint and remove public accountants, and to consider any Constitutional Amendments or other new business that may properly come before the meeting.

 

ARTICLE II

 

OFFICERS AND DUTIES

 

Section 1

 

The officers of the Association shall be a President, Vice-President, and a Secretary-Treasurer, all three elected by the Board of Directors from their group at a meeting to be held immediately following the Annual General Meeting.  These officers shall hold office for a period of one year or until their successors are elected and qualified.

 

Section 2

 

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and at General Meetings of the Association.  He/she shall appoint Special and Standing Committees and conduct the business of the Association in accordance with its Constitution and the policies approved by the Board of Directors.  He/she shall do all in his/her power to ensure that the affairs of the Association are conducted in a manner beneficial to the membership and shall do all things deemed to be for the good of the Association.  He/she shall be an ex-officio member of all Committees appointed by the President or Board of Directors.

 

Section 3

 

The Vice - President shall perform the duties of the President when the President is absent and in his/her absence, the Vice-President shall preside at any meetings of the membership and or of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4

 

The duties of the Secretary-Treasurer shall be to keep the Minutes of all meetings, keep and safeguard the records and funds of the Association and to act as Secretary of all meetings of the membership and the Board of Directors.  He/she shall be required to make a report of the activities of the Association and of receipts and disbursements of funds for the past year at each Annual Meeting.

 

The Secretary-Treasurer shall also issue all notices or calls to the directors and members, keep the membership roll, invoice members for dues within 15 days from due date, conduct supervise, count and record the balloting of all elections and perform such other and further duties as usually pertain to this office, including those especially assigned to him/her from time to time by the Board of Directors or the President.

 

Section 5

 

There shall be a Board of not less than seven (7) and not more than nine (9) elected Directors. The Board of Directors is empowered by the general membership to transact all business pertaining to the welfare of the Association.  The President shall instruct the Secretary-Treasurer to call such meetings as are necessary or any five directors acting jointly may call a meeting. A quorum shall be fifty percent of the elected directors plus one elected director.

 

The immediate Past-President shall be ex-officio member of the Board of Directors if he/she has not been duly re-elected to the Board.

 

Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be open to the general membership. An OCHA member in good standing may attend a meeting as an observer only.  He/she may not speak on matters of business before the Board, unless requested to do so by the Board, or unless previous notice has been given that he/she wishes to address a specific agenda item.

 

Section 6

 

A - Any Officer or Director may resign from his/her office by tendering his/her written resignation to the Secretary-Treasurer.

 

B - Any Officer or Director may be asked to resign from the office he/she holds for conduct detrimental to the best interest of the Association, or for failing to attend three meetings unexcused, by unanimous decision of the balance of the Board of Directors.  

 

C - Any Officer or Director can be removed by a special resolution of the Membership (two-thirds vote).

               

ARTICLE III

 

MEMBERS

 

Section I

 

The Annual General Meeting of the membership of this Association shall be held at a time and place designated by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 2

 

Each member in good standing in attendance shall be entitled to one vote.  There shall be no proxy votes. A majority of those in attendance will decide all motions.  A quorum at a General Meeting shall be in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order.

 

For the purpose of electing the board of Directors, an absentee ballot may be obtained by a member in good standing upon request.  Said absentee ballot must be returned to the Secretary/Treasurer, post marked not later than ten days before the Annual General Meeting.

 

Section 3

 

At least sixty (60) days prior to the Annual General Meeting, the President shall appoint a Nominating Chairman who will call for nominations for the position of Director. The Nominating Chairman will prepare an election ballot, which will include the names of all of those who have been duly nominated.

 

Nominations may be made by the membership, provided they are submitted in writing to the Nominating Chairman by a member in good standing, duly seconded by another member in good standing and accompanied by the written approval of the nominee who must also be a member in good standing.  Such nominations must be in the hands of the Nominating Chairman not less than (30) days prior to the Annual General Meeting.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

DIRECTORS

 

Section 1

 

All members of the Board of Directors shall be elected by the membership.

 

The four (4) candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall serve for a two-year term.  The remaining Directors will serve a one-year term.

 

Section 2

 

All members of the Board of Directors must be members in good standing and shall have (30) thirty days in which to renew their qualification after being elected.  It shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to appoint Directors to fill any vacancies on the Board.

 

Section 3

 

The Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Association shall be held immediately prior to the Annual General Meeting of the Association.

 

Section 4

 

The order of business at all meetings shall be:

 

  1. Meeting called to order.

  2. Roll call

  3. Reading and disposal of Minutes

  4. Report of Officers and Committees

  5. Election (if any)

  6. Unfinished business

  7. New Business

  8. Adjournment

 

ARTICLE V

 

MEMBERSHIPS, DUES, ETC.

 

Section 1

 

Any individual, firm or organization who is interested in cutting horses may become a member of the Association.  Each full member shall be entitled to one vote. The membership fee may be set, from time to time by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 2

 

All membership fees shall be paid to the Secretary-Treasurer.  Members failing to pay their annual dues by February 1 shall be considered delinquent and will forfeit all the rights and privileges of membership.

 

Section 3

 

To hold office in the Ontario Cutting Horse Association a person must be a member in good standing of the Ontario Cutting Horse Association and must be a resident of the Province of Ontario.

 

Section 4

 

Resignation and Suspension of Members:

 

  1. A member may resign from the Association by tendering his/her written resignation to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association.

 

  1. A member may be suspended from the Association for conduct detrimental to the best interest of the Association by unanimous decision of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 5

 

Lifetime Membership

 

The Board of Directors may from time to time confer lifetime membership upon an individual for outstanding or meritorious service.  Lifetime membership confers all the rights, privileges and obligations of regular membership as long as the person lives.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

AMENDMENTS

 

Section 1

 

Any by-laws may be repealed, modified, or amended and by-laws may be adopted at any regular meeting of the members of the Association or at any meeting of the members of the Association if due notice has been given, that this will be part of the order of business.  Provided that the Repeal or Amendment of by-laws shall not be enforced or acted upon until the approval of the proper Provincial authorities has been obtained.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

SEAL

 

Section 1

 

The Seal of the Association shall be kept by the Secretary-Treasurer.

 

The President and the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association and such other person or persons as may be authorized by the Board of Directors shall each have authority to affix the seal of the Association to any legal document.

 

Legal documents may be certified on behalf of the Association by the President and Secretary-Treasurer or one of them and such other person as may be specifically authorized by the Board of Directors for that purpose.



The members are encouraged to be active members in the National Cutting Horse Association.  Shows approved by the OCHA are normally also approved by the NCHA. NCHA approval requires NCHA membership in order to enter NCHA approved contests.

 

To download a PDF version of this constitution, please CLICK HERE.