Bridleways

Oldham & District Riding Club Constitution

1. The club shall be known as the Oldham and District Riding Club
   
   
2. The objectives of the Club shall be:
   1. To encourage riding as a sport and recreation, to promote good fellowship amongst riders and to improve and maintain the standard of riding and horsemanship.
   2. To organise instructional meetings, lectures and competitive events and other activities to further the objects.
   3. To be affiliated to the British Horse Society and to support and co-operate with recognised organisations interested in the breeding and use of all breeds and types of horses and ponies.
   4. To investigate the subject of bridle tracks and rights of way with a view to opposing those that have been closed and maintaining and more clearly defining those that are in existence.
   5. To concern itself with any object which will benefit the horse and horse user in the district.
   
   
3. Membership will be open to persons who have attained the age of fifteen years who have been accepted by the Committee, having paid the due subscription for the current period. Honorary membership may be conferred by the Committee upon any person deemed by them to have rendered notable service to the Club. No member, under age 18, may be a voting member of any Riding Club.
   
   
4. Anyone desirous of becoming a member shall be proposed by a member and seconded by another and his or her name and address forwarded to the Hon. Secretary of the Club on the appropriate Nomination Form.
   
   
5. The annual subscription shall be payable on the first day of the calendar year. Any member whose subscription is more than three months in arrears shall have his or her name removed from the Membership List after written notice to the effect has been sent to him or her. Any member joining the club on or after 1 January shall be deemed to have paid his or her subscription for the ensuing year.
   
   
6. The Committee may expel from membership of the Club any member who has breached 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 interest of the Club, provided that before expelling him or her the Committee shall call upon him for an explanation of his conduct and provide a proper opportunity of answering the allegations against him.

   ADMINISTRATION

7. The Committee
   1. All powers of management shall be vested in the Committee consisting of the Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and at least 7 other Committee members up to a maximum of 23. Ten members shall form a quorum.
   2. At the Annual General Meeting each year, one third of the members of the Committee shall retire, the members to retire being those who have been longest in office. Those who have been in office for the same length of time shall determine retiring members by lot. Retiring members shall be eligible for re-election.
   3. The Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall be elected annually by the Committee from amongst their number.
   4. The decision of the Committee shall be final unless over-ruled at a General Meeting.
   5. The Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of the rules and for anything relating to the club not provided therein and their decision shall be final and binding on the members.
   6. The Committee may formulate bye-laws for the detailed running of the Club and elect sub-committees for any special activities of the Club which the Committee may authorise.
   7. The Committee shall have the power to fill any casual vacancy arising amongst members of the Committee, but any person so co-opted shall retain office only until the next following Annual General Meeting and then shall be eligible for re-election.
   
   
8. The financial year of the Club shall commence on the 1 November in each year.
   
   
9. The annual subscription shall be £18.50 for riding members or £12.50 for non riding members or such other sum as shall from time to time be determined by the Committee.
   
   
10. The Committee may appoint annually a President and Vice-Presidents. They shall not by virtue only of such appointment become members of the Committee.
    
    
11. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in November of each year to transact the following business:
    1. To receive and if approved to adopt a Statement of the Club’s Accounts to the end of the preceding financial year.
    2. To fill vacancies on the Committee.
    3. To appoint an Auditor to deal with any special matter which the Committee may desire to bring to the members.
    4. 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 Annual General Meeting shall be sent to the members not less than 30 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 five 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 the meeting.
    
    
13. The Accounts of the Club shall be audited each year by the person appointed at the previous Annual General Meeting. The person should be experienced in accounting matters and not a member of the club.
    
    
14. Notice may be given to any member by sending it by post to him at his address in the United Kingdom registered in the records of the Club. If any member has no address in the 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 the 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 provided that prior notice has been sent to all members stating the proposed amendment.
    
    
16. Members shall be correctly turned out at all mounted club events. Hard hats to current standards must be worn. Dogs must be kept on leads.
    
    
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. The provision for the distribution of assets should be made in case of dissolution of the club. (Monies can be held in trust by the British Horse Society until such time as a club may wish to reform). Material assets can be given to the area liaison committee.
    
    
19. All members agree to abide by the rules as stated in the current year’s event schedule.