ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - FRIDAY 2nd NOVEMBER 7.30pm

Pinnerhill Golf Club

1. Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from Chris, Sophie & Charlotte Blackburn, Pippa Rowe, Carrie Martin, Abbi Blakey.

2. Minutes of Previous AGM
Minutes of the 2006 AGM were distributed and agreed to be an accurate record of the meeting.

3. Matters Arising
1. All members of existing committee have agreed to stand again. The chairman would like to thank the committee for their hard work, enthusiasm and on-going commitment.
2. Round pen surface was replaced in the summer and is bearing up well. The durability of the new surface will be reliant upon all members adhering to the Round Pen Rule.
3. Area 9 is hosting the London & South East Championship at Vicarage Farm next October, which will require support from members in planning & organising the event
4. Membership forms to be completed & returned as soon as possible
5. Anyone wishing to attend the Christmas meal at La Giralda on 7th Dec should put their name on the list as soon as possible

4. Chairman's Report
Pennie reported that it had been an extremely successful year in all respects;
" Membership had grown from 42 to 53 members in 2006/7 an increase of 20% (there had been 39 members in 2005/6)
" It has been a profitable year due to both increased membership and a range of well-supported activities. There has been a significant outlay of over £1500 on the new round-pen facility which has depleted the bank balance but provided a great facility to members
" We have significantly raised the profile of Pinnerwood through regular attendance at external events:-
o Won the Open Pinnerwood Quiz (Claire Byrne, Vicky, Joules, Pennie)
o Represented the club at the London Riding Horse Parade (Joules & Lucy were placed 2nd in the Veteran Class)
o The show-jumping team (Trish/Tracey/Vicky) qualified for the London & South East Championship
o We were also represented at the indoor show-jumping qualifier in March (Joules/Vicky/Abbi & Liz D)
o Vicky Smit /Rutti won the class as an individual
o We sent a team to the Area 9 Dressage Qualifier (Debbie, Vicky, Trish, Pennie), overall we came 4th out of 9 teams, Vicky came in 3rd place as an individual; in Prelim and won the Novice. We also qualified for the Lincoln National Championship.
o We also gained publicity through our Brook Charity Day & appear in their latest newsletter & on their Photo Gallery website & were mentioned as an example of a proactive & successful riding club in the latest edition of Chiltern Rider

" There has been pro-active communication with members through regular newsletters

Summary of 2007 In-house events:-
Nov 17th - Spanish Riding School Clinic & Display x 10 participants
Dec 13th - Christmas Meal x 18 participants
Dec 17th - Mounted Games x 7 participants
Dec 31st - Boxing Day Ride x 12 participants
Jan 28th - Polo Taster Day x 8
Feb 25th - Treasure Hunt x 9 participants
March 11th - Polo Lesson x 9 participants
April 28th - Polo Lesson x 9 participants
June 23rd - Dressage/Riding Test - 14 participants
June 4th - Endurance Lecture x 11 participants
June 24th - Saddle Fitting Demo & Lecture x 11 participants
July 28th - Charity Day
Aug - Ponies & Pimms postponed due to rain
October 23rd - Laminitis Lecture x 9 participants
Nov 4th - Brendan Byrne Trophy
Nov 2nd - Quiz/Awards/AGM
Dec 7th - Christmas Social at La Giralda, Spanish restaurant

Other Activities
Many thanks to everyone who supported the Brook Charity Day we raised £265 through donations, raffles, mounted games and the cake stall. The recent Laminitis Lecture also raised money for the Brook Horses in Need campaign.

Lessons
Lessons have also been well-attended and received good feedback, thanks to Pippa and Chris Haywood. We moved from 1 lesson, catering for all needs to a 3 lesson approach which better meets a range of needs. There have been 3 jump dates, plus 7 flat dates, and 1 cross country lesson. In total 17 lessons. Mandy Hughes has indicated a willingness to give monthly group lessons for the coming year.

Financial Overview
We need to restore our bank balance after the round-pen outlay, we would also like to invest in other items like a mirror for the school, which some members are keen to have. There is a £5 optional top up charge for next year, but only 1 payment is required despite the number of horses each member has or where there are 2 members per horse. We are able to keep 2007 prices through into 2008.

Formal Thanks to:
Carole Perham for her diligence and attention to detail as treasurer
Liz Dunn for her experience, knowledge and co-ordination of points
Juliet Wickstead for her creativity/ poster production & organising as Joint Secretary
Emma Poulton for co-ordinating the round-pen project as Joint Secretary
Maggie Dudfield for her energy and commitment with social co-ordination such as Boxing Day ride & Xmas Social
Pippa Haines for her ideas & guidance as Events/Competition Officer
Chris Blackburn for her perseverance and tenacity with Bridleways
Karen Warmoth for her control of membership co-ordination & the Road Safety Training.

The committee were confirmed for 2007/8 as:-:
Pennie Wickstead - Chair
Emma Poulton / Juliet Wickstead - Joint Secretary
Carole Perham - Treasurer
Chris Blackburn - Bridleways
Pippa Haines - Competitions
Liz Dunn - Points Co-ordination
Maggie Dudfield - Social
Karen Warmoth - Membership

Finally a big thank you was given to the Members, for their ideas, enthusiasm and support with all the years' activities.

5. Treasurer's Report
Carole advised that we had £172 in the bank. 8 members have rejoined so far, and we have to accrue for both our affiliation charge and membership subscriptions to the British Riding Clubs for 2007, based on last year's membership of 53 people.

6. Bridleway Update
Bridleway No. 44 Pinnerwood Farm to Pinner Hill
Chris has been in regular contact with Kathy Hill at Harrow Council. They have carried out an inspection and are reviewing their budgets to see what repairs can be carried out.

Oxhey Woods Car Park
Kay Fitzgerald of Three Rivers Council removed the hedges that were blocking the bridle path to the car park.

Halls Farm - Headstone Lane to Wakemans Hill, Pinner
The kissing gate at Halls Farm has been reinstalled & is accessible to horses.

Phil Wadey - BHS Access Officer will be in contact to reschedule his visit to update on bridle paths in the area and gather evidence from local riders & walkers on rights of way.

He is looking to reopen the bridleway that goes through what was Suzanne's Riding School. This is Bridleway No. 23 and is passable from Old Redding passing the forge and indoor school that was.
Fences have been taken down and you can ride down near the Bannister playing fields but there is a solid fence with no way through for a horse unless you dodge through the hedges, into fields and along the footpath but no way out still at the roundabout end with Uxbridge Road.

Sherwood Woods Tracks
Feb. 2006 - Madeleine White of Bucks Meadow Riding School is trying to reopen these Woods for Riders. She is getting help from Dr. Phil Wadey, BHS Access Officer for Hertsmere, Herts. The routes in question are Prestwick Road, Green Lane, Anthony Close, Watford Heath & Oxhey areas in the last 20 years.
Bucks Meadow has a small piece of dedicated bridleway that allows them to access from By The Wood under the railway line up to Prestwick Road. They can then access Oxhey Woods. Apparently there is still a bridleway along the edge of the golf course at Oxhey and people referred to this as South Oxhey gallops.

7. Training Update
Road Safety Training will be taking place throughout Nov, 4 sessions x 2 hours with the option to take the BHS exam at the end.

Thanks to Kate Jenner for co-ordinating the Contessa Dressage Day on 11th Nov consisting of 2 ridden lessons, 2 lectures and a dressage demonstration.

2007 has seen a focus on educational events in response to member's feedback; we are looking for direction from our members on our focus for the coming year, and hence have an Open Forum as part of the AGM to capture feedback.

8. Open Forum/Members Feedback (Discussion chaired by Emma on Activities/Lessons/Facilities /PWRC Clothing)
Activities - Emma chaired a discussion to gain members feedback on the kinds of activities they would like to see. Suggestions included organised trips to equine events such as Olympia, Badminton, Blenheim, a Summer Show, Mounted Games at Christmas, Quadrille/Musical ride, more cross country clinics, group rides out e.g. to Richmond Park/ hunting, talk on Le Trec, introduction to Jump Cross (a cross between X country and show-jumping) and another Horseball Taster day. The committee agreed to take these suggestions into consideration when planning the coming years events.

Lessons - those present welcomed the idea of Mandy Hughes offering regular group lessons even if it was only once a month. Suggestion was to limit numbers to 4 for jumping or 5 for flat lessons due to space constraints.

Facilities - feedback focussed on scope to improve the school, which David advised was difficult due to the clay soil at Pinnerwood which hampered drainage and the prohibitive cost of a new surface (c £20k). Interim suggested improvements were to have on-going raking at the sides where horses wear a groove & the harrow cannot reach and a review of the drainage channels. A request for a convalescent paddock was unable to be met but it was suggested that some electric fencing may make the top paddock at the back of the top barn viable. Lights were requested at the far end of the school to illuminate the round pen.

A vote on potential PWRC logo'd clothing showed Sky Blue as the most popular colour followed by navy. A minimum order of 12 garments is required which the committee will co-ordinate.

Pennie advised that we are looking at the scope to accredit Pinnerwood as a BHS Road Safety Test Centre.

9. AOB
Thanks were given to Pip Haines for co-ordinating the hire of the golf club.

The only other business was the presentation of 2007 awards:-

Pinnerwood Riding Club Awards 2007

Highest Overall Ridden                             Most Improved Rider - Senior

1^st        Vicky Smit                                           Jackie Martin
2^nd       Charlotte Blackburn
3^rd       Pennie Wickstead                              Most Improved Rider - Junior
4^th       Helen Byrne                                        Georgia Livesley

 Bug/Q Award – Best Veteran
Juliet Wickstead - Lucy 

External Team Representation
Tricia Baker, Abbi Blakey, Liz Dunn, Claire Byrne, Tracey Bourne, Vicky Smit, Debbie Sharpe, Pennie & Juliet Wickstead