Showing posts with label Bryan Quinsey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bryan Quinsey. Show all posts

Sunday, September 10, 2006

American Farrier's Association 2006 Mid-Year Board Meeting Complete

The American Farrier's Association (AFA) held its mid-year board of directors meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico this weekend. Hoofcare & Lameness did not attend but we have received a summary of events from our colleague Nancy Zwicker, editor of Farrier News in Washington State (and an AFA committee chairman). More news was provided by AFA acting executive director Mike Nolan.

According to Nancy, a general membership session was held on Friday night to ask AFA President Dave Ferguson questions about how the conversation was handled (and why) when former executive director Bryan Quinsey left the employment of the AFA.

In business matters, more than 30 proposed by-law changes were presented for vote. The big one, the re-organization of the Board to be representative of the paying membership rather than of individual chapters received more "yay" than "nay" votes, but was three votes short of the majority needed to be enacted. However, the change in the executive board, which adds a president-elect, gives the past president a vote, eliminates the position of secretary, etc. did pass.

The World Championship Blacksmiths' contest management company was approved as a chapter of the AFA.

Greg Burdette of Washington state has replaced Tim Quinn as the Board's representative to the Executive Committee. However, the new makeup of the executive committee does not include a board rep, so they will have to find a workaround for that problem.

A new liability insurance policy for chapter organizations was unveiled and was well-received, according to Nancy.

Watch for more news to be released from the AFA and (no doubt) corrections to this news. Thanks to Nancy Zwicker, who is chair of the membership benefits committee of the AFA, for her phone reports and thanks to Mike Nolan for verifying the facts and setting me straight.

Mike has posted more news at the AFA's site at http://www.americanfarriers.org

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

AFA Announces Open Forum Meeting on Farrier Licensing

Perhaps due to popular demand, a special Open Forum Membership Meeting of the American Farriers Association has been scheduled for Friday, September 9, 2005 at 1 p.m. in Omaha, Nebraska.

The meeting was announced in a special press release received on June 21st at the Hoofcare & Lameness Journal office. The full press release will be posted on the Hoofcare & Lameness Journal web site, www.hoofcare.com

Details from the press release include:

All AFA members are welcome to attend....the next day, the AFA Board of Directors will be meeting for their 2005 Mid-Year meeting....recommendations from the Open Forum meeting on Friday can be brought to the Board meeting for their consideration.....AFA Vice President Bob Earle, CJF, has agreed to serve as the moderator for the meeting....using a “loose set” of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Hotel reservations may be made by calling the Omaha Hilton at 1-800-HILTONS or (402) 998-3400; the AFA discounted rate is $75 per night.

For more info, contact Bryan Quinsey at the AFA office: (859) 233-7411.

Please do not call the Hoofcare & Lameness office about this event. We will share any info we receive by either this blog or the hoofcare.com web site.

Please read posts on this blog and at hoofcare.com for information on this spring's events related to the AFA's task force on farrier regulation/licensing in the United States.

Thursday, May 26, 2005

American Farrier's Association Dissolves Education/Regulation Task Force and Begins Assembling a New Task Force

This message is from Bryan Quinsey, executive director of the American Farrier's Association and was received at our office on 26 May 2005:

Earlier this week AFA President Craig Trnka made a decision to thank the Farrier Education/Registration Task Force for their work. He and the Executive Committee feel that they have accomplished their mission. They have researched the issue, filed a report with the Board of Directors, and made recommendations for the adoption of resolutions. The Board has accepted their report and approved three of their resolutions. Letters of appreciation will be sent to Walt Taylor, CF (Chairman); Gene Armstrong, CJF; Mike Miller, MD, CJF, AWCF; Mitch Taylor, CJF; and Tom Wolfe, CJF.

Again, in accordance with the AFA bylaws, Craig has elected to name a new Task Force to follow through on the decision of the Board to create and implement the survey of the farrier schools. We are currently seeking out members AND non-members to serve on this new Task Force. A number of farriers have already indicated their willingness to serve, but we want to be as inclusive as possible. Here’s your chance to serve your association and the farrier industry. The Chairman of this new Task Force has not yet been named. If you or someone you know would like to serve on the Task Force please contact me directly.

We are extending this invitation to serve to the BWFA, Guild of Professional Farriers, and others.

For more information, please visit www.americanfarriers.org

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

American Farriers Association Posts Update on Regulatory Campaign and Farrier Education

The American Farrier's Association published a blast of documents today on its members' web site, www.americanfarriers.org, and AFA Executive Director Bryan Quinsey "went public" in a forum on the web site www.horseshoes.com, where he candidly discussed the recent controversy between the AFA and a vocal group of offended members.

At the same time, the AFA published the first edition of a new members-only newsletter, No Foot No Horse, which will be published from the AFA's Kentucky office. According to the newsletter, the AFA's once-secret task force on farrier regulation and education has been disbanded, and a new group is being formed with the sole function of studying farrier education in the United States.

The news came as a great relief to many AFA members who were confused about the AFA's new direction and political agenda and felt that they had not been informed of major policy initiatives by the executive board.

Unfortunately, rumors are flying through the farrier world and even in the horse industry that farrier licensing is an imminent threat to the profession in the United States and that the AFA has betrayed its members, many of whom joined the AFA because they felt it offered an alternative to external governance of the trade and would act as an advocate. Other members would like to see licensing become a reality.

All farriers say that they want full disclosure from the AFA on this important matter that affects their livelihoods. Today's steps by the AFA are hopefully the first of many in that direction.