21 October 2015 meeting summary
Charles Criswell opened the meeting by thanking members for coming, reminding them that the
meeting that was held on October 4 was a feedback meeting in preparation for the board having to
make some fee changes. He brought up how emails are circulating to some board members about how
the board “misled” and “falsified” the fee increases between the October 4, 2015 financial meeting and
the announced fee change.
CC gave a very detailed account/explanation of how DAHA’s expenses work (what money DAHA collects
and what money DAHA owes each month).
CC’s essential message was that DAHA’s costs have increased by 22,000+ SR per month due to the
increased monthly charges by Al-Mutawa. The reality is, DAHA has to come up with that shortfall
immediately (Nov. 1), and spreading the 275 SR stall fee increase across 81 horses is the securest way to
get the money. He said, “Immediately we have to allocate to the people who utilize the services of the
grooms, and that would be the horse owners.”
The first member comment:
If you change to a new contractor for groom’s services, there is no guarantee that Security will permit
the new grooms to live at the farm.
Second member comment:
I’m not sure why people think that by going with a new contractor we’d get a lower price (given iqama
issues and saudization charges)…. I hope members realize it was 75 SR per stall. A horse in UK for full
livery would cost the equivalent to 1500/2000 SR per month.
Guest Instructor (Anneliese Taylor) replied: You can’t compare to what you get in the UK or Australia.
Natasha Hayton: I felt misled because I did go to the meeting, I understand the increase in the groom
contract. The discussion was on how we divide the money. I thought it would be spread out over 100
stalls, and when I received the minutes and the decision was to split between 81, I thought, that’s not
what we decided. I thought with the increase in the Chuckwagon revenue and lease lesson fees that it
would be a lesser amount. I was quite shocked. I don’t have a problem with the fact we need to raise
the money. I don’t understand why horse owners are absorbing the whole cost and what the club will
do with the increase in the other revenue.
Member reply: Never want to count on Chuckwagon revenue.
Anneliese Taylor: 40 percent of horses do nothing and don’t let any new horses into the farm and keep
the farm (used by) active and interested members.
Natasha Burge: How do we do that?
AT: there are 100 stables, 81 are used, 30 percent are used, the rest have poor quality of life. Why not
whittle away people who are not active?
NB: To address this issue, now, for the first time, DAHA horse owners new horses have to be inspected
by Ben and first time members and owners have to take a member orientation class. New members will
decide to leave (when they learn the responsibility and cost of horse ownership).
How can you have less horses without less grooms? It will still cost the same.
Member comment: It seems to me board ran out of time with the contractor (negotiating and fee
increase), but we have a three year period to prepare (when contract is next up). Can we be selffinanced? How about allocating horses for lease lessons, developing a school to bring money into the
farm.
Abby responds: We’ve asked Recreation for money to buy lesson lease horses, they said there is no
budget. I would love to put another request together for recreation for lease lesson horse.
Amy Haymes: approached the meeting with suggestion to make a business plan to find efficiencies.
***From this developed the Action Committee for a Sustainable DAHA. A lot of discussion went back
and forth here on how to make the farm a better farm***