Tendring Hundred Riding Club

1) TITLE

The Club shall be known as the ‘Tendring Hundred Riding Club’ (THRC).

2) AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aims and objectives of the club will be to undertake the following:

• To be affiliated to The British Horse Society (British Riding Club).
• 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.
• To support and co-operate with organisations that promote equestrianism in all forms.
• To provide suitable facilities to further the aims of the club.
• To promote high standards of horse welfare.

3) MEMBERSHIP

1. Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching, volunteering or participating in horse riding, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.
2. Membership shall consist of persons who have attained the age of eighteen years (and persons aged seventeen years and under if a junior member), and have paid the due subscription for the current period. 
3. No junior member may be a voting member of any Riding Club. However, Clubs with a junior membership may appoint a Junior Committee to discuss relevant matters.
4. Honorary and committee membership may be conferred by the committee upon any person deemed by them to have rendered notable service to the club.
5. To become a BRC member, persons shall complete an application form on the official BRC platform and pay the annual membership fee.
6. All members will be subject to this constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and any codes of practice that the club has adopted.
7. The annual subscription and types of membership shall be determined by the committee.

The committee may refuse or remove (or temporarily suspend) membership only for good cause, such as misconduct or breach of rules likely to bring the club, the sport, or The BHS into disrepute. The member can appeal the decision and provide an explanation of his/her/their conduct and allow a proper opportunity of answering the allegations.

Members must abide by current rules and regulations and shall be correctly turned out at all Club events. Any protective clothing and headgear required by current British Riding Clubs rules must be worn. 

4) DISCIPLINE AND APPEALS

1. All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in accordance with the safeguarding policy and procedures of the Club. The Club Welfare Officer (CWO) is the lead contact for all members in the event of any safeguarding concerns. 
2. All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary. The committee will meet to hear complaints within 36 days of a complaint being lodged. The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership.
3. The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 14 days of the hearing.
4. There will be the right of appeal to the committee following disciplinary action being announced. The committee should consider the appeal within 36 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal. 

5) SPORTS EQUITY

The club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity: Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society. 

The club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures. 

6) ADMINISTRATION

The Committee 

1. All powers of management shall be vested in the adult Committee consisting of the      Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and at least 6 other Committee Members.
2. Half of the committee members, plus 1, shall form a quorum.
3. At the Annual General Meeting each year, 3 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.
4. The Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall be elected annually by the Committee from amongst their number.
5. The Committee may appoint a President annually. They shall not by virtue only of such appointment become members of the Committee.
6. The decision of the Committee shall be final unless over-ruled at a General Meeting.
7. 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. 
8. A member seeking election to the committee must have a full paid up subscription to the   Tendring Hundred Riding Club.
9. The committee will be responsible for adopting new policies, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the club.
10. The committee will have powers to appoint any advisers to the committee as necessary to fulfil its business.
11. The Committee may formulate byelaws for the detailed running of the Club and elect sub committees for any special activities of the Club which the Committee may authorise. 

The sub committee must have at least one member of the THRC committee on its panel. Any decisions must be brought to the THRC Committee for approval (unless prior dispensation has been given). The sub committee must produce reports (including financial if necessary). 

7) FINANCES

1. The club treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.
2. The financial year of the club will run from 1st October and end on 31st September in each year. 
3. All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club.
4. A treasurer's report of the audited annual accounts will be made available to all prior to the AGM.
5. The treasurer will present the report at the AGM.

All surplus income or profits are to be reinvested in the Club. No surpluses or assets will be distributed to members or third parties. 

If, at any time the Club, after professional discussions, Trustee input and an EGM, wishes to pass a resolution authorising the Committee to borrow money, the Committee shall thereupon be empowered to borrow for the purposes of the Club such amount of money.

8) ANNUAL GENERAL AND EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

All SENIOR members have the right to vote at the AGM or EGM, either in person, by post or via email.

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

The Annual General Meeting shall be held in last quarter of each year to transact the following business:

• To approve the summarised minutes of the previous year's AGM.
• Receive the Chairman's report.
• Receive the Treasurers report of the audited annual accounts.
• To appoint an auditor.
• To deal with any special matter which the Committee may desire to bring to the members       and to receive suggestions from the members for consideration by the Committee. 
• Elect members onto the Committee.
• Discuss other relevant business.

The Accounts of the Club shall be audited each year by an independent person appointed at the previous Annual General Meeting.

Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)

An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called by an application in writing at least 10 days before the appointed date to the Secretary supported by at least 20 members of the Club. 

The committee shall also have the power to call an EGM on 10 days’ notice by decision of a simple majority of the committee members. Members shall be sent details of the subject of business of such an EGM. 

Notice of the EGM may be given to any member by sending it by post or email, to said member, using their registered contact details. It is the members responsibility to keep registered details with the Club up to date.

9) AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION

This constitution will only be changed through agreement by a simple majority vote with the committee and members at an AGM or EGM.

10) TEAMS

1. Any member chosen for Team events will be responsible for their own travelling expenses, transporting their own horses and for entry fees, unless the committee decide that these expenses shall be covered by club funds. Competitors must be fully conversant with the current BRC rules and abide by them.
2. Any member accepting a place in a team representing the club in a qualifying team who does not keep themselves and their horse available for the finals, unless due to injury or ill health of horse or rider, will be liable to reimburse the Club for all expenses incurred by the Club. 

11) LIABILITY AND INSURANCE 

1. Whilst affiliated to the British Horse Society, the club also has Public and Property Liability,  Commercial Liability, Directors and Officer’s Liability and other insurance as required (including field insurance).
2. All horses and ponies which come onto the THRC field must have public liability insurance.
3. Only THRC members may hire the Club field. 
4. Participants partake at their own risk.

12) THE PROPERTY

The property of the Club shall be vested in 4 Trustees who shall be appointed by the Committee and the property of the club shall be vested in them to be dealt with by them as the Committee may from time to time direct by resolution (of which an entry into the minute book shall be conclusive evidence); the Trustees shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of the Club property. The Club Trustees shall hold office until death or resignation or removal from office by the Committee. Whereby reason of such death, resignation or removal it is necessary that a new Trustee or Trustees be appointed, the Committee shall nominate the person or persons to be appointed the new Trustee or Trustees. For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination, the Chairman is hereby nominated as the person to appoint new Trustees of the Club within the meaning of Section 36 of The Trustees Act 1925 and shall by deed duly appoint the person or persons nominated by the Committee. 

13) DISSOLUTION

A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the senior members.

In the event that dissolution of the Club shall occur, the assets of the Club (under guidance of the Trustees, Committee And the Members) shall be used first to discharge all liabilities of the Club and the remaining assets are to be divided between suitable not-for-profit organisations/charities.