In my first President's column I set three goals for AERC my first year as President which started last March:

-- Build on the current momentum

-- Develop and implement a strategic plan

-- Educate for an enduring partnership.

This column will review the year in light of those goals.

Build on current momentum

This year AERC grew modestly in membership from 6,352 at the end of 2004 to 6,572 at the end of 2005. We continued to expand our member services through our website, more articles in Endurance News, more education (see below), and the trails and research programs. We now have a Trail Masters program that is the premier program on equine trail building in the country. This program has really strengthened our already excellent reputation with federal land managers. Some of our research programs are coming to fruition. AERC is learning what does and does not make sense for us to fund in the way of research.

For the past fiscal year, which ended in November, our total revenues were just over $700,000, down by about $10,000 from 2004. Our expenses continued to increase, primarily due to programs started in prior years as well as the continued growth in members and services. We took proactive steps at midyear to curtail expenses which minimized the deficit.

In order to ensure the ongoing health of AERC, the board of directors has instituted tighter financial controls and raised some fees for the first time in many years. We now project modest net income for the next three years while continuing programs that meet the goals of AERC as a nonprofit organization that is far more than just a sanctioning body. Overall AERC has increased the total of dues and fees collected from members at far less than the rate of inflation while continuing to expand our services.

The ongoing work of AERC is really done through our excellent office staff and through the AERC committees. The length of this column does not permit me to summarize all of the excellent committee work. I encourage you to read the committee reports in EN contained in the board minutes. If you feel you want to contribute, contact a committee chair and get involved.

Our sport is really made possible by ride managers and ride veterinarians and the numerous volunteers that support them. Please remember to thank these people warmly and often.

Start a strategic plan

Strategic planning is a journey, not a one-time event. The board spent much of the time at the midyear meeting analyzing and debating our long-term objectives. Each committee presented long-terms aspirations. We debated whether our financial plan and actions were aligned. Not surprisingly, our ambitions and aspirations exceeded our financial resources.

The Finance Committee developed a discussion paper with a realistic three-year budget plan that aligns our finances with our programs. This paper was the focus of discussion at the board meetings last month in San Antonio. The core of the financial plan is continuing the excellent services that we are providing on a day-to-day basis to you, the membership. The board will now consider how aggressively to pursue increased sponsorship, planned giving, and other new sources of income which will determine how much, if any, we expand our trails, research and education programs.

Enduring partnerships

I am very pleased at the expanded education that AERC is providing to the membership. The most important education is the informal day-to-day education that is member-to-member. I believe we are creating an organization with a culture where member-to-member education is fostered and growing. I am also pleased that the Education Committee has expanded our education program by:

-- Generating articles monthly in EN.

-- Providing an electronic question-and-answer forum handling questions from all over the world.

-- Providing input and financial assistance from their committee budget toward convention speakers.

-- Supporting new rider briefings in order to help more ride managers provide these briefings and other clinics through the provision of online, printed and video information as well as creating a pool of available people to present the clinics and briefings.

-- Developing a mentoring program that actively works to find mentors, matches mentors to new riders, etc.

-- Updating the education page of the AERC website, including new rider information, links to other websites that have particularly valuable educational material, along with the endurance rider's handbook.

Our Ride Managers Committee is working actively to provide support for ride managers, mentoring, and educational articles in EN and on the website. The Veterinary Committee is expanding its educational activities for vets while supplying excellent veterinary columns for EN. The AERC International Committee provides educational material and support for riders interested in competing in FEI competitions.

My goal for all us is that we enjoy our horses, our sport, and our time with our compatriots in the sport: riders, ride managers and volunteers, crews, and veterinarians. Let's ride, really ride!