WHOBAA COMMUNITY MESSAGE FORUM - By digitalcreations

Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 10:39 AM
Subject: THE PERFORMANCE AND PLEASURE INDUSTRY HAS COMMENCED - 80% OF THE EQUINE INDUSTRY NOW HAS A UNITED VOICE


Well Good Morning Equine Community,



I have some fabulous news to share with everyone. We, 'the previously referred to bunch of non-racing entities' now have a unified voice. It gives me enormous pleasure to announce that we can now be known as:



"The Performance and Pleasure Horse Industry"



Briefly, after a meeting of The Premier's office and six (6) Directors General with the State govt – it became obvious that the racing industry was so well organised to a point that one person could be contacted to speak on their behalf so their Racing Industry decisions, requests and communication was swift and organised. As you well know, the Racing Industry (20% of equine industry) has been able to achieve great success for their members because of this organised effort. (along with other reasons, of course)



Gov't wanted to make contact with us, the other 80% of the equine industry but didn't know how to be able to contact so many varied groups and disciplines (and the list goes on as we all know) to actually get any form of consensus going re: EI. Keep in mind we are only talking within Qld borders for the present time.



So an industry liaison officer was appointed and a very hastily called meeting at RNA grounds yesterday inviting just ONE rep from such an immense and diverse range of the 80%. Of course, Peter Toft was heavily involved in helping to organise this event.



Simply the meeting was to positively discuss and raise issues within the 80% and to see if the meeting reps could form a group of experienced, passionate, horse and donkey related persons who could also represent a broad cross-section of the entire equine community. NOTE: it was clearly stated from the outset there are no political agendas, no singular or individual agendas – it was all about positive unity and positive action.



The meeting was given the request to come up with a group of five (5) to sit in with the already two existing seat members of EFA, and QHIC to act as a unified Crisis Working Committee – well the meeting came up with a unanimous choice of eight (8) intelligent, experienced, passionate, committed persons who were willing to commit to forming the initial united voice to state gov't and virtually give up their own personal and business lives. They needed to be available to meet together at a moments notice, travel and stay at their own expense, give up their own lives for the foreseeable future.



In fact they are meeting today at 11am – and some committee members are having to travel up to 3 hours one way to be a part of this unique situation.



I was there at the meeting yesterday and I personally and professionally was very pleased and proud to have been there. Yesterday was the beginning of a new, united positive voice to state government to represent 80% of the equine industry. I have total trust and confidence in each of the reps to work together, work for us in a professional and cohesive manner. Lead by Peter Toft how could they go wrong.



The meeting's initial agenda was to see simply if such a singular voice of a Crisis Working Committee could be formed – DONE.



The overall three (3) main objectives are:



welfare of the horse, donkey et al (80%) unrepresented equine industry – STARTED YESTERDAY
getting back to work for the 80% - getting horses working asap, getting people working asap – getting a viable regime of movement permits for the industry to get back to work – STARTING TODAY
eradication of the EI virus – ALREADY STARTED


There will be of course other objectives, goals, aims and timelines – but the initial framework structure is now in place and the new situation with a positive enlightened unified voice has already begun. WE WILL ALL BE HEARD TOGETHER AND GET BETTER ACTIONS, DECISIONS, RESPONSES FROM THOSE WE PAY.



I hastily wrote down the initial eight (8) committee names (apologies if I misspell) – I have requested a brief history of each member and there will be more information coming out from today's meeting plus a statement from Natalie the Industry Liaison officer whose job it is to funnel and co-ordinate this committee's information through the internal beaurocratic workings of the six directors' department – to achieve the goals and outcomes this newly formed industry require. (in no particular order)



Don Ross
David Lovell
Kent Wells
Peter Toft
Ullrich Klatte
Tanya Targett
Graeme Aitkin
Martin Pettifer


From a brief introduction of their individual backgrounds, histories, experience, (which we will learn in more details later) I was delighted to have such an immense amount of talented, intelligent, committed, passionate persons representing me and in fact the meeting voted them in unanimously. So to have these individuals working together as a committee I believe we have started off on the right track and have complete trust and confidence in them. Our future is suddenly brighter but the hard work has just begun.





So, now it is our turn, to tell them what we want, when we want it, what we need, how quickly do we want it, what else needs to be done – we The Performance and Pleasure Horse Industry need / must show this unified group our unified supportive voices – their outcomes can only be as good as what information, facts, requests that we supply to them to act and speak on our behalf. And this group wants to hear immediately from as many individuals, groups, breeders, mums and dads, children, millionaires, farriers, retail sales shop attendants, vets, et al within this 80%. One of Natalie's initial goals is to set up 'an internet portal' – (yeah, not sure either), but it will a state of the art website, email, blogs, fast links & press buttons facility that will become a central point of communication from us, between us, to government depts etc, etc. so stay tuned for this information and all other information.



PLEASE SEND THIS EMAIL OUT, ONWARDS AND FORWARDS TO EVERYONE AND ANYONE WHO YOU THINK WOULD BE WITHIN OUR 80%, PRINT IT OUT AND HAND IT OUT, MAIL IT TO SOME ELDERLY FOLK WHO DON'T HAVE COMPUTERS OR WHO DON'T ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.



THIS IS NOW OUR TIME, OUR UNIQUE SITUATION



AND THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING GREAT.



THE FIRST OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN ACHIEVED AND STARTED.



Wishing us all a speed recovery and great success,





Mark Freemantle

Pasture and Stable Services

Mobile: 0408 460 860

Fax: 07 3318 1542

Email: markfree@bigpond.net.au

I have a teensy prob. Me hosses ain't performance, nor pleasure.

Ha ha. They're a right pain, but I love em.

All horses are horses but

the Govt does need to know that racing may bring in biccies, but every other horse and their owners also pay taxes - and work hard to support their habit, be it dressage (isn't Australia right into competitive sport), endurance, or plain old fun personal enjoyment,

or preserving old breeds ----------as they may be a genetic residual aginst not only this, but far wose infection/disease.

You have my support, let us know how it all goes...there are a few, mostly state but they interconnect - internet sites to keep up with news and opinion (eg Tashorse).
I think the EFI or EFA should be pushing the barrow more than they are (performance and pleasure doesn't help breeders - without that, they got none).
Keep up the good work and keep us posted.....