Section 1

1. THE FHANA ORGANIZATION

1.1. RELATIONSHIP WITH FRIESCH PAARDEN-STAMBOEK (KFPS)

1.1.1. The FHANA Recognizes the KFPS as the sole worldwide authority and registry for the Friesian Horse.

1.1.2. The KFPS Recognizes the FHANA as its sole representative in the United States and Canada.

1.1.3. Privileges of KFPS Membership – Membership in the FHANA entitles residents of the United States and Canada to many of the privileges of KFPS membership; however United States and Canadian residents may not be direct members of the KFPS.

1.1.4. Communication with the KFPS – All registration, except B-Book II procedures and issues with the KFPS concerning North American members must be conducted through the FHANA office.

1.1.5  KFPS Member Council-The KFPS Member Council is a direct link between FHANA and the KFPS.

The KFPS Member Council (KMC) is comprised of elected members of The FHANA Region of FHANA in accordance with the KFPS statutes and By-Laws of the KFPS as it relates to FHANA being an “Other Regional Area”.  FHANA’s representation to the KFPS Member Council includes the per capita representatives by FHANA Members.  These members attend the KFPS Member Council meetings as directed by the KFPS Member Council leadership and rules.  Specific Reference is located in the “Articles of Association of the KFPS, Chapter 14-19 as it applies to FHANA as an “Other Region”.

Regional Meeting:  As required by the KFPS Member Council statute, FHANA will conduct at least one Regional Meeting annually.  This meeting will include an invitation to the entire membership via notice to the membership with at least thirty days notice.  The meeting may be held virtually as announced by the FHANA Executive Director and/or the Board of Directors.  This Regional Meetings shall be held to give the FHANA Members, Members of the Council of Member Council Representatives, FHANA Board of Directors ,, and Administration the opportunity to ask questions, to express opinions and give explanations regarding the policy that is (to be) pursued in the broadest sense of the words used.

1.  All members in the FHANA region shall be invited to attend a Regional Meeting via website of both FHANA and the KFPS, social media and email virtually on at least one time on an annual basis.
2. The KFPS Board shall be notified and invited to attend.  A member of the KFPS Board of Directors will attend the FHANA Regional Meeting, while all members of the KFPS BOD are invited to attend.
   1. The notice for this Regional meeting will be posted and emailed at least 4 weeks before the date of the relevant meeting, with an agenda.
3. The FHANA Representatives, the FHANA Office and the KFPS will co-ordinate the date and time of the meeting.
4. A regional meeting shall be held at least once per year, two times per year is preferred.
5. The KFPS shall request the FHANA President to chair the regional meeting and the FHANA secretary to take minutes.  If the FHANA President is unable to chair the meeting, KFPS itself will chair the meeting.
6. If at least 20 Members of the FHANA Region jointly resolve that a Regional Meeting must be convened in the North American Region, they shall:
   1. Inform the Executive Committee of the KFPS thereof in writing
   2. The Executive Committee of the KFPS shall within 2 weeks after receipt of the aforesaid request convene a meeting
   3. With due observation of a notification period of at least 4 weeks and at most 6 weeks
   4. If the Executive Committee fails to do so, the Members themselves shall be authorized to convene a meeting.
7.  Attendance of a Regional Meeting with voting privileges are:
   1. FHANA members in good standing
   2. FHANA Board of Directors
   3. The FHANA Executive Director will attend meetings as a liaison
8. A concise report/minutes shall be drawn up of the issues discussed at a Regional Meeting. This report shall be discussed in the next Regional Meeting and shall subsequently after possible supplements and improvements be adopted by the relevant Regional Meeting.
9. Regional Meetings shall furthermore be held with due observance of the provisions set forth hereinafter in Article 32 with respect to the order of the meetings.

1.1.5.1.  Council of Members. Composition, Term in Office, Chairperson-

Purpose of the Council of Members:

The KFPS Member Council Committee is responsible for representation of the interests of The Friesian Horse Association of North America.  While the KFPS Friesian Member Council Region consists of members of the KFPS mostly in the Netherlands, this Committee meets with the KFPS Friesian Member Council when summoned to represent FHANA.  The FHANA members on the KFPS Member Council shall provide input as it pertains to the interest of FHANA and the Friesian Horse.

1. The Council of Members shall consist of delegates who have been chosen by the FHANA membership from among the Members.  Candidates for the KFPS Member Council shall be either by volunteering members of FHANA or one single nomination from the membership. Prior to placing the candidate onto the ballot, the prospective candidate shall accept the nomination and sign the FHANA Volunteer Responsibility Form.
2. The Council of Members has ordinary, extraordinary, ordinary closed and special closed meetings.
3. The Term in Office for members of the KFPS Council of Members shall be seated start at the end of the Spring Annual General Membership Meeting of the KFPS.  The Term in Office shall be four years. A member of the Council of Members shall immediately be eligible for reappointment once. See the table below:

** Three year term due to open seat

1.  The senior member of the FHANA representatives shall be the Chair of the group.
2. The FHANA Secretary will record and document the current term of each member and record the newly elected representatives at each Regional Meeting.  The current and newly elected members (if applicable) shall be displayed on the FHANA website with the names, term of position and expiration of term.
3. If a Representative leaves the term early, and there is more than 1 year left to the term the members shall vote in a replacement at the next election
4. Representative’s elections are held at the same time as the election for the FHANA Board of Directors and identified on an individual ballot specifically for the KFPS Member Council positions.
5. The FHANA office calls for nominations and/or volunteers from the members in good standing.
6. Nominations are open in the fall of the year before the start of the said term,
7. A member of the Council of Members shall resign immediately: – if and as soon as his membership of FHANA has been canceled; – if this is their decision and the member has notified FHANA thereof; – pursuant to a resolution of the Members, joined in a meeting of his Region;  or is unable to fulfill the position or perform the duties assigned.
8. A member of the Council of Members shall resign immediately if their membership with FHANA has been cancelled. They may resign at any time by notifying the FHANA Board of Directors or the FHANA Office. A member of the Council of Members may also be removed by the FHANA Membership per the statutes of the KFPS, found in “Articles of Association of the KFPS, Chapter 14-19 as it applies to FHANA as an ‘Other Region’”.
9. The Council shall also have The Executive Director as the Liaison for the Council.  The Liaison shall coordinate with the FHANA Council Members prior to and following the KFPS Member Council meetings.  The FHANA Executive Director shall also support the Council as needed and directed by the President of the FHANA Board of Directors
10. A copy of the KFPS Member Council meeting minutes shall be accessible to the FHANA members via the FHANA Website.
11. The delegates to the KFPS Members Council shall in the next Regional Meeting submit a report concerning their findings, experiences and adopted resolutions, and shall discuss with the Members in the Region subjects to be placed on the agenda in the next FHANA Regional Meeting.

1.2. MEMBERSHIP IN THE FHANA

1.2.1. Categories of Membership are explained in detail in the Bylaws.

1.2.2. Applications for Membership shall be accompanied by payment in U.S. funds for the category of membership desired. Upon completion of processing by the FHANA, but not longer than 30 days from the postmark date of the payment, the member shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges of the membership category.

1.2.3. Membership Dues (new and renewals):

1.2.4. Memberships Are Not Transferable

1.2.5. Membership Privileges

1.2.5.1. All Categories of Membership May:

1.2.5.2. Sport/Pleasure, Full, and Business Members may have the privileges shown above in addition to privileges which include, but are not limited to, the following:

1.2.5.3. Full and Business Members may have the privileges shown above in addition to privileges which include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Utilize the judging and registration services provided by FHANA in conjunction with the KFPS.  These include but are not limited to: identification and registration of eligible foals; recording the purchase or sale of horses; judging horses for studbook entry, status predicates, entering horses for the IBP or ABFP, premiums and prizes; and registry maintenance.
2. Have access to the proprietary “members only” website pages, which include the directories and FHANA tools such as Horse Research and the calculation of inbreeding coefficients.

1.2.6. Responsibilities of FHANA Members

1.2.6.1. Good Standing – To maintain their membership status in good standing, members are to abide by the Bylaws and Rules & Regulations of the FHANA, to deal fairly with the Association and its members, and to fulfill all obligations including timely payment of dues and fees. Loss of good standing will result in termination of membership and its privileges.

1.2.6.1.1. Delinquent Fees to KFPS & FHANA-

1.2.6.1.2. FHANA Media Sharing Policy-Viewing of the FHANA Board of Directors Meeting Videos is governed by the agreement to not copy, record or share the videos in part or in whole. Breach of this agreement is subject to an immediate suspension of FHANA membership for a time period of two years from the date of the violation. Any subsequent violations will incur further penalties as determined by the FHANA Board of Directors.

FHANA Breeding Policy – FHANA Breeding Policy is as follows:

1.2.6.3. Approved Breeding Privileges for Foal Book Stallions will only be granted to those who pass a Central Stallion Proving and are accepted into the KFPS Studbook for Stallions in accordance with the standards set by the KFPS (see Section 3.5.). Although the KFPS has a policy which under exceptional circumstances allows certain Foal Book stallions in KFPS foreign affiliates to be granted limited approved breeding privileges, no such approved breeding privileges will be granted in North America.

1.2.6.4. Notification of Status Change – Members are to notify promptly the FHANA office of any change in address, telephone number or personal status as well as the change in status of any of their horses (e.g. birth, death, castration, importation or ownership transfer).

1.2.7. Spurious Organizations – Members should be wary of and should not be misled by any other organization which purports to provide registration services for Friesian horses. Such organizations may solicit the FHANA members and may imply that they represent or replace the FHANA. Members must realize that any legitimate correspondence concerning the FHANA or the KFPS will clearly indicate that it originated from the FHANA. Members should be careful with any dealings with such groups in order not to jeopardize their or their horse’s standings with the FHANA or the KFPS.  FHANA members are prohibited from utilizing the proprietary database maintained by FHANA and the KFPS for unauthorized use in conducting the business of another purported registry or organization.  FHANA members found to have engaged in the unauthorized use of the database for such purposes will have their access to the member’s only portion of the website disabled.

1.2.8. Termination of Membership

1.2.8.1. Resignation – Any member wishing to resign from the FHANA may do so as specified in the Bylaws. If a membership terminates during the calendar year, no portion of the membership fee will be refunded.

1.2.8.2. Suspension or Termination – Membership may be suspended or terminated at the request of the Board of Directors or by request and vote of the membership as specified in the Bylaws.

1.2.8.3.Non Payment of Dues – Membership will be terminated if annual Membership Dues are not paid by March 31st. However until members have paid the current year dues, they are not considered to be in good standing and therefore are not entitled to vote in Association proceedings, have registrations processed, or receive other services of the Association.

1.2.9. Reinstatement of Membership – If membership is terminated because membership dues were not paid by March 31st, reinstatement of membership will require payment of the full annual Membership Dues, without proration.

1.3. FEES

1.3.1. Amounts – Establishment of and changes to service fees, deposits, penalties and membership dues are approved by the Board of Directors. A schedule of membership dues and list of fees is provided regularly to the FHANA membership.

1.3.2. Fees Are Due In Advance of Service – Where possible, all fees are payable in advance of services. No registration documents will be processed, horses judged or any other services rendered by the FHANA or the KFPS until the appropriate fees have been received and processed by the FHANA. In addition, to receive the services of the FHANA, members must be in good standing (see Section 1.2.6.1.).

1.3.2.1. Returned Checks – Payments made to the FHANA with checks which are returned by the bank on which they are drawn are subject to the charges shown in the list of fees.

1.3.3. Delinquent Accounts – In the event that members have an account owing to the FHANA, any amounts received will be first applied to the oldest balance owing. Interest at 1% per month (12.68 per annum) will be charged on balances owing for more than three months starting at the end of the third month. The account must be brought current before any further FHANA services will be performed.  Members with delinquent accounts will be listed in the Friesian magazine on a quarterly basis until the account is brought current.

1.3.4. Penalties – The Board of Directors reserves the right to recommend penalties in conjunction with or in addition to other fees. Such penalties will be assessed on a situation by situation basis and must be approved by the membership. An example of a cause for such penalty is a violation of the responsibilities of FHANA members as specified in Section 1.2.6. of these Rules & Regulations.

1.4. CHAPTERS AFFILIATED WITH FHANA

1.4.1. New Chapter Designation – Members applying for a new chapter in their geographic area must fill out and submit to the FHANA office the FHANA Chapter Application. A copy of the Chapter’s bylaws and a list of members and the activities the chapter intends to participate in representing the FHANA will be included with the Application upon submission. A chapter may be formed by any group or concentration of people. A chapter should include at least five people with separate FHANA memberships who are eligible to vote in Association proceedings and who are full, voting members of the chapter. The chapter will include in their paperwork their designated contact person. The new chapter application will be presented to the FHANA Member Council for recommendation to the Board of Directors for approval/denial of the application. The Boards’ decision of granting or declining the application will be communicated to the chairman of the FHANA Member Council to notify the applicants. Once the new chapter has been notified the FHANA office will include the Chapter on the FHANA website listing of FHANA Chapters

1.4.2. Renewing Chapter Designation – Chapters affiliated with the FHANA may be of any Chapter affiliated with the FHANA may be Each renewing chapter must submit the Chapter application renewal form by March 31 of each calendar year. The renewal form should list a designated contact person and include a roster of current members. Each chapter must provide notice to FHANA of chapter activities and must renew its chapter status with FHANA by March 31 of each year.

1.4.3. Chapter Members – Only FHANA members in good standing who are entitled to vote in Association proceedings are eligible to be full, voting members of the chapter. FHANA members may join more than one chapter. FHANA members who join more than one chapter can be a full, voting member in only one chapter and can be an associate, non-voting member in additional chapters. FHANA members are not required to be a member of any chapter. If its members agree a chapter may include as associate, non-voting chapter members, people who are not Friesian horse owners and/or who are not members of the FHANA.

1.4.4. Chapter Rules and Finances – Each chapter will determine its own administration and activities which shall not be contrary to the FHANA’s goals and policies. Each chapter must recognize and abide by all rules, regulations and statutes of the FHANA. Each chapter will be self-supporting and its operating costs will not be underwritten by the FHANA.  Effective March 1, 2012, all FHANA Chapters must present chapter bylaws to FHANA in order to continue their charter.

1.4.5. Chapter Representative – A representative designated by a chapter on record with the FHANA may request to attend the meetings of the FHANA Board of Directors as a non-voting observer. The representative may petition the Board on specific matters of concern to the chapter

1.5. FHANA EMBLEM AND NAME

1.5.1. This design or insignia, the association name and FHANA are the exclusive property of the Association.  The logo and name are the trademark property of FHANA and any unauthorized use or reproduction or use of FHANA materials without prior written authorization is strictly prohibited:

1.5.11 Only the FHANA or its agents are entitled to sell items containing the FHANA emblem or name. Requests for a franchise to sell such items may be submitted to the Association office.