Meeting Minutes - Western Canada Weight Pulling
Meeting Minutes - Western Canada Weight Pulling
Meeting Minutes - Western Canada Weight Pulling
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In Attendance:<br />
Sean Hammell<br />
Patrick Morrison<br />
Stefani VanRyswyk<br />
Ashley Hotel<br />
Sonja Crowder<br />
Agenda Items:<br />
<strong>Western</strong> <strong>Canada</strong> <strong>Weight</strong> Pull Club General <strong>Meeting</strong><br />
Oct 17, 2012 – 7pm<br />
Fiddler’s Courtyard – 723 Edmonton Trail NE Calgary, AB<br />
1) Practice – How can we improve practice?<br />
Problem:<br />
It was identified that an issue with practice is the amount of downtime<br />
experienced by people during the practice, and the length of practices.<br />
Solution A:<br />
Run 2 carpet systems simultaneously, one using the cart (for more<br />
experienced dogs – defined as having a starting weight of over 560 lbs)<br />
and one using a sled (for less experienced dogs – defined as having a start<br />
weight of less than 560 lbs). Currently we do not have a second carpet to<br />
use; this solution will be re-evaluated if a second carpet can be obtained.<br />
A call for a second carpet was made at practice, and will be re-iterated on<br />
the facebook group.<br />
Solution B:<br />
Stagger the start time of practices between less experienced and more<br />
experienced dogs. All were in agreement with this solution, and it was<br />
determined to start more experience dogs (start weight >560 lbs) at 6:00<br />
pm, and then less experienced dogs (start weight
or parking lots of pubs such as Ranchman’s, Dobson’s, etc.. weather<br />
permitting.<br />
3) The Future of the Club<br />
The club has been growing from year to year, but currently we only run<br />
competitions from Sept – March under the IWPA organization. There is<br />
an opportunity to run more pulls more often, whether they be fun pulls or<br />
through another organization. Some members have expressed interest in<br />
running pulls under the APA organization, and all in attendance agreed to<br />
move forward with the steps required to run APA pulls in the Calgary<br />
area, and until that is possible, to run fun pulls in the IWPA off-season.<br />
Sean volunteered to take the steps to become certified as an APA judge,<br />
which will require apprentice judging of a certain amount of classes under<br />
a senior judge and writing all required examinations. It is believed that the<br />
APA supports Sean becoming a judge, and senior judge Craig Huitson is<br />
willing to mentor Sean, although the apprenticeship will likely be done in<br />
pulls in the Pacific NorthWest under senior judges there.<br />
4) Making the Future Happen – Fundraising<br />
The <strong>Western</strong> Canadian <strong>Weight</strong> Pull Club has high aspirations regarding<br />
growing our club in both memberships, number of pulls offered, and<br />
number of organizations available to pull under. In the past this club has<br />
been solely funded by Sean Hammell, but is now in a “breakeven”<br />
financial status, where current equipment and operations is all funded by<br />
the operations of the club. However, to obtain the growth hoped for in this<br />
club, extra funds are required to cover such things as new equipment<br />
(specifically a track systems costing between $2500-$2700 to purchase at<br />
a discount, as well as more/new carpet, better barriers, new practice<br />
harnesses, more weight, and other required expenses.<br />
Solution A - Memberships:<br />
It was discussed and agreed that the club should require each person<br />
coming to practice pay for the use of the equipment, expertise and time of<br />
the club. A “tiered” system was developed and agreed upon as such:<br />
Free - First 3 times for brand new participants<br />
$5/time – drop-ins (per family costs, regardless of the amount of dogs<br />
$100/year – single dog membership<br />
$150/year – multiple dog membership<br />
Memberships cards will be developed and given out, and any extra<br />
discounts that can be negotiated by the club will be passed on to the<br />
members. Some suggestions were discounts on dog food, harness<br />
purchase, doggie daycare, and poop removal. Sean will contact our<br />
normal sponsors to inquire about possible group discounts, and each<br />
member agreed to contact their regular suppliers for any possibility of<br />
group discounts.<br />
Solution B – Grants:
Sonja brought to the table a volunteer grant program that her employer<br />
FortisAlberta offers. There are $500 grants available for 35 hours/year of<br />
volunteering time. Sonja is going to apply for these grants in hopes we<br />
may be able to earn some money for her time spent volunteering at<br />
practice and pulls.<br />
Solution C – Raffles:<br />
A great fundraiser in the past for many groups has been a big ticket item<br />
raffle. It was decided the club would attempt to obtain three big ticket<br />
items and either raffle them off separately, or together as a first, second,<br />
third prize situation. Sean and Patrick will investigate the possibility of<br />
obtaining a big screen TV for donation or at cost, and Sean will look at<br />
obtaining a Texas Mickey as well as a wine basket for the other prizes.<br />
Tickets would be one for $10 or three for $20. The raffle would be drawn<br />
at our final pull in March, and each member involved with the club would<br />
be expected to take a book of tickets and do their best to sell them, and<br />
return the stubs and money to the club.<br />
Solution D – Time and Talent Raffle:<br />
Whitney Weston wrote in that a good fundraiser would be a time raffle<br />
where you donated X amount of your time, and then sold raffle tickets on<br />
this time.<br />
All three solutions will be attempted in an effort to gain money for the<br />
club to buy new equipment and possibly have cash prizes for our pulls.<br />
5) Growing the Club – Advertising:<br />
Problem:<br />
It sometimes seems as if there is not enough awareness of the sport of<br />
weight pulling, or that the club exists.<br />
Solution A – Posters/Decals:<br />
All members agreed that they would take some posters and put them up at<br />
the dog spots where they normally frequent. Sean will provide the posters<br />
and some plastic sheathing for any to be put outdoors at dog parks, etc.<br />
Sonja will develop a logo with the brand image as well as the club name<br />
which could be sold and/or given out to members. Upon approval of the<br />
decals Sean will contact some people regarding pricing to produce the<br />
decals.<br />
Solution B – Building Interest:<br />
Previously some of the pitbull specific weight pull groups were asking<br />
their fosters and new adoptive homes to attend weight pulling as a positive<br />
outlet for a dog’s energy. Sean will check to ensure they are still doing<br />
this, and if not, why they are not. All members agreed to spread the word<br />
as best they can to other dog owners about the sport and invite them to<br />
practice.