It seems we were just showing a few weeks ago at our September show, but the Banquet is right around the corner.  Please join us for the Minnesota Pinto Awards Banquet Saturday January 16 at the Monticello Community Center.  Please check the newsletter, the website and your email for more information and the reservation form.  In addition to socializing and award recognition, we will have some great items to bid on including Minnesota Wild Hockey tickets, emergency Vet Kit, 2 pairs of NEW hunt boots, an MP3 player, a FREE stall at the Fergus Falls shows and lots more.  That said, please pound the pavement and bring any items you collect or want to donate the night of the banquet.
 
This is always a busy time of the year for the volunteers of Minnesota Pinto.  Kathy Zachmann and her crew are busy working on some great year end awards, Traci Gujer and Kylene Nelson are working on the Youth Year End Awards and silent auction fundraiser, Tammy Neilson and Sandy Dahl are working on final details for the banquet, our raffle chair Tracy Miller is begging everyone she knows for donations, the showbill committee is finalizing our showbills for 2010, Lin Neu and Mary Noonan are working on the directory, and Mahlon Bauman and Abby Duncanson are tirelessly working to promote Minnesota Pinto and get the word out about our 2010 shows, including the Jubilee show that Christine Peterson, Kim Voller and Lin Neu are pulling together with Minn-I-Kota Pinto.  Thanks to all of you for your hard work.  There are many, many great volunteers for Minnesota Pinto and we thank you ALL for your efforts.
 
Please keep your eyes open for a Spring Youth and General Membership meeting.  We will have a Vet from Anoka Equine speaking on Lameness in the Performance Horse and Reproductive Issues followed by a pizza party.
 
The Board has decided to hold our show fees for 2010 for our three-day shows.  Our new two-day September show falls under a different fee structure that has the ride-all-weekend fee lower than the three-day show.  Unfortunately, stalling costs at the two-day show will remain unchanged due to the labor of the arena.  We continue our policy of not marking up our stall fees...in other words, what the arena charges MN Pinto just gets passed along to the exhibitors.  Look for the new show bills and fee information in the next newsletter and on the website.  www.minnesotapinto.com
 
I would like to thank Loaune Foster for her year on the Board of Directors and working on the Queen program and welcome Gary Wasson to the Board of Directors in 2010.  Thank you both for volunteering your time.
 
Thought for the day - "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."  Plato