American Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Association

Breeder Listings
Ads
Forms
News and Newsletters
Officers
Member Pictures

American Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Association
P.O. Box 534
Paonia, CO 81428
Email: info@blackwelsh.org

Article I - NAME and ORGANIZATION
Article II - OFFICERS and DUTIES
Article III - DIRECTORS and DUTIES
Article IV - MEETINGS
Article V - NOMINATIONS and ELECTIONS
Article VI - MEMBERSHIPS, VOTING RIGHTS and DUES
Article VII - FINANCIAL
Article VIII - COMMITTEES
Article IX - REGISTRATION POLICIES
Article X - BREED STANDARD
Article X - SHOW RULES
Article X - AMENDMENTS

ARTICLE I
NAME and ORGANIZATION

Section 1: This club shall be known as the American Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Association (ABWMSA)..

Section 2: The purpose of the American Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Association is to advance the public's knowledge and use of the purebred Black Welsh Mountain sheep by promoting the identity and versatility of these animals, conserving and protecting this rare breed.

Section 3: The principal office or place of business shall be the home of the duly elected President of the Club, with a permanent separate Post Office Box for Club Correspondence.

Section 4: The fiscal year of the Club shall be January 1st through December 31 of each year.

Section 5: There shall be no capital stock. All new members shall be given a copy of the Bylaws.

Section 6: The Breed Standards shall be those defined by the Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Breeders Association of Great Britain.

go to Top

ARTICLE II
OFFICERS and DUTIES

Section 1: The officers of the Association shall be: President, Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer. These officers shall be nominated and elected by the voting membership. These officers shall hold office for a period of one year.

Section 2: The President shall preside at all general and Board of Directors meetings of the Association. The President shall appoint all special and standing committees, chairpersons and serve as an ex-officio member of all committees. The President shall conduct the business of the Association in accordance with the Association Bylaws.

Section 3: The Vice-President shall preside at all general and Board of Directors meetings in the absence of the President. The Vice-President shall act as a chairperson of the Nominating Committee. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President the Vice-President shall succeed to that office for the unexpired term.

Section 4: The Secretary/Treasurer shall keep the minutes of all meetings and safeguard the records of the Association. The Secretary/Treasurer shall conduct, supervise, count and record the balloting of all elections. The Secretary/Treasurer shall also act as Membership Chairperson unless one is appointed separately by the President.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall keep and safeguard the funds of the Association and keep accurate records of same. The Secretary/Treasurer shall be required to report monthly receipts and disbursements of all monies handled through this office.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall keep and safeguard the records of all the purebred sheep and provide registration papers for lambs born to properly registered sheep in accordance with the rules of the association. The Secretary/Treasurer shall ensure that at least two Board Members are provided with duplicate backup copies of the registration database and required computer software on a regular basis for use in disaster recovery. The Secretary/Treasurer shall produce a yearly flock book describing all the sheep registered in the last calendar year. The Secretary/Treasurer shall provide current members with registration data in accordance with the rules and guidelines adopted by the Board of Directors.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall perform other duties as usually pertain to this office, including those specifically assigned by the President and/or the Board of Directors.

Section 5: Chairpersons of all committees shall serve for a period not to exceed one year unless appointed for a second term.

go to Top

ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS and DUTIES

Section 1: The Board of Directors of the Association shall consist of up to ten members: President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, most recent past President and up to six elected from the voting membership.

Section 2: The Directors elected from the voting membership shall hold office for a period of two years.

Section 3: The Publicity Chairperson shall be an honorary, nonvoting member of the Board of Directors and shall be responsible for the publication of the Newsletter. If no separate Publicity Chairperson is appointed, the Secretary/Treasurer shall assume the responsibility for the Newsletter.

Section 4: The Board of Directors shall meet as necessary to conduct the business of the Association.

Section 5: Meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or any four members of the Board or any five voting members in good standing. Each Director shall receive written, telephone or electronic mail notice of the time and place of each meeting at least ten days in advance.

Section 6: A quorum at any meeting of the Board shall be five or more Directors. A majority of the quorum shall decide any question that may arise. No business shall be conducted until a quorum is present.

Section 7: The duties of the Directors shall be to advise the Association in advancing the public's knowledge and use of the purebred Black Welsh Mountain Sheep by promoting the identity and versatility of these animals. The Directors shall review and act on potential member applications and function in the capacity of an Ethics Review Committee. The Board of Directors shall set the fees for the various services provided by the Association on a regular basis.

Section 8: All vacancies in the offices of the Association, except that of President, shall be filled by appointment from the Board of Directors. Those so appointed shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term. The office of President shall be filled by the Vice President for the remainder of the unexpired term. A vacancy on the Board for any reason shall be filled by election at the next general meeting.

go to Top

ARTICLE IV
MEETINGS

Section 1: There shall be a single annual meeting for the purpose of electing officers and directors, receiving reports of committees and for any other business that may arise. The exact time and place of the annual membership meeting shall be designated by the Board of Directors or by approval of the general membership. Each member shall receive a written, telephone or electronic mail notice of each meeting at least ten days in advance. The annual membership meeting may be held via mail, electronic mail or electronic conference using electronic bulletin boards, chat rooms or other such facilities as may become available.

Section 2: Special meetings of the general membership may be called by the President at any time and place by written, telephone or electronic mail notice to all members at least ten days in advance. The special meeting may be held via mail, electronic mail or electronic conference using electronic bulletin boards, chat rooms or other such facilities as may become available.

Section 3: A quorum shall consist of thirty percent of the voting members in good standing. A majority of the quorum shall decide any question that may arise. No business shall be conducted until a quorum is present. Members present at a duly called or held annual or special meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to do business until adjournment notwithstanding the withdrawal of members to leave less than a quorum.

Section 4: All meetings shall be conducted by the Roberts Rules of Order.

go to Top

ARTICLE V
NOMINATIONS and ELECTIONS

Section 1: The Nominating Committee shall consist of four members: the Vice President, acting as chairperson; one Director appointed by the President, and two other members from the voting membership excluding, if possible officers and members of the Board.

Section 2: The Nominating Committee shall report at the annual meeting. Nominations from the floor shall be in order at this meeting. Elections shall be conducted at the annual meeting.

Section 3: Absentee Ballots shall be furnished with the annual meeting notice.

Section 4: Voting shall be by secret ballot in either written or electronic form for any office for which there is more than one candidate. The candidates shall be elected by a majority of the voting members.

Section 5: Installation of Officers shall be held at or before the first of January. Term of office shall begin upon installation.

go to Top

ARTICLE VI
MEMBERSHIPS, VOTING RIGHTS and DUES

Section 1: Eligibility for active membership in good standing:

(a) Any individual of good character and reputation interested in Black Welsh Mountain Sheep.

(b) Membership approved by the Board of Directors.

(d) Payment of other fees as approved by the Board of Directors.

Section 2: Types of Membership:

(a) Individual Voting: Current breeder or owner of Black Welsh Mountain Sheep. May vote or hold office in the Club.

(b) Individual Associate: Persons interested in Black Welsh Mountain Sheep but not current owners or breeders. May not vote or hold office in the Club.

(c) Youth: Open to any persons interested in Black Welsh Mountain Sheep who are under the age of 18 as of December 1 of the previous calendar year. May not vote or hold office in the Club.

Section 3: Voting rights are granted only to individual voting members paying dues to the ABWMSA. Voting by proxy shall not be allowed.

Section 4: Dues for the succeeding calendar year shall be proposed by the Board of Directors and set by a vote of the voting membership at the annual meeting.

(a) The ABWMSA membership year shall run from January 1st to December 31st. Dues are due and payable to ABWMSA on November 30st preceding the beginning of the membership year and shall become delinquent on January 1st of the membership year.

(b) Dues shall be paid to the Secretary/Treasurer.

Section 5: Fees for the registration of sheep, transfers of registered sheep and other purposes shall be set by the Board of Directors and may be changed periodically.

Section 6: No membership is transferable and any attempt to do so shall automatically void such membership.

Section 7: A membership may be revoked for any of the following reasons:

(a) Violation of the By-laws of the Association.

(b) Conduct deleterious to the best interests of the Black Welsh Mountain Sheep or the Association

When the board determines that there is a basis for revocation and after any investigation it deems necessary or desirable, the Board of Directors may, by a two thirds (2/3) vote of all Directors, suspend or revoke a membership and take direct appropriate action. All dues paid by the member prior to such revocation shall remain the property of the Association.

Section 8: Permanent Revocation of Membership: In the event a member performs actions that are so detrimental to the breed or the Association that a permanent revocation is being considered by the Board of Directors such a permanent sanction shall also require the approval of two thirds (2/3) vote of the voting members.

Section 9: A revoked membership may be reinstated and such person restored as a member after payment of necessary dues and in the case of a cruelty charge the completion of any legal penalty or jail term upon approval by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors. Any member who has been permanently revoked can never be reinstated as a member in the Association.

Section 10: A list of people whose membership has been suspended or revoked shall be be published in the Association newsletter and in other public media as directed by the Board of Directors.

go to Top

ARTICLE VII
FINANCIAL

Section 1: This Association is a non-profit organization. All funds shall be used in accordance with our stated purpose and to provide for the continuing functioning of the Association .

Section 2: To access Association funds shall require one of three authorized member signatures approved by the Board of Directors.

Section 3: At the close of the fiscal year the books shall be reviewed by the Board of Directors.

Section 4: Should the Association be dissolved, any remaining assets shall be donated for ovine research to an organization selected by the Board of Directors.

go to Top

ARTICLE VIII
COMMITTEES

Section 1: The following standing committees shall be established:

(a) Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Education Committee to be comprised of those persons required to promote, conduct and manage educational symposia and exhibits held by the Association.

(a) Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Showing Committee to be comprised of those persons required to assist members in showing and presenting their sheep at fairs and other exhibits.

Section 2: The Board of Directors or the President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, may create other committees as deemed necessary and establish their composition, objectives and procedures.

go to Top

ARTICLE IX
REGISTRATION POLICIES

Section 1: Registrations Accepted

(a) Current paid individual voting members of the ABWMSA with registered flocks may register and transfer sheep.

(b) To register a flock select a prefix and submit the one-time flock registration fee. The flock prefix will be included in the registered name of all animals bred in the flock.

Section 2: Sheep Requirements: The following animals will be accepted for registration upon submission of a registration application and the registration fee provided they comply with the breed standards.

(a) Purebred Black Welsh Mountain Sheep owned by current members in good standing of the Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Breeders Association of Great Britain. Verification of flock status shall be by the records as published in the annual flock book of the Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Breeders Association.

(b) Sheep which are not currently registered but which trace in all pedigree lines to the original North American importation by Mr. Thomas Wyman. Documentation of such sheep shall be reviewed by the Board of Directors for accuracy prior to accepting the sheep for registration. Parentage verification may be required. This parentage verification shall be at the expense of the breeder.

(c) Sheep currently registered with the North American Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Registry upon inspection including but not limited to proof of current registration and verification of pedigree. Documentation of such sheep shall be reviewed by the Board of Directors for accuracy prior to accepting the sheep for registration.

(d) Sheep which are the offspring of currently registered sheep.

(e) Sheep which are the offspring of sheep described in (a), (b) and (c) above.

(f) To register lambs sired by rams not owned by the breeder include either a signed statement from the owner of the ram specifying the exposure dates, the ram used and the ewe bred or in the case of breeding by artificial insemination a signed statement from the collector of the semen as to the identification of the donor ram and a signed statement from the inseminator as to the identification of the semen used and the ewe inseminated.

(g) Lambs produced with the use of embryo transfer from either fresh or frozen embryos are eligible for registration provided they would otherwise qualify. Recipient ewes do not have to be purebred Black Welsh Mountain Sheep however parentage verification of all embryo transfer lambs will be required prior to registration. This parentage verification shall be at the expense of the breeder.

(h) Unworthy or unsound sheep should not be registered. This includes rams with horn growth endangering their health, rams without two normal testicles and any sheep which does not conform to the breed standard or has a serious hereditary health problem or abnormality.

(i) Offspring of an unknown sire are not eligible. Each breeder is responsible for keeping accurate breeding records. A ewe may only be exposed to one ram per cycle so that the sire of the lamb is known. The Board of Directors may require parentage verification in cases where there are two potential sires. All such costs of verification shall be at the expense of the breeder.

(j) Castrated rams or spayed ewes may not be registered.

(k) Offspring from sheep sold without registration papers who are produced after the date of sale without papers will not be accepted for registration.

(l) The breeder of a sheep is the owner of the dam at the time of breeding.

(m) The Board of Directors may enact additional registration requirements or modify the pedigree verification or documentation needed to register sheep.

Section 3: Identification

(a) All sheep must be permanently identified with individual ear tags, tattoos or microchips of the breeder's choice prior to registration. If you choose to microchip your sheep a visible method of identification is also required.

(b) The Board of Directors may make additional changes required so as to comply with state or federal laws regarding sheep identification and documentation.

Section 4: Transfers

(a) The seller is responsible for transferring and paying all transfer fees for any sheep sold.

(b) Sellers must be current paid members in good standing of the ABWMSA.

(c) Transfers must be completed within 90 days of the date of transfer of the sheep. In the case of a contract sale the date of transfer is the ending date of the contract.

(d) Sheep which are sold without papers may not be re-instated as a purebred sheep at any time in the future.

go to Top

ARTICLE X
BREED STANDARD

Section 1: Black Welsh Mountain Sheep are a small breed of hardy dual purpose sheep. The breed standard is derived from the existing standard in Great Britain.

go to Top

ARTICLE XI
SHOW RULES

Section 1: It is preferred that the Black Welsh Mountain Sheep be shown under card grading rules. However, since these sheep may show in open classes American style rules are allowed. Any breed specific competitions shall be conducted under standard card grading rules with animals judged against the breed standard.

go to Top

ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENTS

Section 1: These bylaws may be altered and amended at any meeting of the Association providing a quorum is present, and by two thirds (2/3) vote of the voting members present at such a meeting and providing that the proposed amendment or alteration was presented in writing or via electronic mail to all members in good standing at least ten days prior to the meeting.

go to Top