Mounted Games Association of Ireland

 Constitution

       General

       1. The name shall be ‘The Mounted Games Association of Ireland’.

       Objects

     2. To organize and develop the sport of equestrian mounted games for young persons within Ireland and overseas, thereby encouraging international understanding and friendship.

      Membership

       3.1 Membership shall be open to any person on payment of the annual subscription. Any person participating in the Associations events, must be a member of the Association and have fully paid up personal insurance. The Association reserves the right to refuse admission.

       3.2 The annual subscription shall be whatever the Committee decides from time to time.

       3.3 Members over 16 years of age shall be entitled to vote at the AGM and any other general and committee meetings.

       3.4 The Committee may invite any person or group to become Patrons or Honorary members of the Association without a vote.

        Officers and the Committee

       4.1 The Officers of the Association shall be the Chairman, the Treasurer and the Secretary.

        4.2 The Committee shall comprise of the Officers, the Area Representatives, the International Representative and the Players Representative.

        4.3 The Association shall be managed by the Officers and the Committee and up to two co- opted members if deemed necessary.

        4.4 The Officers may hold office for 3 years, following which they shall resign and not be eligible for re election for one year. They may remain on the Committee in another capacity if so proposed.

        4.5 Each area shall hold a meeting of paid up members of their county who are aged 16 years and over, to put forward one of their members to be their Area Representative at the Annual General meeting.

        4.6 The Area Representatives shall be elected normally for two years following which they shall resign but be eligible for re-election. Co-opted members may stand until the Annual General meeting following their co-option.

          Meetings of Members

          5.1 An Annual General meeting shall be held in October each year and its business shall be as follows:

       Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting; Officers’ and committee reports as necessary; Balance Sheet and Accounts for the year. Such further     business as the Rules may require or the Chairman of the meeting may decide.

       5.2 Any other General Meeting shall be convened as deemed necessary by the Committee or to consider a specific proposal put forward by no less than 25% of the voting members.

       5.3 Not less than twenty one days notice of any General Meeting shall be given to members and the quorum for such meeting shall be 8 members. The chair shall be taken by the Chairman of the Association who may nominate any Officer if he is unable to attend. If neither person appears within fifteen minutes of the appointed time the members present may elect one of their number.

       5.4 Voting at the Annual General Meeting, or other General Meetings of members shall be by secret ballot. 3 scrutiniers shall be appointed from different areas to count the votes. A simple majority of votes shall prevail. In the event of an equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

      5.5 Only members present can vote at meetings (no proxy votes) and must be paid up members for at least one month before voting at an Annual General Meeting.

       Finance

        6.1 The financial year of the Association shall be as determined by the Committee.

        6.2 The funds of the Association shall be acquired as the Committee deems necessary and applied towards its objects.

       6.3 All monies due to or held by the Association or any part thereof, shall be maintained by the relevant group in a separate bank account, with adequate internal control, and proper books and annual statements of account shall be maintained.

       6.4 The Chairman shall be empowered to ensure financial matters throughout the Association are maintained in a legal and proper manner, and shall ensure the preparation of such accounts are as required annually on behalf of the Association for verification by the Auditor.

       Committee Procedure and Powers

        7.1 The Committee shall be entrusted with the general control of the Association’s affairs and its resolutions shall bind the membership.

       7.2 A meeting of the Committee shall be held within three months of the AGM and five members shall constitute a quorum. The chair shall be taken as stated in Rule 5.3. In the event of an equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

        7.3 In the event of an Officer or Committee member not being able to attend a committee meeting, he or she may send a proxy to represent him.

        7.4 Anyone who does not attend 3 successive Committee meetings without apologies will be deemed to have resigned.

       7.5 Except as otherwise stated in these Rules, the Committee may appoint such persons, sub-committees or any other group and delegate such powers and duties as the Committee deems necessary.

        7.6 A resolution in writing of the committee, signed by all the members entitled to attend meetings, shall be as valid as if passed at a meeting at which members were present.

       Organization of Activities

      8.1 All activities of the Association shall be managed by the Committee, sub committees and any other group so empowered by the Committee, under the direction of that Committee and in accordance with these Rules.

       8.2  Any proposal for alteration of these Rules shall be notified clearly and specifically as such in writing, in text, email or web pages to the members, in the notice of  the Special General meeting.  No such proposal shall be carried into effect unless passed by at least three-quarters of the members present, voting to be a simple show of hands.

 8.3 Other regulations and policies which are complementary to the constitution, which the committee may modify and or adopt as the need arises are the Code of Discipline, Code of Conduct, Health and Safety, Anti Doping Rules, International Rules and Playing Rules.

      Dissolution

9. Dissolution of the Association shall only occur following a resolution to that effect passed by at least three-quarters of the members present at a Special General Meeting, convened for that purpose, voting to be by a simple show of hands. Upon dissolution the funds remaining after all debts and expenses have been met shall be applied for such charitable purposes as the Committee shall decide.