Question 1

1. Relationship with Het Friesch Paarden-Stamboek (KFPS)

Accepted Answer

FHAGBI t/a UKFHS recognises the KFPS as the sole worldwide authority and origin studbook for the Friesian Horse.
The KFPS recognises the FHAGBI t/a UKFHS as its sole representative in the United Kingdom.
Communication with the KFPS, all registration procedures and issues with the KFPS concerning UK members must be conducted through the FHAGBI t/a UKFHS Board of Directors and Committee.

Question 2

2. Membership of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS

Accepted Answer

Categories of membership, where a person is a member of this Company.
A full member is the beneficial owner of a Friesian horse which is registered in the United Kingdom Friesian studbook or one of the various studbooks recognised and maintained by the KFPS.
An associate member is a member who is not the beneficial owner of a registered Friesian horse.
Applications for membership are approved by the Directors and should be accompanied by payment in Great British Pounds (GBP).  Upon completion of processing by the FHAGBI t/a UKFHS, 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.
The membership year runs from 1 January to 31 December each year.  In the year of initial membership of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS, where the applicant is not a renewing member by the 14th of February, membership dues will be prorated according to the following schedule:
Joining 1 January – 30 June		full amount is due
Joining 1 July – 30 September		50% of full amount
Joining 1 October – 31 December	35% of full amount	
Memberships are not transferable.
All categories of membership may:
Attend all membership meetings;
Receive newsletters and general correspondence from the FHAGBI t/a UKFHS;
Join the members only Facebook group and members on social networking pages.
Full members have the privileges shown above in addition to privileges which include, but are not limited to the following:
Vote in FHAGBI t/a UKFHS proceedings as outlined in the Articles of Association;
2.6.2	be eligible for election to the Board of Directors as outlined in the Articles of Association;
2.6.3	petition the Board of Directors on matters of policy or concern.
Full members, who are Gold members, may have the privileges shown above in addition to privileges which include, but are not limited to the following:
reduced price registration services for eligible foals born in the United Kingdom;
reduced price update of passport details for horses resident in the United Kingdom;
be a member of the KFPS and have access to the proprietary “members only” website pages;
ability to update the KFPS breed paper;
utilise the registration services of the KFPS at a reduced rate for foals born outside of the United Kingdom;
utilise judging services provided by FHAGBI t/a UKFHS in conjunction with the KFPS which include but are not limited to: judging horses for studbook entry, status predicates, entering horses for the IBOP or ABFP, premiums and prizes;
subscribe to the Phyrso magazine published by the KFPS.
Termination of membership:
Resignation, if a member terminates during the calendar year, no portion of the membership fee will be returned.
Membership may be suspended or terminated at the discretion of the Board of Directors or by request and vote of the membership.
Membership will be terminated if annual membership dues are not paid by the 14th of February in the year due.  However, until members have paid the current year’s dues they are not considered to be in good standing and therefore are not entitled to vote in Company proceedings or receive the services of the Company.
Where membership is terminated because dues were not paid by the 14th of February in the year due, reinstatement of membership will require payment of the full annual membership dues, without proration, plus payment of the membership reinstatement fee.
In order to comply with Commission Decision 9/353/EEC, FHAGBI t/a UKFHS declares that there will be no discrimination between members within each category of membership.

Question 3

3. Responsibilities of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS Members

Accepted Answer

To maintain their membership status in good standing, members are to abide by the Rules and Regulations of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS, to deal fairly with FHAGBI and its members, and to fulfil all obligations including timely payment of dues and fees.  Loss of good standing will result in termination of membership and its privileges.
Members must not act in a manner which brings FHAGBI t/a UKFHS into disrepute, nor which impacts negatively on the reputation of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS, its Board of Directors or its Committee.
Members are to notify promptly the Membership Secretary 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).
The FHAGBI and UKFHS logos are protected by copyright and are not to be used on websites or promotional materials other than those published by FHAGBI t/a UKFHS without the express written permission of the Board of Directors.
The use of the KFPS logo, WFHO logo and logos of other foreign association logos recognised by the KFPS are protected by copyright and are not to be used on websites or other promotional material without the express written permission of those entities.
Information and photos used on FHAGBI t/a UKFHS, KFPS and other KFPS recognised foreign association websites or within publications (i.e. newsletters, Phryso, information leaflets) are protected by copyright.  They must not be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the entities or author / photographer.
Members must not abuse the use of the FHAGBI t/a UKFHS website, including its social media networks, for any commercial activities, or advertising activities, or for selling horses or items other than those formally submitted to the Board of Directors for scrutiny prior to posting. The Board of Directors decision will be final.
The advertising of horses for sale is at the discretion of the Board of Directors.  Any member found to be selling horses without the correct paperwork or purposefully misleading purchasers are at risk of having their membership terminated without the right to appeal and may be declined future membership. In order to advertise a horse for sale on the FHAGBI t/a UKFHS website, social media networks and in the newsletter the following guidelines must be adhered to:
The horse must be a Friesian horse which is registered the United Kingdom Friesian studbook or one of the various studbooks recognised by the KFPS;
For private sales the horse’s passport must be in the name of the current owner;
For trade sales the seller must be a member of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS and agree that the advert will be marked as Trade;
Adverts must be factually correct e.g. age of horse, pedigree, health status, training level etc;
Photos and video clips must be of the horse for sale in that specific advert;
Horses may be advertised for former members at the discretion of the Board of Directors, providing they are in good standing with the Company, and they are in accordance with the rules and regulations above.
Disclaimer – The Friesian Horse Association of Great Britain and Ireland Limited (FHAGBI) trading as United Kingdom Friesian Horse Studbook (UKFHS) and its officers shall have no responsibility for the representations made about horses by advertiser.  Buyers purchase from the advertiser at their own risk.
Any person being or having been prosecuted for equine welfare offences or where the Board of Directors receives repeated valid complaints concerning welfare standards, may have their membership terminated with immediate effect without the right to appeal and be declined future membership.
Members should be wary of, and should not be misled by, any organisation that purports to provide registration services for Friesian horses.  Such organisations may solicit FHAGBI t/a UKFHS members and may imply that they represent or replace FHAGBI t/a UKFHS.  Legitimate correspondence concerning FHAGBI t/a UKFHS and the KFPS will clearly indicate that it has originated from FHAGBI t/a UKFHS or the KFPS.  Members should be careful when dealing with such groups, in order not to jeopardise their or their horse’s standing with FHAGBI t/a UKFHS or the KFPS.

Question 4

4. Standards of Conduct

Accepted Answer

It is the policy of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS that its members, act in accordance with the rules and regulations and uphold the highest level of ethical and professional behaviour.
Treat with respect and consideration all persons, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, maternity, marital or family status, disability, age or national origin.  FHAGBI t/a UKFHS supports equal opportunities, prohibits discriminatory practices, and is committed to providing an environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and fairness.
Respect and protect privileged information to which they have access in the course of conducting official FHAGBI t/a UKFHS duties.
Exhibit professional and ethical behaviour in any and all FHAGBI t/a UKFHS related activities.
Refrain from hostile communication with FHAGBI t/a UKFHS Board of Directors and Committee members.
Ensure any communication about FHAGBI t/a UKFHS, including social media posts, comply with the policies on confidentiality and disclosure of proprietary information.
Be aware that all FHAGBI t/a UKFHS policies that regulate conduct apply to social media activity.
Understand that all FHAGBI t/a UKFHS event attendees and organisers are expected to conduct themselves in a polite, professional, and respectful manner.  This pertains to all event attendees regardless of their membership with FHAGBI t/a UKFHS.
Support FHAGBI t/a UKFHS in protecting all members from bullying, harassment, intimidation, or any other kind of predatory behaviour.
Make the health and safety of horses, members and attendees paramount at all FHAGBI t/a UKFHS related activities or events.
Make known when representing FHAGBI t/a UKFHS in any capacity, one’s personal opinions are not that of the organisation.

Question 5

5. Fees

Accepted Answer

Establishment of and changes to membership dues, service fees, deposits and penalties are approved by the Board of Directors.
Fees are due in advance of service where possible. No registration documents will be processed, horses judged, or any other services rendered by the FHAGBI t/a UKFHS or the KFPS until the appropriate fees have been received and processed. In addition, to receive the services of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS, members must be in good standing (see section 3.1).
Delinquent accounts with FHAGBI t/a UKFHS must be brought up to date before any further services will be performed.  The Board of Directors reserves the right to refuse renewal of membership or to terminate membership in such cases.
Any member’s payment which does not clear (i.e. non-honouring of cheque) may be liable to an administration fee in accordance to bank charges incurred by FHAGBI t/a UKFHS.
Unless otherwise stated, fees for attending FHAGBI t/a UKFHS organised clinics / events / inspections must be paid in full in advance.  In cases of non-attendance, a cancellation fee of all or part of the payment may be taken, unless a letter from a veterinary surgeon or letter from a doctor is submitted within 5 working days of the event, whereby at the discretion of the Board of Directors a refund may be given.

Question 6

6. Social Media and Internet Policy

Accepted Answer

FHAGBI t/a UKFHS acknowledges the importance of the internet and social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Linked In, home web pages, chat rooms, and all other forms of electronic communication and the role in which “social media” plays in the day to day lives of members.  This policy note is to remind members that the Rules and Regulations of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS apply to members when using social media and the internet.  Failure to adhere to this policy note could lead to disciplinary action being taken against a member.
Using social media:
You should be aware that FHAGBI t/a UKFHS may from time to time carry out internet searches to identify posting which include references to FHAGBI t/a UKFHS and its members.
FHAGBI t/a UKFHS produced images are the subject of copyright and should not be copied or used in social media without the written permission of the Board of Directors.
You should ensure that any material that you transmit or post to social media is clearly stated to be your personal view and is not held out to be or could be mistaken as the view of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS.
You must not post or transmit any material which could damage the name or reputation of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS, its members or former members, or which is derogatory to the character or prejudicial to the interests of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS.
You must not post or transmit any material relating to FHAGBI t/a UKFHS, members or former members, or their horses, or which could otherwise be associated with or which may reasonably be attributed as coming from FHAGBI t/a UKFHS or the KFPS that is threatening, defamatory, obscene, indecent, seditious, offensive, pornographic, abusive, liable to incite racial hatred, discriminatory, menacing, scandalous, inflammatory, blasphemous, in breach of confidence, in breach of privacy or which cause annoyance, distress or inconvenience; or which constitutes or encourages conduct that would be in breach of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS rules, or constitutes a criminal offence, or which could give rise to civil liability, or otherwise be contrary to the laws of, or infringe the rights of any third party in, the UK or any other country of the world.
Any breach of this policy note may constitute a breach of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS rules and could also lead to civil and/or criminal proceedings being brought against you.

Question 7

7. Complaints and Disciplinary Procedure

Accepted Answer

When submitting a complaint please follow the Complaints Procedure which is available on the website or please contact a member of the Board of Directors to request a copy.
The attention of members and other persons is drawn to the disciplinary provisions of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS where FHAGBI t/a UKFHS has wide powers to discipline members and other persons in the event of failure to observe any provisions of these rules, regulations and bylaws made by FHAGBI t/a UKFHS.
All members of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS are bound by its and the KFPS rules, as amended from time to time and shall be deemed to have consented to all the provisions thereof by reason of all or any of the following:
Submission of a membership application form followed by acceptance of membership.
Submission of a request for annual renewal of membership followed by acceptance of such renewal.
Neither FHAGBI t/a UKFHS or any of its officials accept any financial responsibility for its or their decisions.
No member of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS shall conduct themselves in a manner or be guilty of behaviour which is derogatory to the character or prejudicial to the interests of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS and in particular (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing) no member shall behave in an offensive or abusive or unpleasant manner to any person at any event or at any other location where FHAGBI t/a UKFHS business is being transacted or via social media or the internet or any publication in whatever format or via any other written or electronic format.  Members attention is drawn to the FHAGBI t/a UKFHS Social Media and Internet Policy in section 6 of the Rules and Regulations.
It is the duty of every member to assist the officers of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS in their investigations of breaches of the rules and an unreasonable failure or refusal to assist any such officer in such investigation will itself constitute a breach of the rules.
Members are responsible for the actions of any non-members who are family members (as defined in this section) or who are friends or friends of family members or who are employed by them or assisting or supporting or representing them or otherwise acting on their behalf and any action or conduct of such a non-member which would be a breach of the rules were they a member shall constitute a breach of the rules by the member concerned.
Family members shall include a spouse or civil partner, brothers, sisters, children or adopted children of the member or their spouse or civil partner, or any other person who is part of the same household as the member or is in the reasonable opinion of FHAGBI t/a UKFHS a member of the member’s family in the widest sense.