Articles of Association

Updated January 10, 2004.

            TITLE I

-FORM -PURPOSE -NAME -HEAD OFFICES -DURATION

ARTICLE 1 -FORM

A non-profit organisation pursuant to the July 1, 1901 law is constituted between the members hereinunder that subscribe to these Articles of Association and any individual or legal person that shall subscribe to them in the future.

ARTICLE 2-NAME               

The name shall be « ASSOCIATION FRANCAISE DU LIPIZZAN » [French Lipizzaner Association]

ARTICLE 3 - PURPOSE

The purpose of the Association is: ·          To bring together all those who take an interest in the purebred Lipizzaner horse breed, originating from all the recognized countries of breeding, together with breeders, importers, users, owners of horses, whether imported or born in France and its overseas territories.

·         To represent the interests of the Association and of its members in respect of any official national or international body and of any individual or legal person.

·        To organize, in agreement with the empowered national and international bodies, breed shows and presentations for the purposes of selecting breeding stock, both stallions and mares whether with foal at foot or otherwise in accordance with the rules of the French Lipizzaner Studbook.

·          To organize any other national or international event while reserving the right to subcontract such tasks to any legal or individual person.

·        To provide for training of judges

The Association's head offices shall be at: NEUILLY (92200) Boulevard du Château, No. 23

They may be transferred by decision of the Executive Committee, subject to ratification thereof at the earliest possible general meeting. 

ARTICLE 5-DURATION

The Association shall be set up for an unlimited period.

TITLE II

MEMBERSHIP 

- ADMISSION – RESIGNATION - EXPULSION

ARTICLE 6 - ACTIVE MEMBERS

Shall be eligible to apply to become members of the Association: anyone who takes an interest in the Lipizzaner breed of horses originating from any recognized breeding country, together with breeders, importers, users, owners of horses either imported or born in France and its overseas territories. Enthusiasts of the dressage performed by the Spanish Riding School of Vienna.

ARTICLE 7 -MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES

The Association comprises:

Active members

Honorary members

Patron members

Junior members

Individual or legal persons may be accepted as active members. 

Individual persons under the age of 18 may be accepted as junior members. To become members they must hold permission from their legal representative.

Honorary members shall be appointed by decision of the general meeting of members on the basis of special services rendered to the Association or to equestrian sports and to the preservation of Lipizzaners.

For this purpose, the applicant member shall make available a documented application file demonstrating fulfilment of membership requirements.

At general meetings of active members, legal persons shall be entitled to one vote only.

The following shall be deemed to have ceased to be part of the Association without bringing about termination of the Association : members who resign by sending a letter to the President of the Executive Committee, members who are stricken out by the Executive Committee for serious reasons or infringement of the present articles, and in particular for failure to pay membership fees, deceased members.

ARTICLE 8 –MEMBERS’ RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS

Members shall pay their fees in good time.

Every active member has access to general meetings and is entitled to vote.

However, any member whose fees are not fully paid shall lose the right to vote at general meetings. In this event, the member shall not be counted when calculating the quorum required for the meetings to transact business.

Voting by proxy is allowed for general meetings if the agent is a member of the Association. The latter shall hold no more than 19 proxies.

TITLE III

ASSOCIATION’S RESOURCES - ACCOUNTING

ARTICLE 9- ASSOCIATION’S RESOURCES

The Association shall avail itself of the following funds:

Fees paid in by members whose amount shall be set out yearly by the Executive Committee.

Subsidies that may be granted by the State or by Local Authorities.

Any profits made by the Association in connection with various events.

The interest and revenue from goods or assets belonging to the Association.

Any other resources permitted by law.

ARTICLE 10- ACCOUNTING

Accounts shall be maintained in accordance with legal requirements.

TITLE IV .

ADMINISTRATION

ARTICLE 11 – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Association shall be administered by an Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee shall comprise at most fifteen members appointed for a three-year term.

One third of the members of the Executive Committee shall be renewed every year.

Executive Committee members may be re-elected without any time limitation.

All members of the Association that have paid their dues in full shall be eligible for election.

In the event of a vacancy, the Executive Committee shall replace the missing members on an interim basis. The term for members elected in this manner shall end at the close of the following general meeting.

A meeting shall be held at least once every six months and any time it is convened by the President or at the request of at least half of its members.

To proceed validly, at least one third of the members of the Executive Committee must be present.

Decisions shall be taken by a majority of the members present. Voting by proxy shall not be allowed.

Minutes of the sessions shall be recorded.

The Executive Committee sets out the guidelines and decides on the activities of the Association, votes the budget and ensures the smooth running of the Association.

ARTICLE 12 -BUREAU

The Executive Committee shall elect a President, three Vice-Presidents, a Secretary General, a Deputy Secretary General and a Treasurer from among its members.

The Bureau members are elected for the duration of their term as members of the Executive Committee.

Election of Bureau members shall be by absolute majority.

If an absolute majority is not achieved at the outcome of a first round, a second round shall be held and the member to obtain the most votes shall be elected. If both candidates obtain the same number of votes, the elder of the two shall be deemed elected.

ARTICLE 13 -COMPENSATION

Members of the Executive Committee and of the Bureau shall not receive compensation. However, subject to providing supporting documents, they shall be refunded for expenses incurred for the purpose of discharging their duties.

TITLE V

GENERAL MEETINGS – AMENDMENTS OF THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

DISSOLUTION

ARTICLE 14 –GENERAL MEETINGS

The General Meeting is made up of all members.

It shall meet at least once a year and whenever convened by the President of the Executive Committee, at the latter’s initiative or at the request of one fourth of the members of the General Meeting.

Its agenda shall be set out by the Executive Committee.

It shall approve the accounts for the previous financial year and deliberate on the issues included on the agenda. If required, it shall arrange for the renewal of members of the Executive Committee and ratify interim appointments made by the Executive Committee.

The Ordinary General Meeting must comprise at least one fourth of the members, either present or represented. If this quorum is not achieved, the General Meeting shall be reconvened and on that occasion may validly transact business regardless of the number of active members present or represented.

Decisions relating to acquisitions, exchanges or transfers of real property required to achieve the Association’s purpose, the constitution of mortgages on such property, leases in excess of nine years and loans requiring security to be pledged must be submitted to the General Meeting for approval.

The General Assembly shall rule by a majority of the votes cast.

ARTICLE 15. MODIFICATION OF THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND LIQUIDATION

The Articles of Association may be amended by a Special General Meeting at the suggestion of the Executive Committee. A Special General Meeting shall be specially convened for the purpose and requires at least one half of the full members to be present or represented. If this quorum is not achieved, the meeting shall be reconvened once, whereupon it shall validly transact business regardless of the number of full members present or represented.

The Special General Assembly shall rule by a majority of at least two thirds of the votes cast.

In the event of liquidation, the General Meeting shall appoint one or several of its members to proceed with liquidation of the Association’s property. It shall allocate the net assets to one or several public bodies or bodies recognized to be of public interest, or to private ones pursuing a similar purpose.

.

                TITLE VI

RULES OF PROCEDURE –DOMICILE- POWERS

ARTICLE 16  - Rules of Procedure

The Executive Committee may establish Rules of Procedure. In this event, they shall be designed to stipulate various points not provided for in the Articles, in particular those relating to the Association’s internal management.

ARTICLE 17 -DOMICILE

 The Court of the domicile of the Association’s head offices shall have jurisdiction for any action concerning the Association.

ARTICLE 18 -POWERS

The holder of a copy or excerpt of these Articles shall be entitled to carry out all the formalities set out by law.

Jean~Claude DUHAMEL                                                                                                 Joelle BELLON

     (Secretary General )                                                                                                      (president)

ASSOCIATION FRANCAISE DU LIPIZZAN