News
Re – Accreditation of Officials
3 April 2020
Dear Members
Federal Executive wishes to advise that any member who was due to re-accredit as a dressage judge ((novice or advanced), a technical delegate (novice or advanced), course designer or cones judge, between 1 January 2020 and 30 June 2021, will have their relevant qualification recognized until 30 June 2021.
Once the ACDS members can re-commence driving, further clinics will be organized for new members wishing to accredit and existing officials to re-accredit.
PETER LEE
Federal President
COVID-19 Cessation of Carriage Driving Activities in Australia – update
2 April 2020
Dear Members
On 15 March 2020, Federal Council announced the cessation of all carriage driving activities in Australia until 30 April 2020. At the time, we advised that Federal Council will monitor developments of COVID-19 over the next few weeks including advice from the Department of Health and the Government and will provide further advice before 30 April 2020.
Since that time, the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to develop and the advice from the Department of Health and the Governments is clear to all about social distancing and stay at home other than in certain cases.
As such, Federal Council wishes to advise that the cessation of carriage driving activities in Australia will be extended indefinitely.
As previously advice, this relates to all activities including CDEs, dressage days, shows, pleasure and endurance drives, fun days, rallies, meetings and any other activities organised by Clubs or State Branches. Please note that it does not relate to use of technology for meetings however we recommend that any State Branches and Clubs wishing to use technology refer to the announcement on 26 March 2020 for guidelines.
PETER LEE
Federal President
Insurance During the Cessation Period – Update
3 April 2020
Dear Members
Federal Council has been asked once again what the effect of the cessation period has on the ACDS insurance and what insurance cover a member has during this period. Nothing has changed in respect to insurance since our earlier notification on 16 March 2020.
Personal accident and public liability insurance in respect to ACDS approved activities will not respond as there are no ACDS approved activities such as dressage days, CDEs, shows, pleasure drives, club rallies being undertaken.For those members working horses at home, this is not an ACDS approved activity hence the insurance cover mentioned above does not respond. The ACDS does not regulate driving at home.
However, members driving at home are covered by the ACDS 24/7 Public Liability and Personal Accident insurance as set out below:
The following is an extract from the Insurance questions and answers on the ACDS website.
Q. Who is covered by the ACDS 24/7 Public Liability and Personal Accident insurance?
A. ACDS Single, Family, Junior and Life members engaged in non-income earning carriage driving related activities outside of ACDS sanctioned events -specifically: at home or when training.
Q. What is the excess payable for a claim against the ACDS 24/7 Public Liability Policy?
A. For a claim arising outside of a sanctioned ACDS activity, the excess payable by the ACDS Member is $5000.
PETER LEE
Federal President
MEETINGS USING TECHNOLOGY
26 March 2020
Dear Members
A question has been asked whether Clubs or States can meet using technology such as Skype, Facebook or other mediums given that the ACDS has announced a cessation of driving activities and as part of that, indicated that meetings should not occur.
The intention behind the banning of meetings was to prevent face to face contact during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clubs or States can using technology to meet however should be mindful of the following points:
– The Rules of your Club or State must specifically allow for the use of technology to meet;
– You should check that your Rules do not state something like “a quorum for a meeting is XXX members in person. If this is stated, then the meeting can only be legal if the members are present in person.
– If you Rules state something like “a quorum for a meeting is XXX members, and you have members join by technology, then the meeting is legal.
– If you Rules state something like “a quorum for a meeting is XXX members in person; and there is a separate clause that states something like” without limiting the discretion of members to regulate meetings, the members may, if they think fit, confer by any technology; and you have members join by technology, then the meeting is legal.
– The reason I have referred to a meeting being legal is that you do not want to make an important decision via a meeting using technology and later work out that you were not authorised to use technology as this will make the decision void.
– If you use technology to hold a meeting, you need to ensure that all members entitled to attend the meeting are able to attend i.e. they have the technology available to attend.
– Normal rules about notice of meeting, etc need to be observed.
This is not intended to be legal advice but a few matters to consider if you wish to use technology for a meeting.
PETER LEE
Federal President
50TH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL OF DRIVING
19 March 2020
Dear members
50TH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL OF DRIVING
Federal Council received two comprehensive proposals to hold the 50th anniversary festival of driving from:
– NSW Branch to hold the event at Borrowa in NSW; and
– Victorian Branch and Longwood Carriage Driving Club to hold the event at Longwood in Victoria.
Federal Council would like to thank both States for their proposals.
After due consideration, Federal Council have awarded the event to the Victorian Branch and Longwood Carriage Driving Club to hold the event at Longwood in Victoria.
Federal Council requests that all States and members now get behind the Victorian Branch and Longwood Carriage Driving Club to make the festival of driving a success.
PETER LEE
Federal President
Insurance During the Cessation Period
16 March 2020
Dear Members
Federal Council has been asked what the effect of the cessation period has on the ACDS insurance and what insurance cover a member has during this period.
The following is an extract from the Insurance questions and answers on the ACDS website.
Q. Who is covered by the ACDS 24/7 Public Liability and Personal Accident insurance?
A. ACDS Single, Family, Junior and Life members engaged in non-income earning carriage driving related activities outside of ACDS sanctioned events -specifically: at home or when training.
Q. What is the excess payable for a claim against the ACDS 24/7 Public Liability Policy?
A. For a claim arising outside of a sanctioned ACDS activity, the excess payable by the ACDS Member is $5000.
PETER LEE
Federal President
Member Announcement
16 March 2020
Dear Members
Following our advice of the cessation of carriage driving activities until 30 April 2020, Federal Council would like to put a process in place to deal with a number of questions that will be raised during the forthcoming period.
Any announcements during the cessation period will come from either the Federal Secretary or myself. The reason for having only two voices is to ensure that a consistent message is provided to all members.
To assist with this, if any members have questions, would they please email them to the Federal Secretary, Tom Dowling, on acdsfedsec@froggy.com.au or me on teampeterlee@gmail.com. Please do not post the questions on Facebook, send private messages or texts.
We will attempt to respond as quickly as possible but please understand some questions may result in policy decisions that need to include a Federal Convener and Federal Council in making a decision that can then be advised to all members.
When we publish responses to questions, they will be published on our ACDS Facebook page and ACDS Federal website.
PETER LEE
Federal President
CESSATION OF ALL CARRIAGE DRIVING ACTIVITIES IN AUSTRALIA UNTIL 30 APRIL
The Federal Council of the ACDS has agreed to cease all carriage driving activities in
Australia until 30 April 2020, effective 9 am on 16 March 2020.
This decision relates to all activities including CDEs, dressage days, shows, pleasure and endurance drives, fun days, rallies, meetings and any other activities organised by Clubs or State Branches. This decision was made to ensure the ongoing health of all members, their support personnel, officials, organisers, volunteers and spectators.
Federal Council will monitor developments of COVID-19 over the next few weeks including advice from the Department of Health and the Government and will provide further advice before 30 April 2020.
PETER LEE
Cessation all driving events 15-03-2020
POSTPONEMENT OF 2020 AUSTRALIAN COMBINED DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Federal body wishes to advise that following the recommendation from the organising committee and Victorian executive of the 2020 Australian Combined Driving Championships. The 2020 Australian Combined Driving Championships scheduled to be held at Greenvale over Easter 2020 have been postponed until later in 2020.
This decision was made following a risk assessment of the event, given COVID-19 and our priority to ensure the ongoing health of our competitors, their support personnel, officials, volunteers and spectators.
The Federal body has been advised that contact will be made with members who have already entered the event over the next few days to arrange refunds of entry monies.
2020 Federal AGM and Conference
Dear Members
2020 Federal AGM and Conference
On behalf of Federal Council, I wish to advise that the 2020 Federal AGM and Conference will be held at:
Best Western Airport Motel and Convention Centre
33 Ardlie Street
Attwood VIC 3049
on 11 and 12 July 2020.
Full details of the arrangements for the AGM and Conference will be mailed to members in June 2020.
Yours sincerely
PETER LEE
Federal President
