CHAPTER I - OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES

Article 1

An association entitled International Horseball Federation, regulated according to the law of the 1st July 1901 and the decree of the 16 August 1901, has been founded amongst those who adhere to the present statutes.

Article 2

The International Horseball Federation's (FIHB) objectives are:

• To group at International level the National organisations of Horseball
  designated in the present statutes by the abbreviation ONHB.
• To facilitate by all means contacts and a harmonious relationship between the
  affiliated members, to give them the help and the encouragement needed and to fortify their
  authority and prestige.
• To co-ordinate and harmonise their actions, and determine the methods of
  application concerning the Horseball at International level.
• To regulate the International rules of the game that all the O.N.H.B. will apply at International meetings. .
  To co-ordinate and nominate International referees
• To promote the organisation of meetings and competitions at
  International level.
• To draw the attention of National and International authorities in regards to all questions and regulations concerning Horseball directly or indirectly.
• In general to bring an interest to all matters at an International level concerning the horse in its relation to Horseball, in as much as these questions relate to any of the above objectives or to any other similar objectives.

Article 3

The headquarters have been established at the French Equestrian Federation - 19 Bd Macdonald in the 19th District in Paris. It can be transferred with a simple decision of the council: the ratification of the General Assembly is necessary.

Article 4

The FIHB and the affiliated ONHB will act in accordance with the following principles:

• The FIHB recognises the exclusive competence of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) regarding the regulations and the organisation of the traditional forms of equestrian activities including their competitions.
• The FIHB is based on the principle of equity and mutual respect from all the affiliated ONHB, without prejudice in regards to the race, the colour, the religion or the interior politics.
• The affiliated ONHB recognises the FIHB as the only international authority in regards to Horseball.
• The affiliated ONHB agrees to the fact that it cannot become affiliated to any other equivalent organisation that pursues similar goals.
• The FIHB and all the affiliated ONHB agree to respect and apply the statutes, the general and the specific regulations
• Any conflicts in the interpretation or the application of the statutes, the FIHB's general and specific regulations will be settled by an arbitrating committee composed of three (3) members of the Bureau, of different Nationality designated by it to this effect. The FIHB's general assembly will be the final authority.
• All sanctions pronounced by the FIHB or by the affiliated ONHB have to be recognised and applied by all the affiliated ONHB's.
• No regulations contained in the statutes will authorise the FIHB to intervene in equestrian matters or others matters which concern the national jurisdiction of the affiliated ONHB and will not oblige the affiliated ONHB to submit to it those matters for conciliation as to the scope of the present statutes.

CHAPTER II - AFFILIATIONS

Article 5

Those ONHB's which accept the obligations contained in these statutes, the general and particular regulations of the FIHB, can become affiliated to the FIHB. The ONHB has to be of a National character determined by its geographical situation and also has to look after the direction and all forms of Horseball. They must have an autonomous organisation at administrative and financial level. The FIHB will be able to accept only one ONHB per country as a member. Only the National Federation affiliated to the FEI will be able to determine the organisation which will represent it.

However, the FIHB could accept, for the time being, a regional organisation when a national organisation is not legally constituted in the designated country. In that case, the regional organisation will have the same rights as a national organisation affiliated to the FIHB and will be recognised as such by the FIHB.

Article 6

The request for an affiliation must be forwarded by writing to the secretary-general of the FIHB and has to be signed by the ONHB's president.

The following information must be included in the application:

• The complete designation of the ONHB, as well as its address and the telephone number of its registered office.
• The full name and address of the President and the Secretary.
• An example of its statutes and regulations.
• Proof of the regular equestrian activity of the ONHB.
• An agreement to pay the dues as per the general regulations.

The request for affiliation is submitted to the Bureau who can temporarily accept the application if it is convinced that the ONHB has the will & the power to fulfil its obligations at the National and International level. ONHB's temporary affiliation must be ratified at the next meeting of the general assembly.

Article 7

The general assembly can suspend for a period of time an ONHB that violates the statutes, the general or the particular regulations of the FIHB.

Any ONHB that has not paid its dues in regards to the general regulations will automatically be suspended until the payment of the affiliation, the appropriate fine or any other dues.

The suspension and the subsequent reinstatement will be announced as soon as possible by the secretary-general to all the affiliated ONHB.

Article 8

The general assembly can expel any ONHB which violates in a persistent way the principles included in the present statutes.

CHAPTER III - COMPOSITION

Article 9

The FIHB is constituted by a general assembly, a bureau and a secretary ship. Commissions or sub-commissions may be established in accordance with the present statutes if their creation becomes necessary.

CHAPTER IV - THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Article 10

The general assembly is constituted by the delegates of all the affiliated ONHB, and by the Bureau's members. Each ONHB can be represented by two delegates duly mandated in writing by the ONHB's president. Only one delegate of each ONHB has a right to vote.

Each ONHB will advise the secretary-general at least 30 days prior to the date of the general assembly, of the delegate's names and will identify the delegate who will have the right to vote. In the case where a designated delegate is not able to attend the general assembly, the ONHB could replace him on the condition that the ONHB advises the secretary-general 7 working days prior to the general assembly.

The delegate designated as the replacement will have to justify to the secretary-general his powers before attending the meeting.

Article 11

The functions and the powers of the general assembly, which is the FIHB's supreme authority, are the following:

• To affiliate the new ONHB members
• To suspend, disqualify, exclude an affiliated ONHB.
• To arbitrate the matters submitted by the Bureau.
• To exercise the disciplinary powers as indicated in Chapter IX.
• To be the last decisional authority in the matters submitted to it and to arbitrate on appeals against the Bureau's decision.
• To elect the president, the vice-presidents, the secretary-general, the treasurer and the Bureau's members.
• To elect the auditors responsible for the accounts as per the Bureau's proposition.
• To designate the scrutinisers as per the president's proposition.
• To approve the amounts of the affiliation, the annual fee and other dues for the following year as per the Bureau's proposition.
• To receive, examine and approve the reports and propositions presented by the Bureau.
• To receive, examine and approve the annual report of the secretary-general, the annual report of the treasurer, the budget and the reports of the auditors responsible for the accounts.
• To approve the general regulation and the internal regulation.
• To approve the changes to the statutes and the general regulations and to authorise their publication.
• By special vote it can discharge the Bureau and it's commissioners from their duties
• To deliberate on any questions brought up at the general assembly by the delegates.
• To approve changes to the rules of the game for the following year
• To define the organisation of the International Championships.
• To nominate the refereeing and the technical delegates for Official International meetings

Article 12

The delegates of each nation have only one vote. These votes are in block form unless otherwise specified in these statutes. The members of each bureau do not vote individually (unless allowed under paragraphs 5 & 8 of articles 16 & 17). In case of tied voting, the president of the general assembly votes on behalf of the bureau.

A secret and written vote is obligatory for all elections, affiliations and disciplinary questions. Voting on all other matters is by show of hands where at least 25% of the delegates do not require a secret written vote. No vote can be held by post (for the vote for the election of members of the bureau see article 16).

For the vote concerning affiliation, the absolute majority of the ONHB present or represented and the vote of the Bureau's members voting individually, is required for the proposition to be accepted.

The general assembly's decisions concerning the modifications to be brought to the statutes must be taken by a majority of the votes cast composed of two thirds of the votes cast by the ONHB present and represented and by the Bureau's members voting in block.

The decisions concerning matters other than those specified above and included in the agenda must be taken by a simple majority of the votes cast. In case of a draw in the votes, the president will vote for the Bureau.

The decisions concerning the matters not included in the agenda and which can be the subject of an appropriate proposition of the general assembly (article 14, 3 and 4) must be taken by a simple majority of the votes cast. In that case the Bureau's members can vote individually. In the case of a draw in the votes, the president will have a casting vote.

Article 13

A general assembly is held regularly, once a year, usually in the first semester. Special meetings can be held if the circumstances require it.

Another statutory or extraordinary assembly can be convened:

• at the president's request
• at the Bureau's demand
• at the demand of at least 25% of the ONHB.

The date and the time of the statutory or extraordinary assemblies are decided by the president with the Bureau's agreement.

Article 14

The notification for a general assembly must be sent, by mail, by the secretary-general to all the affiliated ONHB at least 60 days prior to the date schedule for that assembly.

Article 15

The president presides over the general assembly. In the case where the president is unable to attend, the first vice-president presides over the general assembly and in the case where the first vice-president is unable to attend the second vice-president presides over the general assembly. In the case where none of the above directors are able to attend, the general assembly will elect a member of the Bureau to preside over the general assembly.

Article 16

All matters that the ONHB wishes to discuss or approve at an annual general meeting must be forwarded to the secretary-general by 60 days in advance in order that the agenda can be sent within a reasonable time frame to give the ONHB's and the Bureau the opportunity to study them.

The secretary-general must communicate by mail the agenda of a meeting and all the documents regarding that meeting to each ONHB at least one month prior to the meeting. Only the matters listed on the agenda can be approved during a meeting.

Those that have been sent late or those that are deposited verbally during a meeting can be discussed, but cannot be approved until the directors of the ONHB have had the opportunity to discuss them. Those matters will be included in the agenda of the next meeting.

The secretary-general's report, the financial situation and the budget submitted by the treasurer will be forwarded, by mail, to the ONHB, 30 days prior to the date of the annual meeting.

Article 17

Minutes of all meetings are drafted. The president and the secretary-general must sign all the minutes. The adopted propositions which figure in the minutes have force of law in the same way as the statutes and the general and particular regulations. Copies of those minutes must be forwarded to the ONHB's as soon as possible after each meeting and at the latest two months after the meeting.

The ONHB's must apply the decisions listed in the minutes by the 1st of September following the meeting or the date established by the general assembly.

The Bureau's composition and the commissioner's committee, including the duration of their mandate, must figure at the beginning of the general assembly's agenda.

Also listed are the name and address of the president, the secretary-general and treasurer along with the duration of their mandate.

CHAPTER V - THE BUREAU

Article 18

This article will be subject to revision dependant on the development of Horseball and the involvement on new ONHB.

The general assembly elects, by secret vote, a Bureau which is composed of 5 to 13 members. The Bureau is composed of:

• a president
• a first vice-president
• a second vice-president
• a secretary-general
• a treasurer

All the candidates who will be elected on the Bureau's board must be able to read and express themselves fluently in French or English. The ONHB who proposes candidates for the Bureau will have to certify by writing that their candidates do have that competence and at the same time they will have to confirm the experience and know how of their candidates concerning Horseball.

To be a candidate for the Bureau one must be:

• a person whose name was proposed by an ONHB
• a person who was proposed by the Bureau
• a Bureau member whose mandate is terminated is re-eligible.

All applications must be forwarded in writing to the secretary-general 60 days before the general assembly in order that the names and qualifications of each candidate is communicated to the ONHB's at the same time as the general assembly's agenda.

All applications will be examine immediately before the general assembly by the Bureau who will decide which candidates are eligible as per the present statutes.

The candidates not eligible will not be included on the lists submitted to the general assembly. The delegates at the general assembly will indicate on the list the one they wish to elect.

To be elected, a candidate must obtain a majority of votes (half of the votes cast plus one).

In the case where:

• No candidates obtain the majority of the votes needed, the candidate with the least number of votes is eliminated from the list and another vote will be taken with the remaining candidates still on the list. This procedure will repeat itself until a candidate obtains the majority of the votes needed.
• If two or more candidates obtain an equal number of votes at any stage of the proceedings the president's vote is decisive.

A separate vote for each open seat is cast. The second vote and the following ones cannot be cast until the breakdown of the first vote has been made.

The mandate of each Bureau's member begins at the end of the general assembly where he was elected. His mandate runs for four annual general assembly unless he retires from his functions for any reason.

The vacant seats on the Bureau are replaced during the general assembly following the announcement of the vacancy on the condition that enough time remains so that the applications can be forwarded to the secretary-general by 60days before the meeting.

If a Bureau's member must be replaced before the expiration of his mandate, his successor is nominated for the time remaining in the term of the outgoing member.

The successor is elected as mentioned in the above procedures and it is not mandatory that he has to be chosen from within the ONHB of the departing member.

Regarding the Bureau's election, the Bureau's members will not vote. In case of a draw in the votes, the Bureau's members will vote individually. In the case of another draw in the votes, the president's vote is decisive. Regarding the president's election, the Bureau will vote in one block.

All the functions of the Bureau's members are honorary and cannot be remunerated. The members may have an expense account for travelling when they assist at the Bureau's meetings or when they officially represent the FIHB.

Article 19

The Bureau is the authority responsible for the FIHB's administration and management. It can nominate former members of the Bureau as honorary members. It can nominate as honorary delegates former delegates for services rendered to the FIHB.

In case of emergency situations recognised as such by the president, the vice-presidents and the secretary-general, the Bureau has the power to take a decision in the name of the general assembly, this decision that will have to be confirmed during the following general assembly. Before the termination of the president's mandate, the Bureau must choose a candidate within the administrators and the Bureau's members, the delegates at the general assembly, the candidates submitted by the ONHB's, or designate any other competent person with the necessary qualifications and submit his name to the general assembly for election.

If this candidate does not obtain the majority of the votes cast, the Bureau must present another candidate during the meeting in progress.

The Bureau chooses the candidates for the post of vice-presidents, secretary-general, the treasurer from amongst the Bureau's members, and will submit them for election at the general assembly.

The Bureau examines the applications presented to it for the post of member of the Bureau and submits the names of the qualified candidates to the general assembly who in turn proceeds to the election. The president cannot vote during the election of the Bureau's members. He can only inform the general assembly of the qualifications of each candidate.

The Bureau examines the ONHB's application concerning its affiliation and, if in its opinion, it is convinced that the ONHB is able to be affiliated, it submits the application to the general assembly who in turn proceeds to the election.

The Bureau applies the disciplinary actions that are in his power as per Chapter IX.

The Bureau examines and approves if necessary any sanction imposed by an ONHB within its jurisdiction and that may concern other ONHB. The secretary-general will bring this sanction to the attention of all the other ONHB's.

The Bureau appoints a commission on the rules composed of 5 representatives from each ONHB which must meet once a year

The Bureau appoints, if necessary, the commissions and sub-commission's president and members.

The Bureau appoints, if necessary, the disciplinary and arbitrary commission's president and members.

The Bureau co-ordinates the calendar for the International activities and submits it to the general assembly for approval.

Article 20

Each Bureau's member has only one vote during a Bureau's meeting. All votes are made by a show of hands unless a member demands a secret vote. The decisions are taken by a majority of the votes cast. In case of a draw in the votes, the president's vote is decisive. The vote concerning the application for the post of president, the two vice-presidents, the general secretary, the treasurer is made by secret vote.

Article 21

A Bureau's meeting must be held regularly before the annual general assembly. Two special meetings can be held if the circumstances require it.

A special meeting can be convened at the demand of the president and at least four members of the Bureau. The date, hour and place of the Bureau's special meeting are decided by the president. The notification for that meeting is forwarded by the secretary-general, by mail, to all the Bureau's members at the same time as the agenda, 30 days prior to the meeting.

Article 22

For the Bureau's session to be valid, the presence of the majority of the members including 2 members representing either the president, the vice-president, the secretary-general or the treasurer, is mandatory.

Article 23

The president (or in his absence or on his demand a vice-president) presides all the Bureau's meeting. In the case of the president and the two vice-presidents being absent, the presidency is exercised by the secretary-general.

Article 24

All matters to be submitted at a Bureau's meetings must be forwarded to the secretary-general at least 5 weeks prior to the meeting. The secretary-general forwards a copy of the agenda and all the documents concerning the meeting to each Bureau member at least one month prior to the meeting.

Article 25

Minutes of all the Bureau's meetings must be drafted. A copy of the minutes is forwarded as soon as possible to each of Bureau's members at the latest 30 days after the meeting.

CHAPTER VI - SUBSIDIARY COMMISSIONS

Article 26

The Bureau can nominate subsidiary commissions with a definite purpose. It fixes the date by which the commission must deposit its report. The president and the members are designated by the Bureau.

The Bureau can nominate an investigation committee which is composed of a maximum of 3 members charged with examining the complaints from whatever source concerning the attitude, acts or decisions of referees, technical delegates, team's leaders, riders etc. or any other person officially accredited during all international events organised under the FIHB's patronage.

That commission must report to the Bureau who will decide, if necessary, any actions required. The Bureau can choose the members of each commission without a limit in numbers, except for the disciplinary commission (see article 38).

The commissions must be composed of at least 3 members with a maximum of 5 including the president.

Each commission has the total liberty to work as it pleases within the limits of its competence. It nominates the member who will present the report to the Bureau. The reports should be in writing unless it was specified that they should be made verbally.

The reports must be presented by a predetermined date. That date marks the end of the mandate for the commission, whether the report has been submitted or not. In an exceptional case the president and the secretary-general can give to the commission a limited extension to its mandate.

The Bureau is the only one empowered to render a decision on any report presented by a commission, and, if necessary to submit the propositions to the general assembly as per the statutes.

CHAPTER VII - THE ADMINISTRATORS AND THE BUREAU'S MEMBERS

Article 27

The FIHB's president is the principal authority of the FIHB. The president is at the same time the general assembly and the Bureau's president at all the meetings where he can be present.

Article 28

The president (at his demand or absence the secretary-general) represents the FIHB in legal matters and in the proceedings where he can be present.

Article 29

The Bureau chooses a candidate for the president's post as per the articles 16 and 17.

Article 30

The mandate and the procedure for the election of the vice-president follows the prescriptions of article 16 and 17.

Article 31

The vice-presidents are in ranks immediately after the president and the secretary-general as administrators of the FIHB. The first vice-president is the person who has occupied the longest mandate in this capacity or as a Bureau's member. The second person with the same qualifications occupies the post of the second vice-president.

The vice-presidents may be called on to take over the functions of the technical delegate. They represent officially the FIHB, if for any reason; the secretary-general is not able to do so.

In that case, their travelling and lodging expenses are paid, likewise for the secretary-general as per article 31.

Article 32

An honorary delegate accredited for the general assembly can assist at the general assemblies meetings. A president, vice-president or an honorary member of the Bureau may assist at the Bureau's meeting and the general assembly but he cannot take part to the Bureau's vote. The honorary members may participate to the vote at the general assembly at the condition that they are duly accredited as a delegate by their ONHB.

CHAPTER VIII - THE SECRETARYSHIP

Article 33

The secretary-general is in charge of the FIHB's administration. He has the responsibility to have the statutes and the FIHB's, general and particular regulations observed and to bring all the infringements to the attention of the Bureau's administrators.

The secretary-general is given the responsibility of preparing and presenting the agenda at the general assemblies and the Bureau's meetings: preparing and publishing the official bulletin, the brief news and all other information; and handling all official correspondence.

The secretary-general must see that the meetings of the subsidiary commissions are held and that their reports are deposited in the time frame requested.

The secretary-general is given the responsibility of hiring the personnel for the secretariat and fixing with the Bureau's approval, the conditions of the hiring.

On the secretary-general's proposition the Bureau designates a legal consultant attached to the FIHB.

In the President's absence, the secretary-general represents the FIHB in legal matters and in civil proceedings.

The secretary-general prepares and submits to the general annual assembly his report on the FIHB's general administration.

The secretary-general invokes if necessary the Bureau's disciplinary commission as per article 37.

When the secretary-general fills in the functions of a technical delegate, his travelling and lodging expenses are paid by the organising Committee.

The secretary-general may be delegated by the president to represent officially the FIHB in certain International activities in order to study the organisation or its achievements, or to assist in the FIHB's name at certain international congresses. In these cases his travelling and lodging expenses may be paid by the FIHB.

Article 34

The treasurer's functions may be cumulated with those of the secretary-general. The treasurer is in charge of the membership, the fees and all amounts due to the FIHB. He is responsible for keeping the books and is responsible for all expenses.

The treasurer presents the audited accounts, his report concerning the financial situation and the budget at one of the Bureau's meeting and at the annual general assembly.

The treasurer has to inform the Bureau of all changes that he proposes concerning the entry fee, the membership and all other charges.

Article 35

The president proposes at the general assembly, the name of two auditors responsible for the accounts. Their election is confirmed by a majority of the vote cast. The vote can be made by a show of hands.

Their mandate is for a term of four years and they are re-eligible. The mandate of the commissioners responsible for the accounts starts at the end of the assembly in which they where elected and covers a period of one annual general assembly.

Article 36

The FIHB's head office must always be in a country in which an ONHB is a member of the FIHB. The address is determined by the Bureau.

Article 37

All correspondence addressed to the secretary-general must be forwarded by an ONHB. Copy of all correspondence which does not come from on ONHB must be forwarded to the ONHB of the country from which the correspondence was issued.

All correspondence forwarded to the secretary-general must be written in one of the FIHB's official languages or be accompanied by a translation in one of the official languages.

CHAPTER IX - DISCIPLINARY POWERS

Article 38

The disciplinary commission is composed of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of five members that must be either members of the Bureau or members presented by their ONHB's.

At least one of the members must be chosen from amongst the president, the vice-presidents and the secretary-general to exercise the president's function. At least three members must be present at each meeting. The name of the disciplinary commission's members are submitted to the general assembly. Their mandate expires at the next general assembly.

To prevent any delay regarding the examination of disciplinary matters, the secretary-general convenes the commission within two weeks of the date in which an urgent matter has been submitted to him. The disciplinary commission hears the two parties and decides in the Bureau and general assembly's name, on all the cases brought to its attention. Those decisions must be ratified by the Bureau or by the general assembly at their next meeting.

Article 39

On the disciplinary commission's advice the Bureau could impose on an ONHB the following sanctions:

• a warning
• a maximum fine of 250 $US, or in the case of a non payment of the membership fee double the amount of the relevant membership fee.

On the disciplinary commission's advice the general assembly could impose to an ONHB the following sanctions:

• a temporary suspension
• the exclusion of the ONHB for a period of at least five years.

The suspended or excluded member cannot send delegates at the general assembly nor at the commission's meetings for the duration of the sanction.

The technical delegates may receive a warning or be suspended by the Bureau on the disciplinary commission's advice.

Article 40

Before a sanction is adopted, the person or the organisation designated will be invited to furnish, in writing, its explanations but preferably in person. The cases submitted to the Bureau or at the general assembly by the disciplinary commission will be adopted by secret vote and by a majority of the votes cast. The decision will be communicated by registered letter to ONHB and indicated in the general assembly's minutes.

Article 41

The sanctions imposed by the ONHB must be communicated to the secretary-general for them to be examined by the disciplinary commission and, eventually for confirmation, by the Bureau or the general assembly. The sanctions in which an ONHB has to take action must be communicated to them as quickly as possible and by registered letter.

CHAPTER X - VARIOUS INSTRUCTIONS

Article 42

The French and English language are the official languages of the FIHB. The official documents, the minutes, the agenda and other publications are drafted if necessary in both languages. Only the French attests it.

There must be simultaneous translation in French and English in all the general assembly's meeting if one of the members attending the meeting demands it.

The delegates wishing to use another language must be accompanied by one or two translators able to translate the language in French and English. Sufficient instructions must be given to the secretary-general regarding this matter for him to take the necessary steps. The cost of employing the translators and the material needed will be at the expenses of the ONHB concerned.

Article 43

The official year begins on the 1st of January and ends on the 31st of December.

Article 44

The expenses are determined by the general assembly as per the treasurer's proposition. An entry fee is established when a new ONHB becomes affiliated.

The membership and all other charges are due at the beginning of the year. Any ONHB who has not paid his dues cannot assist or be represented at the annual general assembly. Any ONHB who has not paid its membership or any other charges due for the 1st of February will receive, by registered letter, a reminder and if necessary a second reminder by registered letter the 1st of April.

Any ONHB who has not paid its membership and dues by the 1st of May will be suspended and its suspension will be brought to the attention of the other affiliated ONHB.

The ONHB, who has been suspended following their non payment of their dues, will continue to be suspended until they pay their dues combined with a fine equal to or double the amount of the last membership's fee plus administrative costs.

Article 43

The FIHB's dissolution can be pronounced only by an extraordinary general assembly convened specifically for this purpose and has to have 3/4 of the ONHB present or represented at the assembly to be legal.

In case of the FIHB's dissolution its net worth will be redistributed between the ONHB's members.

Written by :

Nicolas Georgeault

 

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