DefinitelyDressage.com

Are GMOs on the decline?
I have noticed my local GMO hardly puts out a newsletter or any type of communication any longer.
There seems to be no activity at all except to round up membership.

GMOs or any club requires a lot of work and coordination from volunteer members. The newsletters even more so to create the content and publish.

At least as far as newsletters, those who are motivated enough to create them, a lack of feedback can be discouraging.

I work with a local horse club (not dressage, there's no dressage around here really) and it takes hours a week to do right -- and it's a constant struggle to get the membership engaged. It's easy to see how things sort of slack off.

My GMO has a newsletter- I think this time of year it's getting to the end of show season and a lot of people have been really busy

Kelo wrote:GMOs or any club requires a lot of work and coordination from volunteer members. The newsletters even more so to create the content and publish.

This is the crux of it. Newsletters don't put themselves together and publish themselves. Without dedicated volunteers, GMOs cannot exist.

The ones in our area are large and active, with newsletters and constant contact etc. Lots of rated and schooling shows and active memberships. Its hard to get volunteers though and we tend to have the same stalwart ones year after year. We reward them with Starbucks cards and as much as we can do re perks. Our membership has increased steadily over the last few years.

Abby Kogler wrote:Its hard to get volunteers though and we tend to have the same stalwart ones year after year.

And, ironically, this is what makes other people call the GMO "cliquey." The reason they read the same names again and again is that this small percentage of the membership is doing the majority of the work.

OP, is there any way you can lend a hand to help your GMO get back on its feet?

Rehashing this topic.

It was a horrible year for all. Shows cancelled, etc and of course a lot of GMOs suffered.
I have tried to support the one I was a member of over a time of 13 years.
This year they had less than 40 members.
I have volunteered in the past for them and did offer to volunteer for ANYTHING before COVID hit, but was brushed off. And yes, they can be "clique-y" but one would expect them to welcome help.
I am seriously thinking of paying extra to join another GMO in my state because they offer more shows, clinics, activities, etc.

So why am I feeling guilty about abandoning my old GMO?

I stopped joining my local GMO a few years back. I want to support them, but joining them gave me no benefits except their year end awards, which I don't really care about one way or the other. They do host clinics and shows, but anyone can enter/participate with the exact same rate, so there was little benefit. I think they do some special programs for JR/YRs. But since I don't qualify for that, ha, there is little benefit for me. I wish thee was a way that made a GMO more valuable. But at this point, I'm almost not sure what the point of one is.

I am in CDS, which is massive, so they're pretty organized. One person has been doing the newsletter and central office forever, and she is amazing. I also joined CDS and USDF for life because it was cheaper (not USEF) so it's not a matter of whether I have to decide.

Our local chapter of CDS is dead, though, even though it's in one of the most active dressage areas os the state. Few people want to be involved, and I don't think it even exists anymore. I got a high score freestyle trophy two years ago I was supposed to keep for a year and give back, and it's still sitting on my table. I think it might be mine forever even though I don't want it. I used to volunteer when I could to help, but I don't know why it went away. I do think it's a clicky thing, but I'm not sure.