In this Issue:
--Insurance Information for 2006
--Important Financial Information
--C-3 Updates
--Tetrathlon Division Changes
--From the Development Department: Scholarships
--From the Bookstore
--Opportunity for USPC Members
 
Insurance for 2006
Yes, leaders, you do need to list ALL locations and dates of Pony Club activities for there to be coverage in place.  This is one of the conditions of our insurance coverage. All dates and locations must be declared prior to the activity taking place.
 
You can add dates by updating the site online (if you have initially recorded the site online); by sending us an email (to mainoffice@ponyclub.org; be sure to include your Region name, club name, and landowner name); or by sending us a FAX (859-233-4652).  We cannot take updates over the phone.
 
For those of you who are anxious to sign up sites for 2006 activities, the online site has been adjusted to accommodate recording both 2005 and 2006 sites.  Remember, you will need to pay the $10 fee again for any site that will be used in 2006, so be sure to designate the correct year.  Adding 2006 dates to a site recorded for 2005 will NOT result in coverage!
 
We strongly urge all leaders to use the online site for recording your locations and landowners.  This saves mountains of paperwork for both the USPC Office and Equisure!  Use this link: https://ponyclub.org/insurance-request.php or scroll down under "What's New" on our homepage. If you have never used the site before, scroll down on the Insurance Request page and fill in your information first, including the email and password you will use to access your club's information.  Repeat users need only click on the big blue star to enter the site.
 
If you are having trouble with this site, or have questions about insurance, please contact Karen Winn, USPC Finance Director at: mainoffice@ponyclub.org or by phone 859-254-7669, ext. 230. 
 
The additional optional  accident/ medical coverage required for activities in which non-Pony Club members will be taking part (for instance open clinics or fundraising horse shows) is unfortunately NOT available online.  You must submit these applications directly to Equisure.  We do anticipate a small rate increase for 2006 for this coverage.
 
 
 
Important Financial Information
The IRS requires reporting payments to individuals
1099 and W-9 ALERT
All clubs and regions must prepare a Federal 1099-MISC form for each individual paid $600 or more in a calendar year (this includes instructors, judges, etc.). You may only pay a small amount per lesson, but when you add all of the payments at the end of the year you may find the total is at or over $600.  This form should be issued for payments made for services.  Do not include payments made for travel or other reimbursed expenses.
 
The Federal 1099-MISC must be prepared each January. Preparing this form requires having the Social Security Number of the individual you pay. Now is the time to prepare by having anyone to whom you pay a fee sign a W-9 form. A W-9 Form is available at the following link:  http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf, and you may make as many copies as you need. Original forms are also available from the IRS by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676).  Retain the W-9 for each person (do not send it to the USPC office or the IRS). 
 
In January, complete the 1099-MISC forms.  The carbonized forms can be obtained from the IRS at the above telephone number, or online at www.irs.gov under "Forms and Publications." You must complete the 1099-MISC form for each person the Club or Region has paid $600 or more during the previous calendar year. Fill in the amount paid in Box 7, "Nonemployee Compensation." The 1099-MISC form is to be given or sent to each person no later than January 31, 2006.
 
The Club or Region will then send one copy of all 1099-MISC forms that have been sent out with a Summary Form 1096 to the Internal Revenue Service. Form 1096 is also available at www.irs.gov under "Forms and Publications."  The due date for filing these forms with the IRS is February 28, 2006.
 
C-3 Updates from the Instruction Department:
Please be aware that there have been changes made to the deadlines for C-3 Testing applications. The new deadlines are as follows:
 
--Any testings January 1st through March 31st have an application deadline of 8 weeks prior to the test date - the exact date will be indicated on the testing schedule for those tests
 
--March 1st deadline for all testings April 1st through July 31st
 
--July 1st deadline for all testings August 1st through December 31st
 
Also, for 2006 only, there will be no change fees for C-3 candidates wishing to change their test site. The 2 week deadline for cancellations will remain in effect.
 
This information has been updated in the testing information posted on the forms section of the website under "T", so please be sure to review that information again.

 
Annual Meeting Hotel Registration Website
A personalized Web site for "USPC" 2006 Annual Meeting and Convention occurring (January 19, 2006 - January 22, 2006) at the Westin Crowne Center, Kansas City, has been created for your convenience in booking your Hotel Room. Guests can access the site to learn more about the event and to book, modify, or cancel a reservation from November 08, 2005 to January 19, 2006. Access to the site is organized by guest type and can be obtained by going to the appropriate link below: