Background

• The Irish Draught Horse Society was incorporated as a Limited Company in 1989.
• Individuals were allowed to pay annual membership fees and become members of the Society but they were not allowed to vote at general meetings. Members felt disenfranchised and were dissatisfied for many years.
• The Society did not operate in compliance with its Memorandum and Articles of Association.
• A properly convened general meeting of members of the Society was called under legal advice on 31st March 2007.
• Members were circulated with full information on the proposed motions beforehand.
• At this meeting, voting was conducted as a separate ballot on each resolution. A large majority of ballots were cast in favour of all resolutions. Read the Resolutions.
• Following this meeting and vote, the former directors refused to accept the validity of the meeting and continued to act as directors of the Irish Draught Horse Society.
• The newly-elected directors had to take legal action against the former directors personally to uphold the validity of the March 2007 meeting.
• This legal action was eventually to be heard in the High Court on 4th April 2008. On that day, the former directors accepted the full validity of the meeting held a year previously on 31st March 2007. Read the Terms of Settlement.
• A High Court Order was issued confirming that the meeting was properly convened and the resolutions were binding with effect from 31st March 2007.
• The name of the limited company was changed to "Black Drum Ltd" in the Companies Registration Office.
• On the 9th July 2008, "The Irish Draught Horse Society Ltd", register number 5487R, was registered as a co-operative in The Registry of Friendly Societies.

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