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Fall 2004 Newsletter President's
Message Blue Earth for the first time Take note! 2004 Annual Meeting highlights Fjords enter the show ring in Boone County, Illinois
President's Message Well, another summer has come and gone (you could have fooled me by the weather in Wisconsin) and another Blue Earth show has come and gone. We had the largest show ever at Blue Earth – 120 registered horses. My heartfelt thanks goes out to the Show committee, all the volunteers, the spectators and especially Pat Holland for leading the effort. I’m also happy to say, that although there were several incidents, I do not believe anyone went to the hospital this year. As I was talking with people during Blue Earth, I had several interesting conversations that lead me to believe not everyone understands the relationship-of the MWFHC to other clubs and the registry. In short, there are no official affiliations of the MWFHC to any other club or the Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry. While we all are in existence because of the Fjord horse and we all want to support and promote Fjords, we do not necessarily do that in the same ways. There are times when the two groups work together such as the Evaluations. I am including a description of the MWFHC and the NFHR. If you have any questions, please contact me or any of the other committee members. MWFHC - Midwest Fjord Horse Club. Our purpose is to promote high-quality versatile Fjord horses, encourage their use in any discipline, educate people about the Fjord horse, and promote fellowship amongst Fjord enthusiasts. We publish a quarterly newsletter. We host the Blue Earth Show, including the summer meeting at the Blue Earth show. We hold a winter educational clinic and the winter meeting at various locations in the Midwest. We are not officially affiliated with any other club or the registry, nor do we offer affiliations to other clubs. We do not host evaluations. NFHR – Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry. The NFHR has the following goals:
NFHR members receive the Fjord Herald that is published every quarter. The NFHR offers awards programs, educational programs and helps support promotional efforts around fjord horses. They do not have an official affiliation with the regional clubs, therefore if you are a member of the NFHR you are not a member of any of the regional clubs, unless you specifically join that regional club. Please look for details about the winter meeting in the next newsletter. Have a safe and happy Fall.
Hey There, Whadaya Bid? The first and hopefully the First Annual MWFHC auction is rapidly approaching, as it will be held at the Winter meeting. So far, we have some very nice donations to the auction, and here are a few listings:
Other folks on the auction team include Carlene Schwartz emrnas@execpc.com, Chuck Kelly coyote@acegroup.cc, and Syl Weyker crfarm@execpc.com We need your donations! Whether it is something you personally made, something you own, something you have made by someone else, or something purchased. It doesn't even have to be Fjord or horse related! Beyond the warm feeling I am sure you will feel by donating, it can also be a great way to showcase your workmanship, advertise for a local tack shop or feed mill, or simply show your good nature. Contact any of the above team members, or call me personally at (262) 626-2208 day or night, or e-mail me at bighorn@alexssa.net This will be fun! Possible donations could include of course anything Fjord such as prints, portraits, books, t-shirts, week-end get-aways, and more. Or you could donate horse related items such as tack, horse snacks, weekend clinics (wow! Now wouldn't that be nice!), books, videos, magazine subscriptions, and more. As I stated, your donation may have absolutely nothing to do with hooves! That's great! Donate! The proceeds will all go towards strengthening the MWFHC organization, in turn strengthening the breed of our beloved Norwegian Fjord horses. Don't you feel good already? So do you know what this event is? It's a win-win-win situation! The donor wins because they'll feel great for donating. The highest bidder wins, as they get to take something home that they want! And all of the membership wins because we all get to keep all the money raised! Please let someone on the auction team know of your donation ASAP, so we may have a full listing in the next MWFHC newsletter.
Looking for a therapeutic riding horse We have three instructors certified by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association including our physical therapist. Our two youngest horses are now 20 yrs old. The others are 24, 26, and 28. We are looking for a younger (8-15 yrs) Fjord horse that can walk, trot, and canter on both leads quietly in an arena. The horse should like people and be gentle. We do have riders who are working on becoming independent. Others require leaders and sidewalkers. Horse donation would be the ideal situation, but we do have some money that we can use. Donations to Rafter M are tax deductible. We have had horses donated in the past, and have bought some as well. Thanks for your help. If you have other questions, don't hesitate to ask. Betsy Moore
Blue Earth for the first time Ever since I bought my gelding, Braveheart, as a yearling, I've heard about Blue Earth ... that it was a great show, very beginner friendly and that it would give me a wonderful opportunity to see Fjordhorses in a group larger than one. All true! As a matter of fact, it gave me a chance to see Fjordhorses in a group larger than 120 and was every bit as enjoyable and exciting as I'd dreamed. We arrived VERY late on Saturday night having fought our way through Gary, skirted warily around Chicago (stopping every 40 feet to throw money in toll baskets) made a swift run for La Crosse, then darted out over the southern Minnesota plains toward Blue Earth. I was afraid that the barn would be locked up for the night when we arrived but it was wide open, well lit and each stall was clearly labeled and pre-fluffed with shavings. Braveheart settled right in and we crawled off to the AmericInn across the road. The next three days were loaded with new experiences and really nice people. Folks were there from all over the country and although our trip from Michigan was worth mentioning, we were not the record holders. Fjords of every color (that Fjords come in) were there and while there was interesting variety in type, the Fjordhorse stamp on all was unmistakable. The facilities were good too. There was plenty of room to work horses both under saddle and put to vehicles. The arena was flat and the footing was good. It was big enough to safely contain even a large carriage class and the announcer could be heard clearly by all. The weather was great ... clear sunny days that didn't get brutally hot. Eighteen raindrops fell on the last day but the real rain held off and we got to keep the breeze. There was food available on the grounds and we were closely flanked by our old friends - Pizza Hut, MacDonald's and DQ. The lunch provided at the opening meeting on Monday was especially scrumptious! Not too many steps from the barn there were also actual bathrooms with showers included (always a plus). I sent in entries for Blue Earth while the snow was still flying and, in the winter, spring seems far away and everything seems possible. Yes, you guessed it. I entered Braveheart in everything that they'd let a gelding do. Now, many of these are things, I can't do (the tubby-old-lady syndrome) so my long-suffering trainer, Melissa Boyd, took BU into many of his classes. We even did the single log skid (thanks to Tyler Schlickman of Illinois loaning us actual draft harness!) We were not speedy but we didn't hit anything either ... and we got a chance to see people and horses perform who really knew what they were doing. Truly, every class was a learning experience. Great horses and talented horsemen and women were everywhere. Exhibitors and show officials aMe were very kind, helpful and generous with their time and wisdom. The gaming classes were really fun! I was pleased to find that the jousting class did not actually require the whacking of another exhibitor! I also found that the Ride-a-Buck class had nothing to do with deer! It was great to see so many youth exhibitors and how well they did. The costume class is not to be missed! And there we-re lots of first-timers Me me trying new things and having fun! Then, of course, there were the new experiences for Braveheart ... the multitude of Fjords ("Wow! They all look like me!"), the camel ("...except that one."), his first tilt-a-whirl ("Ooooooh!"), and the first time the lights came on while he was in the arena ("I'd like to thank the Academy..."). I've got my reservations for next year already made! If you've ever thought you might want to try taking your beloved Fjord to a show, come on and join us. This is the world's greatest place to start and you'd be more than welcome! See you there!
Blue Earth 2004:
A record show Once again the Midwest Fjord Horse Club sponsored the largest gathering of Fjord Horse in North America. Record numbers, great weather and the camaraderie of fellow Fjord enthusiast made the Blue Earth Show the place to be this past July. We enjoyed the company of many new members, welcomed back the regulars and paid tribute to a special core member, no longer with us. The caliber of exhibitor was enhanced this year with some outstanding performances and it was rewarding to see first timers place and win in various events. Plans have already begun for the 2005 show, celebrating the MWFHC's 20th Anniversary. The Norwegian tour group which attended the show in 2002 will be returning and we will have a special presentation for them in the form of a parade and demonstrations. Show ground improvements, additional stall space, continuous class and safety improvements and a hospitality event are all in the plans. Look for updates throughout the year and mark your calendars for the week of July 25, 2005.
Take Note!
Fjords enter the show ring On August 13-14, 2004, a new attraction took place at the Boone County Fair in Belvidere, Illinios. For the first time ever they had halter classes for Fjord females over 50 inches and Fjord males over 50 inches, all ages, as well as Haflinger male and female classes over 50 inches. With the help and encouragement of Teri Keegan, Superintendent of Pony Halter and Draft Harness classes, Agnes Lee, Clinton, Wis., Mary Carlson, Clinton, Wis., Jan Ethington, South Beloit, M, and Linda and Tina Rollinger, Pecatonica, M. exhibited five females and three male Fjords in halter and driving classes. The Fjords created a lot of interest and attention, especially since most of the people had never seen Fjords before. The people were first attracted to the mane, then the neck, their "cute faces", then their gentle, people-friendly manner. The spectators also admired the Fjords' varied ability to work and show, as well as their coloring. We even introduced the judge to Fjords for the first time. Everyone had an enjoyable time and we look forward to accepting their invitation to return next year. For one of the smallest counties in Illinois, Boone County Fair had one of the largest assortments of horses, with over 500 draft and ponies at this show. A lesson we learned from this experience was how interested people were in the Fjord Horse and how fun and important it is for Fjord owners to get their horses out to different events such as parades, shows, farming events, etc. Let's expose the public to "the Fjord experience."
Submitting an article: MWFHC members are welcome to submit articles and photos for the MWFHC newsletter and website. Please send your submission to the Newsletter Editor
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