This message is from: Lindsay&Jim Sweeney <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
At 08:25 AM 2/11/99 -0500, you wrote:
>This message is from: Mike May <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
>At 09:01 PM 2/10/99 +0000, you wrote:
>>This message is from: Linda Wollowitz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>
>>To Mike May -
>>Last year Marcy Baer, Susan Cook, Lindsay Sweeney and some others went
>>to Equitana to represent the Fjords. This year I have heard that they
>>are going again, probably from June 5th to the 13th or 14th. Us folks
>>at Hickory Farm cannot get away that long, but perhaps you might want
>>to get in touch with one of them for more info.
Dear List, Linda, Hickory Farm and Mike May,
The NFHR has participated in Equitana for three years and we are
planning
our fourth and fifth years now. Absolutely everyone is invited to join us
in this promotional endeavor. Last year's crew at Equitana was the largest
contingency of Fjord horse lovers ever assembled in one place to promote
the breed and the NFHR and included 31 NFHR members from 11 different
states from New England to Illinois to New Mexico to Washington state! We
worked out the demonstration and booth schedule utilizing 14 Fjord Horses
ranging in age from 4 months to 24 years old. The Demontration schedule is
intense and Fjords are everywhere! all the time!! Last year's schedule
included participation in the Opening Ceremonies. Marcy baer was our
representaive for last year and carried the Norwegian flag astride her
beautiful mare, Zoe. Zoe and Marcy looked natural amongst the crystal,
china, and champagne. This was a benefit breakfast set out in the Freedom
Hall complete with white table cloths. What a sight! Somehow we always
find ourselves bursting with pride when the Norwegian Fjord is announced
and when they enter the arena we usually find a few tears of joy too!!
Freedom Hall is the BIG, and I mean BIG, arena and offers the greatest
amount of visibility and is by far the most well attended venue that
Equitana USA has to offer. Thanks to our organizers' monumental efforts we
were on display in Freedom Hall every day of the show presenting our
Norwegian Fjord Horse Versatility Drill Team. This drill team consists of
six ridden Fjords, two driven Fjords, and the mare and suckling pulling a
stone boat, of course the mare did the pulling and the foal did the acting
adorable. That pair really worked the crowds for us, had them giving a
standing ovation at the end of each demonstration!! Check out the photo of
Saskia, Tobyn and Sue Giagiari on the Equitana USA web site. (there's a
link on the NFHR web site) The intricate pattern was created and put to
music by Marcy Baer. We practised all week, literally, to make it as close
to perfection as the breed itself. The best part about the drill team
performances was that they were scheduled right after the ever popular JOHN
LYONS. We thanked John profusely for packing the bleachers for us each day
and he would actually remind everyone there to stay and watch the wonderful
Fjords. I noticed that John Lyon's interest was peaked by these wonderful
souls and even he only missed only one showing of the Norwegian Fjord Horse
Versatility Drill Team!!
The American Driving Society was thrilled to include the Fjords in their
twice daily driving demos, one in Freedom Hall and another in the Broadbent
Arena. This was FUN!! and we are planning a more elaborate demo with the
ADS for this coming year. There's something special about a horse in
harness, the crowds love it, the Fjords love it, and we people love it too.
(or maybe it was that the arenas are air conditioned and it was HOT outside?)
Our booth and display stall was in the West Wing and we presented a
"bombproofing" demo in the West Wing arena, which was in view of our booth,
each day. People were intrigued with the character of the Fjord Horse and
the Bombproofing demo made it's way onto the local news! There were many
repeat spectators at this demo, some people just couldn't bear to miss even
one show!!
At the end of this demo on the last day we drew the name of the winner of
the raffle to add to the excitement and fanfare, it was a cliff hanger and
were we all thrilled to find out that a Fjord Person had won, lucky Tobyn,
lucky us! Needless to say all of our team had fallen desperately in love
with the little guy after spending the week with him and it was nerve
racking to wonder what his fate would be. He was appropriately named, for
Tobyn means God is Good in Norwegian.
The grandest demo that we did (I think anyway) was the Breed Demo which
was showcased in the East Wing. Boy, did we ever put on a show! We had
Fjords doing the parade thing to the Norwegian Wedding March, a real tear
jerker, in fact now we are all conditioned to weep nostalgically as soon as
the first notes are heard over the loud speaker. We presented Fjords
jumping rope, doing a ridden dressage paux de deux, driving obstacles,
ridden bridleless over jumps, hooked to a stoneboat, Fjords at liberty and
a fantastic ridden tandem of two red dun mares, doing an act created to
duplicate the same act as the famous Fresian Stallion Jorrit!! The lead
mare was shown at a lengthened trot (dare I say extended?!?) while the
ridden mare cantered slowly (dare I say collected?!?) This was my
contribution to the demo and I am now an official ridden tandem addict,
can't wait to do it again and I hope to further expand our repetiore, I'll
have to call Sabin and see what she and Jorrit are doing this year! ha, ha!
Fjords were also included in the parade of breeds and closing ceremonies
as well as in a wide variety of clinics and lectures like saddle fit,
massage therapy, and the TTeam clinic. Our biggest accomplishment to date
is our inclusion in the prestigious Mane Event. This is the premiere
entertainment of Equitana USA and we were there! You can pruchase a tape
highlighting the Mane Event on their web site and you will see four Fjord
horses spotlighted! We are very, very proud of this particular
accomplishment since we were ASKED if we would please supply some level
headed driving horses for the Hitch segment of the show. There were some
other breeds that just weren't able to handle all the glitz of show
business, the loud music, the tight quaters behind the curtain, the strobe
and spotlights, the roar of applause from the crowd. The management had
been watching us Fjord people practise all week and they knew we could
handle the scene. So we added a bunch of long, tedious practises at night,
all night, to get ready for the three nightly performances of the Mane
Event. The extravagant cast party that was held at the end of Saturday
night's show topped off the experience and we felt like celebrities hob
nobbing with the big shots!
Due to our successful participation in Equitana USA 1998 the NFHR
received
invitations to many other expos around the country and Europe!! An
invitation was extended to have Fjords participate in the parade at the
KENTUCKY DERBY!! (still looking for volunteers to fill this offer, anyone
out there interested?) Other invitations to bring Fjords to the Kentucky
Horse Park, Equine Affair, USDF Dressage Festival, and Equitana USA Mane
Event and Equitana in Europe were offered as a result of the style and ease
with which the Fjord Horses and their people performed. Anyone interested
in these opportunities to promote the breed and the Registry may contact me
for details! PLEASE!!
When we returned home absolutely exhausted, we were heartened to
receive a
handful of Thank You and Kudos letters! This felt good and sure makes
people want to do it again! This kind of support means alot to any group
devoted to doing Registry work which is time consuming, requires great
sacrifices and dedication, and ultimately makes all the participants and
supporters feel proud. Kind words of encouragement like those that came
from NFHR members Carol Riviore and Ann Stifel meant as much to all of us
as did these words from Lisa Kiser, manager "...Your willingness to provide
horses for speakers and demonstrations made a big difference...It's for
this reason that I'm always happy to give the Fjords the spotlight whenever
possible." And this from the show director, Lori Silva..."thank you for
being a key part of our 1998 show." Pamela Minard from the American
Driving Society wrote..."It was a great experience for me to meet and work
with you at Equitana. What a thrill to watch your wonderful Fjord
ponies!"..."I want you to know just how deeply I appreciate your
participation."..."We had many compliments from those who attnded the
driving demonstrations...".
I'd like to take this chance to thank once again my whole Equitana crew,
especially the four-legged members who really make it happen. It may sound
like alot of work but it's very easy looking good on a beautifully behaved
Norwegian Fjord Horse, I think all we people really had to do was smile and
be safe, the Fjords did the rest!!
The NFHR is extending an open invitation to all to join in the Equitana
USA '99 promotions. Maybe you can help us reach one or two of our still
yet-to-be- achieved goals. They include, but are not limited to: the
addition to our driving force of a **four-in-hand, the addition to the
versatility drill of two from the **western disciplines (a little reining
or cutting would be a huge hit!), Fjord Horses in at least the four most
common **colors, we have yet to be able to present a grey or a white
(HELP!! this one should be easy!!), and maybe if we beg really hard we
could rope the **Colorado Drill Team into joining the escapades at Equitana
USA '99 or 2000! (all together now,... PLEASE!?!) We welcome any ideas
and suggestions and certainly the help and finacial support are most
appreciated!
For information about Equitana itself get the link off the NFHR web site
or try http://www.equitanausa.com. For information about the NFHR's
involvement contact me at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or call (802)889-3735. And
thanks to all of you who have already offered horses, help, and donations.
You are the greatest!
For all your thoughts and efforts I am very grateful- Lindsay Sweeney
>
>Actually I got the dates of it last night from Lindsay on the BOD meeting.
>
>The dates for Equitana are June 10th - 13th this year. I will put them on
>the web site as well.
>
>Mike
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