This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi,
My name is Gayle Ware. I have just recently come out of the "dark ages" and hooked up my computer to the internet. Have been quietly observing the "Digest" chatter to get the "feel" of this "new world". I must confess to being a "greenhorn" at this computer stuff, find my palms getting sweaty when I log on! Please bear with me if I fumble a bit 'til I can learn how to use some of these bells and whistles. I would like to introduce myself to those of you whom I have not met. Until 4 years ago my husband, Pat, and I lived in Libby, MT. We were the resident Local Co-ordinators for the Libby Fjord show. We owned and operated a horse training facility where I trained, bred, and showed my own Quarter Horses, also trained and showed all other breeds for other people. That is how we became acquainted with Fjords. Chip Lamb owned a 2 year old stallion named Woodland's Dustin, "Dusty", which he sent to me for training. That was the beginning of our on-going saga with Fjords. We since have sold all of the QH's, purchased Dusty and several others to keep him company. Four years ago we packed up the ranch (literally) and moved to Eugene,OR. where we have established another training and breeding facility known as Field of Dreams Norwegian Fjords. We have been involved with Fjords for the past probably 15 years. During that time I served on the NFHR Board of Directors for 6 years (2 consecutive terms). Because the by-laws say that one can only serve two consecutive terms, I had to step down for this year before being allowed to run again. My first duty as a member of the BOD was to design a color brochure for the Registry. Many of you probably have used those for promotional purposes. That is the one which the Registry is still using. Another of my duties while on the BOD was to serve on the Evaluation Committee. I have been involved in that project from the very beginning and still am active on that committee. That was an enormous undertaking involving thousands of volunteer hours by a number of "dedicated to this breed" folks. I put on the very first Evaluation in Libby in 1994. This past summer I put on another one here in Or. It was the first one for the West Coast. It takes quite a bit of time and effort to do an Evaluation, but it is indeed a very worthwhile endevor. I intend to address that issue in the near future. Last year I also put together the first Evaluation clinic. It was held in May at our facility here in Or. It had become apparent to me through my association with Fjord owners, that there was a real "thirst for knowlege", folks were HUNGRY for HELP!! That thought kept mulling thru my head as I was cleaning stalls (that's a real no-brainer job! Gives me way too much time to think. We have 18 stalls. My husband gets very nervous when I say, 'I've been thinking!'). I kept thinking that, here in this Northwest region we have some very talented and knowlegable people, i.e., Brian and Ursula Jensen, Anne Appleby, and myself who were all in on this Evaluation program from the very beginning. Each of us were key factors in designing the tests. No one was more familiar with this whole program than us. SOOO, since there seemed to be such a need, why couldn't we fulfill it? When I presented my idea to each of the others, they did not hesitate for a heartbeat. They were more than willing to dedicate their time and efforts on your behalf! To make a long story short, the resulting clinic was well attended, well received, and we have been asked to do it again, not only here, but at other localtions also. The really rewarding part was that during our Evaluation here in July, the positive results were quite obvious!! Those who had attended the clinic were well prepared and put together. They did very well. Good-bye for now. Sorry, I did not intend for this "Hello" to turn into a newspaper! I promise not to wait so long before I make my next contribution. Won't be so long winded. Gayle Ware
