This message is from: Arthur Rivoire <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> This message is from Carol Rivoire at Beaver Dam Farm Fjords Ii.
Hi! I'd like to respond to Ursula's message. I certainaly agree wholeheartedly that we need to maintain the standards of the breed we've inherited from Norway, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany. To do that, we need Evaulations such as are part and parcel of Fjord breeding in Europe. The NFHR's Evaluation Committee has modeled the North American Evaluations on Europe's system. Many of our judges have been trained in Norway, and by guest Dutch Fjord experts. That's wonderful. I've only seen one of them in action, and that was Jim Havelhurst, and it was my feeling that he had a solid grasp on what makes a good Fjord a good Fjord, and not just a 'good horse'. --- And while that distinction may seem obvious . . . . I believe that it is not at all obvious or easy to understand. But, to my mind, Jim Havelhurst knows what he's looking at. Anyway, Ursula and I are in agreement that all breeders should be taking their breeding and young stock to the Evaluations, if at all possible. --- ALL breeding stock and young stock should go, as Evaluations are not horse shows where you take your best. -- The purpose of these judgings is to assist breeders in maintaining qualilty and making decisions. For instance, is it at all possible that this weanling colt might be stallion material? If not, it's far better the breeder knows right away before he wastes a year of time, expense and trouble keeping a stud colt. If a mare is judged not good enough to be bred, how much better for horse and owners to know that, and to expend their energy, money, and time in training her to be a good pleasure horse. --- These are the reasons to attend Evaluations. Not to get a ribbon. If an Evaluation is done correctly, the horses are judged against THE STANDARD! They are not judged against each other. However, it's obvious that in order to do the job, our judges need to be well trained either in Europe, or certified by the judges who've already been there, and done that. I'm not sure I understand Ursula's intent when she talks about a North American Evaluation for our'homebred' Fjords, and using the 'Gold' designation, rather than "Model", "Elite", or the European terms. I don't have a problem with creating our own terms, but I do have a problem with introducing new standards, or different standards. As far as the Draft tests, or Western tests, I don't see any problem as the draft test has been part of the European Evaluations (Holland & Norway) forever, as far as I know. And I find good Western riding very similar to dressage. In my book, THE FJORDHORSE HANDBOOK, I spend a lot of time talking about THE STANDARDS, and the SPECIAL CHARACTER of the Fjordhorse. These chapters have come through our own experience after eighteen years with Fjords. And they've also come from my association with the Dutch and the Norwegians. --- There are things the Fjordhorse shares in common with all using breeds; such as, the necessity for good feet and legs. But then, there are the subtle differences, and that's where we need European trained judges. I really feel very strongly about this. I feel that it's important for us to maintain close contact with the European breed associations in order not to get off the tract with this breed. --- Getting off the track can happen quickly and easily within a few generations, and when you think about it, a generation in horses is three or four years. I have to offer a mild objection to Ursula's comment that the Dutch and Norwegian certification levels - ie, "Norwegian 1st premium" and "Dutch Elite" are a "valuable hook." By which I suppose she means for marketing horses. --------- These levels of certification are much, much more than that . . . if you understand them. For instance, if any of you were so very lucky to have the opportunity to buy a daughter or son, or granddaughter of a "Dutch Elite" mare, you could be 100% sure that your horse has a distinguised pedigree . . . at least on the dam's or granddam's side of it. There's no personal judgement involved. You would not need to ask anyone's opinion. -- An "Elite Mare" is the ultimate! --- A Norwegian stallion that's attained a "1st premium" is one of the best. Nothing more needs to be said! Same for a stallion who's been selected to be an official breeding stallion for Holland or Norway. --- For example, Holland has 15,000 Fjords, but only 45 official breeding stallions. Can anyone possibly question the quality of any of those stallions? I think not! To give you an example of the Dutch system concerning the mare who reached "Elite". She was certified "A Premie" as a suckling, yearling, and two year old. She was "Model Mare 1st class" as a three year old. Later, she was certified "Star Mare". Much later, after she'd proven herself a good broodmare by having six foals in seven breeding seasons, she's become a "Keur Mare." Later still, when some of her offspring have grown and been judged "Model 1st class", she has made "Preferent" status. Much later, when her offspring have also made "Star" certification, and perhaps one of her sons has joined the Stallion Roster, she attains "Elite" status. So you get my point that these levels of certification MEAN SOMETHING! It's definitely not like winning a Horse Show. If you buy a "Model Mare second class", you know that it's a pretty good horse, but not one of the best, and not eligible to go on to higher levels. If you buy a "Model Mare first class" you've got a better horse . . . quite a good horse, in fact. If you buy a "Star Mare," you've got one of the best. This system is an excellent one. It informs breeders, and it protects buyers. At our farm, we've used it for years in order to improve our herd. We believe in it wholeheartedly. The system has stood us in good stead. I once saw an ad from a Fjord breeder that showed six or eight mares. The heading proclaimed them to be very good quality. In fact, they were unbelievably bad!!!! I know that! Many of you would know that! But, how about the newcomer to the breed who's also a newcomer to horses as many Fjord buyers are (because of the much vaunted temeprament). A widely used Evaluation system would protect that buyer as he could ask this breeder - "Have your horses been evaluated?" And if not . . . then why not? Regards, Carol Rivoire
