This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Arthur Rivoire) Good Day from carol Rivoire at Beaver Dam Farm in Nova Scotia -
It's clear many owners and breeders want Evaluations, and want them available all across the country on a yearly basis. Everyone agrees. However, we've got a problem. We've only got one American Evaluator. So what do we do? A simple and immediate solution would be for the NFHR to declare that qualified Europeans are automatically certified as NFHR Evaluators. The Dutch Studbook has certified several Fjord judges, and all have gone through the dificult Judging Program, and taken the qualifying exams required. ---- Norway could also offer certified Fjord judges. ----- Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium. They all have Evaluation Programs, and no doubt could send us Evaluators. The point is, these people are all NORWEGIAN FJORD HORSE JUDGES. They're not specialized "Danish Fjord judges", or "German Fjord judges". They're judges of NORWEGIAN FJORDHORSES. By using European Fjord judges, along with American trained judges, we could get this Evaluation Program off the ground and running much sooner, and make it available to more owners across the country. Not only that, but by using already available, and already trained European judges, along with our own judges, we'll be staying closer to the source of the Fjordhorse, and perhaps eliminating any tendencies to stray from the Standard. Not only that, but by using European judges, we'd be able to expedite our own judges training program with Learner Judges in attendance. As it stands, the NFHR has only one Evaluator. By adopting this suggestion, we could very well have twenty or more Evaluators available NOW. For instance, if Brian Jacobsen could get together 30 horses in his region for an Evaluation, he might choose to fly in a certified judge from Norway. The plane ticket would cost $600. Owners could put the man up and feed him, thereby saving expenses. Say, at the outside, the Evaluation cost $3,000. That's $100 per horse. Not much if you're serious about breeding. It's apparent owners and breeders want an Evaluation Program; therefore, find a way to make it happen NOW. If we don't expedite this, we're inviting problems in the breed. Fjords are becoming tremendously popular. For better or worse, breeding is happening big time now. Evaluation should be available today, and using already trained, highly experienced judges from Norway, Holland, Sweden, Germany, etc. is the way to make it happen. --- Afterall, this is a European breed. I can't see why anyone would object to using European Evaluators. This is standard practice in most other European breeds that have been imported to North America, and become popular here. --------------------------------------------------------------- As to the "Booklet" being discussed. Arthur and I are very much for it, and would eagerly buy it. We'd introduce it to all our Driving Vacation guests and our customers, and I bet that most of them would buy it as well. However, for the life of me, I can't see how it could possibly cost $18,000. As I understand it, it's not a one-time thing. Wouldn't it need to be updated yearly? As such, it seems to me that it should be paperback, and not in color. The Studbook that Norway publishes yearly is paperback, small format, with black & white photos. It's not fancy, actually rather pulpy, but it does the job intended; namely, photos of evaluated stallion, pedigrees, evaluation results plus particulars on the stallion; such as height, color, canonbone measurement. I've seen the ones Sweden produces, and they're even more economical, but equally useful. I'm against spending anything remotely close to $18,000 for what amounts to an informational "booklet", that needs to be up-dated yearly. As much as I like to see the NFHR spend money on worthwhile projects, spending this amount is excessive. -- This book needs to happen, but it should be produced economically with no frills. It's a working handbook, not a coffee table book. Having recently published a book on the Fjordhorse, I know what I'm talking about. We printed a 6 x 9" soft cover book with color front and back covers. The book has 300 pages with 170 black and white photos. It cost nowhere near $18,000 . . . . not even 18,000 Canadian dollars. If the organizers would like, I'd be happy to get a quote from our printer. Best Regards, Carol Rivoire Carol and Arthur Rivoire Beaver Dam Farm Fjords II R.R. 7 Pomquet Antigonish County Nova Scotia B2G 2L4 902 386 2304 http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/beaverdf
