This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Arthur Rivoire)
Hello from Carol Rivoire at Beaver Dam Farm in Nova Scotia -
In response to my posting about the Dutch Keurings in Vermont and other
places, Jean Ernest wrote . . . .
>Carol,
>
>I understand that none of the other European contries (Norway, Sweden,
>Denmark, Germany etc.) will allow Holland to come and do Dutch Keurings in
>their countries? Why is that?
Jean, I've never heard of any of the European Studbooks doing Keurings in
countries other than their own, although, they often co-judge in other
countries. Norway's Arne Presthus was in the ring with Van Bon this summer
in Holland at the big Anniversary Show. --- There would be no reason for
Germany, etc. to ask Holland to do "Dutch Keurings" as they have their own
team of Fjord judges. Specialists trained to judge Fjordhorses, who I
assume are as qualified as Van Bon.
This discussion should not be "Us" vs. "Them". That's not the point.
The point is EDUCATION. I asked the question, "Why didn't more people come
to learn in Vermont?" Lots of reasons, I suppose - However, loyalty to
the American system shouldn't be one. Breeders particularly, but owners as
well, should seek knowledge of the breed wherever it's available.
My objection to the American Evaluations is based on this - I simply don't
think the American judges can do as good a job as the European judges
because of one fact - They are not specialists in Fjordhorses, and that
worries me. I know they are highly qualified and respected in their
fields. And I appreciate that they've studied Fjords in the U.S. and in
Europe. However . . . .
I ask myself, "How can these judges keep all the different Breed
Standards straight?" They're human - Not computers. How can they
possibly go from judging QuarterHorses/Arabians/Morgans/Minis, etc. on
Friday to Fjords on Saturday? I really do wonder about this. Doesn't
anybody else?
I think about the Vermont Keuring when someone presented a good-looking
gelding. The judges said. . . "A NICE RIDING PONY, BUT NOT A FJORD." --
Can our Evaluation judges do this after judging Morgans the day before?
Maybe they can, but it's beyond me. I just can't believe it.
Think about it ---- It took the NFHR over fifteen years to write our
Breed Standards. Apparently, it was NOT A SIMPLE JOB! If it was, they
could have COPIED STANDARDS from another breed, and we'd have had our Fjord
Standards in 1984. FJORDS DON'T FIT THE STANDARD MOLD. Defining them is
not easy.
The NFHR Standards Committee discussed and argued fifteen years before
they were able to satisfy everybody. I bet they discussed and argued six
months getting the wording right to describe the Fjord neck. It probably
took even longer. I don't know how long it took. I do know that it took
fifteen years to get standards that described the Fjord.
That being the case, how can judges who do many breeds cope with the Breed
Standards of each of the breeds they're carded in? Sorry, but I don't
think it can be done, and it worries me. Can these judges possibly have
the image of the "ideal Fjord" in their mind's eye, or will that image get
blended with other images?
I think it's the right thing that we're working on a North American
Evaluation Program. However, I worry that serious mistakes will be made
while we're getting it right. And I think our judges should maintain A
CLOSE ASSIOCIATION WITH THE EUROPEANS DURING THESE FORMATIVE YEARS. That
would include auditing or co-judging whenever the Dutch or Norwegians came
over to do Keurings.
It may seem contradictory, but I do applaud the NFHR for supporting the
American Evaluations. It's a big step forward. I hope the program
continues to go forward with more and more education of both judges and
owners. I hope someday it becomes as expert as the Dutch and Norwegian
programs. -- I hope someday that we, too, are able to have judges from
our own ranks that really know the breed. Judges that are first and
foremost FJORD PEOPLE.
In the meantime, I think we should welcome both - The American Evaluations
AND Keurings by European Studbooks. Whenever there's an Evaluation/Keuring
anywhere that's possible to get to, those interested in Fjord breeding
should make every effort to attend. The opportunity to learn about our
breed is just too valuable to miss.
Fjords are a funny breed. They, themselves are not specialists. They're
supposed to do everything for everyone, which is why judging them is MUCH
MORE DIFFICULT than say, judging a jumper or a Morgan Park Horse, or a
reining horse.
Temperament and attitude are really big things, which is why the Dutch
double the marks for these traits. But, there are seeming contradictions.
For instance, presence in a stallion is very important, which is why a
stallion that "shows himself" is desirable, even though some might think,
because he's not standing quietly, he's bad tempered.
The Europeans want to see a stallion acting like a stallion during the
Keuring part of the exam . . . Yet, they want him to behave just as well as
the mares during the Performance testing. --- Do our judges understand
this? Do they feel the same? Or do they want to see stallions standing
dociley in the ring? -- If so, then we will have different breeding goals
than the Europeans. Do we want that? Or, do we like the horse we've got,
which has come to us from Europe?
I've been raising, importing, and selling Fjords for twenty years. These
are just my own personal opinions developed over the years.
For all of these reasons, including BREED TYPE, I would want a Fjord judge
who knows the breed in his mind and in his soul to judge our BDF horses.
ONE LAST COMMENT: This is not an issue of "them" or "us". It's not a
question of being loyal to the Europeans or to the Americans. The bottom
line, as I see it, is doing what's best for the breed by educating owners
and breeders so they can make informed decisions. To that end, both
programs have a whole lot to teach us.
JUST ONE MORE THING - Someone asked why we didn't take ours --- Even for
a Keuring, I would not trailer our horses 1,000 miles. The next time there
is one, we hope to have the judges fly into Halifax, do our horses, and
then proceed to New England and points west. It wasn't possible this year,
very unfortunately.
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
