This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi All-
I decided to post two emails to the list about my experience this weekend. #1 : ( will detail all the snafus we endured in an attempt to be "Fjord Ambassadors." #2 will tell of our accomplishments and successes. Read on... My "learning-to-be-horsey" Dad & I put forth a great effort to participate in the CA State Fair. He turned down two days of overtime, and I canceled many pet sitting visits. I stayed up late Thursday packing my stuff and writing a script that I thought would be suitable for my demo. After work on Friday, we loaded up 2 horses, newly refinished cart, harness, grooming equipment, etc., and hit the road. Arriving in Sacramento at midnight, we began negotiating the huge maze of the Cal Expo Fairgrounds. We were supposed to receive passes in the mail, but they never arrived (still haven't) so we had to talk our way past the security guard at the gate. Finally locating the barn in the "Cavalcade of Horses" area, we unload Tommes & Knute and put them up in their stalls. The stalls were well located in a shady, high-foot-traffic area right in front of the arena, and they were clearly marked with Fjord signs & pictures. However, there was no promotional material as I had hoped. I would have liked to hand out NFHR flyers, invites to Skandifest, or some such so fair goers could look further into the breed after returning home. I had my first hint of a problem when I looked at the Cavalcade schedule, and noticed Fjords were not on the agenda for the weekend. Saturday was Appaloosas and Sunday was Spanish Breeds. The All-Breed demo wasn't listed until Tuesday! I had been specifically told to write a script and prepare for a Fjord breed demo. Yikes. Too tired to worry, Dad & I retired to our motel room. In the morning I called the Cavalcade manager, Nancy. Imagine my shock when I discovered she had no idea who I was, wasn't expecting me, and had no use for my demo. When I told her I would be driving, and I'd come a long way with a lot of equipment, she agreed to "squeeze me in" to the Horse & Carriage program which runs each evening at 5:30. OK, at least we're in. I told Nancy I had no passes, and she said she would send some to the front gate. So far so good. We drove to the fair grounds and picked up our passes, then proceeded to the Cavalcade area. We parked in numbered spaces outside the barn, and I put a note on the windshield with my cell phone number in case I was in someone's spot. I proceeded to the office and turned in my script, neatly typed with a pronunciation guide (FEE-ORDS). The staff member looked at it and said, "Oh, well we may not need this, it may be too long, we'll see" and she tossed it on the desk. I then asked her where I should groom & tack up my horses. She gave me a blank look. I repeated the question, to which she replied, "Well, there really is no specific place, just wherever you can find room." Great. Wherever I can find room, in a very crowded area teeming with over 100 horses, their people, tractors... At this moment my cell phone rang. I needed to move my truck. I asked the staff member where I should put my cart, and she said she didn't know (we had no tack stall or any other space to put anything). She took my number and said Nancy would call me. I ran outside to move my truck. Wondering where I should move to, I checked my pass and saw that I had 2 tickets for "Lot P." OK, I'll park there and drive back later to unload my equipment. No sooner do I get out of the Cavalcade area, Nancy calls and says she has a place for my cart. I turn around, and the guards won't allow me to reenter. "No reentry after 10AM." I explain that I have a large heavy cart that needs to be unloaded, and I need to park near the barn. The guard said that's too bad, I can park in Lot P and carry my things in. Just one problem... Lot P is about a mile (no kidding) from the barn. When I protested, I heard something that would become the pat answer to my every complaint, "That's what everyone else does." Sure. Called Nancy back, she said no problem, she'll send another pass to the gate. Wait for the pass, reenter, park again. This is getting tedious. The parking pass says "Display in window, park in Cavalcade area." I asked the guard if I should park in any numbered spot, and he replied anywhere near the barn was fine. Well, it wasn't. After unloading my cart (the storage area, by the way, was a grassy spot with members of the public milling all around, and children playing around the carts) I returned to my truck to find a parking ticket. I presented the ticket, and the pass, to a staff member. "Oh, she said, "you weren't supposed to park there." When I replied that that was the only legal parking area, and all other areas were clearly marked with "Tow Away" signs, she said, "Nancy will tell you were to park, maybe by that fence there." and then the mantra, "That's what everyone else does." I went away disgusted. The fence she indicated was plastered with No Parking signs, and I wasn't going to take her word for it. I moved the truck to another logical seeming spot, and hoped for the best. The time spent with our horses and the public was great fun (see email # 2 : ). But the shadow of poor planning loomed over me all day long. I couldn't get a straight answer from the office as to where I was in the driving demo lineup, and what time I needed to be ready. I finally had to go to the announcer himself, in the booth, and ask to see the lineup. Thank God, he had my script all ready and was a VERY nice man. Order: Minis, Clydes, Morgans, me. Now, to find a reasonably safe place to hitch up... Tommes must have sensed my agitation and was a basket case. My normally calm, cool & collected guy was neighing and thrashing around. Did I mention, there is also nowhere to turn out or warm up? Nope, just pull the horse out of the stall, hitch up and perform. With Dad pulling the cart, we located what appeared to be a tie rail outside the barn. Just one problem, it's blocked by tons of junk including picnic benches, cattle fence panels and plastic trays. I tie and start harnessing up there. A staff member is there in minutes, telling me to be careful as a tractor and truck are going to park nearby. She has no suggestions regarding a better place to go, so I stay. By the grace of God we get hitched up and start doing circles. I really have to keep Tommes busy to keep him from getting upset. To our left is a group of Appys painted and decorated with feathers, bareback riders in "Indian" outfits. To the right is the "9-Mini Horse" hitch, followed by the Budweiser Clydesdales. Finally it's our time to perform, and it goes even better than I imagined (see email # 2 : ). After the demo, we return to the same tie rail and unhitch as quickly as possible. Tommes back in the stall, Dad goes to check on my truck. He returns in a hurry, and for good reason. A tow truck was about to take it away! The owner of the parking place was apologetic, and understood that we made an honest mistake. Evidently one has to purchase a sticker for $175 to park in any of those spaces. He waited till we moved, and sent away the Cal Expo police & tow truck. Now what? Nowhere legal to park, pass or no pass, and Lot P a mile away... We double park with Dad waiting in the cab, and I look for Nancy. "Look," I said, "I parked where I thought I was supposed to, and got a ticket. I moved, and I almost got towed. Where am I supposed to park with this permit?!" "Nowhere," she replied, "that pass was just to come in the morning and drop off your cart, and I need it back right away. We don't just hand those out to anyone, you know!" Of course, no one bothered to tell me this. I asked where I should park Sunday, and she said Lot P. When I asked about my equipment, she said just leave it in the Cavalcade. Sure, leave my antique oak cart and patent leather harness outdoors all night with thousands of people, both staff and public. What was her reply? "That's what everyone else does." I dumped the useless pass on her desk and returned to my truck. "We're going home," I told Dad, explaining the futility of the situation. Once again, we had to talk our way in & out of the area to get our trailer and return for the horses. As if they felt our unease, both horses lead right out and practically walked over us into the trailer! I was really torn, as the demo had turned out so well and the public had so enjoyed our Tommes & Knute. However, I just couldn't see any way to deal with another day of nonsense. The management literally made it impossible for us to participate. They acted as if the simplest things were big favors, and we were a nuisance and in the way. The conditions were insecure and unsafe for hitching and driving. I can honestly say I have never been treated with such gross disregard at any event, especially one where I am volunteering to provide entertainment to the public for someone else's profit. I would strongly suggest that Fjordings West NOT participate in this event in future years unless MAJOR changes are made. Brigid M Wasson San Francisco Bay Area, CA <A HREF="http://ourfjords.freeservers.com/fjord1/Our_Fjordsx.html";>Our </A> <A HREF="http://ourfjords.freeservers.com/fjord1/Our_Fjordsx.html";>Fjords</A> / )__~ /L /L
