This message is from: "Arthur Rivoire" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hello from Carol Rivoire at Beaver Dam Farm in Nova Scotia --
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Dear Carol, > I was just wondering if the Jamie Benoit that you know had ever gone to > Kingsbury Hill Riding School in Francestown, New Hampshire? A young girl by > that name, many year's ago, attended while I was working there by that name. > I recall she was a super little horseperson and even after 24t years I still > remember her name among many I met there. Could they be the same girl? Hi Kathy, Sorry, no, not the same girl. This Jaimie Benoit is our Stable Manager, and she's just turned 23 years old. But, it's funny you should bring up the name . . . Our Jaimie is now visiting Fjord friends in NYC, Long Island, NJ, CT & PA. Except for one flying trip to Maine, this is Jaimie's first time out of Nova Scotia, and her first plane ride. We're thrilled for her. -- Jaimie is not only a wonderful manager and trainer of our Fjords, but an all-around great girl everybody takes to. -- The Fjord people she's visiting are customers and friends of ours. They've all been up at the farm to do our Nova Scotia Learning Vacations several years in a row, and have gotten to know Jaimie. They were so taken with her that they got together and invited Jaimie on a fabulous three week trip. The first segment was to Cheryl Tortoriello and Suzanne Egan who live in Manhatten, and who own BDF Philippine and BDF Phoebe, and who've bought and restored a fabulous old farm on Long Island Sound, the future home of "their girls". Jaimie "did" the city, and was most thrilled with St. Patrick's Cathedral, not surprising since she spent her whole life in the tiny (pop. 600) French Acadian village of Pomquet where everything revolves around the church. There was a mass being performed at the time, which made it even more meaningful to her. - Jaimie has already visited Beth Swain in New Jersey, and had the opportunity to get reacquainted with some BDF horses. -- BDF Quest (Gjest x Stine), and the great gelding, Sigmund. Towards the end of the trip, Jaimie will spend more time with Beth, and the two of them plan some riding. Luckily, two other horses that left here last summer to join a Therapeutic Riding Center are only a half hour from Beth's so Jaimie got to see BDF Annelise and the big gelding, Axel, who are now working successfully at the therapeutic center. One thing all the host/Fjord owners were unanimous about - They all wanted Jaimie to cut manes while she was there. Right now, Jaimie's in Connecticut staying with Ed and Ann Sullivan and their two little equestrian daughters, Maggi and Bridget who own the fancy, Dutch imported Myrstein daughter, Riena, and also the dark and beautiful mare, Maryke, just recently arrived from Beaver Dam Farm. -- The culmination of the trip will be a journey to Pennsylvania to the dressage barn where Philly and Phoebe are in training. Since Jaimie did all the initial training (riding and drivingj) of these two mares from birth to the time they left BDF at 4 1/2 years, she's really interested to see how they're doing. --- So, am I. We miss these wonderful Gjest daughters a lot. --- As I understand it, the trip to the dressage stable in PA will be quite an expedition as the whole group will converge and go together. The kindness and generosity of all these people to Jaimie, and the fact that Jaimie is such a nice girl who inspires such actions, is just another example of how significantly the Fjordhorses enhance lives. Probably the biggest reason Arthur and I decided NOT to retire from the Fjord business was the people we meet, the friends we make, and the interesting and rewarding life we lead --- all thanks to the Fjordhorses. Luckily, we came to our senses and realized life just wouldn't be the same without all the horses and all the people who come to the farm each summer -- Old friends, new friends, the young people from Europe . . . It is a great life, and the Fjordhorses made it happen. -- We'd certainly have never met Beth, her daughter, Melanie, Suzanne, Cheryl, Ann, Ed, and their charming, well-behaved girls. So, we are delighted Jaimie is having a blast. ---- And I don't mind getting up before dawn to do all her work - mucking, feeding, cleaning, leading in and out, and in and out . . I don't mind all the backbreaking work, and if any time during my long, hard, cold day when my fingers are frozen and my back aches, and my boots are full of snow, I begin to feel just the tiniest little bit resentful and envious . . . Well, I just remind myself of the wonderful time "dear" Jaimie is having enjoying the touring, the shopping, the restaurants, the scintillating city company -- A world without six feet of snow,18 below temperatures, frozen buckets and manure . . . . Well, would you believe it? I really don't mind at all. How could I? Jaimie has done it for us for many times for many years. ---- Go for it, Jaimie! Next year Europe! - Best Regards, Carol Rivoire .
