This message is from: "Linda Lehnert" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I just learned from another list that they have confirmed a case of WNV in a dead bird found near Spokane in western WA State near the Idaho border and there are 10 more birds awaiting testing at the center in WI. The article, reprinted in its entirety from the Seattle paper, urges the usual precautions. I know some of the List members live in that area, so I wanted to pass this along. I went to the German National Fjord Show over the weekend in Thüringen. It was held in an excellent riding center where they breed Fjords and have all types of courses for riders and is only 9 km from the oldest town in Thüringen, Arnstadt, founded in 1250, beautiful and interesting. I saw a Jon Halsnaes (Ricka's sire) son and grandson, a Kvest Halsnaes son, an Ohlson son and Rei Romanow and his son, Reidan (Rei Romanow, a national champion, was the impressive Fjord in the stall beside the IGF booth at Euro Cheval). Kvest Halsnaes and Dylan, one of Reinhold Eitenmüller's other stallions, were there, but I missed them. I got to see Dirk Bindenberger (Rei Romanow's family) jump Reidan and a Kvest Halsnaes son - he can really ride a jumper. These jumps were set up in the indoor arena in an interesting manner, almost in a circle with a space in between some to cross over - it's hard to describe. They only had dressage, jumping and some driving classes, no western unfortunately. Surprisingly, the driving classes did not have many entries, although many people here with Fjords drive them and go to driving shows almost every weekend. The weather was cold, rainy and altogether miserable, creating some of the most beautiful, but muddy Fjords in the country. If you saw how they groom horses here for show, you would all faint. They do not groom like we do. They leave all the long hairs under the chin and on the cheeks, the muzzle and eye hairs, the ears unclipped, no clipping of the legs, the fetlock joints, the pasterns, etc, no sandpapering of the hoofs with hoof polish and no Show Sheen. It's disgusting. Someone in a tack shop when I went to buy some clippers told me it is not allowed to clip American style here, so I suppose if I show Ricka, I will either have to go German style or run the risk of being disqualified. I developed a problem with my left contact lens and had to leave so I could go to the Optik early Monday AM, so I do not know who won the national championship. I will contact Eike Shoen-Peterson to find out and then let everyone know. I hope it was either Kvest Halsnaes or one of his progeny, Dylan, or one of the Jon Halsnaes sons or grandsons. Linda in Reichelsheim
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