This message is from: Marsha Jo Hannah [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Catherine Lassesen [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
the Days Creek Evaluation. It went very well and it was an enjoyable
weekend of friendship and fjords!
It was indeed a great weekend, and I enjoyed spectating at it. It was
fun to put faces to assorted names from this list and the Fjord Herald!
This was my first experience with the evaluation system. I found it
particularly interesting to see families of horses, and their
scores. Like Catherine's 3-month-old colt, who got a blue ribbon for
conformation---as did his dam (Lakka), AND his sire (Gayle Ware's
junior stallion, Johan). Johan's sire, Majson, was also evaluated
(high red---the evaluator hinted that if Gayle could have just trotted
Majson a little faster...). Then there was Catherine's Bananas---a
19-year-old broodmare, who got a mid-level red ribbon (probably could
have done better, but did the old-mare thing of putting out exactly
enough energy at the walk and trot to get the job done).
Blue and Red Conformation Ribbons were only given out for these good
stallions.
Indeed, throughout the evaluation, the ribbons awarded for
conformation were all blue or red. The system is working---folks ARE
learning what constitutes good conformation, and are bringing only
their best to be evaluated.
A big thank you to everyone who helped in setting up the courses and arena
when the best of plans to have an outdoor party turned when the rain came.
The bad news is that it rained on Catherine's carefully prepared
outdoor arenas. The good news is that she has a wonderful indoor
arena, where spectators and judges all stayed nicely dry. Those going
between barns and the arena got a tad soggy, but showed well, anyway.
And, those of us in this area appreciate Catherine's efforts at ending
our 100+ day rainless spell. ;-)
Thanks to Amy Ever and Bud for all their help...
The award for the best recovery of the day goes to Amy Evers. Just before
her Introductory Driving test, the brakes on her cart locked up. So, she
borrowed a meadowbrook from Catherine, and proceeded to do her test with
a vehicle unfamiliar to her and her horse! Her red ribbon qualified her
for the Advanced tests---and by the time it was her turn there, her cart
had been fixed, so she changed vehicles again, and got another red ribbon,
plus medallions.
(Ask Ursula how her Stallion did!) :-)
Ursula's boy did 4 tests---conformation, Intro English riding, Intro
driving, and Intro draft. Hope he likes blue, as that was the only
color he saw all weekend!
The other person who is probably still floating is Peg K. Both of
her mares got blue ribbons in conformation. For the most part, the
evaluators were not announcing actual scores, but they made an
exception for OH Sadie---85.25!!! Wayne Hipsley commented that, if he
were to take one horse from the event home with him, this would be the
one.
There were 35 horses present; 30 signed up for conformation. I
haven't tallied how many farms were represented, or from how far away.
It was a significant gathering of Fjords.
Anyway, thanks, Catherine, for a job well done!
Marsha Jo HannahMurphy must have been a horseman--
[EMAIL PROTECTED] anything that can go wrong, will!
15 mi SW of Roseburg, Oregon
