This message is from: Mariposa Farm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
I'd like to respond to some of the ideas (and criticisms) that have been posted to the list recently. For those of you who don't know me my name is Mark McGinley and I live in northern Wisconsin and have been an NFHR Board member for a year now. I'm on the Finance Committee, The Evaluation Committee and on the PEP Committee. (I also am a Volunteer Fireman, An EMT on one city's service and a volunteer EMT on another. I also own and operate a horse boarding facility and am a freelance recording engineer... in my spare time!).
First off, I'm happy to see that our members are seeking ways to improve not only our breed but the recognition of our breed. The participation at the three evaluations this year was excellent. The Fjord horse is a great all around horse and if we want the world to know this than it is up to each and everyone of us to get the word out. Both at a registry level and at an individual level. Some of the ideas posted have included an effective national advertising campaign. We at the board agree with this and have put aside funds to start a coop advertising campaign that will help to meet this goal. We realize that the individual breeder can't do it all and also realize that the finances just aren't there for the Registry to do it all. This program is in the works and will be in place hopefully this year.
Another idea put forth is a quality video to be able to show the general public while attending breed demonstrations, expo's, ect. This will go along way in showing the versatility of the Fjord horse. We are currently in production on this video and it will highlight in both video and still pictures some of the best of our breed. The video and pictures was (and still is) solicited from our members. We hope to have this video at all the expos and on RFD-TV. We also hope to make the project revenue neutral to the Registry. Contrary to what you have heard on this list, there isn't a lot of money sitting around doing nothing.
We recently announced the joining of the NFHR and the NFA which will not only make our registry stronger but help protect the breed, fill in gaps in pedigrees and hopefully bring us more members. Along with this unification we have plans to redo our logo to reflect not only the Registry's 25 years of existence but also to reflect the versatility of the Fjord. A logo that only shows the Fjord in draft harness is limiting. More information on this will be announced in the future. We now also have someone working on press releases which hopefully in the future will get the word out both nationally and locally for a small amount of money. I encourage all of you to contact your local publications with information and accomplishments that both you and your Fjords have done. Many are looking for new things to showcase. My local paper has had three articles on Fjord horses this year alone. This is free advertising and has helped me sell my horses this year. I wonder how many people got their first Fjord after watching the Rokida Fjords feature on Minnesota and Wisconsin Public TV? This "advertising" was free too. These are just a few of the things your board is working on and like Dennis Johnson said, we are volunteers. We can always use help. I can't answer for past boards but I know this board wants to hear from you and wants to have your participation. We obviously can't answer everything posted on the list but I can tell you that most of us find the time to read it and much of it forms our opinions at the NFHR Board meetings.
Thanks for listening, Mark McGinley Mariposa Farm Washburn, WI
