AHS Breeding Seminar

[KingstonFarm]

Anyone go? Would love to hear about it. :-)

---------------------------
Mary Messinger
Kingston Farm
www.kingstonfarm.com

[clint]

I would love to hear also. I was signed up to go, and then had to bow out at the last minute, so I want to know what I missed. :(

[Hiddenacresmi]

My husband and I both attended. I came home with a Hubbie that can respectfully assign scores for conformation on a horse :eek: :lol: He is now running around the farm giving critiques and scoring our horses! Too funny. We also got an interactive multi media DVD (we had option to purchase and we did) that allows us to continue our judging practice at home.

Anyway.. it was great. I would love to attend again just to meet more people and see more great farms, more stallions and of course obtain additional wisdom and insight from Dr. Christmann.

We learned alot, got to see great stallions and horses. We came home pooped! Class each morning and several farms, etc. each afternoon/evening. Dr. Ludwig lead us to think through our business models, breeding aims and what we need to look for in producing our next generations. Knowledge is wonderful! It will surely help us in making better breeding decisions in the future. I highly recommend this course for any breeder or horse enthusiast. :yes::yes::yes:

[Hiddenacresmi]

forgot to add great planning by Judy H (Sylvan Farms). She did an awesome job in coordination of all the events.

[xsalute]

would it be possible for the public to purchase the DVD?

[Hiddenacresmi]

I looked at the DVD case, here is what it says: Title "Horse Evaluation"; shows online-shopping at www.fnverlag.de

I am sure you can buy it. It cost $70

[Springlake1]

Well since someone had to stay at home and run the farm, we drew straws and Melissa got to go to the seminar. I can only comment second hand(she doesnt post here) but the days were full and she learned a LOT.
She is already a judge but was impressed at how much more she learned about conformation and its relationship to performance in the seminar.
The visits to the farms were great, and as an added bonus, she won a breeding to any stallion at Edgars!!!
She also commented on how smoothly the event ran, and how well organized it was.
We have narrowed our mare candidates to two...now to find their perfect date....

[back in the saddle]

Was someone going to write a trip report? :yes:

[Majestic Gaits]

I'd love to hear too!

[sylvan farm]

There will be a complete report in the Winter issue of the Hanoverian magazine. Dr. Christmann and I proposed this seminar last winter to the AHS Board and they unanimously approved it. Dr. Christmann and I developed the seminar around the HV Breed Orientation Course, but updated the information to include and coordinate with the AHS and breeding in NA. Here is a copy of the schedule with topics and farm visits:


“All About Hanoverians – a complete breed seminar”

Tues, November 3, 2009

8:00 a.m. Introduction of Suzanne Quarles and Dr. Ludwig Christmann
Welcome
Suzanne Quarles and Ludwig Christmann

AHS Breeding Aims, Goals and Rules – Suzanne Quarles
History of Hanoverian horse, breeding program, breeding aim and selection – Ludwig Christmann

Noon Board Bus - box lunch

Meadowlake Farm – Nancy Schulba
Silverhorne Farm – Barb Gualco

6:30 p.m. Welcome Reception
Wonderful appetizers and no-host bar


Wednesday, November 4, 2009

9:00 a.m. Theory of evaluating horses
Description of traits
Use of forms
DVD on judging horses by German National Federation (FN)

Noon Lunch

1:00 p.m. Board bus

Rainbow Equus Farm – Susan and Edgar Schutte - Practical judging of conformation


Thursday, November 5, 2006

9:00 a.m. Bloodlines: from then to now
History of German bloodlines
US Bloodlines, from Abundance to today

Noon Lunch

1:00 p.m. Board bus

Lucchetti Ranch – Megan Vincent, Kevin and Erica Reinig – MPT/Free Jumping


Friday, November 6, 2009

9:00 a.m. Board bus

Christiana Noelting Dressage Training Center - starting and training the young warmblood.
Lunch
UC Davis Veterinary Center – Dr. Susan Stover

2:00 p.m. Program wrap-up

Included for particpants was a ringbinder with multiple articles and full bloodline information dating back to the 1700's. From the feedback we received from participants, the seminar was a great educational opportunity.

I would like to thank each of the farms that opened their doors to us, giving everyone a opportunity to 'see' and practice what they learned in the morning classroom sessions. It took a lot of time and effort on their part and we appreciated it!

[Indy-lou]

Wow. That sounds like a terrific schedule of events and opportunities. I am still miffed that I didn't know about it, I would have jumped at the chance to attend! AHS, please consider a repeat of this event in our area! I would even travel to So. Cal...

[molliwog]

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend this event, and I'm still processing everything.

Dr. Christmann is a wonderful lecturer, and presented us with a wealth of information both historical and practical in his morning lectures. We had plenty of opportunities to "pick his brain" informally- lucky us!

On the farm visits, we saw a diverse group of of both jumping and dressage bloodlines from weanlings to riding horses, and I am eternally grateful to ALL of the farm owners and their staff for allowing 30+ attendees to trudge around their facilities and apply the knowledge we gained from our morning lecture sessions.

Attendees were a pretty diverse group. There were owners and managers from large breeding operations, and people like me, who own only one or two mares. All of us took full advantage of the opportunity to network and exchange information amongst ourselves- this was truly a unique opportunity, and I think an unexpected highlight for everyone!

I've attended many seminars and symposia organized by the USDF, numerous GMO's, universities, etc., and I have to say this absolutely ranks among the best in terms of content and organization.

I hope the AHS will be able to continue to support this course, and I am so grateful to everyone involved that this opportunity was made available to North American breeders.

[Edgar]

"I've attended many seminars and symposia organized by the USDF, numerous GMO's, universities, etc., and I have to say this absolutely ranks among the best in terms of content and organization."

Wow , that says a lot!

We had the AHS orientation group over to judge horses one day and I felt like it was a very nice congenial group of participants from wide ranging back grounds which by itself made things fun. I could tell most were enjoying themselves and eager to see and learn and discuss more. I know the preparation that went into it was huge and it showed. The groups engagement and appreciation made it all so worth the effort. A lot of new material was added especially US specific information to the point that there was barely enough time to cover all of it. Our hats of to Judy, Ludwig, Suzanne and Sandy, definitely worth repeating, possibly 2011 on the East coast.

[talloaks]

What about 2010 on the east coast??;)

[YankeeLawyer]

What about 2010 on the east coast??;)

Ditto - we want one too! : )

[Edgar]

We may have to let Judy have a short break and then ask if she and Ludwig are up for that...:)

[Tiki]

East Coast I would do.

[Marydell]

2010 in Kentucky either before or after the WEG? What a treat that would be LOL!

Maryanna Haymon
www.marydellfarm.com
2007 USEF Breeder of the Year!
2009 USDF Reserve Breeder of the Year!

[vineyridge]

2010 in Kentucky either before or after the WEG? What a treat that would be LOL!

Maryanna Haymon
www.marydellfarm.com
2007 USEF Breeder of the Year!
2009 USDF Reserve Breeder of the Year!

YES!

And I'm not going to go over to the dark side, either--at least I think I'm not. But I certainly would love to learn how the WB administrators think, what they look for, and how they plan for the future.

KY, WEG, what better place and time? Since KY is the home of TB breeding and the US has a plethora of TB mares being used, perhaps they could include something on what to look for when evaluating if a TB mare has what it takes.

Besides, Lexington is only 8 hours from here. :D

[DownYonder]

I would love to attend an east coast session, but I would vote to NOT have it in KY during WEG. Many people will not be able to take another few days away from work/family/farm, and will not want to spend extra money as WEG is going to be plenty expensive as it is.

[YankeeLawyer]

Ditto DY. If I am fortunate enough to be able to go to WEG there is no way I would be able to take additional days for a seminar, and I imagine that many others would have a similar scheduling issue.

Also, how many sporthorse stallion stations are in that area? In the mid-atlantic area - which has more Hanoverian breeders than any other geographic region outside Germany - there are a number of large breeding farms - e.g., Hilltop, Rolling Stone, etc. - that both stand stallions and have a number of youngsters to see each year. Other breeders in the area include Crosiadore Farm. And those farms also have facilities suitable for hosting young horse demonstrations, etc. There are many others.

[vineyridge]

BUT, BUT.... for those of you who breed horses as a business, the trip to Lexington would be TAX DEDUCTIBLE in part if there were educational opportunities available for you. :winkgrin:

[Tiki]

And the WEG hotel rates and food prices and traffic would apply. I'll take my tax deduction either at another place and certainly another time, thank you very much. There's more to life than money. How do I know??? I breed horses!:D:winkgrin:;):eek::yes:;):lol::D

[Barb Gualco]

Silverhorne was one of the host sites for the breed seminar....Dr. Ludwig Christmann had requested that we show our Servus/Spartan bred crosses by Sir Caletto which we did under saddle and over fences...we also provided a demonstration of in-hand work with some of our yearling and weanling hunter line prospects which are all warmblood and some very good Thoroughbred crosses along with a farm-wide tour...a really great group of individuals who were interested in everything from the bloodlines to training to pasture management and feeding and handling programs...lots of questions and comments that indicated there is an interest on the part of breeders to fully understand bloodlines, to make good mare and stallion matches so that buyers gain confidence in domestically bred offsrping and the difference between dressage and jumping blood and how we are combining lines to produce competition offspring that can successfully make it to the show ring and ideally, keep our American buyers in America, which is of course a whole other subject. Of course Silverhorne would be happy to participate if it were asked to do so again...Dr. Christmann was more than pleased to see his Breed Value Index catalogues prominently displayed, something we regularly use when buyers make trips to the farm.