I didn't say I was fine with the change, never said that at all. Actually, I didn't voice my opinion on that issue one way or another, but if you want my opinion, I certainly will give it. :) However, I would like to point out that this isn't because it compliments MY breeding program, it is because WE FOLLOW the World Haflinger Federation Standards. We USE the system with our horses, we and if our horses DON'T pass inspection, they aren't used in our breeding program jsut because we like them, love them, or we think they are pretty. This is just something we believe very strongly in, when we started our program, and something that was drilled in my head from my father in law when he implemented inspection into his program. We didn't start out with great, wonderful Haflingers by what the 'world' considers. Our first mares Mike and I owned were a 70, 71, 72, and a 74. ALL passing, but ALL below the top 10% rating, which is what in our personal breeding program we wanted. We loved those mares, they were nice in our eyes, and yet, I was devastated, and asked my father in law what to do. It was quite simple he said. Either breed those mares to the best highest scoring stallion we could to compliment our mares and those resulting foals hopefully be higher (72, 73, etc) or sell them all until we could afford the quality we wanted, or, keep our mares and do whatever we wanted. We wanted to follow the standards.
So we sold all of them except the 74, bred her, and lost the foal. We then started looking for the best, proven, inspected mares we personally could afford, and did that by training and showing and then selling geldings, saving our money, and luckily, for us, the market lowered itself enough that we could purchase not only the mares, but our gold stallion as well.
So we use the system, we follow it, and if changes are made, we follow them. As far as where we learn about this information, I am sorry, I thought pretty much anyone who was involved in inspection, and used it in their program knew about it. Those who don't believe in it, or don't use it, probably didn't care anyway. I guess that was just my thought. Heck, my father in law hasn't bred registered, inspected Haflingers in 3 or 4 years, and he knew about the change before I did! :)
And to Emily, now, let's not open up the can of worms that AHR follows the system with the exception of it not being mandatory in the US. Really??? Come on, don't get me started. In the US you are allowed to have 2 year old have a final inspection, world standards say not until 3, AND, my BIGGEST ISSUE with US inspection, is IF/WHEN they don't pass, if you don't like it, you can bring them back, again, and again, and again if you don't like it and are willing to pay for it, the WORLD DOES NOT allow that. Oh, and the whole World Inspector thing, AHR made their own inspectors, in fact out of all the inspectors AHR currently has, only one is an actual World Approved Inspector. We can go on, but those are the major differences right now. So we do the best we can here in the US and I hope that AHR will implement those standards in their program, and I hope they will start using World approved inspectors for ALL the sites, not just a few.
Jacque in Ohio
Woodward Performance Haflingers
www.hfbhaflingers.com
> Jacque,
>
> I'm not surprised that you are fine with this change since that just compliments your breeding program. And no, just from discussions on this list - its not an actual shock, but rather a huge disappointment for those of us who prefer the shorter guys. I absolutely love the height of my boys and with the new changes - my registered boy would probably be just short of meeting them.
>
> And while you are correct that the US doesn't require passing the inspection - you are totally wrong if you don't think a change like this wouldn't influence the breed - even here. Heck - judges' preferences in shows can influence a huge part of a breed (just watch QHs) - a change in the World standard will no doubt have an impact. Yes, some may ignore it, but I can just see the discussions in the future. "Its irresponsible to not follow the height requirements" and a lot of people will be guilted into following it and slowly the short guys will be phased out. Not to mention any imports will be taller and taller. In addition, there is nothing preventing them from raising the height requirements yet again.
>
>
> Jessie in KY
>
> www.jessicahaviland.com
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: "haflingerhorse@..." <haflingerhorse@...>
> To: haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wed, February 17, 2010 8:39:38 AM
> Subject: [haflingerfriends] Re: World Haflinger Federation breed standard minimum height raised
>
>
> This has been an ongoing disucssion for quite some time, it wasn't 'just decided.' Besides, the US has several representatives, Joel Greenisen for the AHR, Mr. John White is a Vice President, and Mr. Robert McArthur is an honorary President, so it isn't as if the US is not well represented, and if anyone was really concerned about this issue, the points could have been brought to any of them before the meeting. I know all three of these men personally and they are willing to listen to anyone who is an AHR member, and has registered Haflingers. For those of you who don't follow inspection, or haven't followed it for a while, I can see how this would be a shock for you, for those of us who do follow it, and follow the standards, it really isn't an issue for any of our breeding programs. If the horse isn't tall enough, it doesn't pass, period, doesn't mean it isn't still a registered Haflinger (in the US at least) just means it isn't recommended for
> breeding, and once again, in the US it doesn't mean you can't breed it, so really the US inspection holds no weight because it doesn't 'make' you do anything if you don't pass. In reality very few people inspect in the US, and those that do, and even fewer amount actually listen as to if they should continue to breed or not.
> The US pretty much does whatever the heck it wants, even to the point of allowing horses to be papered and listed as registered that the World Federation told them to pull because they weren't pure. So a height increase is really the least of the US problems, and the US/AHR are just going to continue to do whatever the heck they want so a height increase really isn't a issue over here.
>
> Jacque in Ohio
> Woodward Performance Haflingers
> www.hfbhaflingers. com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
------------------------------------
Community email addresses:
Post message: haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com
Subscribe: haflingerfriends-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Unsubscribe: haflingerfriends-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
List owner: haflingerfriends-owner@yahoogroups.com
Shortcut URL to this page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/haflingerfriendsYahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/haflingerfriends/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/haflingerfriends/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
haflingerfriends-digest@yahoogroups.com
haflingerfriends-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
haflingerfriends-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
