b"2023 Rixeyville, Virginia By Lisa Otten. PC Tom Snyder and Michael Steve Sessoms Allhorsesthatcategorizedaverage,orabove,inbothEvaluationOn September 9th and 10th, Ironwood Farm in Rixeyville,Conformation and Performance and/or both Conformation VA, hosted the pilot of the new NFHR linear scoring evaluationand Family Fjord Tests were given a Medallion of Quality: system. Saturday featured the mare conformation tests, andBronzefortheFamilyFjordcategory;Silverforthe Introductory category; and Gold for the Advanced category. Sunday featured the gelding and young stock conformationThe number of tests completed at each category increasedPiloting the New NFHR Evaluation Systemtests,theperformancetests,andtheFamilyFjordtests.the award of the levels from 4 to 1. The highest Medallion Sixteen horses completed 9 Conformation/Movement testsAwardreceivedforeachMedallionlevelisnotedonthe which resulted in 3 blue, 5 red, and 1 yellow ribbon.Fourpedigree. On behalf of the NFHR, I would like to congratulate horses were evaluated under the young stock provisions forDenise Klinger, Margaret Bogie, Tom & Alex Snyder, Carol which no formal scores are recorded. Five horses completedKnoblach and Kristin Prompol, Sandi Pepper, and Kimberly 3 performance tests and 7 Family Fjord tests. Five horsesNelson for their horses earning Medallions of Quality.wereawarded6medallionsofquality.Theenthusiasm forourbreedshonebrightlyattheRixeyvilleevaluation.TheNFHREvaluationprocessalsoqualifieshorsesto Members from multiple states (CO, MI, TX, TN, GA, FL, VA,receive an offspring award for recognition of the quality of a WV, NC, MD, MN) enjoyed seeing old friends, making newhorse's offspring. On behalf of the NFHR, congratulations to friends, and admiring the beautifully presented horses. TheMargaret Bogie and Tom Snyder for Ironwood Blitzen and FC beaming faces were incredible to see. Thank you everyoneMadellin for earning the Hall of Fame award which has been that helped make the Rixeyville evaluation a success! noted on their pedigrees.In addition to mare conformation, Saturday saw us holdThe NFHR Evaluation Committee is excited about this new the silent auction and Triple Crown Feeds gave away threelinear program, and we are looking for hosts for evaluations bags of feed at their booth. Unfortunately, the day was cutin 2024, 2025, and 2026. Please help the NFHR start collecting shortwhenMotherNaturebrewedupalateafternoonmoredataonourhorsessothatowners,breeders,and thunderstorm. prospectivebuyershavemoretoolsintheirtoolboxfor Sundaystartedearlyat7:15amtocompletethemaremaking educated decisions. Fjord owners should consider conformation class followed by the gelding and young stockentering an evaluation to learn more about their horses and conformation,performance,andFamilyFjordevaluationto create a permanent record for their horses results within tests.Spectatorswereabletoviewtheversatilityofthethe NFHR database. Are you a breeder that has a stallion breed. Beth Beymer, Senior Evaluator, was able to presentor mare that has offspring that have earned Medallions of ribbons and evaluation comments for the mare, gelding, andQuality, and your stallion or mare is just short of earning their young stock conformation tests. As the day progressed, toHall of Fame award? Consider hosting an evaluation with save time and to ensure all participants had an opportunityother Fjord owners in your area. You may also contact the to complete their performance tests, the judging was held,offspring owners to attend an evaluation in order to help your but the test score sheets and ribbons were mailed to thestallion or mare to earn the NFHR Hall of Fame award. The participants rather than taking the extra time to hand themNFHR Evaluation Committee and Evaluation Coordinator can out on site. help support hosts. If you are interested and would like more Theevaluationprogramprovidesownersandbreedersinformation about hosting an evaluation or volunteering to anopportunitytogaininformationaboutthestrengthsjoin the Evaluation Committee, please contact Jeanne Poirer and weaknesses of individual horses and to make informedor Lisa Otten, Evaluation Committee Chair.choices when selecting quality breeding stock or verifying the caliber of using stock. There are three parts to the Evaluation Program:ConformationMovement,Performance,and FamilyFjord.Thelinearscoringmethodisdesignedto identifyaspectsofconformationandperformanceona continuum from one extreme to the other. This method is alsointendedtohelpowners,trainers,andbuyerslearn to see for themselves how well the horse conforms to the breed standard and to identify characteristics that may be important for the intended use of the horse. 26 Fjord Herald Issue #149Winter 2023"