**DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION: JANUARY 21, 2017** Please join the Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry at the next NFHR Member Forum to be held in Seattle, WA on the 28th and 29th of January 2017. The very first NFHR Member Forum, held in Seattle several years ago, was a wonderful success because it brought together people interested in Fjord horses to meet and socialize while also providing a means to share education and training techniques. Subsequent Forums have occurred around the US but we are returning to the Seattle area where it all began. We hope you will set aside the weekend and join us for this unique event.

The Forum on Saturday will be held at the Nordic Heritage Museum in Ballard, a city suburb of Seattle. The educational topics we anticipate on Saturday will include driving safety and avoiding wrecks, an overview of equine related insurance considerations, a lecture on the effects of breeding in small populations of Norwegian Fjord Horses and other topics unique to Fjord Horses. We will also hold our NFHR Member Annual Meeting that afternoon at 1pm. We have arranged for you to enjoy access to the exhibits in the Nordic Heritage Museum during breaks to see how immigrants from all Nordic countries have influenced the Northwest and beyond. In addition, we will enjoy a membership banquet with local entertainment on Saturday evening at the Museum.

On Sunday we will travel out to the Snohomish Valley near Monroe north of Seattle where we will tour Kelly Munro’s facility to observe demonstrations with Fjords on her trails course and in her arena. We also anticipate having a tour of the Pilchuk Veterinary Hospital for a presentation and demonstration of Artificial Insemination collection and preservation.

$150 per person registration includes:

Saturday admission to the Nordic Heritage Museum

Saturday continental breakfast

all Saturday events

Saturday lunch

Saturday evening banquet with entertainment

all Sunday events

Sunday box lunch

Optional bus transportation to Sunday's events for $36, or you can use your own transportation.

** LOGISTICS ADDED **

Overall planning:

You will likely want to arrive on Friday PM January 27th and leave on Monday, January 30th. We will be at the Nordic Heritage Museum from 8 AM Saturday through the day followed by a banquet and entertainment Saturday night. We will travel out to the Snoqualmie Valley all day Sunday leaving from the Museum parking lot at 8 AM and returning before dinner. Sunday transportation to the valley will be arranged using a sightseeing van supplemented with carpooling. The cost of the van is $36 per person.

Meals during the Forum are provided all day Saturday and a box lunch is provided on Sunday. The cost for those meals is included in your registration. You would need to arrange for your own meals Friday, breakfast and dinner on Sunday and any meals on Monday.

Attire:

Seattle in January is often wet with temps ranging from the low 40s to upper 50s. We could get a colder clear dry spell too at that time of year. The best advice is to layer up and have waterproof outer clothing. We will be indoors all day Saturday but the trip out to the Snoqualmie Valley will include being indoors at a Veterinary Hospital, outdoors observing a trails course and under cover in Kelly Munro's unheated arena. We will need to be comfortable in each situation.

Closest airport is Sea-Tac south of Seattle.

Transportation:

If you rent a car you can get it at the car rental facility near the airport. After exiting baggage claim cross over to the shuttle bus area in the parking garage and take the appropriate shuttle to the separate car rental facility which is just north of the airport.

Ground transportation is available by taxi or limo that can be found at the airport in the parking garage and by public bus. However, the best option is to get to Seattle by rail from the airport directly to the train station downtown. The SeaTac Airport website has clear instructions on use of that means. And signs from baggage claim will direct you to the walkway to the Light Rail stop. It's called Link Light Rail that will take you to the International District stop at the train station near Pioneer Square in downtown Seattle. From there you can go to the street level and get to the Ballard area north of downtown by taxi, Uber/Lyft and bus as well.

Metro buses from downtown to Ballard generally run up 3rd Ave. in downtown Seattle. You can take the Rapidride D line which is a main arterial line offering fewer stops and much faster service. It will require you to transfer to other busses to get to your specific destination however. Or you can take Metro Bus #s 17, 18 or 40 to the Museum. The best way to figure this out is to go to the Metro King County Trip-planner web page for specific directions, maps, fares and schedules.

If you stay on the light rail beyond the International District (known as the "ID") you will enter the bus tunnel below 3rd Ave. taking you further uptown. Be sure to get off at the Westlake stop. Otherwise you will go all the way to the Univ. of Washington. Of course, if your lodging is in that area you might just decide to ride it that far anyway.

Lodging:

I think the best deal is to find an Airbnb near the Nordic Heritage Museum in Ballard or somewhere in the Queen Anne, Magnolia or Wallingford neighborhoods. Many single units can be found ranging from $85 on up. Transportation from those other neighborhoods beyond Ballard will need to be researched.

Hotels nearby include the Hotel Ballard (a traditional hotel) and the Ballard Inn (a more funky place in the heart of old Ballard). You can also find Homewood Suites, Maxwell Hotel, Staybridge and others nearby but you will certainly need a car or use a taxi or bus to get to the Museum. Lodging rates will exceed what you get via Airbnb however and parking will be extra.

Please reserve the dates on your calendar and plan to come to Seattle for the fun and the education. We are looking forward to seeing you then. Look for further details in the Fjord Herald and on our NFHR FaceBook page. Please direct any questions you may have to Eric Watness at ericwatness1@gmail.com. (206) 669-7280. See you in January!

[ CLICK HERE ] to download the Forum Registration form. **DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION: JANUARY 21, 2017**

Forum Coordinator:

Eric Watness     206-669-7280     ericwatness1@gmail.com