OCTOBER 2009: Romantique and Antonio Rose of Lilac Farms participate in the Bucks County Horse Park (PA) Pink Ribbon Ride to raise funds and awareness for women with breast cancer. The seven mile trail ride winds through woods and fields. Teake and Tony were part of a small group of Haflingers representing our breed with Dreamfield Manor Farm.
OCTOBER 2009 UPDATE: ROMANTIQUE OF LILAC FARMS AND ROSINA OF NEW HORIZONS TAKE HOME 2009 TRI-STATE CHALLENGE TOP 5 AWARDS! Romantique wins TWO top five Tri-State Challenge Awards--one in English Pleasure walk/trot and the other in Western Pleasure Walk/Jog--in very competitive classes--demonstrating her outstanding diversity and trainability! Rosina (owned by Dreamfield Manor Farm) takes home a Top 5 Tri-State Challenge Award in halter! Congratulations and a huge thank you to Jennie Deephouse and Dreamfield Manor Farm for all of their hard work and dedication in training, showing and promoting Teake this year!!
OCTOBER 2009: ROMANTIQUE OF LILAC FARMS HAS A SPECTACULAR SHOW SEASON IN HER FIRST YEAR UNDER SADDLE! Romantique of Lilac Farms had an amazing year after only a few months under saddle! Shown walk trot in English pleasure, western pleasure and dressage, Teake placed consistently at the top of her class, with a first place and numerous second places at shows throughout the midwest and the East coast! Some of her placings include 1st place in western walk/jog at (KILE), 2nd place (out of 17) English Pleasure w/t (Buckeye Haflinger Show), 2nd place (out of 15) western pleasure w/t (Buckeye), 2nd place suitability for dressage w/t (Judge Gildein; New York Gold Haflinger Classic), 2nd place suitability for dressage w/t (KILE), and 2nd place--with a score of 75.5%--Intro dressage Test B (AHR National Show)!
AUGUST 2009: NEW HORIZONS HAFLINGERS HAVE A SUCCESSFUL DAY AT THE NEW YORK GOLD HAFLINGER CLASSIC! Romantique of Lilac Farms, Reahna of Lilac Farms, and Aufwiedersehen MLF (Vader) all win first place under judge Moshier in their respective halter classes! Teake and Reahna also took second place in their $100 classes! Rosina of New Horizons (pictured top right), a full sibling to Teake and Reahna owned by Dreamfield Manor Farm, placed third under both judges in a very competitive class as well!
JULY 2009: INSPECTION AND CLASSIFICATION PROGRAM: The AHR I & C program held in Ohio in early July demonstrated that the program continues to be inconsistent, not only from year to year, judge to judge and site to site as it has been in the past, but from horse to horse within one site as well. Due to the inconsistencies in this program, we will no longer participate, support, or prep horses for inspection and classification.
In Ohio, @ twenty horses were inspected--some which were much above average in certain areas--yet not one 9 was given all day. The photos below demonstrate what the judges called an 8 movement. The judge who spoke with the owners specifically told them that this trot was an 8. (Photos posted with permission of Dreamfield Manor Farm):
(click on photos to enlarge)
These are not a few good shots of a horse's movement caught at just the right time; there were sixteen photos with this horse's feet of the ground in this manner, and the pictures these were selected from were shot in succession. With the extension up front AND engagement of the hindquarters and reach from behind that these photos demonstrate, if this is not a 9 moving Haflinger, then what is? This horse also overtracks significantly at the walk and has a flowing uphill canter.
Our mare, Romantique, was silver-classified at age 2 by AHR. At that time, she was very growthy and immature-looking, and we were told to bring her back when she matured. We had Teake reinspected in Ohio this year. Teake has matured and has grown an inch and a half since her last inspection, yet has kept her type, cleanness of bone and refinement, plus has been in training for three months. Yet, Teake's score went down instead of increasing, even though she looked even better this year than two years ago. Teake received a 7 in type due to roaning in her coat, which we assumed would happen. However, Teake is a perfect example of a modern, sporthorse pleasure-type Haflinger. Receiving an 8 in type (good) and docking her a point to 7 (sufficient), does not reflect this. She should have received a 9 in type (very good) and been docked one point for color. This, along with several other comments on Teake's sheet that made us think the inspectors were looking at another horse and not ours, knocked Teake out of the silver category. Ironically, Teake received high marks in two categories where we would have marked her one point lower, and received low marks in three categories where she should have been one point higher.
Below are some photos taken at the July 2009 I & C:
Interestingly enough, Teake is an even better representation of the modern, pleasure sporthorse Haflinger than her dam. This is what breeders breed for--to produce better than the generation before. In the categories where Teake received 8s as a 2-year-old, she received 7s as a four-year-old. In the same categories that Teake was marked down in, Teake's dam received 8s, and Teake is put together better in those categories than her dam. This again demonstrates the glaring inconsistencies that are found, and this is only one example. We were supposed to have Teake's younger sister inspected as well at this site, but due to the inconsistencies within the first few horses judged--including Teake--we did not have Reahna inspected and will not do so in the future.
As strong past supporters of this program who tried to overlook the discrepencies and continue to support it, even when we saw horses being scored--both higher and lower--than they should have been, we are saddened to see the program continuing to go in this direction. Looking at score cards, one can see 8s in places of 9s (as in the example of movement of the first mare pictured above), and 7s in places of glaring conformational faults that should be marked 6s (on another card of a different horse not discussed here and not owned by us). Even worse, when comparing the same horses from two different years being inspected, one can find the exact opposite comments being marked for conformation structure that doesn't change; muscles change--bone structure does not. This contradiction was found on Teake's score card in two different areas and one at least one other score card of another horse. For example, Teake was said to be too straight-legged in the hind legs two years ago. This year, she was said to be sickle-hocked. These are complete opposite conformation traits. In consulting with several equine veterinarians from several states with numerous years experience, a straight-legged horse cannot become sickle-hocked. (One judge suggested that after being in training maybe it was possible for this to happen. However, Teake was in light training for only three months. When asked about this having an affect on her conformation, the vet laughed and said it was not possible. He also had examined Teake before she left for inspections, and was examining her when asked the question, and he said that she was NOT sickle-hocked.)
The I & C committee has consistently asked for feedback, yet feedback given has not been acted upon. One major point that comes up year after year is that the three judges should score each horse separately as they do, then average the scores together and not talk with each other to come to a consensus. The response to this suggestion is that the scores would come out higher if this was done. Are we not breeding horses better today than in the past? Thus, the scores should be higher. Another comment by a judge was that the quality is higher and that is why the scores are lower. If the quality of the horses we are breeding today is HIGHER than before, then the scores should reflect that and be HIGHER as well. We are supposed to be on a 100 point system, with 9 representing very good--much above average--yet 9s are hardly ever given, 10s are never given (even though other breed and performance registries do give them), and we are really only on an 85 point system at best. Many of the horses judged high in past years would have scored low this year, had they been judged to the same standards that the horses in Ohio were judged by. It seems that every time there is a "good" year, with scores in a reasonable category, that the following year horses are judged more harshly. Or, certain points (eg. hindquarters, movement, etc.) are judged more harshly in a given year. Having attending many inspections since the program's inception, including inspections in Austria one year, judges' clinics for AHR I & C, and clinics and inspections for other breeds and sporthorse registries, I believe that we are doing a disservice to our horses and to our breed by the inconsistencies found within this program. The database that is said to be providing information at this point of what particular stallion and mare lines pass on is irrelevant when one examines these inconsistencies from year to year and site to site. I only hope that something changes in the future. Until then, we will no longer participate in this program.
SEPTEMBER 2008 NEWS UPDATE: Our young stallion, Vader (AufWiedersehen MLF) shows off his exceptional movement at the AHR National Show in the Stallion Liberty!
AND
Rosie's daughters win 1st place in the Produce of Dam class and 2nd place in the Best Three Mares class at the 2008 AHR National Show!
AND
Zeena is sold to a new home in Pennsylvania! Congratulations and thank you to Jennie Deephouse and Darrin Slattery on their purchase of this fabulous filly!
JUNE 2008 NEWS UPDATE: Rosie is three for three on fillies! Rosie had another beautiful filly by Arno van het Nieshof and we couldn't be more pleased! Rosina (Zeena) is a replica of her big sister, Teake, with a wide blaze, beautiful, typey Arab-head and long, refined legs! This elegant filly is for sale at a reduced price until weaning. Rosina is the first foal to carry our new suffix--New Horizons.
MAY 2008 NEWS UPDATE: She has finally arrived! Ricola DTA has become a member of our family at New Horizons Haflingers, and we couldn't be more excited! Ricola's beauty and elegance are sure to attract attention. We are looking forward to showing and breeding this mare in the future, and are grateful to Abe Miller and family for selling us this outstanding mare!
OCTOBER 2007 NEWS UPDATE: At the 2007 AHR National Show, Antonio Rose of Lilac Farms (Tony) takes home second place in Suitability for Dressage (intro level)--his very FIRST class at his very FIRST show--against eight other horses!
Aufwiedersehen MLF (Vader) is named Grand Champion Pleasure Yearling and 1st place yearling pleasure stallion at the GLHA Futurity, Reserve Grand Champion Pleasure Yearling and 1st place yearling pleasure stallion at the AHR National Futurity, and won second place yearling pleasure stallion at the AHR National Show!
The sire of some of our mares and our stallion prospect is named SIP Stallion of the Year for the second year in a row!
Arno van het Nieshof
(Afloyd x Stefany) owned by Genesis Farm
The sire of our young stallion--Vader--and of Romantique and Reahna of Lilac Farms
AUGUST 2007 NEWS UPDATE: Romantique of Lilac Farms was classified SILVER at the 2007 AHR Inspection in August!
DECEMBER 2006-NEWS UPDATE: Due to unforseen circumstances, Tony (Antonio Rose of Lilac Farms returned to Lilac Farms in December 2006. We are looking forward to having our boy back and showing him at training and first level dressage in 2007!
AUGUST 2006-NEWS UPDATE: Our long search for a stallion prospect ended just a few miles from home! Lilac Farms LLC welcomes Aufwiedersehen MLF (Arno van het Nieshof x Moxie NTF)aka "Vader" as our future herd sire! Thank you to Ken and Kay Tierman for selling us this athletic, exceptional moving colt!
AUGUST 2005-NEWS UPDATE: R Noble Rose APF ties for the 3rd highest rating of all classified horses throughout the United States in the 2005 Inspection and Classification Tour!
Rosie received a 78-SILVER classified by the American Haflinger Registry to World Haflinger Federation Standards. Her scores are as follows:
Type:8, Head:8, Neck:8, Forehand:8, MidSection:8, Hindquarters:7, Front Legs:8, Hind Legs:8, Correctness of Movement:7, Overall Movement:8, TOTAL: 78
Since Rosie had a late foal, she was unfortunately, not as muscled up as we would have like, so she only received a 7 on hindquarters due to insufficient muscling. (Anyone who has seen Rosie in person knows that she has quite a nice hind end--if you will excuse our saying so!--when she is filled out and in shape.)
Some of the comments from her score sheet were:
"balanced, harmonious overall body structure of an all-around pleasure horse"
uphill build"
"long, flat shoulder in balance with overall body"
"back strong and well-suspended"
"clean, well-defined limbs, flat bone, forearm significantly longer than length of cannon"
Rosie is very deserving of her high score. In 2001 when the president of the World Haflinger Federation gave a clinic at the Tudor Oak Farm's Open House, he made the following comments about Rosie (then a yearling):
"elegant, and nice", "a very pretty head, very nice, big eye" and "fine, dry bones"
(left photo-Rosie in 2001 as a yearling with the president of the WHF)
(right photo-Rosie at the TOF Open House in 2002 when she won the Breeder's Award of Excellence, Division II)
We feel very fortunate to own Rosie, and are extremely happy that she is producing offspring who are consistently as good or better than herself!
