Dear IFHSA Membership.

I would like to introduce myself to you. My name is Regine Brockway. My family and I are living in Washington State.

Our Friesian venue began in 1995, when I - just like everybody else - only wanted one Friesian. About a year later, we bought our next one and well, the rest is history… We currently own 16 Friesians and 4 Friesian Lusitano crosses.

I have always been quite active in our Friesian community. From 1998 until 2004, I held the position of Secretary/Treasurer on the Board of the Northwest Friesian Horse Club.

I served on the show committee for the Friesian Extravaganzas held in Reno NV in 2001 and in Ogden, Utah in 2004 as well as for the IFSHA Grand Nationals in Las Vegas NV in 2006.

My interest in IFSHA started in the beginning of 2004. Through Dr. Genevieve De Montremare, I was introduced to the officers of IFSHA and offered my help where needed. Along with other Friesian Enthusiasts, we created the IFSHA Region 9 committee and show circuit. I have served as Assistant Regional Director on the IFSHA Region 9 committee since 2005.

At the first IFSHA Grand Nationals in 2004, I was thrilled to see the wonderful camaraderie of the competitors. Dutch, German und US judges judging classes side by side. I would like to see more of that happening.

The International Show Horse Association is still a very young show registry. I would like to help promote the registry, support existing IFSHA show circuits and help develop new show circuits all over the United States to give all Friesian and Friesian Cross owners an opportunity to show and enjoy their horses.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely, Regine Brockway

August 14, 2008

Hello, my name is Debra Goldmann. For the last 2 years I have been the treasurer of IFSHA. I have spent long hours putting the finishing touches on many things that had not been finished when I took office. I have after much work, finally got our tax exempt status with both the IRS and the State of California. I am still working on the getting our retroactive status finished so that we may reclaim the taxes we paid prior to this year. I have a few more things to do and would very much like to stay on the board of directors to finish what I have started. I believe it is very important to have some consistency especially when it comes to the financial matters of this young organization. We are at a critical time and I believe very strongly that it would be almost impossible to bring someone new in at this stage of the game to finish what I have worked very hard to get done.

As for my background, I am a registered nurse with a background in accounting and office management. My husband is a physician and I have been doing the financial and office work for him for the last 15 years. I live in East Troy, Wisconsin, with my husband and daughter on a small horse farm that we built. We got our first Friesian in 2001 and have been actively showing and learning about this wonderful breed ever since. I currently have 4 Friesians and am in love with each and every one of them.

I am willing to put in the hours of work that I know it takes to continue to grow this organization. Since I have been treasurer I have help to trim the waste and we currently have 3 times the amount of money in our accounts as we did two years ago. This means that we have more money to work with for both our national show and to help promote our organization and our breed. I believe that this organization needs to grow and expand. We need to continue to promote our breed and encourage of fellow Friesian owners to get out there and show this wonderful horse. We also need to encourage and grow our junior competitors, so that we can continue growth into the future. Despite its size this horse can be the kindest horse for kids to learn and grow with. The temperament is remarkable. We need to encourage USEF rated shows to include Friesian classes at there shows around the country.

Once again I would like to be re-elected tRena_Bilodeau.pdfo the IFSHA Board of Directors for three main reasons:
1. I have the time to devote to this organization to help it grow and continue to refine and define this organization.
2. I would very much like to finish the financial work that I have started, to give this organization a helping hand to go from its infancy to a more finished organization.
3. Finally, I really love and believe in this breed and would very much like to preserve our beautiful Friesians as they are and not allow them to be changed or altered to become a replica of some other breed. They are unique and should stay that way.

Thank you for your time in reading this.
Sincerely,

Deb Goldmann

Greetings IFSHA Membership,

Many years ago I was contacted by IFSHA Founder Dr. Genevieve De Montremare about a goal that she had for all Friesian's, which would unite them, allow them to prove their value as a competitive mount on a level playing field, while giving recognition at numerous levels, thus ultimately helping to stop the devaluation of the horse due to a flooded market and a failing economy. I had known Dr. De Montremare purely on a breeder's level, and could see the value in what she was trying to accomplish, and signed on to help. This meant a seat on the Founding Board of Directors as a full time job, initially forming work flow and job charts, build out of the IFSHA web-site, forms, formation of regional show committees, rules committees, awards programs, and making application to the USEF for the recognition and protection of the Friesian horse. This also lead into working with the registry heads foreign and at home successfully culminating in the 2004 recognition by the USEF and the Inaugural Regional's and the Inaugural Grand Nationals which was Judged by the Dutch and German registries working side by side with the USEF to educate prospective USEF Friesian Judges, and name the first ever IFSHA Grand National Champions. At the same time I was appointed by the USEF to Chair the first ever USEF Friesian committee as well. I have continued to serve the current IFSHA board when asked, as an honorary director, and remain serving our breed on two USEF committees.

I like many others only had the opportunity to bring out my young Friesian's to inspections, equine affairs, and then would have to wait til they were adults to show, or be seen in parades, fair shows where the rules were not consistent and stuck in between draft horses. It seemed that the only other option was Open Dressage and Open ADS, where for many years there was discrimination against our breed. Yes, these circuits only recently are realizing the value of our breed at the lower levels and it is admitted easily enough that they are beautiful and kind but most certainly not suitable like a Warmblood for sport. As a serious Friesian breeder dedicated to the improvement and preservation of our breed, the success of IFSHA became even more important than ever and not everyone can afford the Open USDF circuit, many do not have the ability to compete in carriages, many do not like either sport. Where else can we show our horses and be recognized in Hunter Pleasure, start out and school a dressage prospect, prove that Friesian's can jump, drive, or be a Western mount for amateurs and kids alike, and be able to show In-hand, Liberty and even armored costume? We now can enjoy, and be rewarded for so much more, and have many more venues to be seen due to the opportunities afforded by IFSHA.

I always looked at IFSHA since she was not a breed registry, to be the factor that would bring all of our horses and their owners together and working together to expand and improve the show circuit, improve the value of our horses, working together dissolve discrimination in sport while nurturing the new owner, and existing owners to have fun with their horses. Yes it has been a lot of hard work, but the work is not complete. This is an effort that still needs to grow in so many aspects to service the Friesian owners and their horses. More service programs need to be developed such as communications to nurture membership, education programs, and so forth. I believe that I bring to the table experience as a former board member, and proven success in working to unify and nurture the organizations that serve the Friesian horse. I also believe that I have a good understanding of the competitors needs, through my own experiences as well as those of others, and will continue to represent those needs and thus continuing evolution of programs and rules that serve everyone. I am dedicated and passionate about the Friesian horse, and enjoy nurturing and working with individuals at all levels.

Dear IFSHA Membership:

My name is Karl Hirschhorn. My wife, Erin, and my 3 daughters, Heather, Hannah and Haley, live in Aiken, South Carolina.

In 2003,while living in Northern California, I purchased my first Friesian horse with the intentions of our girls riding him. The love of that one horse has led to owning twelve Friesians over the years. Presently, we own seven Friesians, and our daughters ride and show them, while I drive them single, pair and four in hand.

While in California, our family proudly participated in the first Friesian Grand Nationals with three of our horses, as well as many other shows. Serving as the Chairman of the UPHA Chapter 1 Horse Show in Woodside,Ca.,I was able to promote the breed and secure A ratings for the show. We supported more than twelve classes with over thirty horses participating.

In late 2006,our family relocated to the southeast, and we are again participating in the shows in this part of the country. It is my goal to promote the breed and secure A rated shows as well as a regional IFSHA show. I am an active member of IFSHA,USEF, FHANA, the Aiken Driving Club, the Four in Hand Club, the Carriage Association Of America and the American Driving Society.

In closing, the Friesian breed is the only breed our family owns and shows. We feel a true dedication to this special breed and that is why I would like to join the IFSHA board.

Sincerely,
Karl Hirschhorn