Green Valley Farm has had yet another outstanding year. The summer
was hot, with many consistent days of 90 degree weather with high humidity. Through the heat, the Green Valley Team still successfully trained, showed, worked and even enjoyed the summer without missing a beat. The summer of 2011 was a great year, but the way this summer is wrapping up, we may have just put the icing on the cake. It was better yet. As every New Year comes around, we are very thankful to have happy, sound, healthy horses, as well as all of the members of the Green Valley Team.
To start the year off in January of 2012 we sold one of our best geldings to a trainer in Swisher, Iowa. GVF Atticus was just a four year old when Teresa came to the farm and fell in love with him. In February, we met a trainer/barn manager, Jennifer Harber, from Ona, West Virginia who came to our farm looking for a performance horse. Developing a strong show team for ourselves, we were a little reluctant to show her our best. Yet we introduced her to GVF Maja. Sam spent many hours training Maja for driving and cross training in Dressage. Sam had plans to show Maja in 2012 in Pleasure Driving as well as Combined Driving Events (CDEs). Jennifer had an immediate connection with the mare. Maja is living a life many Fjords dream of competing in CDEs and Dressage. Jennifer and Maja have driven and ridden to numerous Championships. Just this past November, we met a Dressage rider of 30 years from Howell, Michigan. Denise Brown came to our farm in search of a new show partner and she met GVF Meeka. After spending the weekend at the farm and riding her, Meeka was in the trailer and on her way to her new home. We are very fortunate to have placed these three Fjords in such great homes. Our Fjords are like our children and selling them to people who are capable of making those horses better is what we strive for. We will continue to follow the progress of them. Green Valley Farm would like to congratulate Teresa, Jennifer/Chris, and Denise on the purchase of their Green Valley Fjords.
Being known as a breeding farm, we strive to continue to breed future champions. Each year we very strategically pick stallions and mares to cross to improve the Fjord breed. This year was a big one for us. We officially have our first GVF Rolf stud colt on the ground. We were happy to welcome GVF Rei Nikk to Green Valley this May. Rei Nikk has very unique bloodlines. Thilde, Rei’s dam, is an imported mare from Denmark and comes from an elite stallion named Plutonikk. Rolf, Rei’s sire derives from the Rei Halsnaes bloodlines.
Born a week ahead of
him, we welcomed a full sister to Sjokolade. The filly’s name is GVF Kahlua. Sabrine and Fernando continue to be known as the golden cross, and Kahlua fits right into that type. We truly can’t wait to see how these foals turn out and are excited to watch them grow. Both mares were successfully bred from frozen semen.
Returning to Green Valley Farm for her second year, Danish resident
Louise Mandrup stayed for two months with us this summer. Louise arrived in June and lived with Sam in Sam’s downtown loft apartment in Galena. Louise always brings a great deal of joy to us at the farm. From helping groom for Sam at USDF Dressage shows, navigating in a CDE, to showing two horses in the Regional Fjord Show, Louise contributed all summer. We are very lucky to have her around seasonally to lend a hand with all aspects of the farm. We are pleased to have had Louise for these two years, as she is now enrolled in a four year University in Aarhus, Denmark where she is studying Journalism. Good luck to you Louise and thank you for your work here at the farm.
Where to start with the shows? Green Valley showed more this year probably than ever. More importantly, MeMe, our Home Team, held down the fort reliably at home. She may not have been out on the road, but without her, there would be no shows. Our Fjords were in many arenas, traveled great distances, won many ribbons and in all different disciplines this summer. As we feel we are veteran showers, we yet again challenged ourselves in new ways.
Samantha Poirier, Green Valley’s head trainer took two horses out on the road this year to compete nationally in USDF/USEF recognized Dressage shows. GVF Sjokolade is our eight year old stallion and he competed in First and Second Level. New to the show ring is our eight year old gelding, a half brother to Sjokolade, GVF Rolf. Rolf and Sam competed in Training and First Level Dressage. Both boys went to many competitive shows in Illinois, Wisconsin, as well as traveled across Iowa. Sjokolade and Sam consistently rode to
scores in the lower 70’s in both levels. Rolf and Sam rode steady in Training Level to scores in the mid 70’s, even achieving a 76.875%. Both boys qualified easily for Regional Championships, and attended them in Mason City, Iowa this past September. In a very competitive show ring each day, both boys gave Sam great rides, earning scores in the upper 60’s. Sjokolade placed in the top eight of every class he was in, even earning a third place, just hundredths of a point behind the Champion. Sjokolade and Sam enjoyed four victory gallops with the warmbloods. Neither Sam nor the boys had ever competed
in Regional Championships. It was quite the experience for everyone involved. We are very proud of the boys and their accomplishments this year in the USDF show ring. Sam ended up the year being 99th place in the UnitedStates out of thousands of horses with Rolf in Training Level Open for the USDF Horse of the Year Award. Sjokolade and Sam were 85th place in the United States out of thousands for USDF Second Level Open Horse of the Year, and 70th place for USDF First Level Open. Sjokolade and Sam also were the Grand Champions for the USDF All Breeds Award for both First Level Open and Second Level Open. Rolf and Sam were Grand Champions
for the USDF All Breeds Award for Training Level Open. The three of them won many blue ribbons and took home numerous Championships in addition to all of these prestigious awards. Thefarm is very proud of the accomplishments of the boys in a very competitive, open breed sport. Sjokolade is currently schooling third level, and Rolf is schooling a solid first level. Visit the recently updated website for both boys current show records.
In addition to Sjokolade prancing around the arena being a dressage king, he also made his debut in the Combined Driving world. A goal we set that felt like a mountain was soon reached. Sam (whip), and Louise (navigator) took Sjokolade to his very first CDE this year in Fitchburg, Wisconsin at Hickory Knoll Farm. All three being rookies to this sport, they all came out with a great deal of respect for the sport. Not only did they learn a lot but it was
likely the most enjoyable show they did all summer. CDE’s consist of three phases. Sjokolade was first place out of 14 in Dressage and Cones. Due to a hold up on the marathon course, the stop watches got confused and they ended up second place overall. This was excellent for the first time ever competing in a CDE.
The Green Valley Team went as a whole team yet again this year to compete in the Annual Midwest Fjord Horse Breed Show in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Louise Mandrup showed six year old mare GVF Meeka in riding/driving performance classes and two year old filly GVF Noka in halter classes. Sam Poirier showed six year old mare GVF Mette in riding/driving performance classes and three year old filly GVF Troika in halter classes. The Green Valley Team brought home ribbons in nearly every class and many first places. Mette and Sam won practically every driving class she was in and Meeka and Louise placed right behind them. Sam and Mette won Grand Champion Driver and Horse for the show. Louise showed Noka in a halter class and was
second place. Sam showed Troika in halter, won a first place and then went on to winning Grand Champion Mare of a very tough division of all aged mares. Green Valley is very proud of the results of their horses from this show. Since there is only one breed show close enough for us to travel to, we really enjoy going to compete as well as enjoy seeing all of our Fjord friends.
To end this newsletter, we are announcing a major change here at Green Valley Farm. Sam has been apart of the farm since she was 14 years old. Coming every summer to ride and show the horses here, she then took a full time job after her 21st birthday at Green Valley Farm. Sam moved here permanently and has lived here showing for five full time summers now. Howard and Sophie have provided her with talented horses, lesson and the ability to show. Allowing her to go on the road as a young girl in her 20’s and live her dream as she competed in many shows. Not only was it a good deal for Sam, but it was a good deal for the horses and reputation here at Green Valley. She took Green Valley Farm to new heights. Sam was the first one ever to take a stallion and not just to a show, but win championships in the Dressage and Driving rings representing Green Valley Farm. Not just one stallion either, Sam has ridden every Green Valley stallion to some sort of Championship title. Setting many new records, and winning awards Fjords had never won before, it was a team effort between everyone involved. Sam has trained many of the horses here and has helped in all of the most recent sales. The situation between Sam and Green Valley has been a true win-win situation for numerous years. With this said, Howard and Sophie are 71 years old this year. Knowing they have had the plan to downsize in the future, with this decision and timing, the process has begun. As Sam’s goals and ambitions for the future keep getting bigger and dreams keep getting wider, her future is not at Green Valley Farm. Sam is at a pivotal point in her life where she wants to know what the future holds and make the decision to make a long term commitment. Sam plans on moving home to Colorado in the end of February where she can be with her family and continue her education. Her love and passion for horses will never go away, as well as she will continue to train most likely her whole life. Her time spent here at Green Valley Farm was a milestone in her life, and something she will never forget. Green Valley Farm will slowly begin to downsize and not breed as many horses. Never parting with the first imports from Holland, or some of the recent favorites, Green Valley will continue to support the Fjord breed. A friendship between all involved may be stronger now than ever. We won’t be saying good byes, but rather “until we meet again.” Howard and Sophie have seen Sam grow up and been a major part of her life from the beginning. Coming from a young girl with a love for horses, to a professional trainer in the show ring today, the time is now to spread her wings and fly.
With that, the three of us have made a very tough decision to find new homes for Sjokolade and Rolf. We are offering them for sale to select homes only. Both of these boys mean a great deal to Sam, as well as every one here at Green Valley Farm. Knowing the love for them from everyone involved, we all know it is best for both boys to go to a show home, where they will be used to their potential. We are asking for series inquiries only please. If you would like to see what either Sjokolade or Rolf has accomplished or further pictures, please visit the website: www.greenvalleyfarm.com and look under stallions.
As the year has been exciting, we are opening and closing doors to life. The Green Valley Team is still stronger now than ever. Words of wisdom from Sophie, she left Sam with this quote for her new journey in life: A bittersweet ending for us all.
"
For what it’s worth: it’s never too late, (or in Sam's case, too early), to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same; there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you find the courage to start all over again."
~ F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940)
Until we meet again...
Sincerely,
The Green Valley Team:
Howard Fiedler
Sophie Fiedler
Samantha Poirier
MeMe Samuelson
Mac McCarthy
Peggy Speer
