This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
In a message dated 8/26/2005 6:05:27 PM Mountain Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> those who saw these incidents,did you offer to help move the
> logs to a different area or did you say nothing?
> With the restroom incident-
> Did you climb up into the cart to safely take control of those horses or
> just make a comment and walk away?
> Safety is EVERYONE's job.It's our job to police each other,lend a hand,or
> offer our services for the sake of safety.
>
Glad you asked. As for the loose obsticals in the warm-up
ring, I first asked a show commitee member if the tractor, bridge and loggs
could
be relocated for the drivers safety. I also offered to bring the " crew " to
do it. In fairness, I did not approach Pat, and if I had maybe they would have
been moved.....but we got a non-committed
( polite ! ) answer and the objects were never moved. We just stopped using
the warm-up area.
As far as the team of Fjords staging in the warm-up area being held
from the ground.....I never made comment, OTHERS on the ground did. I was in
the box seat holding my own pair for the next class and couldnt do a thing.
Other than remain next to this team and hold my own rather than move away and
lending to the chance that they might want to move with me. Its all I could
think
to do at the time, and after some time the driver did return, take control
with nothing bad happening.
I remember several years ago, standing in the barn with Roger
Whitney and asking him if I was seeing correctly.....as a VERY experienced
driver
was walking around on the ground, and his team was standing very quietly, but
with no one in the drivers seat, AND the lines tied up to the seat, out of
reach
of anyone if the team had spooked !
Like I said, this was a very experienced teamster, and this year, beat
the socks off us everytime in the ring. They were also a safety team
member......lending to the idea of why some of the PREVENTABLE occurances were
there.
Just differant ideas of safety maybe.
I could make a list of the wonderful things I also saw at Blue
Earth this year, like Pat did so well. My intention was, and is not to
undermine
any of the hard work the volunteers did to put on the show, and never did I
mention moving the BE show from the Fairbault Co. Fair. Ive been attending this
show long enough to understand the show and Fairs attachment to each other in
so many ways. Ive also paid my dues working for and at this show in previous
years.....once announcing for Jim Hipsley in a heat index of 112, for 3 days
standing out in the sun, when the National Arabian show down the way in Iowa
was
cancelled for the heat....and the headlines of the papers were of 100's of
people dying in IL. from heat problems. Once, when someone had a family
emergency, I worked inside the barn in the Midwest Fjord clubs merchandise
booth for
the entire show and never even saw an hour of classes. I flew from CA., rented
a
car in the cities and got a room in BE to help the club and support the show
many times. In the NFHR evaluation, Jeff worked non-stop to help set up many
of the rings and was there volunteering for the whole time even though we were
there evaluating some of ours. So, no I dont just show up one time and need
things changed with no effort on our parts over the years. Volunteering is
important.....but this was a SHOW year for us and we could not do too much but
try
to make all of our classes this year. I also mentioned that some of the points
I brought up were not preventable, like the rain, but that the calling of a
class with no time to safely move alot of horses into their stalls was. I did
not add to the craziness in the barn, but let mine stand out in it during the
huge downpour. Phill Odden is out of town for 9 days right now, but we talked
at BE about several of these issues and maybe when he gets back, he could put
in his perspective. Honest discussion without hurt feelings over what went
RIGHT is the only way to solve some of the safety concerns.
Lisa Pedersen
PS Im glad that the safety issue is lending to discussion. The only time
that preventable issues are pointed out and fixed are when people either
point them out.....or something really bad happens. I do not want anything like
that to occur. I am sure that the Midwest Fjordhorse Club will do everything
they can to make the next show safer for everyone, AND allow the drivers to
compete.
