VANNER BANNER February 2015

- THE VANNER BANNER -

FEBRUARY 2015

!!!!! ANNUAL MEETING MONTH !!!!

GVHS 2015 Annual Meeting

REGISTER TODAY!!

February 20-22, 2015

Grand Oaks Resort, Weirsdale, FL

The Annual Meeting WELCOME RECEPTION is starting earlier this year!

Shenandoah Gypsy Vanners

is hosting a pig roast dinner for all attendees starting at 5 pm.

The food will be on through the evening and we encourage all Annual Meeting attendees to join us for a fun evening with great food

and conversation with fellow Gypsy Vanner lovers!

We still need horses and riders/ drivers for the Saturday & Sunday Annual

Meeting clinics!

YOUTH In Hand Trail Obstacles- Felicia Britt Lynn Palm Ride Well-

divided into two sessions depending upon rider/horse level

Bob Giles DRIVING

Jennifer Moshier- Showmanship and In Hand Suitability for Dressage

Drill Team 101 with Michaela Walker- Learn some fun drills to start learning

patterns and formations for parades or demonstrations. The clinic is

designed to help rider-horse pairs learn to manoeuvre and ride in formation

or through patterns (serpentine, figure 8) in close proximity to other

horses. This fun clinic is will help prepare you and your horse for getting

out with a group of horses to take part in demos and parades. Walk/trot and

in hand participants are encouraged to give this a try!

Tentative Schedule along with Registration Forms, Evaluations and Hotel information have been posted on the GVHS website! Click HERE!

For Larger Image and information click HERE!

2015 Kicked off the first

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW

January brought out the Best of the Best - for those Horses and Exhibitors that Qualified in 2014 -

and were eligible for the first

National Championship Show for Gypsy Vanners.

The Jacksonville, FL Equestrian Center was an excellent location to hold the Event, back to back with the first (of 5 shows) show of the 2015 Series for

Feathered Horse Classic.

The Barn resembled fabulous gardens, amazing stall decor - owners pulled out all the stops for the first National Championship. It was absolutely stunning but, that's how this breed rolls...

With 40 National Championship Classes - we used a 3 judge system - it worked very well and turned into a great learning experience and transparency of the Judges abilities and similarities.

Overall I heard so many positive comments, and what a great event Florida was, FHC also took it up a notch, with Custom Center Ring Display, Red Carpet Photo area - Sponsors Banners Flanked the Entrance to the Arena - Exhibitors Party - Exhibitors Competition Games with Great Prizes, - and Special Awards to all the Youth attending the National Championships. Fabulous Vendors to shop and a great Hospitality Table kept everyone full of snacks, sweets and coffee the entire show.

Thanks to all that made this an unforgettable experience. 2015 starts the qualification process again - Each Horse must attend a minimum of 2 Shows. Each Horse must Qualify 1^st - 6^th in the respective classes at 1 of the 2 shows they must attend to qualify.

For more information on show dates and locations please click HERE!

- WR Young Latcho Lou -

Only a few weeks after Shenandoah Gypsy Vanners' owner Barbara Williamson announced the retirement of WR YOUNG LATCHO LOU, this incredible stallion ended his stellar show career in style by winning the National Supreme Grand Championship held in January. Lou, as he is affectionately known around the barn, celebrated his retirement amidst a standing ovation, much admiration and even a few tears.

In the last three years, this incredible stallion has changed the face of the all around competitive Gypsy Vanner Horse. Committed to proving that a Gypsy Vanner Horse can Halter in the morning and Pleasure in the afternoon, his character has been described as one of those horses that one only dreams about. The kind of horse that only exists in fairy tales. Young Latcho Lou possesses that extra special quality you rarely experience in a horse of any breed. That natural presence you can't breed into a horse and you can't train out of one. They are simply born with it. Young Latcho Lou is that kind of horse and he is one in a million.

With over one hundred FIRST place finishes in Halter and Performance, Young Latcho Lou has set the standard for the versatility and athleticism in the Gypsy Vanner Horse. His show career includes 9 Overall High Point Show Championships, 11 High Point Performance Show Championships, 16 Grand Championships and 15 Supreme Grand Championships. This stallion's accolades are more than any Gypsy Vanner in the History of the Breed on US soil.

The Gypsy Vanner Horse Society was proud to honor Young Latcho Lou with the 2012 AND 2013 Horse of the Year Awards in Halter and Performance. This amazing stallion also took the All Around Horse of the Year award for the last two years. Owner Barbara Williamson of Shenandoah Gypsy Vanners is still amazed at this stallion's love of competition and willingness to please.

Trainers, Marvin & Felicia Britt confess they have never trained a more intelligent horse.

Together, the Shenandoah Team will venture into new territory with this very special stallion as he begins his breeding career. We shall watch eagerly to see Young Latcho Lou's offspring, as it is sure to further prove the caliber and character of the Gypsy Vanner Breed.

Congratulations to Shenandoah Gypsy Vanners and WR Young Latcho Lou for your historic accomplishments and commitment to the Gypsy Vanner Horse. Good Luck in the future and thank you for sharing WR Young Latcho Lou, a TRUE CHAMPION.

GVHS

Important Contacts

President

Mike Litz

Vice President

Debbie Noonan

Secretary- Treasurer

Terri Martel

Executive Director

Katherine Mutti

Registrar

Barbara Snyder

Vanner Banner Editor

Daisy Fouts

GVHS

Board Members

Joyce Christian

Michael Litz

Terri Martel

Gordon Muir

Debbie Noonan

Gale Rempel

Rita Susgin

WELCOME

NEW MEMBERS

Daisy Martinez

Aurora, CO

Brandy Semonich

Highland Park, IL

Alysha Toomey

Hemet, CA

Carol Hardy

Virginia Beach, VA

Tabitha & Jason Mouck

Auburn, CA

Deronda Simpson

Gloucester, VA

Wendy Snyder

Zuni, VA

Elise Miller

Snohomish, WA

Denise L. Shaw

Ogden, UT

Sylvia Beiler

Quarryville, PA

Paulette Pellett

Simpsonville, SC

Paulette Stoudt

Dunnellon, FL

Blanche Kohl

Wilsonville, OR

Ray Ainsworth

Jackson, MS

Sharon Krebsbach

St. Joseph, MN

Allison Hymers

Sundre, Alberta

Scott Sarkozi

Virginia Beach, VA

Amanda Gray

New Lebanon, OH

Jaime Jackson

Saint Marys, GA

Scott McElroy

Evansville, WI

The Next GVHS Photo Contest is now open for entries!!!

This time the photos will be Judged by a panel of three professionals (Mark Barrett, Laurel Golemba and #3 TBA) Access information are on the GVHS website.

New categories are:

*Vanner Foals

*Vanners & Youth

*Vanner Mustaches

*Vanners at Liberty

*Vanners in fancy Tack/Classic Tack

*Photographer's Choice

Youth & Adult photographers will be judged separately. Entries are limited to amateur photographers only.