Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Update: A Little Family Competition or "Creating a Monster"

I have to take complete responsibility for the events, both immediate and long-term, that have and will have transpired because of an idea I proposed to my family:

(much of this conversation started via our family text message group)

Scot:  I would like to propose a little family competition.  We each make an SSF breeding decision,
          choice of mares to be negotiated or by lottery, and the winner is determined by Bart and Lana
          via the ringing order at next year's keuring.  Any takers?

Carol:  What do I get if I win?

Scot:  An orange ribbon!  Isn't winning enough?

Michaela:  Not a fair fight, but I'm in.  What are the terms?

Scot:  How not fair?  I will obviously win; I know.

Michaela:  An opportunity to beat you is better than no opportunity to beat you. Name the terms.

Scot:  Option one--we each pick a stallion we really want to use in the program, which you and
          Keagan have already done, then we negotiate who gets which mare.  Maybe no one else wants
          to use the mare you want to use, so your choice is available with no negotiation.  Option two--
          We pick four mares out of the program, put their names in a hat, and the we draw names.  Each
          person then has to pick the stallion he or she thinks will produce the top foal of next year.

(more conversation about possible terms for the selection of mares and how to measure the success of our decisions--at this point in time, Keagan has not weighed in. Next conversation happened between Carol and me one night last week)

Scot:  So, what do you think of my breeding competition idea?

Carol:  Hmm?

Scot:  The family text message I sent.  What do you think?

Carol:  Oh.  You want me to be part of that?

Scot:  Yes!  Absolutely.  I want it to be a family competition.

Carol:  But I don't know as much about the bloodlines as you guys do.  I'd have to start researching
            stallions.

Scot:  Seriously?  I thought you'd already made your pick.

Carol:  No.

Scot:  Really?

Carol:  Who would I have picked?

Scot:  BoWendy bred to UB-40.

Carol:  And why would I have picked that combination?

Scot: Because you're practical, you hate wasting money on frozen semen, and you've seen three
         babies out of this cross that are probably the best movers we've bred.

Carol:  Hmm.

(This next conversation took place in the car on the way to NYC on Saturday morning.  Keagan, Carol, and I drove together; Michaela took the bus from Boston and met us there, so her parts of the conversation were via text)

Scot:  So what do you guys think about the competition?  Are you up for it?

Keagan:  This is the breeding competition?

Scot:  Yeah.

Keagan:  How would it work?

(I explain again)

Keagan:  So it's a competition?

Scot:  Yeah.

Keagan:  Orchis.

Scot:  What?

Keagan:  I call Orchis.

Carol:  (starts laughing)

Scot:  Really?

Keagan:  Yup.  It's a competition.  I want to win.  Apache on Orchis gives me the best chance of
               winning.

(Carol is smiling.  My heart has sunk to the depth of my bisected colon--I'm thinking this kid could actually beat me)

Scot:  OK.  We'll have to see who everyone else wants, but thanks for putting that out there. Who's
          your pick, Carol?

Carol:  I don't know.  I think Dior is going to be a great producer.  I love Nora.

Scot:  (to Keagan)  I told your mother I thought she'd already made her pick, but she says no.

Keagan:  Who did you say she picked?

Scot:  UB-40 on BoWendy.  (to Carol)  OK, who's your pick?

Carol:  UB-40 on BoWendy.

(We laugh. Lots of joking about me losing and having to be handicapped. Now, we involve Michaela via text message)

Scot:  Keagan picks Orchis.  Mommy wants Bo.  Who is your pick?

Michaela:  Whoa!!! Not sure I like these mares being tied up...

Keagan:  You snooze you lose ;)  We told dad he hows so much he gets Jules (our 24-year-old
                Morgan mare).

Scot:  It's all negotiable.  Make your pick.

Michaela:  Gazania.

Keagan:  Big moves!  This is certainly not a birthday present for dad ;) ;)

Carol:  Wait a minute!  I want Gazania! I forgot she was available.

Michaela:  Hahaha! It's negotiable...Lilly is still available.

(more conversation in the car--then Keagan texts Michaela again)

Keagan:  I'm good and dad wants Lilly, so that's set.  Stallions?

Scot:  I need to think a bit.

Keagan:  I'm set with Apache.

Michaela:  Thinking.

Keagan:  Mom is going with UB.

(and more back and forth)

So, it looks as if the Tolman Family 2016 Best Foal Competition is under way.  Interestingly enough, we all picked a different mare we think can produce the best baby.  I think our decisions on mares are set, though Carol, while doing chores on Sunday night muttered something under her breath about switching to Nora, but not sure if she wants to take the risk since Nora is a maiden mare.

Those of you who agonize over your breeding picks the way I do can imagine the mixed emotions coursing through me over this competition:  I have to give up making the pick on three of my mares, but the people I love the most are completely engaged in making breeding picks this year--I could lose and have to live with that reality for a LONG time, yet, again, what's more fun than talking breeding picks with people you love?

As the competition winds up, here's where we currently stand:

Keagan:  Orchis to Apache

Carol:  BoWendy to UB-40, or maybe take a chance on Honorites SSF

Michaela:  Gazania x undecided.  We had a made a decision to keep her crosses pretty much Jazz free so we can use her offspring in our program, but this is a competition, so Michaela is considering all options.

Scot:  Eliscia SSF to Charmeur or Jazz himself.

Anyone want to make a wager who wins this competition?  I'd love to have some comments on this thread about your predictions!

Update:

And we an adjustment to the initial line up!  Carol announced this morning she's going with Honorites SSF (Totilas x Jazz) as her mare for the competition.  I don't think she's definitely settled on her stallion pick, but it's looking like UB-40.  (I know, Meghan; you're heart just skipped a few beats!)








Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Interesting Mare Available: Elite w/Sport Predicate and Confirmed 3rd Level

One of my contacts in Holland is focusing on other aspects of her horse business and, therefore, disbanding her breeding program.  She contacted me to help find the right home for this mare.  The mare is priced really reasonably, has an extremely desirable, contemporary pedigree, already Elite and has her sport predicate at 3rd level.  The biggest concern is that this mare is in the right home.  She's a super sweet mare with an exceptional character. Plus, you could breed her to any European stallion before importing!

Let me know if you're seriously interested, and I'll give you more information.