You’re right, Janet, but the guy is really willing to make corrections. Everyone who notices a missing parent in the lists should email Ken with the information. Those broodmares really do deserve credit (and their sires, too–I think he’ll use the damsire name, too, if you provide it). I’m not sure if he’s going to ask if you are the actual owner or breeder, though, but asking can’t hurt. It’d be nice to get that list up to snuff–but I don’t think one man and incomplete data can do it. We should help, if we care.
DownYonder, you make a good point about ignorant buyers–and that point prompted me to consider that as a problem for the seller of a genuine $10K plus weanling. The usual circles of breeder-to-breeder and vanity sales, with the occasional ambitious rider/trainer, is heavily dependent on an informed clientele. Perhaps what WB breeders need to do is more outreach to educate folks about what quality is. And what a decent marketing tool that would be, too. Maybe in conjunction with an inspection or a show a registry or breeders group could do a clinic or open house or something, explaning pedigree analysis and its relationship to performance and also demonstrating desireable qualities in foals, stallions and mares.
For example, there are a set of traits I’d like to see 8.5, 8.0, 7.5, and 7.0 examples of (if they were to be individually assessed that way), just to tune my eye. I’d like to see 1.) engagement, 2.) cadence (as in “airiness” wih oomph), 3.) whatever is the most desired front end action (that’s a biggie I’d like to know more about–the extend of knee action and/or shoulder extension and/or toe point–is there a high-to-low standard, mix of traits or something there?), 4.) and neck set and length, and back length. I would LOVE to learn about those things so that I could pick that FEI prospect as a weanling or yearling just as confidently as that ambitious rider/trainer I mentioned earlier.
And I think (not just because I live here and it’s be so convenient) the FL Horse Park has just the location, fair rates and facilities to be a great venue during the winter season for WB breeders to invite hunter, jumper, eventer and dressage riders to enjoy wine, cheese and really useful knowledge!
No doubt that spreading that knowledge would go a long way toward avoiding the “what is it worth” disagreements that this thread illustrates.
I think the hunter industry could benefit in the same way, but 1.) unlike WBs, I don’t think, market- and image-wise, it really needs to and 2.) I think USHJA is actually making strides in that direction as it is.