The Mid-Atlantic Hanoverian Breeders Club was founded by a passionate group of breeders in 1995.
A few of the early, influential MAHB Members
Cathy Slaterbeck
Karen Holweck
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Pat Limage
Phyllis Svendsen
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Yvonne Zuther
Roberta Falk
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Dennis Moore
Suzanne Quarles
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Mo Swanson
Kate Palmquist
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The Mission
The Mid-Atlantic Hanoverian Breeders Club, Inc. was established in 1995 as a regional organization for members of the American Hanoverian Society (the AHS) for Hanoverian horse breeders in the Mid-Atlantic area. Our mission is to promote our chosen breed of horse and to explore and maximize marketing avenues and opportunities for our members. We facilitate communication between the AHS and Hanoverian breeders in the Mid-Atlantic, and provide educational opportunities and social functions for our members.embers. |
Don Ferro KIS (Donavan x Damina/)Idocus
Breeder: Wendy Costello Photographer: Richard Malmgren |
MAHB: A Little History
Shared by Pat Limage
The seeds for MAHB were sown in 1994 when AHS was going through a period of growth and change. It was felt some of the AHS rules were in need of revision, especially the procedure for electing the board of directors and officers. Suzanne Quarles, Mo Swanson, Pat Limage, and Karin Himmelmayer were AHS board members at the time and agreed to look into possibilities for improvement. Together with several other active AHS members in the area (just happened to be the Mid-Atlantic area) we would get together over food and drinks (no surprise there) to come up with some ideas. Besides the above four AHS board members, Chris Jennings, Marefield Meadows, Cathy Slaterbeck, and Yvonne Zuther participated in the discussions. Our efforts resulted in a more equitable election process for AHS, as well as some other rule improvements.
We were glad we actually got some business done, but we had so much fun doing it that we decided we should create a regional club to get area owners and breeders together for the benefit of all. I presented this thought to Dr. Jochen Wilkins, the German representative to the AHS Annual Meeting that year, and Dr. Wilkins said, “Pat, you can DO this!” (Sorry I can’t duplicate his booming voice and German accent.) With that in mind, I composed a letter to AHS members in the states of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia inviting them to attend a free-jumping clinic and inaugural business meeting at November Hill Farm, Keswick, VA. The clinic was given by Gerd Zuther on May 6, 1995—our first official event.
The next meeting, also open to all AHS members in the area, was on July 8, 1995. This time Karin Himmelmayer, Chair of the AHS Mare and Stallion Committee, presented a seminar on breeding rules, eligibility for registration, and view point of the judging commission. It was held at Bae Prid Farm, VA, and included a pot-luck dinner.
In September, we had another meeting in conjunction with an outreach branding with discussion of the registration process, markings and colors for foals. It was held at Marefield Meadows, Warrenton, VA. Mo Swanson was the AHS representative brander and she gave a talk on preparation of the brand and other considerations in the process. Nine foals and one two-year-old were presented, 35 people attended, and Marefield Meadows provided an outstanding lunch for all.
The next gathering for MAHBsters was October 9, again at November Hill Farm where we were able to observe the young stallions participating in the 100-Day Test. Training leader Gerd Zuther spoke to us about the testing procedure as we watched the “boys” work under saddle and through the cross-country course. In December we returned to November Hill Farm to see the final day of the stallion testing. MAHB, through donations from several members, sponsored a wine and cheese hospitality break during the final presentation.
As you can see, our little group was very active, and 1995 was only our first year. Besides the fun “meetings”, we created a network for helping members market their horses utilizing a sales list and the “Horses Wanted” list. For the first year, our mailings and other expenses were covered by one of our generous members. Evolution of the Internet and email made it easier to communicate with our members quickly. Then we went all the way—incorporation, by-laws, board of directors, and membership dues. We were official.
The club grew rapidly and our membership exceeded 100 for a while, but the large geographic area made it difficult for many of them to participate in our gatherings. We encouraged other regions to establish their own clubs, but for some reason none of them seemed to last more than a couple of years. Now the retirement of many of the original movers and shakers in MAHB has resulted in some loss of momentum for us. It is my hope that our new, younger members will pick up the torch and help MAHB stay active and vibrant.
If I have the time, I will continue with more MAHB history. What I have presented is only a glimpse. At some point, I would like for our current members to see the scrapbooks I kept, which include photos and newsletters. We were all very excited, ambitious, dedicated Hanoverian lovers. And we really enjoyed getting together socially as well as for educational purposes and networking to market and promote our Hanoverians.
We were glad we actually got some business done, but we had so much fun doing it that we decided we should create a regional club to get area owners and breeders together for the benefit of all. I presented this thought to Dr. Jochen Wilkins, the German representative to the AHS Annual Meeting that year, and Dr. Wilkins said, “Pat, you can DO this!” (Sorry I can’t duplicate his booming voice and German accent.) With that in mind, I composed a letter to AHS members in the states of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia inviting them to attend a free-jumping clinic and inaugural business meeting at November Hill Farm, Keswick, VA. The clinic was given by Gerd Zuther on May 6, 1995—our first official event.
The next meeting, also open to all AHS members in the area, was on July 8, 1995. This time Karin Himmelmayer, Chair of the AHS Mare and Stallion Committee, presented a seminar on breeding rules, eligibility for registration, and view point of the judging commission. It was held at Bae Prid Farm, VA, and included a pot-luck dinner.
In September, we had another meeting in conjunction with an outreach branding with discussion of the registration process, markings and colors for foals. It was held at Marefield Meadows, Warrenton, VA. Mo Swanson was the AHS representative brander and she gave a talk on preparation of the brand and other considerations in the process. Nine foals and one two-year-old were presented, 35 people attended, and Marefield Meadows provided an outstanding lunch for all.
The next gathering for MAHBsters was October 9, again at November Hill Farm where we were able to observe the young stallions participating in the 100-Day Test. Training leader Gerd Zuther spoke to us about the testing procedure as we watched the “boys” work under saddle and through the cross-country course. In December we returned to November Hill Farm to see the final day of the stallion testing. MAHB, through donations from several members, sponsored a wine and cheese hospitality break during the final presentation.
As you can see, our little group was very active, and 1995 was only our first year. Besides the fun “meetings”, we created a network for helping members market their horses utilizing a sales list and the “Horses Wanted” list. For the first year, our mailings and other expenses were covered by one of our generous members. Evolution of the Internet and email made it easier to communicate with our members quickly. Then we went all the way—incorporation, by-laws, board of directors, and membership dues. We were official.
The club grew rapidly and our membership exceeded 100 for a while, but the large geographic area made it difficult for many of them to participate in our gatherings. We encouraged other regions to establish their own clubs, but for some reason none of them seemed to last more than a couple of years. Now the retirement of many of the original movers and shakers in MAHB has resulted in some loss of momentum for us. It is my hope that our new, younger members will pick up the torch and help MAHB stay active and vibrant.
If I have the time, I will continue with more MAHB history. What I have presented is only a glimpse. At some point, I would like for our current members to see the scrapbooks I kept, which include photos and newsletters. We were all very excited, ambitious, dedicated Hanoverian lovers. And we really enjoyed getting together socially as well as for educational purposes and networking to market and promote our Hanoverians.
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