AMHR promotion and the China ponies

[Minimor]

I've just been wondering how much benefit AMHR breeders have received from the money spent to send the 2 ponies to China/Hong Kong? For that matter, have the phones of ASPC breeders been ringing off the hook with calls from people in Hong Kong wanting to buy more ponies?

ASPC/AMHR ended up spending something like $30,000.00 in promotion funds to send those two ponies over to Hong Kong. The gift of these two ponies was supposed to promote ASPC in Hong Kong, China and to the world in general, and I've been waiting to see/hear how well it worked. A bit of time has passed since the handing-over ceremony and so I would think that if the project was a success some breeders should have had queries by now, with of course more to come in the future as more and more people are exposed to the two ponies in their new home.

Since I'm thinking some of that $30,000.00 was surely AMHR funds...how is it a benefit to AMHR breeders/members? ( I'm not sure $30000.00 is the exact figure, but from what I've been told by people who know, donations and such were not as much as had been hoped for, and the actual expenditure for ASPC/AMHR ended up being somewhere in the neighborhood of that amount.)

I personally think there were better ways to spend "our" promotional $$$$ but maybe I am wrong and this was/is a promotional success for everyone who has paid money in to ASPC/AMHR.

 

[Jill]

I thought it was a pretty recent situation. Isn't it too early to see if it was worth the money?

 

[Minimor]

yes, it is quite recent, but at the same time, it's now a week after the close of the olympics and a good 3 weeks since the ponies were actually presented, and I know that if I see something on display that interests me I go home and check into it further right away...and so I'm thinking that someone somewhere must have had a query or two already as a result of this promotional effort.

Okay, let me add this question then:

Are you as an AMHR member EXPECTING that this promotional expenditure will benefit you? Are you pleased at the way this amount of money was spent on ASPC/AMHR promotion? (By "you" I mean every AMHR member, not Jill specifically!

)

 

[bingo]

Well quite frankly I do not know of any promotional efforts for horses have any breeders phones ringing off the hook.

I have yet to see those pinto breeders not be able to keep up with the demand from the PtHA so does that mean we should not attempt to advertise or promote with that registry either?

I expect the registry to promote just that the registry. I do not expect the registry dollars to go towards promoting myself as a farm or any other farm for that matter. That is not their job it is my job and every other breeders job to do what they feel is best when it comes to marketing.

Do I feel that the gifted ponies was a way to promote our registry world wide. YEP YOU BETCHA!

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Personally I'm all for any registry that promotes Minis (as that is what I breed/have) to open International markets and I'm glad to see AMHA or ASPC/AMHR or PtHA take an active role promoting them..

I do not understand though why/how ASPC/AMHR made the decision to only promote ASPC - it gets a little old at times being the larger part of the combined registry but having so little influence. The Board of Directors as two seats per area - one for Shetlands and one for .... and they do admit there is not equal representation among Shetlands/Minis - yet I could be wrong but I believe the majority of $$$ comes from AMHR.

Even the article on the front of the ASPC/AMHR site is pretty exclusionary and AMHR isn't mentioned at all. Considering the website says 'Welcome the World of the Small Equine . . . url="http://shetlandminiature.com/"]ASPC AMHR website[/url]. But perhaps it was an opportunity for the "Shetlands' only so they took it.

I can only imagine the National and American Show Pony divisions must really feel left out in the cold in that organization.

 

[LaVern]

Hummm, Very interesting thread. Promotion of one while the other pays for it.

I always get a kick out of it when people ask how much the miniatures can carry. Well, they have carried three diviisions of the Shetlands for a long time and I don't think they can do it forever, we will break their little backs.

 

[Belinda]

This was on another forum some time back and beat to death.. First let me say the Assoc. AMHR /ASPC got a lot of POSTIVE publicity out of the deal...

Next I do not think we could have sent Miniature horses over to be ridden in the opening ceremony of the Equestrian Games.. Next The money came out of the Marketing budget , and Johnny Robb our Marketing director contrary to everyone's thoughts did get tons of donations to help off set cost !! And the Marketing fund is not ear marked as AMHR only or ASPC , so not sure where you got the info on that one.. It is a budget set forth for Marketing by the Finance Committee and the Board of Directors..

To answer your question did it do any good.. Yes the office has received some inquiry's !

Has anyone sold a pony to China , could not tell you that ..

But the rest of the Equine Assoc. in the United States also stood up and took notice of what we did , and they were very much in awe of us for reaching out and having the capabilities to offer such a great contribution !!!

Why does it always have to be about what part of the Registry it helped ?? Why can it not be that it was for ALL OF US !!!

Because that sure was the intention !!!

And believe Renee we do know how much the Miniatures give to the Registry as I sit here with well over 100 head . I am one of the Directors that does Represent the Miniature Interest in the Board Room !!

As I said before we have several area's that have elections for the open seats , You all that are Worried about NOT having Miniature Representation better get busy and see how you can get your vote for a person that CARES about what happens with them... !!!

Thanks for letting voice MY Opinion !!

 

[Doobie]

I have to agree that we need to stand together as a oganization for all the animals, miniatures & sheltands alike.

Keeping the registry strong only helps all of us.

I also agree that it was (or should of been done) to better the club not for individual members. Because we need to

be club strong to be member strong.

However... I also think they should of sent a shetland and a miniature!!!

You are correct Belinda, if they had sent a miniature over there to be ridden it would of been terrable!

But there is nothing saying they could not of DRIVEN one in the opening ceremonys!!!

 

[JWC sr.]

As everyone here knows, we are big proponets of any type of marketing that the registries can do to promote any of the SMALL equine. Dollars spent in this type endeavor is never wasted.

Even though it is a lot of money, AMHR/ASPC can afford it and I am glad to have seen them spend some of the money they have in this manner. Not only are there short range benefits from this type deal, but the long range benefits are sometimes never known directly, but of immense value. Any dollar they spend is a dollar that the individual farms do not have to spend. Which is a good thing.

I hope the do more of this type thing, it can only help. It sure can't hurt. I wish they would make the same type donations toother places where SMALL equine are not seen with any regularity and countries that have expendable cash to spend. We mini folks will get our share of it, if folks from over there are looking.

On another note I can tell you that at the IAMHA Ultimate Event show and sale earlier this year in April, the display and representation we had from AMHR/ASPC was really great. Zona even made the trip and I appreciated seeing her work the booth trying to sign folks up, pass out brochures and talk to potencial new members. I hope they come back this next year.

 

[Jill]

I just feel like a request to evaluate the success of this right now is like asking to critique a show prospect before it's even born. I spend a lot of money in marketing my financial planning practice (boy could I send some ponies to China...) and I wouldn't think of evaluating the success of a program this early in the game -- especially when it's the first time you've sought exposure in that potential market.

That said, anything that gets the word out about our minis and ponies is something I'm predisposed to appreciate. I appreciate the initiative that AMHR/ASPC has taken.

I also appreciate that if people truly want to have more of a say in what happens, there are ways to make that happen -- as Belinda herself DOES has pointed out and encouraged others to do numerous times.

 

[LaVern]

Minimor, This is the one topic I always tend to overreact to and sometimes jump to the wrong conclusions. Like the kids say, "Let it go Ma".

 

[Minimor]

Well, it wasn't part of the original topic but after reading Belinda's reply now I'm thinking...maybe it would be a good thing if the rules were changed so that all of the BOD seats were opened up to anyone and everyone....rather than 1 for a Shetland breeder and 1 for an AMHR or Shetland person...if it worked out that only AMHR people got elected then that's the way it would be. Wouldn't that be a plan??

I'm not sure why this topic being "beaten to death" on another forum is any reason for me not to post it here. Many people I'm sure never saw that other forum. Doesn't matter, I have now learned that those who disagree with this promotional effort do not feel comfortable in saying so in public. They'll talk about it privately and in PMs but not on a public forum. Perhaps that's a wise choice. Interesting anyway.

Let me clarify that I never meant that any promotional effort by a club should be a benefit to myself (I'm not even in the business of selling horses so no promotion is going to benefit "me" anyway!) or any other individual person or farm--I certainly did not mean any such thing. It should be the opposite--a general promotion of the breed. It does seem that many--going by what I've heard elsewhere--feel that this was a promotion that directly benefitted a few and I guess I can see where some of it does kind of come across that way.

BTW I'm personally glad that no AMHR horses were sent over--my post wasn't suggesting that any should have been sent over! That wasn't the point of this topic.

 

[Jill]

... I have now learned that those who disagree with this promotional effort do not feel comfortable in saying so in public. They'll talk about it privately and in PMs but not on a public forum. Perhaps that's a wise choice. Interesting anyway.

Well, one way to evaluate how interested and concerned a person truly is with something is to watch and see if they are ready to stand up, "say it" and sign their name to it. If so many are privately saying they're not impressed with the expenditure or program, but won't say it publicly, my take is they don't sincerely care one way or the other very much.

 

[Minimor]

Well Jill, you're free to see it any way you like.

Personally when I see how some people reply to certain topics and when there are people warning others not to express their views on certain subject....be it politics or sending ponies to China or certain other subjects...because then some people will not buy horses from them, I have to say that I personally believe that these people DO care, but feel it's just not in their best interests to actually say so. There's no benefit in their standing up and voicing their opinion and may actually be harm in it for them or their business, and so they don't say anything.

Heck, the only reason I posted this is that I am a nobody...I am not trying to sell horses and I'm not trying to promote myself, so if I get some people PO'd with me then I'm not really out anything. If such were not true then I would have kept my yap shut on a number of topics, including this one.

Believe me, just because I don't say something about something....doesn't mean I don't care about the subject. I'm certain that many others are the same.

Thank you all, I have learned much from this thread!

 

[Jill]

Well, you know your thread has only been up for 15 or so hours (not long at all). Maybe some who have pm'ed you that they are upset will speak up. Or maybe not. I've never felt I had to choose between being in horses and expressing an opinion. If someone doesn't want to buy one of my horses because I voiced an opinion -- "oh well." It's not like there are only a handful of people into minis and ponies.

 

[OhHorsePee]

I agree MA! Sorry my whole attention has gone political these couple of days.While there might be a couple of calls going in to the office I can easily assume they are not from China. I disagreed on the thread that Belinda has brought up and I disagree with this decision still today. The members and all of the directors should have been aware and had a say over the decision to purchase 2 ponies and ship them to China. Here is a link to one of the stories about it. Dessage Un LTD If you click on "read more" you will see that it says Johnny works for AMHA. I do hope that gets fixed soon!

I so hope people (members) are watching the actions and vote accordingly when it comes time for new directors in their areas. I also hope members ask their directors if they knew anything about this before it took place. Members from both organizations need to take a stand over issues that have been brought up this year and take action accordingly. And, before someone says something, I am not bashing any one director or directors. This is simply MY opinions.

Fran

 

[bingo]

I have been hearing a lot about these *people* behind closed doors talking and upset but afraid no one will purchase horses from them. What a joke most have no issue with anyone else's personal opinions if they have nice horses and you are looking for a nice horse you look there period~

Of course what people say here can make a difference in other ways. I have seen trainers who post things such as no round pen, unsafe trailering practices, lack of time spent with client horses, unreasonable requests from clients that I remember. If someone posts here about sales practices or after sale practices that I do not agree with I pay attention. If I see someone post here what I know to be outright lies about them and how they care for their animals I pay attention. Ethics play a part in who I choose to send a horse to or purchase a horse from.

However someone's personal opinions on political issues, registry opinions or anything else not directly related to training,breeding or horse care has no part at all in my decisions to purchase a horse.

I am very confident I am not the only one who chooses horses for reasons other then political or registry agendas.

 

[Jill]

Bingo, Bingo (that was fun to "say")

I'm sold on a seller before I'm sold on the horse -- but that means I'm sold on them as honest and knowledgable. I'm looking to buy their horse, not make the seller a family member

To me the mentality of not speaking up for fear of not selling a horse is like those who scream politics when they get the gate at a show... Just sounds like an excuse to me, vs. an actual reason

When people have well thought out opinions, it seems like they should be proud to express them

 

[OhHorsePee]

I agree Jill and Bingo that No one should be afraid to post how they believe for fear of selling a horse. I certainly would never go on how I felt about any forum member if to buy from them or not. I have heard people from when we first got started in minis saying to watch what I post and who I disagree with. I can't do that!

 

[Minimor]

Of course there are many people who will buy horses from someone who has opposing views on politics, religion or whatever---I am one of those too---though honestly if I were selling horses there would just be too many that I wouldn't sell too. Things like bad trailer floors, evacuation plans....now those sorts of things would affect my decision to sell to someone! But, I do believe too that there are SOME people who do let politics and religion and views on club/association happenings affect their buying.

But to say that people don't care because they don't post on a thread like this...it just occurred to me that the political threads on the back porch just now are a prime example. Look how few people have posted a strong opinion on those threads--very few percentage wise in comparison to how many forum members we have--do you HONESTLY believe that all the people who haven't posted on those threads don't care about who gets elected to run the country? I think--no, I KNOW, that there are many people on this board who do care a great deal about who wins the election this fall. They just choose, for whatever reasons, to not post on here about their views. It's the same with every other topic on here, this one included.