[jen judkins]

Jared, You should contact Pam at Blue Star Equiculture http://www.equiculture.org They have a knack for getting the right horse for the right teamster. I know they have a number of very nice draft horses right now. Off the top of my head they have a clydesdale and a percheron that might work for you. Most people assume that since they run a rescue, all their horses are either old or broken, but nothing could be further from the truth. The adoption fee is very reasonable as well, just need to be a ‘herd member’ for a year…10 bucks a month.

[jen judkins]

Mine will be in the mail in the am.

[jen judkins]

@Mark Cowdrey 33258 wrote:

what phone line are we using??

Lets use the new line. Mark you will need to sign on first as the host and use passcode# 4119765. The rest of us will use 411975.

There are two numbers, the first, 913-227-1219 works the same as our old call in line and is subject to long distance fees on your phone. The second, 888-296-6500, is toll free. This line costs DAPNet 8 cents a minute, per person, so please only use this line if you need to avoid phone call fees on your home line. Thanks. Jennifer.

[jen judkins]

The rate sheet is not obsolete, is it? I took it right off the website.

I suggest you pass those things along when it seems appropriate. I removed the Lisa stuff. Its pretty clear I cannot keep up with this information. We seriously need to find someone who can.

[jen judkins]

Reva Asked me to put the advertising info her so you guys all know where to find it.

Advertising Options

Contact Erica Marczak for more information, or download our Advertising form:

Advertising Rates:

$90 Half page (1/2) ad – dimensions = 4.5″ high x 7.5″ wide

$50 Quarter (1/4) page ad -dimensions = 4.75″ high x 3.5″ wide

$30 Eighth (1/8) page ad – dimensions = 2.25″ high x 3.5″ wide

Classifieds are $10 per ad (up to 30 words), and $.20 for each additional word.

* Members get their first classified ad free in each issue

[jen judkins]

I’ll look into it, Scott and Jay. Sorry…I guess the wrinkles aren’t totally ironed out.

[jen judkins]

@Bradbury Johnson 33089 wrote:

Have you already gotten together with MOFGA, or shall I call Andy and start on that one?
-Brad

I haven’t done a thing yet, so go for it. I’ll find another sponsor to work with. Thanks, Brad.

[jen judkins]

I’d like to talk about the Carriage Event in NYC and about a driving workshop I am putting on in May locally that I would like to make a DAPNet event. Thanks. Talk Tuesday.

[jen judkins]

My picks….

NOFA- NH
Trottiers
Meader Supply
Henniker Farm and Feed

[jen judkins]

Reva has developed some pointers for us in regard to approaching potential sponsors. Open the link below to see this.

[jen judkins]

Welcome Trekpaard….nice rig!

[jen judkins]

Sounds like a nice cross….would be similar to a percheron/morgan crosss, though the Cleveland Bay is a bigger boned, taller horse than the morgan typically.

[jen judkins]

I thought we were going to wait to publish this when the logo and contact/membership info could be added?

[jen judkins]

This is Reva’s draft outlining how and what to do to obtain sponsorship. We need to get it into a final form.

RAISING MONEY FOR EVENTS – OUTLINE for DAPNeT 2/12 DRAFT

WHAT we can offer for this specific event:
Membership (Business, Basic-Family)
Website
Newsletter (Summer, F-W-S)
DAPNet Table
Program/Promotional Materials
Admission
Event Banner
Exhibitor Space

To WHOM:
Grants
Businesses
Organizations
Donors
Individuals

Names FROM:
DAPNet & NEAPFD
Personal Contacts
SORT by:
Geographic (local, state, radius)
Subject of Event (plowing, logging, general, etc)

BUDGET
Realistic income from WHOM categories
Detailed expenses of CONTACTING

WRITTEN MATERIALS for CONTACTING

TIME LINE:
Preparation
Announcement& Distribution
Week Prior to Event
Event
Clean-Up

CONTACT Plan:
Letter & Email
Phone
Follow Up
Thank you
Detailed Notes

WHAT: Begin by deciding what makes sense to offer sponsors for that specific event. For example, a closed technical clinic has very different options than a big public event. The summer newsletter has a much greater reach than the other 3 newsletters.

TO WHOM: There are at least five levels of types of interest/commitment. Grants obviously need to be applied for and obtained way in advance of the event. Businesses are looking for commercial opportunities: to advertise and sell a product or service. Organizations are looking for membership, publicity, and furthering their cause. Be sure to approach local Draft Animal organizations early on to co-sponsor or at least inform them of any event in their back yard. Donors are looking to “invest” money in something they believe in, name recognition, and/or a tax deduction. Individuals just want to know what is going on and/or attend an event they are interested in. Decide what you can offer to each group. (Don’t worry about what to call the levels of Sponsorship at this point.)

Where to get the names of contacts FROM? Go through all the lists of contacts from NEAPFD and DAPNet looking for people who might be interested in the event by topic (for example, seeds and plows for a plowing event) and geography. How far a radius makes sense to reach out to, local and state? Remember that every event is a chance to create more members so it usually makes sense to contact in some way or another every name in that area.
The second source of names is friends and personal contact that might be interested. This could include local businesses appropriate to the event, including food or other amenities. Be sure to verify all the contact info that you have on each person before planning the budget.
A person or organization who has donated over $75 or goods and services in the past, particularly over a number of years. is a good bet to contact. Someone who is simply a member, unless you know something else about them would be an individual. Individuals often can be turned into volunteers.

BUDGET: First go through the names and make a guesstimate as to what level of commitment can be asked for. Background info from other relevant members of DAPNet is a good source of ideas. In each case, decide what a middle level request would be and then the fall back. Total all the high requests and then also half it for a worst case scenario. Shoot high and have a fall back.
Then get an idea of what this all may cost. Verify the cost after creating the specifics of the contact plan.

Develop the WRITTEN MATERIALS, letter and enclosures. Have a basic letter that can be tailored to different individuals and groups. It should include current info on DAPNet, acknowledgement of their help in the past, info on the specific event, what is being offered and why it would be important to them. It may include a budget for the event if asking for something very specific.

Create a TIMELINE that is workable. Preparation is everything that has to be done before going public. All of the non-individual calls usually need to be completed a couple of weeks before going public to allow for printing and all the changes that happen at the last minute. The calling needs about a week with a local event. Individuals cane be contacted with the general public.
It is better to complete each contact and do less of them than fall apart half way through. Have some support, ie someone(s) who knows what the plan is and can check in to see how it is going.

Generally the CONTACT will begin with the letter and enclosures. Sending an email at the same time depends on the person and available contact info. About a week after sending the letter, do a follow up phone call where possible. Be sure of what you are asking for and your fall back offer. Be sure the week planned for calling has plenty of available time to return calls. Start with the easiest ask for you. It really can be fun – remember this is not about you, but about DAPNet . What ever you get is great and builds a relationship with the person which can grow over time. Carl and Lisa created NEAPFD after years of relationship building, ie. life.
(Reva loves to do role-play and support callers). Before the event, be sure to follow up where relevant. At the event, make a point of thanking them and spending a little
time with them if possible. After the event, be sure a personal thank you note goes out to each donor. Then write up good notes on everyone contacted and give a copy to the Finance Committee for future events/fund-raising.

[jen judkins]

I agree with Tristan and John. I think some horses do better with blinders and some without. It takes skill on the teamsters part to read the situation and the horse, and THAT in my mind is the important piece in regard to sorting out how to do it. I also think some horses do better in blinders for some activities and better without for others. My Reno goes in in an open bridle for just about everything as a single. I have had to put him in blinders as a team, mostly to keep him focused. In an open bridle he hassles his teammate mercilessly. His teammate, on the other hand, does not do well in an open bridle. He just comes unglued when the object behind him moves, and he can see it. I think I could get him past that, but why bother when he is absolutely perfect with blinders on….steady as they come.

So I think when considering taking horses out of blinders, you should consider ‘why’ you want to change this? If you are not having trouble with your team, I would have to have a good reason to want to change that. I took Reno out of blinders because he was unconfident working alone and seeing me seemed to help him with that. I can see that I was right, given his confidence with a teammate now. Anyway, Its nice to have an idea of how your horse or team would do without blinders in case you have to do it, as John pointed out, but whether to put the effort into going from blinders to open, is a personal preference for the most part, and will depend on the horse and situation.

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