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How I First Discovered Haflingers by Anita Sweeney of Willow Brook Farm, Arkansas

In 1987, we were in New Hampshire checking out the state for a possible retirement home, when I picked up a Yankee Pedlar Magazine and saw an article that Rebecca Etchevery had written about Haflingers. She listed some breeders (all who were located in New York state). So, that was the end of the vacation. We drove across New England and went to New York to look at Haflingers. The first place we went was to New Trend Farm (John & Judy Millers). We called from the throughway and John was nice enough to tell us we could come by although it was a Sunday afternoon.

Now if you have never been to New Trend, you can't just imagine the experience. If you have, then you know very well what I'm talking about. There are aisle after aisle with stall after stall of absolutely beautiful Haflingers. Little "blonde" heads looking at you from all directions. That was it, I was hooked!

I bought Otto's book on Haflingers, subscribed to the Haflinger Highlite, found out about the shows and sales, and did a lot of reading! In 1989, we attended our first HRNA National Show and sale. My first horse sale ever! We went through the barns and looked at all the horses. One horse caught my eye for having such a beautiful head. That was Lesli-R owned by the Woodwards. I still think she has one of the most beautiful heads I have seen on a Haflinger! The second one I saw was a lovely weanling filly with a round number pasted right above her tail. I stopped the girl leading her, told her what a pretty filly she was, and asked about the number. She said that was her sale number and that she would be sold at auction on Saturday. After that, there might as well have been no more horses at the whole show. All I could think about was that incredible filly!

We watched all the classes (I must say that English and Western pleasure have come a LONG way since then) and I was delighted when the filly I had seen won the futurity and was named the weanling futurity champion.

Come Saturday, we watched in awe at our first ever horse sale. It then came time for the filly to sell and the auctioneer talked about her being the futurity champion and that would always be one of her credentials. To make a long story short, Gary talked me into bidding on her although we were living buying her at more money than we had ever paid for a horse at that time, and for a weanling filly too boot. Talk about immedate buyer's remorse when the reality sank in about now what to do with this filly I had just bought! Oh no, I thought, what have I done:-(

That filly (our first Haflinger) was LaFollie who went on not only to being National Grand Champion Mare and Best of Show several times, but to also giving birth to multiple futurity champions!

She was by far the most memorable Haflinger I've ever known or met. I am still sometimes in awe of her, both for her looks and her unbelieveable "presence" and dignity, not to mention her total sweetness.

Just as an after thought, it is probably needless for me to say if you have been in Haflingers very long, but for all the newcomers to the breed, Follie has certainly paid for herself over and over again:-)