Visit "Delivering Morgans to Europe December 2011"
Big news at Rafter Bar D October 2011!!
RBD Midnight Lace will be the first Morgan in history to go to Hungary and RBD Immortal Cyrus and JMF Midnight Expose are heading to Germany to begin a new breeding program! They are all 3 going together and Katie at Nedpoint, the quarantine facility on Oklahoma, has offered for me to go with them on the airplane when they fly out of Houston, TX. Special thanks to Katie for offering such a gift! What an exciting adventure!! I will be in Europe for two weeks meeting and visiting our international Morgan friends. Landing in Amsterdam, on to Germany, then to Hungary and from there to France to see our France friends, who were our first international Morgan friends, purchasing 2 Morgans from us two years ago. It is a great honor to be going with our Morgans to Europe and meeting our new International friends.
October 3, 2011 photo shoot before leaving on our big trip!
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Connecting with people internationally through the Morgan horse has been culturally enriching and rewarding. Fullfilling dreams globally is truly an honor. We have sold morgans to France, Germany, Hungary and Puerto Rico now, and we look forward to making more Morgan friends internationally. Enjoy the articles below.
RBD Midnight Lace is preparing for her new home in Hungary!
RBD Immortal Cyrus and JMF Midnight Expose' traveled to Germany!
RBD Black Maverick goes to Puerto Rico!
Article from 2010
Breeding and promoting Morgans has been a vision for the past 5 years for us, here on our small farm in northern Wisconsin. Meeting people from all different walks of life and sharing our Morgans is a dream come true, however, attracting people from overseas has been a welcome surprise for us. We have truly enjoyed the cultural diversity and have embraced the challenges that come with it. When we sold two Morgans to France last year,we were happy to have such a great experience, however, we didn’t expect another international call for one of our foals.
The call came summer 2010, and a man with a heavy accent was inquiring about our 2010 colt, RBD Black Maverick. Little did I know the adventure was about to begin. George, from Puerto Rico, talked of a life long dream to own a morgan after seeing the Walt Disney movie, Justin Morgan Had A Horse, when he was a boy. He has long admired the Morgan for all the traits that define them, along with the rich history that follows them. He was unable to find a Morgan in Puerto Rico that fit his desires and says he believes there are only a few Morgans there, so in search of a foal to raise and fulfill his dream, he found us through the internet.
George is the president of an agricultural fair in Puerto Rico that runs for 8 days in July and attracts more than 150,000 people. He has raised Paso Fino's and Pinto's for 30 years and has a passion for horses. He was in search of a black morgan colt to raise, and represent the morgan breed in Puerto Rico at the fair. He loved Maverick's classic style and he was captivated by his sire, JMF Basic Black.
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After many phone conversations and shared photos, George was sure he wanted Maverick, so we completed a purchase agreement and the plans began. Maverick would be Puerto Rico bound after weaning in October. In preparation for the trip he needed vaccines including a rabies certificate, a negative coggins, and a health certificate that included his import number. He did not have to go through quaranteen, which was a relief to us.
To begin his long journey, Maverick needed to be transported to Florida, where he would board an airplane and fly to Puerto Rico. George wanted us to transport Maverick to Florida to ensure his safety and wellbeing, especially because he was a weanling. We agreed and mapped our route. We transported Maverick 1500 miles from Sarona, Wisconsin to Ocala, Florida, where he stayed at the Lorraine Horse Transport Company over night in preparation to fly the next day. He traveled very well and took everything in stride. The transport company brought him to Orlando, Florida, where he boarded a 757 cargo air craft with 49 other horses for a 3 hour flight. Being that Maverick was the only foal, he was the last one to board the plane and the first one off when they landed. Alegre Equine Air Transport did a fine job flying Maverick safely to his new home. We had the honor of dining with the owner and pilot, Greg, who is a very good friend to George.
Saying good bye to Maverick was hard and it brought tears. He is a very special colt and we do believe destined for big things. Although it is our goal to raise exceptional foals to promote the Morgan breed and share them with others, it is never easy to give that last hug. George called with his arrival in Puerto Rico and reported that Maverick was in very good condition and he was so happy to finally have him in his arms. He is doing great in his new home adjusting to the temperature along with everything else, and George loves how he nickers with every visit and comes to him for attention. George also has exotic animals that are used for a zoo at the fair, and Maverick is living next to a Zebra. They have befriended each other and Maverick is enjoying the company of his new striped friend. George is also giving him carrots, apples and bananas for treats and reports that he loves them. Morgans . . . you gotta love em'!
The photo above was sent to us by George, who is holding Maverick in his barn next to his stall. We are so happy to know Maverick is in such a good home, and we are honored that he will be representing the Morgan breed in Puerto Rico. As a gift to us in appreciation for fulfilling a lifelong dream, George has invited us to come and stay for the fair next year and promote our Morgan farm. He says we need to share this wonderful breed with the people in Puerto Rico and all our promotional materials are welcome. It is an honor for us and we are planning to make the trip. It would be great to see Maverick in his new home, meet George and his family and experience the fair and the culture in Puerto Rico. We send a very special thank you to George and his family for purchasing Maverick from us. He has been wonderful to work with and we look forward to a lasting friendship over the years. We talk with George often and he says he feels honored to finally own a Morgan ~
Angel and Secret go to France!
Article from 2009
We have met some wonderful people through the shared desire to own a Morgan horse, and in 2009 we had visitors from France. In search of their first Morgan, Nicolas and Daniele, from Mansigne, France, e-mailed us inquiring about a mare we had for sale, Sable Rockin Blue Angel. They wanted to come and see her at our farm. I was skeptical of the validity of this e-mail, however, I responded anyway. Nicolas replied he would call me the next day, in the morning. I wasn’t sure if we would really receive a call. “Would people really come all the way from France to our farm?” They found our website while searching Morgan farms to visit, and were very interested in our horses and our western style of riding. Nicolas said, “I love the photos and I like the words you put next to them.”
Nicolas and Daniele began researching the Morgan horse nine years ago, and for the past seven years they planned and saved to come to the United States to purchase a Morgan. They were intrigued by the versatility of the Morgan horse and their contribution to the western expansion of this country. They have a great interest in the old west and way of life. Nicolas said there was only between 20 to 30 Morgans in France, to his knowledge, just 3 years ago. This was a big dream for them to come to the United States, travel the western states and bring a Morgan back to France. Our farm was the furthest east they contacted for a visit.
They arrived at our farm, in Northern Wisconsin, in the afternoon of August 5, 2009. They spent five days with us riding Morgans, sharing stories, and looking at photos. We even did a bit of mounted cowboy action shooting in our arena, just for fun.
They really wanted to go to a western store, so we spent a day away from the farm shopping. Outfitting them with cowboy boots, hats and western clothes was an adventure in itself. Our communication barrier was difficult at times.
Daniele didn’t speak any English and Nicolas could speak some. He carried a small translation book so we could communicate better. We certainly managed well for 5 days and at times we seemed to be performing charades, but the challenge was fun and exciting. We did have Yves, a friend who speaks fluent French, come to our farm when we completed all the paperwork for the purchase of Angel. We didn’t want any miscommunications about the horse they were buying or interested in. They were also interested in Angel’s filly, RBD Victoria’s Secret. They did call us after they returned to France and decided to purchase Secret as well. International transport plans begin . . .
The mare and foal were transported from our farm in Wisconsin, early in October to New York, where they were placed in 30 days of quarantine. We prepared for their trip with vaccines, negative coggins, health certificates, 
copy of registration papers and purchase agreement. All of the arrangements were made through ConsolAir Inc. based out of Quebec, Canada. Between Nicolas and Charles, from ConsolAir, the shipper and our veterinarian we communicated and worked together to get the mare and foal from our farm to France. Clear communication was important and timely and the preparation was crucial to be ready for such a big journey.
While waiting for the arrival of their Morgans, Nicolas and Daniele prepared their farm for the new additions, building them their own shelter and pasture. They sent photos of their work and assured us of the wonderful home they would have. They would be new to the Morgan, however, they own a paint stallion, two quarter horse mares and a foal in France.
Angel and Secret would board the plane in New York and arrive in the Netherlands in Amsterdam, November 11, 2009. After arriving at the airport, Nicolas and Daniele called to report the mare and foal were in great shape, and they loaded right into their trailer. Happy to have their American Morgans, Nicolas and Daniele headed for home to Mansigne France, 8 hours away. What an incredible journey these two Morgans made, and they did it in a fashion that we could only expect from a Morgan.
We are honored that we had this opportunity to develop a friendship with Nicolas and Daniele . We truly enjoyed getting to know them, sharing our Morgans and letting them get to know our herd first hand. They loved the friendly personalities, beauty and movement of our Morgans. We stay in touch with them via e-mail and by phone. They want to meet our stallions, , and are planning another trip to our farm. They have invited us to come and stay with them in France, so we plan to visit them in the future, and we look forward to their return.
We have met so many wonderful people through the Morgan horse. Creating a website for Rafter Bar D Morgans has been instrumental in connecting with people all over the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and France, of course. We look forward to many years of raising Morgans and developing relationships with people who share a common interest. It is our goal to promote the Morgan breed by raising Morgans with all the endearing qualities they are noted for and sharing them with the world. We strive for an intelligent calm disposition, good morgan type with beauty, powerful elegant movement and the athletic ability to be versatile. With our careful selection of mares and choice in stallions we hope to offer some of the finest foals for sport, family pleasure, work or show.
We welcome you to visit Rafter Bar D Morgans.
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