New Year Greeting from LANA

Dear Fellow LANA Members:

A new year is beginning and we are again looking forward to spring, with rebirth and, for a fortunate few, foals on the way. Again we are grateful to have had these magnificent horses touch our lives, and again we are reminded of our responsibility to insure the perpetuation of this historic breed and of their critical pedigree records.

This new year will bring some excitement to the LANA community:

• Gary Lashinsky, a member of LANA's Board of Directors and President /Producer of Lipizzaner Stallions, hopes to bring the Spanish Riding School of Vienna back to North America soon for another series of performances. We will keep you informed of when and where the SRS will appear and what associated events LANA will plan. Gary just returned from Bahrain where his horses were invited to perform for the King. We are so pleased that one our Directors continues to bring Lipizzan performances to appreciative audiences around the world.

• LANA has been working toward having the pedigree records available online, through a secure website, so that members may log in to review current pedigree information for breeding purposes or for researching bloodlines. LANA has available, not just currently registered purebred and partbred horses, but all known horses born in or imported into North America, Get of Sire, Produce of Dam, DNA data, and an AKA list for horses whose names were changed from their European form.

• LANA has interesting new historical articles planned for its Haute Ecole newsletter.

• In addition to the website and blog, LANA has added a Facebook page, designed and managed by Samantha Martel.

• LANA has expanded its online store with new Lipizzan-related merchandise, including several newly available classic books. Please revisit the store: http://lipizzan.org/store.html

• LANA continues to represent Lipizzan competitors through its involvement as an Affiliate Member of the USEF (United States Equestrian Federation).

• The LFA (the Lipizzan Federation of America) will continue in its present form, as an organization of three organizations (LANA, ALBA, USLR) which represents North America to the LIF (the Lipizzan International Federation). Though an attempt to change the LFA into a member organization has failed, there is no change in our interaction with the international community, nor is there any change in the international recognition of our pedigrees. LANA is a member of the Lipizzan International Federation. LANA’s studbook is recognized by the LIF and remains part of the LIF records. All LANA registered Lipizzans are recognized by the LIF.

Any LANA member who would like to become more involved in the organization's activities, or business operation, or in the governance of LANA, please just speak up. Your involvement is welcome and appreciated. Let us know what you would like to do.

LANA wants to continue to meet the needs of our members. Our primary focus as a breed registry has always been the horses, and the maintenance of accurate, verifiable pedigree data in order to preserve and promote the Lipizzan breed in North America and abroad.

HAPPY NEW YEAR from LANA's Board of Directors

Dr. Delphi Toth: Delphi@Lipizzan.org

Gary Lashinsky: Gary@Lipizzan.org

John Nicholas Iannuzzi, Esq.: Iannuzzi@Lipizzan.org

Melody Hull: Mel@Lipizzan.org

Sandra Heaberlin: Sandy@Lipizzan.org