Netherland Dwarf rabbit

The Netherland Dwarf is a breed of domestic rabbit that originated in the Netherlands. Weighing , the Netherland Dwarf is one of the smallest rabbit breeds. Its popularity as a pet or show rabbit may stem from its neotenic appearance. The Netherland Dwarf is recognised by both the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and the British Rabbit Council (BRC). The Netherland Dwarf is often confused with the Polish breed of rabbit, but the latter has longer ears, a non-brachycephalic head and less cobbiness.
History.
The Netherland Dwarf breed was first produced in the Netherlands in the early 20th century. Small Polish rabbits were bred with smaller wild rabbits; after several generations the resulting animal was a very small domestic rabbit available in a wide variety of colours and patterns. Netherland Dwarfs were first imported into the United Kingdom in 1948. In the 1960s and 1970s the United States imported its first Netherland Dwarf rabbits. The breed was accepted by the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 1969 using a modification of the British standard.
Early dwarfs, even into the 1970s and 1980s, had fearful and sometimes aggressive temperaments. This was a result of breeders selecting wild breeding animals for their size. The first dwarf rabbits behaved more like these wild rabbits than domestic animals and were not good pets. However, through generations of selective breeding, the modern Netherland Dwarf has become a gentle, friendly pet rabbit, though it still can retain a more energetic disposition than larger breeds.
Appearance.
The Netherland Dwarf's head and eyes are disproportionately large with respect to its short-coupled and stout ("cobby") body. Its ears are notably short and carried high on the head and its face is rounded and brachycephalic. These neotenic features, a result of dwarfism, cause the Netherland Dwarf to retain an infantile appearance even into adulthood.
The Netherland Dwarf has been bred in a wide variety of colours, including: Ruby Eyed White, Blue Eyed White, Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Red, Siamese Sable, Siamese Smoke, Sealpoint, Blue Point, Chocolate Point, Tortoiseshell, Agouti, Red Agouti, Opal, Cinnamon, Lynx, Chinchilla, Squirrel, Tan, Marten Sable, Marten Smoke, Black Otter, Blue Otter, Chocolate Otter, Lilac Otter, Fox, Orange, Fawn, Hotot, Himalayan, Harlequin, Magpie, Broken, Butterfly and Mantle .
Netherland Dwarfs as pets.
Due to their size and overall disposition, Netherlands Dwarfs often do not make good pets for children (although suitability will vary between individual rabbits). There is often a mismatch with small children, because they like to play with the pet or pick it up to cuddle with it. Dwarf rabbits do not like to be picked up or held tightly; and they can bite, scratch or struggle wildly if the child does so. This often leads to accidents if the child drops them out of fright, leading to major injuries because a rabbit has very fragile bones. Larger breeds of rabbits are recommended for children, because they have fewer issues with temperament.
However, dwarf rabbits can make excellent pets for adults. They thrive in a quiet, stable environment with plenty of human interaction. They are trainable, quiet and clean. Grooming needs are minimal, but the rabbit enjoys a daily brushing. Time is needed to bond with the rabbit and to build trust, because Dwarf breeds are often more nervous and more aloof than larger breeds. However, when the rabbit has bonded with their owner they make affectionate pets.
The expected lifespan of domesticated Netherland Dwarfs is 10-12 years.
Behaviour.
They can be litter-trained because they have a natural tendency to choose the same spot for their droppings and they have a much higher intelligence than most rabbits making it easier to litter train them.
Netherland Dwarfs can be skittish, wild and/or of a disagreeable nature. This is a leftover stereotype from the beginnings of the breed. This has changed through selective breeding; however, they are skittish and aloof. They are extremely active and energetic, requiring the same amount of exercise as other breeds of rabbit. They also have a higher tendency towards nervousness and stress. As with any species, disposition will vary from individual to individual.
Diet.
Their diet consists of good quality pellets, veggies and an unlimited supply of hay. Root vegetables and fruit are high in sugar and should not be given often or in large amounts.
Pellets should be fed in limited amounts—1/8 cup per pound of body weight. Vegetables - namely dark, leafy greens, should also be given, at 2 cups or more per 6 pounds of body weight.
At a juvenile age, Netherland Dwarfs (as with most other rabbit breeds) should be fed unlimited quantities of alfalfa pellets and hay. As they age, the alfalfa should be gradually replaced with other hays and pellets. The pellets should be reduced to proportion with the weight of the rabbit.
Dwarf breeds.
Rabbit breeds derived from breeding larger rabbits with the Netherland Dwarf (or any rabbit with a dwarf gene) are known as "dwarf breeds". Most smaller breeds, like the Mini Rex, the Jersey Wooly, and the Holland Lop, are results of such breedings. Generally dwarf breeds are slightly larger than the typical Netherland Dwarf, not growing larger than 4 to 5 lb (1.8 to 2.3 kg). Most have shortened faces compared to larger rabbits, and some even preserve the rounded head, large eyes or small ears of the Netherland Dwarf. These features make them look little. Specifically, the Netherland Dwarf body should be round, compact and equally broad from front to back. Dwarf rabbits also have short legs and a large head in relation to the body. Their foreheads are broad and they have well developed muzzles. Furthermore, the eyes are large and prominent. Their ears are erect and close together, reaching between one and three inches in length. They have to be shorter than 2 inches and a half (ARBA), if not, this is a disqualification from competition in the Netherland Dwarf breed. Dwarf rabbits typically weigh 2 to 2.5 pounds according to ARBA.
Breeding.
The gene (symbol Dw) responsible for the common appearance of the dwarf was discovered in the United States during the beginning of the 20th century. When two "true dwarfs" (both buck and doe) are bred, the genetic pattern which makes them "true dwarfs" (Dwdw) ensures that 25 percentage of their offspring will inherit the lethal genetic combination dwdw. These offspring, often called "peanuts" by rabbit breeders, are destined to struggle with life for up to three weeks and then to die. Reasons behind the death are unknown, but it is believed that peanuts have underdeveloped digestive tracts. The condition is 100% fatal, although if fed by hand every hour and kept warm it is possible for a peanut to survive, even though it will be handicapped for its entire life. Many ethical breeders humanely euthanise peanuts upon finding them soon after birth. Peanuts are easily distinguished from non-peanuts; they have extremely pinched hindquarters, a bulbous head and their ears are often set further back than normal (sometimes almost onto the neck).
If two true dwarfs are bred, the statistical result will be 25% fatal 25% false, and 50% true. The actual numbers of true/false/peanuts in a real litter varies. "False Dwarfs" tend to have longer bodies, longer/larger ears, longer faces, and are mostly heavier than the 2.5 pound maximum weight for showing. While false dwarfs (referred to as BUD's by breeders, BUD meaning big ugly doe) do not make good show rabbits, does from a good background are vital to a breeder's programme. They have the same "good genes" as a true dwarf and are capable mothers, possibly even having larger and more successful litters than true dwarfs. Also False Dwarfs are unable to produce peanuts. Their litters will be 50% false dwarfs and 50% true dwarfs if they are bred to a true dwarf buck. False dwarfs are easily judged for quality as the traits are generally the same, only bigger. Ear thickness/shape, fullness of hindquarter, topline and other traits are the same.
It is common practice among Netherland Dwarf breeders to breed a proven show quality true dwarf buck to a quality false dwarf doe. This eliminates the chance of peanuts and yields quality offspring. The chances of false dwarfs is higher, but those offspring generally go toward breeding (some false dwarf bucks have proven themselves valuable to a breeding programme) or are sold as pets. Usually false dwarf bucks are not kept by breeders.


Myriad Botanical Gardens

The Myriad Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden and interactive urban park located in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on the southwest corner of Reno and Robinson. The Gardens is home to multiple tiers of densely landscaped areas that surround a sunken lake. Its primary feature is the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory - a living plant museum featuring towering palm trees, tropical plants and flowers, waterfalls, and exotic animals.
Education.
The Myriad Botanical Gardens provides multiple education opportunities for youth and adults throughout each calendar year. Special rates may apply for group education opportunities.
The Rainforest Ecology Activity Program (REAP) is geared towards second and fourth graders. It concentrates on specific themes in biology, ecology while employing a hands-on, inquiry-based approach to understanding.
Roaming the Rainforest summer education program provides a basic level of understanding of ecology, with specific focus on Rainforest education and conservation. It is held each Tuesday and Wednesday in June and July. Daycare, church and homeschool groups welcome.
Junior Master Gardener is an intensive one-week summer day program for children 7 to 12 years old. Instruction focuses on biology, horticulture and conservation. Multiple hands-on activities included.
The annual Oklahoma Gardening School is one of the Gardens' signature events. Held typically the first Saturday in March, the Oklahoma Gardening School is an all-day seminar featuring acclaimed garden experts from Oklahoma and the South / Southwest regions of the US. Topics change annually and may range from best trees and shrubs for Oklahoma gardens, to sustainable vegetable gardening, gardening for floral arrangements, and more. Check website for speaker list.
Art in the Gardens.
The Myriad Botanical Gardens is home to several pieces of art. "Gateway" by Hans Van de Bovenkamp stands on a raised berm at the northeast corner of the Gardens. "Childhood is Everlasting" (1992) by Robin Orbach is installed in the southwest quadrant of the grounds. "Philodendron Dome" is located on the northwest side of the lake and consists of a dome-shaped framework on an 8' x 9' base made of iron and bronze. Iron vines support the "dome" of this bronze plant's leaves, where visitors can enter for a view from underneath.
"Flying Fish" by Kenny McCage is a kinetic sculpture in the Gardens' east lake. "Land of the Brave and the Free" is a kinetic wind sculpture composed of bright colors and archetypal shapes. It located on the west side of the Gardens. It was donated in 2002 to the Festival of the Arts by California artist Susan Pascal Beran. The "Spirit Poles" are adjacent to the north fountain plaza, and were gifts to the City of Oklahoma City from the City of Tulsa in commemoration of Oklahoma's centennial of statehood in 2007.


Hereford Cattle Society

The Hereford Cattle Society (formerly the "Hereford Herd Book Society", also known as the "Hereford Breed Society") is the British breeding authority on Hereford Cattle, and the originator of the breed's herd book. Founded in 1878 as the Hereford Herd Book Society (under the patronage of Queen Victoria), the Herd Book for the breed was open between 1846 and 1886, since which point it has remained closed; the consequence of this is that all Hereford cattle in existence today can (and must) directly trace their lineage to a sire and dam recorded in the society's book. The current name has been used since 1996. Based on Offa Street in Hereford, the Society also originally housed the World Hereford Council, when it began as an offshoot organisation in 1951. The Society today continues to hold cattle sales, shows and events promoting and cultivating the consumption, trade and development of Hereford cattle throughout the United Kingdom.


Barranco Grande Windmill

The Barranco Grande Windmill or Grand Canyon Mill () is located in Barranco Grande, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the island of Tenerife, Spain. It is similar to the Cuevas Blancas Windmill, and is one of three remaining windmills in the region, the other being in El Rosario, Tenerife.
The mill was conical, with masonry walls, and is around high. It was mostly demolished by a mechanical shovel on 27 January 1973. It was listed as Bien de Interés Cultural on 18 December 2007.
The remains were acquired by the Santa Cruz town hall in 2007, who subsequently contracted its restoration to Volconsa at a cost of €425,000. The mill was not completely reconstructed, but the blades and gears were recreated in 2010, and former parts of the windmill are now arranged around the remains.


French Saddle Pony

The French Saddle Pony, also called the Poney Français de Selle, is a pony breed developed as a sport pony for children and smaller adult riders. It was initially developed in 1969 as the Poney de Croisement (Cross-bred Pony), and in 1972 a stud book was created. In 1991 the stud book was closed and the breed renamed to Poney Français de Selle. The breed combines a mix of French and British pony breeds, as well as Thoroughbred and Arabian blood, to create the horse seen today. Due to the large number of breeds used to create the French Saddle Pony, there is not yet a defined set of physical characteristics for the breed, although all tend to be suited for competition in English riding disciplines, including dressage, show jumping and three-day eventing. They fill a similar role as the British Riding Pony and the German riding pony.
Breed characteristics.
The French Saddle Pony stands high and can be any color. A set standard type does not yet exist, due to differences in bloodlines between various ponies, but the desired type is that of a small saddle horse. Despite the differences, the majority of ponies have some physical characteristics in common. The head is small with a straight or convex profile. The neck is long, the withers prominent, the chest wide and deep and the shoulders sloping and long. The croup is sloping and the legs are strong with large, clean joints and clearly defined tendons.
History.
The breeding program for the French Saddle Pony was initiated in 1969 by the Association Française du Poney de Croisement (French Association of Cross-bred Ponies), who wanted to create and promote a French Sport Pony, initially under the name Poney de Croisement (Cross-bred Pony). A stud book was created for the breed in 1972, and in 1991 the registry was closed to outside blood and the breed was renamed to Poney Français de Selle. The first ponies were created from a mixture of Arabian, New Forest, Welsh, Connemara and Thoroughbred blood. Later, Landais, Pottok, Merens and Basque blood was added.
Today, the biggest breeding areas are in Mayenne, Normandy and Brittany, although the breed can be found throughout France. Due to its success in competition, it is becoming increasingly popular outside France. Between 1977 and 2000, registrations increased from 95 to almost 1,300, although the population has declined slightly between 1997 and 2012—a trend common to all French pony breeds.
Uses.
French Saddle Ponies are mainly used as riding horses in competition events such as show jumping, dressage and three-day eventing, but are also used as harness ponies and for recreational riding. Many riding schools use French Saddle Ponies for novice riders, although they are also seen in competition as high as the international level. The breed fills a role similar to that of the British Riding Pony and the German riding pony.


Hooker Woodframe Grain Elevator

The Hooker Woodframe Grain Elevator is a grain elevator in Hooker, Oklahoma. The elevator was built in 1926 by the Riffe & Gilmore Co. and operated by the Wheat Pool Elevator Company. Located along the Beaver, Meade & Englewood Railroad, which ran from the east at Beaver, Oklahoma to the west at Keyes, Oklahoma (northeast of Boise City), the elevator served the local wheat industry. It was one of several built to compete with the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad elevators in the region. The elevator was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 13, 1983 and is one of two National Register of Historic Places listings in Texas County, Oklahoma located around Hooker.


John Warwick King

John Warwick King (26 December 1856 – 14 January 1927) was a Progressive party member of the House of Commons of Canada. He was born in Smiths Falls, Canada West and became a farmer and teacher.
King attended public school at Bluevale. For 17 years he was a public school teacher in the province, then became an agriculturalist. King once served as treasurer Turnberry Township.
He was first elected to Parliament at the Huron North riding in the 1921 general election then re-elected there in 1925 and 1926.
King died on 14 January 1927 of a heart attack at his home in Bluevale, before the end of his term in the 16th Canadian Parliament. His wife, née Annie Olive Schoales, died in May 1926.


Johannes Berg

Johannes Berg (1 November 1863 – 21 November 1935) was a Norwegian farmer, civil servant and politician for the Conservative Party.
He was born in Trondhjem as a son of Valsøen in Jøssund as a son of farmer Petter Andreas Berg (1830–1907) and Henriette Margrete Brodtkorb (1838–1922). He was a relative of Christian Frederik Berg.
He finished middle school in Trondhjem in 1880 and then took a shipmate exam in 1884. He worked as a seaman and fisher before taking over the family farm Valsøen in 1898, which he sold in 1917. From 1907 he was also a postal clerk in Vallersund.
He was a member of Jøssund municipal council from 1898 to 1922, serving as mayor for eighteen years. He was elected to the Parliament of Norway from Sør-Trøndelag in 1924 and 1927, serving six years.


BellaVitano Cheese

BellaVitano is a cow's milk cheese made by the Sartori Company of Plymouth, Wisconsin. Introduced in 1999, BellaVitano Gold is one of a number of different cheeses made by the company. It is a hard cheese with a nutty, fruity flavor and is also available in a number of flavored varieties. The cheese, in its various forms, has won a number of international, national, and state awards.
Varieties.
Other limited edition varieties of BellaVitano Gold are made available from time to time.
Awards.
BellaVitano Family Awards


David Gibson (Victorian politician)

David Havelock Gibson (7 February 1873 – 27 April 1940) was an Australian politician.
Born in Havelock to farmer David Gibson and Grace Gerrand, both Scottish-born, he was a wheat farmer and grazier for thirty-four years. His brother, William Gibson, was a prominent federal politician. Around 1909 he married Margaret Barbara McKenzie, with whom he had one daughter. From 1910 to 1922 he was a Leigh Shire councillor, serving as president from 1911 to 1913. In 1917 he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the member for Grenville, a member of the newly political Victorian Farmers' Union, of which he became parliamentary secretary and whip. Joining the Country Party at its foundation in 1920, he was defeated in 1921 and became director of the Victorian Wheatgrowers' Corporation, a position he held until his death in 1940.


List of Dutch chicken breeds

This is a list of chicken breeds usually considered to be of Dutch origin. Some may have complex or obscure histories, so inclusion here does not necessarily imply that a breed is predominantly or exclusively from the Netherlands.


Mount House Station

Mount House Station, commonly referred to as Mount House, is a pastoral lease that operates as a cattle station in Western Australia.
It is situated about north of Junjuwa and north west of Halls Creek, and is accessed via the Gibb River Road. The homestead is situated along the Adcock River, a tributary of the Fitzroy River. The lease takes its name from the naturalist, Dr House.
Mount House shares a boundary with Charnley River Station.
Frank Hann crossed the Wunaamin-Miliwundi_Ranges and explored the area in 1898. He was impressed with the basaltic country around where Mount House and Mount Elizabeth Stations are found today.
Mount House was established early in the twentieth century along with many others in the region; the Blythe family owned and managed the property until the late 1960s. Joseph Blythe had managed Noonkanbah Station for the Emanuel brothers but eventually found the lands between the King Leopold and Philips Ranges.
By 1918 cattle in the Kimberley were suffering from tick fever and red water, with branding at Mount House reduced from 3,000 the previous year to 900.
The Indigenous Australian artist Jack Dale Mengenen was born in the bush at the station in about 1923. He worked as a stockman on many Kimberley properties before taking up painting.
In recognition of the inaccessible nature of the area a pedal wireless set was installed at Mount House in 1936. The Lotteries Commission paid for the set, which was open to use by surrounding stations and the mail service.
Lindsay Blythe, Joseph's son, took an active interest in the family cattle stations after returning from World War II. Lindsay, along with his brothers Douglas and Keith, were responsible for both Mount House and Glenroy Stations, which together occupied approximately . Blythe proposed an experiment in 1947, slaughtering four bullocks and butchering their carcasses on the station then flying the processed meat directly to Perth overnight using a MacRobertson Miller Airlines aeroplane. The trial was successfully completed the following month with of meat being delivered. This later became known as the Air Beef Scheme, and operated from 1949 to 1965.
The station was once owned by prominent Sydney barrister Frank Stratton McAlary, who also owned Yeeda Station. The property was managed by his daughter Caitlin. The cattle station was acquired by Kerry Stokes in 2016 for an undisclosed sum.


Mike Huckle

Michael Raymond George Huckle (born 6 August 1938) is a former Rhodesian cricketer who played a single first-class match for the Rhodesian national side in October 1966.
Born in Bulawayo, Huckle was a left-arm orthodox spinner and a right-handed lower-order batsman. His single first-class appearance came against Transvaal during the 1966–67 Currie Cup, in a three-day match at the Police A Ground in Salisbury (now Harare). In Rhodesia's first innings, Huckle came in eighth in the batting order, scoring 14 not out. Bowling in Transvaal's first innings, he had Ali Bacher, Transvaal's captain and a future captain of the South African national side, caught by Raymond Gripper for 54. He finished with 1/44 from nine six-ball overs, and played little further part in the match as Rhodesia lost by 10 wickets.
Huckle had been selected for Rhodesia on the basis of good form for Matabeleland in the Logan Cup. However, competition from two other spinners, Dave Napier and Neville Deudney, meant he played only a single game for the national side. Huckle later took up farming at Turk Mine, in present-day Matabeleland North Province. He stood as a Rhodesia Party candidate at the 1974 general election, but lost to the Rhodesian Front's Reginald Cowper in the Wankie constituency, getting only 13.9 percent of the vote. Huckle's son, Adam George Huckle, was raised in Turk Mine, and later went on to play Test cricket for Zimbabwe in the 1990s. Mike Huckle remained involved in local cricket, and in March 1991, aged 53, played a game for Matabeleland Country Districts against Ireland. One of his teammates in that match was Denis Streak, another ex-Rhodesian player farming at Turk Mine whose son, Heath Streak, played Tests for Zimbabwe.


Richard Parkinson (agriculturist)

Richard Parkinson (born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1748; died in England, 23 February 1815) was an English agriculturist.
Biography.
He became a farmer, was interested in improved methods, and was encouraged by Sir John Sinclair, president of the Board of Agriculture, who recommended him to George Washington. He left England 3 September 1798, and was for some time in the employ of Washington as an agriculturist at Mount Vernon, and resided at Orange Hill, near Baltimore.
On his return to England, Parkinson became steward to Sir Joseph Banks in Lincolnshire. He died at Osgodby on 23 February 1815.
Works.
He published:


Markham Village

Markham Village (2006 population 6,090) "(Census Tract No. 5350400.03 and 5350400.12)" is the historic city centre of Markham, Ontario, Canada. Originally settled in 1825, the village -- originally named "Reesorville" (reference to the Reesors settlers) sometime after 1804 and also known as "Mannheim" (likely after Mannheim) -- was a founded by Mennonites from Upstate New York and Pennsylvania. Eventually, as Upper Canada started to experience immigration from the British Isles, Markham would also experience such growth from Britain. By 1825, the name "Markham" was established as the permanent name. In 1850, the police village is created, but it does not include the villages of Unionville and Thornhill (which would later join in 1971 when the Town of Markham is created). The village becomes a police village in 1931. Markham Village was located within York County, Ontario (Upper Canada until 1840 and Canada West until 1867).
Population.
As of 2011, Census tract profile for 0400.07 (CT) currently has a population of 3397 compared to 3418 in 2006 (Census/NHS 2011, Census 2006). This decrease in population may have been due to issues affecting this area including the high costs of property or simply birth and death rates within the area. In addition, Markham's current economic expansions in both the public services (housing, construction, public services, etc.) and finances, it is forecast that Markham will see a population drop from those deciding to move away as a result of high priced real estate. It is currently estimated that a single family, detached home costs approximately one million Canadian dollars in Markham.
Markham Village Community Centre.
Markham Village Community Centre is located on the southeast corner of Main Street Markham and Highway 7 (Side Road Allowance). It was the former site of the Markham Fair and (William Armstrong's and later Robert Goodfellow Armstrong's) Wellington Hotel. The community centre features a library (c. 1981 and renovated 2009), community rooms (above rink) and indoor ice rink (c. 1963 with rink seating for 450 originally for hockey and now home to skating club). and drop off recycling centre. The community centre is configured on a north-south axis, where as the old Agricultural Hall was east-west with much of it now occupied by the current day parking lot.
Veterans Square and Cenotaph.
In the southwest corner of Markham Road and Highway 7 is the Markham Cenotaph. The area is used for annual Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Built in 1981 by Phillip Carter, the current memorial was re-vamped (2017-2018) with a new Veterans Square and Cenotaph which features an obelisk-like cenotaph and dedicated to the men and women who fought for Canada's freedom. An earlier memorial by Rebecca Sisler (c. 1967) was moved indoors into the community centre in 1996.
Main Street Markham Farmers’ Market.
From early May to early October a farmers market is set up along Robinson Street just west of Main Street. The market features local products and live entertainment and runs every Saturday from 8am to 1pm from May to October.
Education.
Markham Village is home to one of York Region's oldest schools. Opened as SS #17 in 1846 (later as SS #15), it became Markham Village Public School in 1886 and currently as Franklin Street Public School since early 1960s.
Transportation.
Public transit options are mostly limited by major arterial roads serving Markham Village:
There are two routes serving both Markham and Mount Joy GO Stations:
Three routes provides transit to students during school year with limited runs weekdays in the morning and afternoon:
Markham GO Station is the only stop on the Stouffville line within Markham Village. GO bus routes 54, 70A, 70C, 71C, 71E also has limited service to the station.
Markham Santa Claus Parade.
Markham Santa Claus Parade has been held in Markham Village in the month of November since 1972. The parade route begins just east of Main Street on Highway 7 and runs north along Main Street to 16th Avenue. The parade is hosted by Rotary Club of Markham and Markham-Unionville Rotary Club.


Mark Hudson (businessman)

Sir Mark Henry Hudson, KCVO (born 1947) is a British farmer, retired company director and former Chairman of the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Born into a family of Yorkshire farmers and trawlers in 1947, Hudson was educated at Sedbergh School and studied agriculture at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, and Wye College near London. He subsequently worked in dairy farming and joined the board of the agricultural and distribution business NWF Group PLC in 1985; he was the company's chairman from 2006 until he retired in 2017.
Hudson joined the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster in 2006, and in 2015 succeeded Lord Shuttleworth as Chairman of the Council. He served for two years, before retiring in 2017. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the 2017 Birthday Honours.


Francis Nenik

Francis Nenik works as a farmer and writes in his free time. He has published several novels. Current works include "XO" (a novel in the form of a loose-leaf collection) as well as a collection of short stories with strict alliteration (2013).
His most recent work is "The Marvel of Biographical Bookkeeping", a formally innovative book that explores the life stories of Nicholas Moore and Ivan Blatný, two 20th-century poets whose stars burned bright in their youths, Moore in England and Blatný in Czechoslovakia. Later in their lives both men were battered by history and individual fate.
The book's wildly imaginative structures are built on meticulous research, and as the two men's separate, parallel existences unfold, they reveal astounding coincidences and heartbreaking reversals of fortune.
An English translation of his story "Joseph and I" was published in the Spring 2013 issue of "Mad Hatters' Review". Words Without Borders called him "a comic genius, a master of dialogue and invention who finds humor in the darkest of places and darkness in the midst of jokes."
In 2014, he started writing a series of political short stories.
In 2016, Fiktion.cc published Neniks novel "Coin-Operated History". Spector Books published a selection of Neniks literary essays, called "Doppelte Biografieführung".
On January 20, 2017, he began his "Diary of a Derelict", which addresses the presidency of Donald Trump.
In 2018 his book "Reise durch ein tragikomisches Jahrhundert" was published. It gained positive reviews and was nominated for the "hotlist" of outstanding books produced by independent publishers in Switzerland, Austria and Germany.


Samuela Samuela

Samuela Samuela (died 1970) was a Cook Islands politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly from 1965 until his death.
Biography.
Samuela was a farmer and involved with the Catholic church. He was selected as Matavera district candidate for Cook Islands Party, contesting the Takitumu constituency in the 1965 elections. He was subsequently elected to the Legislative Assembly, and re-elected in the 1968 elections.
Samuela died in 1970, and was survived by his wife and eleven children.


Hanoverian horse

A Hanoverian (German: "Hannoveraner") is a Warmblood horse breed originating in Germany, which is often seen in the Olympic Games and other competitive English riding styles, and has won gold medals in all three equestrian Olympic competitions. It is one of the oldest, most numerous, and most successful of the Warmblood breeds. Originally a cavalry horse, infusions of more Thoroughbred blood lightened it to make it more agile and useful for competition. The Hanoverian is known for a good temperament, athleticism, beauty, and grace.
Breed history.
In 1735, George II, the King of England and Elector of Hanover, founded the State Stud at Celle. He purchased stallions suitable for all-purpose work in agriculture and in harness, as well as for breeding cavalry mounts. The local mares were refined with Holsteiner, Thoroughbred and Cleveland Bay, Neapolitan, Andalusian, Prussian, and Mecklenburg stock. By the end of the 18th century, the Hanoverian had become a high-class coach horse.
In 1844, a law was passed that allowed only stallions approved by a commission to be used for the purpose of breeding. In 1867, breeders started a society aimed at producing a coach and military horse, with the first stud book being published in 1888. The Hanoverian became one of the most popular breeds in Europe for coach and army work.
When the demand for Hanoverians declined following World War I, the aim for breeding became a horse that could be used for farm work, but still had the blood and gaits to be used as a riding and carriage horse. After World War II, there was a growing demand for sport horses, as well as general riding horses, and the breeding yet again was adapted. Thoroughbreds were used to refine the breed; occasionally an Anglo-Arabian or Trakehner stallion was used. The key to the success of the Hanoverian has been the rigorous selection of breeding stock, a large breed population, and breeders' willingness to adapt to changes in demand.
Today, the Hanoverian breeders' association offers many incentives to breed the best, including the famous auctions at Verden, and extensive grading opportunities for stallions, mares and young horses. In addition, few breeds have such well-kept records, allowing breeders to trace bloodlines over many generations, improving their chances to find the best stallion–mare match. The current aim of breeders today is to create a noble, versatile warmblood with light, elastic, and ground-covering gaits. Outside blood is brought in to improve the breed from Thoroughbred, Arab, and approved European Warmblood registered breeding stock based on pedigree, competitive performance and inspection by the Hanoverian Society’s judges. The strict selection ensures that Hanoverians are athletic and good jumpers, for show jumping and eventing, and have the gaits for dressage.
Breed characteristics.
Hanoverians are elegant, strong, and robust. They are bred to be willing and trainable, and have a strong back, powerful body, athletic movement, and strong limbs. Chestnut, bay, black, and gray are found the most often. Regulations prohibit horses with too much white, and buckskin, palomino and cremello horses from being registered. There is no height requirement, but Hanoverian horses are generally high.
Hanoverians in sport.
The World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) uses results from International Federation for Equestrian Sports-recognized (FEI) competitions to rank individual horses and breed registries within each Olympic discipline: dressage, show jumping, and eventing. The WBFSH publishes these rankings each year. The FEI is also the International Olympic Committee-recognized international governing body for equestrian sport.
In North America, the hunt seat style of riding features the show hunter, a highly competitive discipline. While infrastructure does not allow the accuracy and completeness of WBFSH/FEI standings, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) also publishes yearly rankings of the top hunter horses, and the top sires of hunter horses.
Hanoverians in dressage.
The Hanoverian Society has been the most successful studbook in international dressage competition as ranked by the WBFSH and FEI since these standings began to be published in 2001. The top Hanoverian-branded international dressage horses include Salinero, Satchmo 78, Sunrise, Bonaparte 67, Brentina, and Wansuela Suerte. Since the 1956 Olympic Games, Hanoverians have earned 3 individual gold medals (Salinero twice, and Gigolo), 4 individual silver medals (Satchmo, Gigolo twice, and Woycek), and 4 individual bronze medals (Bonaparte, Weyden, Mehmed, and Dux). Hanoverians have been members of no fewer than 7 gold medal dressage teams (2008, 2004, 2000, 1996, 1992, 1976, 1968, and 1964). The World Equestrian Games, which are held every four years to split the non-Olympic years evenly, have also been won by many Hanoverians. Dressage champions at the World Equestrian Games that bore the Hanoverian brand include Mehmed (1974), Gigolo (1994, 1998), Satchmo (2006), and Salinero (2006, freestyle). Hanoverians have been members of 8 gold-medal winning WEG teams since 1966 (1966, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, and 2006). At the age of 25, the Hanoverian stallion Weltmeyer is the world's #3 sire of international-caliber dressage horses, behind #2 Donnerhall, who was sired by the Hanoverian Donnerwetter.
Hanoverians in show jumping.
The Hanoverian Society has been consistently ranked in the top five most successful studbooks in international show jumping competition as ranked by the WBFSH and FEI since 2001. The best Hanoverian jumpers of the new millennium are Shutterfly, by Silvio, and For Pleasure, by Furioso II. Shutterfly won the Show Jumping World Cup in 2005, 2008, and 2009. For Pleasure was second place at the 1995 World Cup, and was a member of two gold medal-winning Olympic show jumping teams. Warwick Rex won the individual gold medal in show jumping at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, and Fidelitas took silver at the 1964 Tokyo Games. Hanoverians have been members of 6 Olympic gold medal teams in show jumping (2000, 1996, 1992, 1988, 1964, 1960). Other top-notch Hanoverian show jumpers include winner of the 1995 World Cup Dollar Girl, two-time World Cup champion E.T. FRH, and Esprit FRH, vice-champion of the World Cup in 1998 and member of the gold medal-winning show jumping team at the 1998 World Equestrian Games in Rome.
Hanoverian show hunters.
Show hunters are subjectively judged over at least two separate patterns of rustic obstacles, and are also judged on the efficiency and correctness of their gaits. Conformation hunters are also judged on their conformation, or the suitability and correctness of their physique. Over fences, hunters must jump safely and predictably, pulling their legs away from the obstacle and using their hindquarters for propulsion. The best hunters are pleasant and uncomplicated to ride. Competitions for show hunters are uncommon outside the United States and Canada. These competitions are broken down based on the age and presumed ability level of the rider: "juniors" are riders under the age of 18, and they are divided into those riders 15 years old and younger, and those that are 16 or 17. The divisions for junior riders also feature either large (at least tall) or small horses. Amateur adult riders compete in divisions for those 18 to 35 years, and those over 35. Champion hunters with the Hanoverian brand from recent years include Renaissance, Regular Working Hunter Horse of the Year in 2008, Katcha' Lookin', who was nationally ranked in top ten Regular Working Hunters in 2007, 2006, and 2005, and Sequel, Regular Working Hunter Horse of the Year in 2006 and 2005. Horse of the Year titles have also gone to Hanoverians in the restricted divisions, such as Large Junior Hunter 16-17 in 2008, Amateur Owner Hunter 18-35 and Amateur Owner Hunter 35+ in 2006, and Green Conformation Hunter in 2006. While poor record-keeping on the part of sellers and buyers limits their potential accuracy, the United States Equestrian Federation also publishes annual rankings of sires of hunter horses. In 2008, four Hanoverian sires were ranked in the top 10: All the Gold (2), Rio Grande (4), Escudo I (5) and Espri (8).
Hanoverians in eventing.
The sport of eventing is descended from comprehensive tests of cavalry horses, which had to be able to cover uncertain terrain and obstacles at speed, while still highly trained and obedient. The latter aspect is tested with a dressage test, while a grueling day of cross country jumping and galloping, followed by a simple show jumping course the next day, test the former quality. As civilians took up the sport following World War I, the sport began to demand faster horses. Over time, Hanoverians have become more successful in eventing. The development of the "short format" event, which does not require as much galloping, as well as the efforts of a handful of Hanoverian breeders, have seen the breed advance in the sport. An especially influential breeder of Hanoverian eventers is Friedrich Butt, whose crossing of Hanoverian half-Thoroughbred mares back to Thoroughbred stallions has produced the likes of Butts Abraxxas and the full siblings Butts Leon and Butts Leoness. Both Abraxxas and Leon were members of the gold medal-winning eventing team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
In 2008, the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) ranked the Hanoverian studbook third for eventing horses, behind the Irish Sport Horse and Selle Français. Thoroughbreds actually dominate the sport, and unregistered part-Thoroughbreds are also common, but as the breed registries for the Thoroughbred do not declare sport horses as their breeding aim, they are not members of the WBFSH and thus are not part of these rankings. Top sires of international-caliber Hanoverian eventers include Heraldik xx, Thoroughbred sire of Butts Leon and Butts Abraxxas; Amerigo Vespucci xx, Thoroughbred sire of Air Jordan and Nebelwerfer; Lemon xx, Thoroughbred sire of Lady Lemon FRH and FRH Little Lemon; and Sherlock Holmes xx, Thoroughbred sire of Schorsch and FRH Serve Well.
Health concerns.
In order to be incorporated into the studbook, stallions and mares must pass rigorous testing. The goal of this testing is to prevent horses with heritable defects from continuing to pass on their genes. As a result, horses with the Hanoverian brand often have excellent health. The Hanoverian verband, and other warmblood breeding societies, continue to promote research into the health of their horses.
Poor fertility in Hanoverian stallions and mares is not very common. However, research on Hanoverian stallions has helped lead to the identification of new genes that affect stallion fertility.
Osteochondrosis is a disease that affects the bone and cartilage in the joints of growing horses. The joints most commonly affected are the fetlocks in the fore- and hind leg, and the hock and stifle of the hind leg. Osteochondrosis lesions include tiny fractures, fluid buildup, loose flaps of cartilage, or chips of cartilage loose within the joint. The last lesion is called osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD), and can develop further into degenerative joint disease, such as osteoarthrosis. Osteochondrosis can also contribute to navicular syndrome and Wobbler disease. Because most horses, especially Hanoverians, which are often used for demanding equestrian sports, work for a living, joint discomfort can mean the end of a horse's career. Between 7% and 10% of Hanoverians have OCD in the hock joint, and between 12% and 24% have OCD in a fetlock joint.
Recent research has tagged certain conformational characteristics and other heritable factors of bone growth and maintenance as the most important contributors to the development of osteochondrosis. The Hanoverian Breeder's Society in Germany, and all its daughter societies, mandate that stallions must be free of OCD lesions in order to be issued a breeding license. Elite mares and Verband-sponsored auction candidates have identical requirements. Horses are examined with radiographs.
Breed societies.
The first studbook—official documentation of pedigrees, matings, and ensuing offspring—for Hanoverians was founded in 1888 by the Royal Agricultural Society. The "Hanoverian Warmblood studbook" was kept by the Chamber of Agriculture from 1899 until 1922, when the Society of Hanoverian Warmblood Breeders was founded, privatizing ownership of the studbook. This society unified over 50 local breeders' clubs with a total of over 10,000 members. Today, this society is known simply as the "Hannoveraner verband", or Hanoverian Society. The "verband" maintains the studbooks, issues passports, and collects and publishes performance statistics, while educating members about and encouraging research into all aspects of breeding and keeping healthy Hanoverians.
The Association for the Promotion of Hanoverian horses in Equestrian Sport ("Verein zur Förderung des Reitsports auf Hannoverschen Pferden") was founded in 1985 and operates under the "verband". Its goal is to unite sponsors, corporate or otherwise, and talented riders with the most gifted Hanoverian horses. In this way, the FRH removes the most common obstacle to a horse's success: expense. Horses united with their riders in this fashion bear the initials "FRH" as a suffix or prefix, e.g. Gigolo FRH, FRH Butts Abraxxas, Forsyth FRH.
The popularity of the Hanoverian has brought about a number of affiliated societies as Hanoverian horses began to reach the Americas, Australia and New Zealand in the 1970s. The American Hanoverian Society was founded in 1978. A single society first served Australia and New Zealand in 1981; the two nations have had separate societies since 1993. There are two Hanoverian breeding clubs in Canada, in addition to groups in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, France, and Russia.
"Verband" activities.
The "verband" is responsible for many events and facilities related to the Hanoverian horse, including selection procedures for breeding stock and the famous Elite Auctions in Verden. The "verband" also owns the Hanoverian Riding and Driving School which trains riders, instructors, and horses.
Auctions.
The auctions in Verden were first held in 1949, and have been held at the Niedersachsenhalle venue since 1972. There are at least ten auctions per year, each featuring top-quality riding horses, promising foals, proven broodmares, or licensed stallions. The most famous of these sales are the Elite Riding Horse Auctions held in April and October each year. World Cup winners such as Aramis, Mr. T and Walk on Top were Verden Elite Auction horses. Horses are delivered to the venue four weeks prior to the auction for training, promotion, and thorough screening for radiographic irregularities and vices. Price toppers routinely sell for well over €100,000 (Euros). The record price of €900,000—approximately equal to $1,125,000 at the time—was set in 2008 for the purchase of Lemony's Nicket.
Mare and foal shows.
The many steps and careful evaluations of Hanoverian breeding stock are organized by the "verband" and district breeders' clubs ("bezirkverband"). The district clubs are primarily responsible for local mare and foal shows. Foals of that year are presented, usually at their dam's side, to a panel of licensed breed judges. Foals of acceptable quality are branded, their papers are signed, and they are entered into the foal registry. Judges also use this venue to recommend exceptional foals for stallion candidacy or auction participation. Mares return to the mare shows as three-year-olds to be evaluated for entry into the studbook; only such mares can have registered Hanoverian foals. The young mares are evaluated on their conformation and gaits to ensure that they are of sufficient quality. Another component of the mare shows is the field test, in which young mares are evaluated for their suitability for and age-appropriate competency in dressage and show jumping. The majority of young mares participate in the field test or station test for mares, as proof of performance is required for the mother of any stallion candidate, as well as for the State's Premium. The best mares are awarded the State's Premium ("Staatspraemie"), a monetary prize provided by the government of Lower Saxony aimed at keeping the finest mares in the local breeding population. Every other year, one of the seven district breeders' clubs hosts the Louis Wiegels show. The best three- and four-year-old mares from each district attend, and to win is a great honor. Alternating years with the Louis Wiegels Mare show, the "verband" hosts the Herwert von der Decken mare show in Verden.
Breeding stock selection events.
Each year, the seven regional clubs nominate a total of 700 two-year-old colts as stallion candidates, of which only 100 attend the actual licensing ("koerung") at Verden in October. A panel of "verband"-selected judges, experts in their fields, form the "koerkommission", which evaluates each young stallion for his suitability as a sire of future Hanoverians. Through a veterinary exam, the colts must be deemed free of osteochondrosis lesions, vices, and other heritable conditions. They are then assessed on pavement to ensure that they have sound, straight, true gaits, as well as straight, sound legs. On the second day, the colts are judged on the suitability of their gaits for dressage, and their competency in jumping. On the third day, about half of the young stallions will have earned their temporary breeding license, while the other half are typically castrated and go on to become excellent riding horses. What follows the announcement of licensed stallions is the Stallion Sale, an auction which featured Hotline in 2005, who sold for a staggering €800,000.
The Hanoverian Society also organizes the Station Tests for mares. These four-week-long tests are a more in-depth evaluation of a mare's suitability for riding; in addition to her talents for dressage or show jumping, the judges can form an understanding of her character and temperament, including how easy she is to train. These tests are held at the Hanoverian Riding and Driving School in Verden and at the Hessen State Stud in Dillenburg. After young stallions have earned their temporary license, they have until they are four years old to prove themselves serviceable riding horses. The most common track is to send the stallion to a Stallion Performance Test ("Hengstleistungsprüfung") at the test center in Adelheidsdorf. As an outpost of Celle State Stud, the test center, unlike the Riding and Driving School, is owned by the state. Management of the 11-month test for state-owned stallions and the 70-day test for privately owned stallions is shared between the government-owned State Stud and the privately owned Hanoverian Society.


National Horse Show

The National Horse Show is the oldest continually held horse show in the United States. It was founded in 1883 in New York and held there until 2002, when it moved to Florida and then to Kentucky.
The National Horse Show offers competition for hunters, equitation, and show jumpers.
History.
The National Horse Show (NHS) was founded in 1883 in New York City by a group of affluent sportsmen. By 1887, the National Horse Show Directory, listing directors and 920 members, formed the basis for Louis Keller's first New York Social Register. The competition was featured regularly in illustrations for Harper's Weekly and other magazines by artists such as Howard Chandler Christy and Charles Dana Gibson.
In 1909, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, then president of the National Horse Show, made the show international by inviting British Cavalry officers to compete. In 1915 Eleonora Sears became the first woman to ride astride at the National Horse Show; prior to that, women rode sidesaddle. That same year, the show became an American military competition, until 1925. Competitors included Generals John J. "Black Jack" Pershing, William Billy Mitchell and George S. Patton. In 1926, the show moved to the third Madison Square Garden located on Eighth Avenue at 50th Street. Garden III would witness 40 years of National history and the show's continuing evolution.
By 1942, the National Horse Show had reached such importance that even as America entered World War II, an abbreviated show was still held. The competition moved to Madison Square Garden on 34th Street at Pennsylvania Station in 1968. It celebrated its centennial in 1983 with a Carriage Marathon for over 100 horse-drawn vehicles through Central Park and down Fifth Avenue to City Hall. In 1989, it moved to New Jersey's Meadowlands Arena. Newer, larger facilities led to an expansion of show division offerings. Pony hunters competed again, after an absence of 27 years, and new classes like celebrity cutting, lead line, and local classes for horses stabled within 100 miles were added.
In 1996, the competition returned to its century-old home at Madison Square Garden, and the famous racehorse, Cigar, with earnings of almost $10 million, had his formal retirement ceremony there. An Equine Extravaganza was held at Rockefeller Plaza in 1997, in recognition of The National Horse Show's 114th year.
In 2002, the show moved to Wellington, Florida, and managed by Mason Phelps Jr, who would later become president of the event. From 2008 to 2010 the NHS was held at the "Syracuse Invitational" in Syracuse, New York.
In 2011 the show moved again: the 128th National Horse Show was held in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Kentucky, the location of the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games.


Henry Johnston (Irish politician)

Henry Martin Johnston (11 November 1908 – 9 January 1977) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. A farmer by trade, he was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for the Meath constituency at the 1959 by-election caused by the death of James Griffin of Fianna Fáil. He lost his seat at the 1961 general election.


Petropoulos

Petropoulos (the full name of the company is Petros Petropoulos A.E.B.E.) is today a major importer and distributor of vehicles and heavy machinery, having been, at the same time, one of the "historic" Greek engine and vehicle manufacturers.
History.
Early steps.
The Petropoulos family has been involved in metal constructions for generations. Konstantinos Petropoulos was a well known manufacturer of church bells and metal products in the late 19th century, based in Amfissa and, later, in Lamia. According to tradition, there was a supposed well-kept "secret" behind the sound quality of the Petropoulos bells – the bell being today the recognizable company logo.
The company in its present form was founded by Petros Petropoulos in Thessaloniki in 1922. Early activities included sales of commercial vehicles as well as rebuilding of engines and vehicle assembly. This early construction activity involved assembly of Ford (1920s) and Willys-Overland (1930s) passenger cars, and Diamond T and International trucks (1930s). The Petropoulos factory was put under German control during the Axis occupation of Greece in World War II. The company resumed business after the war, and in 1948 it moved its headquarters to Athens, where it already had created a subsidiary.
Post-WWII Development.
Rebuilding of engines remained a major activity until 1953, when Petropoulos greatly expanded the popularity of the diesel engine in Greece, thanks to its cooperation with British F. Perkins Limited. In 1956 Petropoulos made a bold move, investing in farm tractor production. Model Π-35 introduced in 1956, as well as the more powerful Π-55 that followed shortly, were based on International Harvester designs (powered, though, by Perkins engines). Competitively priced and robust, these tractors became immediate success stories; however, in the early 1960s the company was engaged in a legal dispute over market (competition) rules with Malkotsis, another Greek tractor manufacturer claiming a share in the fast developing tractor market, resulting in production delays that almost bankrupted the company.
The company eventually abandoned production of its own tractor series and focused on engine production and truck and tractor assembly (Petropoulos-assembled trucks and tractors were exported to Europe and the Middle East). In 1974 it engaged into its boldest project, development and production of a new "smart" 4X4 truck family ("Unitrak/Polytrak/Militrak" models). The trucks sold fairly well to farmers, but the Greek Army ordered only small numbers of the Militrak version. This, and a 1984 change of a law that had made "farm vehicles" economically attractive, lead to termination of production. Once more the company, after heavily investing in an industrial project, was found in a dire financial state.
Decline of the Industrial Division and New Ventures.
Petropoulos has developed a variety of other industrial products, including power generators and forklift trucks (most notably the successful "Dynalift" family of Diesel- and Electric-powered forklifts). It even made an effort in 1994 to resume truck production, introducing a Swiss (Bucher) – designed vehicle as the "Militrak II Duro"; however again, the vehicle was not adopted by the Greek Army.
Since the late 1990s Petropoulos has decisively shifted to imports, trading and services retaining only a limited industrial activity. The company maintains a small museum within its facilities, with exhibits including a restored Π-35 tractor and a fully restored polytrak.


Madhyanchal Gramin Bank

Madhyanchal Gramin Bank is a regional rural bank in India. It was formed by merging three rural banks in the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India namely Madhya Bharat Bank, Sharda Grameen Bank, Rewa Sidhi Grameen Bank, sponsored by State Bank Of India, Allahabad Bank and Union Bank of India. Its headquarters is in Saugor. Current sponsor of the bank is State Bank of India. Madhyanchal Gramin Bank has presence over 13 districts in Madhya Pradesh Damoh, Sagar, Shivpuri, Guna, Ashoknagar, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Panna, Satna, Rewa, Sidhi, Niwari and Singrauli. There are 454 branch and 7 regional offices in Rewa, Sidhi, Satna, Damoh, Shivpuri, Chhatarpur and Tikamgarh.


MAP Wine and Brandy Factory

MAP Wine and Brandy Factory ( ("MAP Ginu-Konyaki Gortsaran")), is one of the leading producers of alcoholic drinks in Armenia, located in the village of Lenughi of Armavir Province. It was founded in 1942 as the "Hoktemberian Wine and Brandy Factory" by the government of the Armenian SSR, to process the grapes of the fertile Ararat plain. The company is largely known by its main wine and cognac brand "Aramé", named after king Arame of Urartu.
History.
The Hoktemberian Wine and Brandy Factory was founded in 1942 as a state-owned enterprise of the Soviet Armenian government.
After the privatization of the factory in 1995, the winery was turned into an open joint-stock company. In 2001, the company was incorporated into a closed joint-stock company.
As of 2016, the factory has an annual production capacity 14 million liters, based on French and German technologies.
Products and brands.
Currently, the factory produces wine, fruit wine and Armenian brandy.
A variety of red and white wine is produced by the MAP winery, mainly under the brand "Aramé". The "Aramé" brand includes red and white semisweet vintage wine as well as wine derived from the Muscat, Saperavi and Areni grapes. The
"Aramé Grand Reserve" is a special edition of red and white dry aged wine. The winery also produces "Tigran" red dry wine, and "Hasmik" red semisweet wine.
Fruit semisweet wine is also produced by MAP winery including, pomegranate, strawberry, cherry, quince, plum, dogwood, raspberry and blackberry.
MAP is famous for its Armenian brandy collection of "Saint Grigor" 30 and 50 years old, "Paruyr Sevak" 40 years old, "Makar" 25 and 30 years old, "Aramé" 20 and 30 years old, "Golden" 25 years old, "Ashot Erkat" 22 years old, and "Mashtots" 15 years old. Other cognac brands include "Golden Classic" 3, 5, 7 and 10 years old, "Anahit" 10 years old, "Gyumri" and "Arshak II" 7 years old, "Aramé" 3 and 5 years old, "Armavir" 5 years old, and "Armina" 3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 20 years old.


Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

The Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES) is the statewide research component of the University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture. The Division also includes the Cooperative Extension Service. The AAES and CES work together to develop and test new agricultural technology and extend it to the public. Research faculty and staff are based on five university campuses, at five Research and Extension Centers; six research stations and seven specialized units.
Overview.
The faculty includes some 200 scientists with doctoral degrees, many of whom also have appointments as teaching faculty on their respective campuses. AAES scientists conduct basic and applied research to assist producers, processors and consumers of food, fiber and bio-energy; other agribusinesses; families and communities. Major research areas focus on production and processing of important Arkansas plant and animal commodities; environmental issues; food safety and security; human, family and community development; and human nutrition and health.
AAES scientists often work with colleagues in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, other state experiment stations and other agencies in the U.S. and abroad, as well as with local producers and colleagues in industry organizations or companies.
The AAES Director reports to the U of A System's Vice President for Agriculture. AAES Department Heads report to the AAES Director. Departments are also departments for academic programs of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences on the Fayetteville campus and the School of Forest Resources at UA-Monticello, and related programs of the Cooperative Extension Service.
Locations.
AAES faculty and facilities are located on University campuses at Fayetteville, Monticello, Jonesboro, and Pine Bluff and at the following locations:
Research and Extension Centers have resident faculty and facilities for laboratory and field research.
• Arkansas Agricultural REC, Fayetteville
• Northeast REC, Keiser
• Rice REC, Stuttgart
• Southeast REC, Monticello
• Southwest REC, Hope
Research Stations and Extension Centers have resident staff to assist faculty from other Division of Agriculture locations with field research and extension projects.
• Fruit Research Station, Clarksville
• Livestock and Forestry Research Station, Batesville
• Lon Mann Cotton Research Station, Marianna
• Lonoke Research Center
• Newport Research Center
• Pine Tree Research Station, Colt
• Rohwer Research Station, Desha County
• Vegetable Research Station, Alma
Associated Research and Extension Units
• Judd Hill Plantation
• National Agricultural Law Center
• Soil Testing Laboratory and Research Laboratory
• Leland E. Tollett Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
• C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center
Centers of Excellence
• Arkansas Forest Resources Center
• Center of Excellence for Poultry Science
History.
The University of Arkansas was established in 1871 under the provisions of the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act of 1862, which provided for federal government support of "colleges for the common man" in each state. Land-Grant colleges were mandated to provide higher education, research and public service in agriculture, engineering and military science as well as the usual classical studies. Agricultural research commenced right away, but students showed little interest in agricultural courses. The Arkansas legislature in 1888 established the Agricultural Experiment Station with matching federal funding from the Hatch Act of 1887. The first AES Director, Albert Menke, used increased funding for faculty and staff to expand the research program and course offerings by the same faculty members. Student interest increased, and the College of Agriculture was finally established in 1905. The same faculty for many years conducted all three land-grant college missions of teaching, research and educational services for farmers and rural families. In 1914, the Smith-Lever Act created a national Agricultural Extension Service, and in 1915 the Arkansas Legislature appropriated matching funds to secure the Smith-Lever federal funds to create the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Until 1959, the AAES and CES were units of the College of Agriculture and Home Economics at UA, Fayetteville. That changed in 1959 when the U of A Board of Trustees created the Division of Agriculture as a separate statewide unit of the University of Arkansas System. The Division now administers the AAES and CES; although many research and extension faculty members also have teaching appointments on the campuses where they are housed.
Departments.
Department Heads are in Fayetteville, except for Forest Resources at UA-Monticello.
• Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology
• Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness
• Animal Science
• Biological and Agricultural Engineering
• Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences
• Entomology
• Food Science
• Forest Resources
• Horticulture
• Human Environmental Sciences
• Plant Pathology
• Poultry Science


Johannes Hallmann

Johannes Hallmann (born February 23, 1964 in Zeven, Germany) is a German agricultural scientist of phytomedicine. He is a scientific adviser at the Julius Kühn-Institut, the Federal Research Institute for Cultivated Plants, the Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics in Münster, the University Professor for Nematology and the President of the German Phytomedicine Society.
Life and work.
Johannes Hallmann studied agricultural sciences with a focus on plant production at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn. At this university, he was promoted in 1994, where he was also habilitated with Venia legendi in the field of plant diseases.
Research stays led him to To the American Auburn University in Alabama, the Nuriootpa Research Center in Australia, and to Kenyatta University & ICIPE in Kenya. He also worked as a FAO consultant for Farmers Field School in Indonesia at the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at the Yezin Agricultural University, Myanmar, as well as at the Twinning Project: Strengthening the Phytosanitary Inspection to Croatia and Ukraine.
Since 2005, he has been teaching at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn in the field of phytomedicine (areas: nematology and biological plant protection) as a lecturer. Since 2006 he is lecturer at the University of Kassel, from 2014 as Apl. Professor for the field of nematology in the department of ecological agricultural sciences and since 2016 he has an additional professorship at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin in the field of phytomedicine.


Kedem Winery

Kedem Winery is a kosher food manufacturing and distribution company, incorporated in the United States for the last fifty years. Royal Wine Corporation was incorporated in June 1948 and run by the Herzog family since 1958. Kedem currently sells over a million cases of kosher wine and grape juice annually, in sixteen countries worldwide. Formerly headquartered in New York City, it is now based in Bayonne, New Jersey. Vineyards for wine and grape juice are based in Marlboro, New York. It is especially known for the Baron Herzog Varietals line of wines, as well as Kedem Tea Biscuits.
History.
The Herzog family first operated a winery in Czechoslovakia. The winery was the exclusive wine supplier to Emperor Franz Joseph, who granted one of the early Herzogs the title of "Baron". Though the wines for the emperor were not necessarily kosher wines, all of the other wines were produced under the full scrutiny of kosher law.
During World War II, the Herzog winery was seized by the Nazis. The Herzogs, who stayed in hiding, immigrated to the United States after the 1948 Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia. Living in New York City, Eugene Herzog began working for the Royal Wine Corporation and part of his salary was paid in company shares. By 1958, he was a majority stockholder and purchased the company and started doing business under the name Kedem. The current CEO of Royal Wine Corporation is Mordechai Herzog.
Grape varieties and wines.
The Herzog varietals are kosher versions of various wines, including Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Several of these have won various wine competitions. The company was also part of the collaboration that created the first kosher Rothschild wine, in 1988.
The company also retains the exclusive United States distribution rights for several Israeli wines and spirits.


Skovsbo Manor

Skovsbo Castle is a manor house located 6 km south-west of Kerteminde, on Funen, Denmark. The main building dates from the 1570s and is built in the Renaissance style.
History.
Skovsbo traces its history back to the 14th century.
The castle seen today was built from 1572 to 1579 for privy councillor Erik Hardenberg (1534-1604).
Some of the land was sold off in lots in 1914.
Skovsby was in 2006 acquired by Jens Belling for circa FKK 66.5 million- In 2020, it was sold to Thomas Kirk Kristiansen.
Architecture.
Built in the Renaissance style, with Dutch gables, Skovsbo consists of two floors over a vaulted basement and an octagonal staircase tower with a spire to the west. An appendix in the south-eastern corner, with a second staircase, dates from the original house while another appendix built to a similar design at the north-eastern corner was added in 1891 by the architect August Klein (1839-1902).
Skovsbo Crufifix.
Across the road from Skovsbo stands a roadside crucifix which was installed in about 1600 by Anna Rønnow, the wife of Erik Hardenberg, who unlike her husband was a Catholic. It is the second oldest roadside crucifix in Denmark, second only to the Crucifix of Holy Anders near Slagelse.
Skovsbo today.
The estate covers 183 hectares of land. It is privately owned and was sold in 2006 for the price of DKK 66.5 million.


Anglo-Norman horse

The Anglo-Norman horse is a warmblood horse breed developed in Lower Normandy in northern France. A major center of horse breeding, the area had numerous regional types that were bred to one another and then crossed with Thoroughbreds to form the Anglo-Norman. Various body types developed within the Anglo-Norman breed, two of which were split off to form the Norman Cob and French Trotter. The remaining types were eventually standardized, although there remained some criticism of the "hybrid" nature of the breed's conformation. However, it is successful as an international sport horse, especially in the sport of show jumping. The Anglo-Norman also contributed to the development of several other breeds in Europe and Asia.
The Anglo-Norman was developed in the early 19th century, and along with Thoroughbred and local Norman blood, influences were seen from other breeds, including British and Russian trotting horses. By the mid-19th century, the Anglo-Norman was a popular breed throughout France, and in 1864 a breed association was founded. While often purchased by the French army and used as cavalry and artillery horses, there was controversy over whether the Anglo-Norman was the best choice for the military. The late 19th century saw significant improvements in breeding programs, although there remained a dispute between the goals of breeders and the needs of the military. Mechanization in the early 20th century significantly reduced demand for the breed, and fighting during World War II and the German occupation of France resulted in major damage to breeding centers and the deaths of many horses. While rebuilding their herds, breeders turned away from draft and carriage horses and began breeding sport horses for equestrian competition.
A stud book was created for the Anglo-Norman in 1950, and during that decade the breed became successful in international competition. In 1958, the Anglo-Norman is combined with other French types to create the Selle Français, the national French saddle horse. Despite active government support for Selle Français breeding programs, variations remained, and Anglo-Norman bloodlines continued to be distinguishable for decades after the merge. In the 1990s and 2000s, a movement began to reopen the Anglo-Norman stud book and recreate it as a separate breed from the Selle Français. The plan, which remains open, has been presented to the French Stud Book Commission and Ministry of Agriculture, and created controversy within the French breeding community. In 2015, the Anglo-Norman Stud Book is open again
Breed characteristics.
The conformation of the Anglo-Norman reflected its multiple influences. By 1861, the French government attempted to standardize the look of various historic Norman horse types by adding large amounts of Thoroughbred blood. The resulting offspring gave rise to the Anglo-Norman. However, in spite of these breeding programs, by 1909 when author Alfred Gallier studied the Anglo-Norman, he described members of the breed as "hybrids from various crosses". He distinguished three types: trotting horses used for harness racing, carriage horses, and military horses. He subdivided the military type further into heavy cavalry, light cavalry, "cavalry of the line" (a specific type used by the French) and artillery horses. Anglo-Norman trotters were the fastest in France, and were reputed to be patient and hard-working. The first official trotting races in France took place in 1836, in Cherbourg, at the instigation of Ephrem Houël, an officer of the National Stud. He believed that trotting races were the best way to select breeding stock for producing saddle horses. The best of the Anglo-Norman trotting horses emerged between 1820 and 1870, with five major stallions becoming the foundation bloodstock for the French Trotter breed, which officially split from the Anglo-Norman breed in 1906. The continuing breeding goal of the Anglo-Norman was to maintain a balanced breed with input from Thoroughbred stallions and heavier mares of the original Norman type.
By 1966, the Anglo-Norman breed had been further standardized and was described as averaging high, although sometimes taller. The facial profile was convex, the neck long, and the shoulders and hindquarters powerful. The breed had a tendency to have a too-upright shoulder angle and one author still criticized the horses as "... [consisting] of two inharmonious and badly united pieces, one being Norman; the other, English", suggesting that better results would occur if breeders used higher-quality broodmares. Despite this criticism, Anglo-Normans were known for their jumping abilities, with many successful horses competing at the international level.
History.
The original horses in Normandy and Brittany were small horses called "bidets", introduced by the Celts, who settled in ancient Gaul beginning about the third century BC. Later, the Romans crossed them with larger mares. By the 6th century, the practice of horse racing was documented in the region, and beginning in the 10th century, these "Norman horses" were desired throughout Europe. During the 16th century, Norman horses were known to be heavy and strong, able to pull long distances, and used to pull artillery and diligences. Barb and Arabian blood was added during the reign of Louis XIV.
The development of the modern Anglo-Norman horse is similar to that of many other French regional equine populations of the 19th century, when government-run national studs transformed indigenous French horses by introducing foreign stallions. Arabians and Thoroughbreds were major influences. The most common crossbreeding was between native mares used by the military or for pulling carriages and Thoroughbred stallions, and by 1914 these types were recognized as "demi-sang" or "half-blood" horses. Half-blood horses were found in many French regions, and different types were usually named after the regions in which they were bred.
The origin of the Anglo-Norman was in Lower Normandy, known for horse breeding, thanks to its climate and soil. The breed developed region-specific specializations. Le Merlerault is the oldest area of origin, and mainly produced saddle horses, while the Cotentin and Auge valleys produced carriage horses. The main center for breeding, especially during the Second French Empire (1852-1870), was the plains around Caen, where young foals were placed on pasture. The National Studs at Saint-Lô and du Pin, originally military studs for the breeding of cavalry horses, also participated in the breeding of Anglo-Norman horses. At the end of the 19th century, in the Orne, the Anglo-Norman arose almost exclusively in the district of Alençon, specifically Merlerault, with a few being bred in the department of Calvados. Today, Normandy, still a horse breeding center, is home to 20 percent of all mares of the Selle Français breed, the national French sport horse developed in large part from the Anglo-Norman. The region has produced numerous Selle Français that have been successful in international competition.
During its early development, the Norman horse, also known as the Carrossier Normand, had several distinct types: the Merlerault; the horse from the plains of Caen; the Cotentin, from the area of the same name; the horse of La Hague; and other, more minor, variations. From Alençon, the Merlerault was developed from the Thoroughbred and was very popular at the end of the Ancien Régime, which lasted until the late 18th century. It was a mid-sized type, particularly suited for riding and pulling small carriages. The Cotentin was the oldest type of Carrossier Normand from which the Anglo-Normans were in large part developed, and was also the ancestor of the Norman Cob. Intended for the luxury carriage trade, Cotentin horses were larger and slower than trotting horses bred for racing. Standing , the type was almost always black in color, allowing drivers to easily form matched teams. Until 1775, Cotentin horses were unrivaled in popularity in France and some other parts of Europe as carriage horses, and remained one of the most popular carriage horse breeds in the world until the early 19th century, when they disappeared due to unchecked crossbreeding.
19th century.
After the Napoleonic Wars, there were almost no saddle horses remaining in France. This situation was exacerbated by improvements to the roads, resulting in a large demand for carriage horses, further reducing demand for riding horses. Between 1815 and the 1850s, only the wealthy and the army continued to purchase riding horses. Early in the 19th century, in Lower Normandy, breeders focused on the Carrossier Normand, the ancestor of the Anglo-Norman and the French Trotter, which was mainly used as a carriage horse. When the Carrossier Normand was crossed with Thoroughbreds, a practice which likely started around 1830, the resulting mix was called the "Anglo-Norman". When other local native mares were crossed with Thoroughbreds and Arabians, however, the early results were disappointing. However, despite very low population numbers of riding horses, in the early 1850s, author Ephrem Houël noted a type of Norman saddle horse still extant in Le Merlerault.
Beginning in the early 1850s, with the arrival of the Second French Empire, the Anglo-Norman became a popular breed in France, competing with the Thoroughbred. It was reputed to be a versatile horse, appropriate for riding and pulling light carriages. From 1840 to 1860, the breed was further influenced by part-Thoroughbred trotting horses from England. Local Norman mares were crossed with imported Thoroughbreds, Norfolk Trotters, Orlov Trotters and other crossbred horses, which themselves had Norfolk and Mecklenburger blood. By 1855, the quality of the resulting animals had ensured the breed's success, and the Anglo-Norman spread throughout France, especially supplanting another type of riding horse from the south, the Limousin horse. In 1864, the "Société du cheval français de demi-sang" (Society of French Half-Blood Horses) was founded, which later became the "Société d'encouragement à l'élevage du cheval français" (Society to Encourage French Horse Breeding). The breeders spread the description of Norman horses, particularly Anglo-Normans, as versatile horses that could be used for both riding and driving.
The French conquest of Algeria (1830-1847) brought the Anglo-Norman into competition with the Barb horse. In 1873, the Bocher law was passed, which established premiums for French horse breeders, while taxing imported horses. The protectionism was the result of the desire of native French breeders to protect their interests against imports from the French colonies. The law was named after Edward Bocher, a politician from Calvados, who argued that the law was supportive of French agriculture, and especially the Anglo-Norman breed. He called the Anglo-Norman a "horse of the time ... suitable for all services." He said that they were useful for both riding and driving, and sought after by both military and commercial interests. The law significantly increased national breeding standards and encouraged the production of half-blood horses, especially Anglo-Normans, for military use. The development of the Anglo-Norman saddle horse breed had long been delayed by a focus on the production of fashionable carriage horses. This resulted in the military imposing major breeding changes on breeders, who were often unaware of the jobs their horses performed for the military. However, conflict between breeders and the military often resulted from disagreements over breeding aims.
From the 1830s to the interwar period (1919–1939), the Anglo-Norman was one of the main horses used by the French cavalry. Although author Alfred Gallier stated that it was a good breed for this use, many opposing scholars argued that this was not the case. Military requirements conflicted with Norman breeders, as the carriage horses preferred by the breeders were very different from the style sought by the military, which required fast horses with stamina and agility. According to military equestrian Denis Bogros, the economic weight of the Norman horse breeders was such as they negatively influenced the effectiveness of the French army until the early 20th century, producing only large, overweight trotters that became fatigued more easily than Barbs or Arabians. Bogros states that breeders of Norman horses managed to deceive the French government, through powerful lobbying groups, by selling the military rejects from the breeding programs. The Anglo-Norman was a commercial success as carriage horses, but proved worthless for the cavalry. This led to the creation of the "Société du cheval de guerre" (Society of the War Horse), which in 1906 severely criticized the use of the Anglo-Norman. Bogros considered the Anglo-Arabians bred near Tarbes to be much more useful for the military.
20th century.
With the mechanization of transport and the military in the 20th century, the Anglo-Norman was no longer in demand as a carriage and military horse. In addition, World War II and the German occupation of France caused significant damage to the Norman homeland of the breed as fighting destroyed farms and killed half of the horses at the National Stud at Saint-Lô. Most of the surviving were of the Norman Cob breed, and horses lost their status as animals of luxury and leisure. Many farms were left in ruins, and breeders were left rethinking their breeding aims. Certain provisions of the Marshall Plan convinced them not to focus on breeding draft horses, and that type began to disappear. Instead, emphasis shifted toward producing horses for equestrian sports, and a stud book was created for the Anglo-Norman breed on December 7, 1950, at Saint-Lô. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Anglo-Norman became a major force in international equine competition. At the 1964 Summer Olympics, the Anglo-Norman Lutteur B won a gold medal in show jumping.
In 1958, the Anglo-Norman studbook was combined with other regional warmblood saddle horses such as the Demi-sang du Centre and the Vendéen in order to create a unified national warmblood studbook for the Selle Français or French saddle horse. The French government actively supported the merger of regional types and breeds with a large financial appropriation. In spite of this merger, for decades afterwards, horses from Anglo-Norman bloodlines were clearly identifiable within the Selle Français due to differences in conformation.
In August 1996, breeder Fernand Leredde, of the "Haras des Rouges" stud farm, developed the idea of the Cheval de Sport Anglo-Normand (CSAN, or Anglo-Norman Sport Horse), to preserve the genetic heritage of four generations of Anglo-Norman horses still extant within the Selle Français breed. The plan moved forward in August 2008 with the support of other professional breeders. Their argument was that the Selle Français had become increasingly crossed with other European breeds since the advent of artificial insemination in 1980 and the opening of the stud book to horses of foreign breeds in 2000; the theory of "jus soli" allowed horses of foreign bloodlines to be called Selle Français if they were born in France. The breeders allying themselves with Leredde prefer to return to the original French Anglo-Norman as a regional sport horse. However, when Anglo-Norman breeders as a whole were asked to vote, they rejected the idea of amending the studbook.
The idea for the new stud book was presented in December 2009 and November 2011 to the "Commission des livres généalogiques" (Stud Book Commission) and on May 24, 2013, to the Ministry of Agriculture. The president of the "Association nationale du selle français" (French Saddle Horse Association), Bernard Le Courtois, publicly spoke out against the idea on June 18, 2013, arguing that competition from other countries is already strong in the world of sport horse breeding, and that creating competition within France should be avoided. He described the proposed re-opening of an Anglo-Norman stud book as "criminal", saying it would be a step backwards led by a "small group of unscrupulous and fanciful breeders". In response, the "Syndicat des Éleveurs et Cavaliers professionnels de chevaux et poneys de sport" (Union of Breeders and Professional Riders of Horses and Sport Ponies) defended the project by stating that the breeder behind the Anglo-Norman stud book project is one of the top in his field in the world, while the Selle Français stud book is "the largest and the most in decline in Europe". In August 2014, this new stud book was approved by the French government, and made official on May 27, 2015, submitted for publication in the JORF edition of June 4, 2015. , this stud-book has no horses registered in it yet.
Influence on other breeds.
The Anglo-Norman was used to create several other breeds of horses throughout Europe and Asia. These included the Greek Andravida, which was created by crossing native Greek mares with Anglo-Norman stallions, and the Swiss Freiberger, a blend of Anglo-Norman lines with Thoroughbreds and native horses from the Jura Mountains. The Hungarian Nonius breed stems from an Anglo-Norman stallion named Nonius Senior, and Anglo-Norman blood was also used to add refinement to the German Oldenburg, through the stallions Condor (born 1950) and Furioso II, a Selle Français. The Anglo-Norman was used to create the Polish Sokolsky horse and the Chinese Heihe breed.


Svenstrup (manor house)

Svenstrup is a manor house and estate located close to Borup, Køge Municipality, some 50 kilometres southwest of Copenhagen, Denmark. It has belonged to members of the Neergaard/Wedell-Neergaard family since 1751.
History.
Church and Crown land.
Svenstrup is first mentioned in the 13th century when it belonged to a widow named Ingerd Sunesen. In the Middle Ages, Svenstrup was a farm under Antvorskov Abbey. In 1454, it was ceded to Roskilde Biscopic in exchange for other land. In 1623, Bishop Lauge Urne sided with Dyke Frederick in the conflict with Christian II. Shortly thereafter, Svenstrup was looted and burnt down by Niels Pedersen Halveg, one of the king's loyal men.
After the Reformation in 1536, Svenstrup was confiscated by the crown and managed as a fief until 1666. "Lensmen" included Peder Basse (1615-18), Frederik Reedtz (1619-22) and Frederik Banner (1658-). The former fief was administrated by Johan Christoph von Körbitz in 1662 to 1666..
Frederick II used it as a hunting lodge from 1577. A new main building with lavish interiors was completed in 1584 but he died in 1588.
Svane family.
In 1666, Frederik III (1609–1670) gave Svenstrup to Hans Svane, an arch bishop, who had supported the king in the introduction of the absolutism in 1660. Svane was also appointed to Supreme Court justice and member of statskollegiet. The estate, then one of the largest in the country, was granted status as a "birk" from 1678. Hans Svane died later that year but his widow Marie Fuiren kept the estate until 1687.
Hans and Margrethe Svane's granddaughter, Marie Svane, inherited Svenstrup in 1730. Her husband, Jesper Friis, had died in the Great Northern War (1700–1721).
In 1733, she married the 20 years younger captain Frederik Oertz but the marriage was unhappy and after just a few years entered divorce proceedings that would last for the next 15 years and involve both Christian VI (1699–1746) and bishop Hersleb before the marriage was finally dissolved.
Neergaard family.
After the divorce, Frederik Oertz sold Svenstrup to Peter Johansen Neergaard who had been appointed to "krigsråd". He managed the estate with great skill. His son, Jens Bruun Neergaard, constructed a new main building in 1780, the same year that he was ennobled under the name de Neergaard, and also expanded the estate through the acquisition of more land. Jens Bruun de Neergaard is also remembered for his literarydispute with the poet Johan Herman Wessel.
Jens Bruun de Neergaard's widow, Anna Marie Møller, kept the estate after his death in 1788. She implemented some of the agricultural reforms of the time in the years between 1791 and 1802 and bought Skjoldenæsholm.
In 1844, Johan Andreas de Neergaard turned Svenstrup into a fideikommis. His son Peter Christian Joachim Bruun de Neergaard took over Svenstrup in 1846 while the brother was given Skjoldnæseholm. The process of selling off tenant farms to the farmers did not begin until 1860 at Svenstrup.
Peter Christian Joachim Bruun de Neergaard was succeeded by his grandson, Joachim Wedell, wgo was granted royal permission to carry the name Wedell-Neergaard. He sold the last tenant farms in the 1900s, making Svenstrup the last manor in the country to complete this process. The "fideikommisgodser " was dissolved as a result of "lensafløsningsloven" in 1919. Joachim Wedell-Neergaard died in 1926. His widow Henny Caroline Julie Moltke passed the estate on to their son Christian Wedell-Neergaard in 1937.
Today.
In April 2020, 29-year-old Maria Benedicte Wedell-Neergaard bought Svenstrup from her father for DKK 397 mio. with effect from 1 July 2020.
Cultural references.
Svenstrup was used as a location in the 1976 film "Brand-Børge rykker ud".


Audu Bako

Audu Bako (1924–1980) was a Nigerian police officer and the first Governor of Kano State during the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon after the state was formed from part of Northern Region.
Background.
Audo Bako was born in 1924 at the Kaduna police barracks. His father originally from Argungu, Kebbi State had served in the police force for 36 years and was appointed as the District Head of Sabon Gari in Kaduna State , his mother Dije was from Mariri, Kumbotso Local Government, Kano State while his maternal grandmother is from Gezawa Local Government, Kano State. He was educated at the Kaduna Government School and the Zaria Middle School.
Bako enlisted in the Nigeria police force on 24 June 1942, became an instructor in police law at the Kaduna Police College, then prosecuting officer and later was appointed deputy commissioner of police in charge of all Native Authority police in the former Northern Region.
Governor of Kano State.
Appointed military governor of the old Kano State in May 1967, Bako undertook reforms of the local governments which had been dominated by the traditional emirs. He sought to improve professionalism among local government employees while transferring some responsibilities to the State government. He said the reforms would strengthen the position of the Emirs in their traditional role as religious leaders.
Bako built most of modern Kano's landmark structures. The state Government Secretariat (Audu Bako Secretariat) and the Audu Bako School of Agriculture in Dambatta were named after him. Bako was a strong supporter of women's education. Using the teachings of the Shehu as justification, Bako established primary, secondary and teachers training colleges for women and children. He produced the first plan for developing and promoting tourism in the state in 1967. He established the Trade and Industry Division under the Ministry of Finance in 1968.
In 1969 Bako started construction of the Bagauda Dam to supply the Kadawa Irrigation Project, precursor to the Kano Irrigation Project. Between 1970 and 1973 his administration built the much larger Tiga Dam, aiming to boost agricultural production through irrigation.He has been called the father of Kano's green revolution. However, although well-intentioned the dams caused considerable problems in the downstream Hadejia-Nguru wetlands, and turned out to have negative net economic value. His Tomas Danbatta Water Supply Scheme was later abandoned, only to be rehabilitated in 2008 and used to provide drinking water to communities in Dambatta, Makoda and Minjibir local government areas.
Hassan Lemu served as his Provincial Secretary, Audi Howediy as the Secretary to the Military Government (SMG), Bashari Gumel as the Principal Secretary, Muhammadu Ibrahim served as Secretary to the Kano State Executive Council 1968-1969, Sabo Sarki Mohammed as Press Secretary, Ibrahim Bello and Isyaku Umar Tofa served in the post of Principal Private Secretary, the Personal Secretaries were Abba Dutse, Babagana Adamu and Umaru Abdulwahab, the Chief Protocol included Ali Ahmed and Ismaila Yaro Dandago.
Legacy.
Bako retired in 1975 after the coup that brought General Murtala Muhammed to power, and began farming in Sokoto State. He died in 1980 leaving a widow and eleven children. After his death, the Tiga dam was renamed the Audu Bako dam. The Audu Bako prize is awarded each year to the winner of the Kano International Polo Tournament. Bako was widely respected, and was considered an example of moral integrity.


Florigene

Florigene is a biotechnology company based in Melbourne, Australia, which is principally involved in the application of in-house genetic modification techniques to develop novel colour expressions in a range of commercial plants.
Florigene has a subsidiary division in the Netherlands and other production operations around the world.
History.
Florigene has long been associated with genetic engineering floriculture. Founded as Calgene Pacific Ltd in 1986 with institutional backing from Amcor, CP Ventures Ltd, the Japan-Australia Venture Capital Fund and MPW Rural Development, it was one of Australia's first biotechnology companies.
In 1991, Calgene's research team announced that it had isolated the gene responsible for the expression of the colour blue in petunias, beating out rivals around the globe by a matter of weeks. This breakthrough paved the way for the acquisition of Dutch rival, Florigene, in 1993. Calgene assumed Florigene's corporate name in 1994 to capitalise on that firm's international reputation. Since then, Florigene has developed naturally long-life and disease resistant carnations, new morphologies of gerberas and natural colour modifications of the three main cut flowers - roses, carnations and chrysanthemums, which it exports throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
Public float.
Florigene prepared for a public float, hiring Credit Suisse First Boston to develop a prospectus and secure investors across Asia, Europe and the U.S., but was instead acquired by global agrochemicals giant Nufarm Ltd in 1999.
Ownership.
In 2003, Japanese brewing giant and long-term partner Suntory acquired 98.5% equity in Florigene from Nufarm.
Developments and potential.
The significance of Florigene's technology is the brand potential of its novel flower varieties - a blue rose is a marketer's dream. In 2004, after 20 years and A$45 million worth of exhaustive research and prolific patenting, Florigene and Suntory scientists announced to the world the development of the first rose in the pipeline to a true blue rose. It is expected to be commercialised in the coming years.