Monthly Round Up! February Additions

February somehow brought less horses than January! It's one of the release months for the Stablemates Club, and with two micro runs in that club I sprung for a second membership this year. I also finished paying off my long term time payment, so I'll have a little extra hobby money going forward this year. Of course, a lot of that will go into my BreyerFest budget! 

Say hello to my long-term time payment! I put out an ISO for this guy last fall, and have slowly been paying him off since. I made my last payment at the beginning of February, and the seller shipped him immediately! I am so thrilled to add this guy to the collection, but I'm definitely taking a break from longer term time pays until after BreyerFest. I've got saving to do!

As mentioned above, I have two Stablemates Club memberships this year. The first release in the Club was Arroyo and Baja. I think the colors on this set are fantastic, and have such a lovely depth to them! The stallion and foal both will end up in my show string at some point this year I think. I picked the set on the left to be my keeper, and the other set will end up as a show donation, as I don't need two of these! 

I did have another Breyer order this month, to support them for their participation in National Shutdown Day, but I just stocked up on Classic/Freedom Scale pony pouches since they fit both Classics scale adults and Traditional scale foals. I also picked up the 75th Anniversary mug on clearance! The certified tea drinker in me loves a good mug.  

And since I mentioned it, I'd like it to be known that my values align with Breyer's. Hate has no place on this blog, or in this hobby. 

It's Friday, I'm a Guest Judge! OF China Collectability by Heather Bochonok

It's the second guest post on the blog! This month, I asked my friend Heather to talk about a less well-known division - Chinas. 

OF China Collectability

by Heather Bochonok

Hey everyone! My name is Heather (Bochonok) Moore - Macie invited me to write a post on her blog, and I’m so excited to introduce everyone to the land of clinkies! Just to tell you a little bit about myself, I’m a co-host for NAMHSA MSOTY ‘23 and ‘24 (and Runner-Up ‘25!) Are You Kitten Me Live. I like to judge as often as I can at local shows, including Island Time Live, Steel City Live, and Happy Kamper Classic. I participate in and enjoy judging photo shows, and have been a judge for Breyer’s Boot Camp Photo Show for the last few years. I’ve been collecting since I was 7 years old (looking at you, Skipster’s Chief!), and while I still do very much enjoy collecting my Breyers - Chinas definitely hold a special place in my little model horse loving heart. My real horse experience goes back further than my collecting - my best friend Cocoa (a very handsome Morgan cross) blessed me with 24 years of companionship before passing away at the ripe old age of 30 in 2021. During that time I also owned a literal dream horse - my Friesian Heritage Horse Aramus. I am so thankful for all of the years I spent alongside real horses, and hope to find myself on that path again in the future. I sure do miss it! Nowadays you’ll find me surrounded by one of my several rescue kitties - I love my babies so much!

 For those of you unfamiliar with the clinky side of collecting, we consider many different mediums to be shown in these divisions. Bone China (Horsing Around, Animal Artistry, and other European makes), Earthenware (Hagen Renaker, Pour Horse), and Cold Cast Porcelain/OF Resin (Breyer). Some makers offer pieces in various mediums (for example, Thomas Bainbridge Studios offers both Bone China and Earthenware pieces). While this is important knowledge, we do not really classify our models based on composition for China showing - even at large shows like Breakables at BreyerFest.

Today we’re going to talk about Original Finish China Collectibility. Most shows will break Chinas into Original Finish - a run of identical (within artistic reason) models - or Custom Glazed (a unique or OOAK finish on a model). Original Finish pieces are judged on Collectibility (similar to Breyers!), while Custom Glazed are judged on Workmanship (similar to CM and AR!). Larger shows like Breakables will create detailed classlists based on regions - for example, Americanware and Europeanware divisions. There will also be divisions that are based on run numbers (Small Production/Test) - similar to Limited Run and OOAK classlists you would see for plastics.

 So let’s get to it. Today our class consists of three very different pieces:

Photo courtesy Heather B

Horse A - Thomas Bainbridge Studios OF Dapple Grey Leonardo - Edition Size 30, 6 Artist Proofs, 24 Numbered Pieces. There are 6 OF Dapple Greys with a variety of gloss/satin finish and flowing/braided tails. This particular piece is 1/4 glossed and 1/4 with flowing tail.

Photo courtesy Heather B

Horse B - Hagen Renaker San Marcos Large Zilla Test from the BHR Collection

Photo courtesy Heather B

Horse C - Breyer 2001 Volunteer Model The Poet (100 Made)

Heather's placings can be found under the jump. ↓

Live Show Secrets: How and When to Use Documentation (It's Not a Book Report)

We're back with another entry in the Live Show Secrets series! We're looking at documentation a little further in depth this week. I did touch briefly on creating documentation in the Breyer collectability post, but there's more to documentation than just collectability. I've noticed documentation is a frequent question in the model horse Facebook groups - what needs documentation? When is documentation not needed? Where do I start with making documentation? 

Well, let's pull the curtain back and examine this! As a reminder, I'm a frequent model horse shower (averaging ten shows per year since 2023) who has received special documentation awards at more than one show for the quality of my documentation. I also am part of the admin team for the Model Horse Documentation Creation Facebook group, so I'm well-versed in giving documentation advice. 

What is Documentation? 

There are two kinds of documentation used for halter classes at model horse shows: breed documentation and collectability documentation. There is usually documentation used for performance classes as well, but that is not yet a division I've shown in personally, so I won't be speaking about it today.  

• Breed documentation: Identifies a breed's particular characteristics, like breed standard, accepted colors, and in some cases location of origin and history
• Collectability documentation: Identifies what a model is, when it was produced, and what makes it collectible

When Do I Need to Have Documentation? 

An eternal question: when should I have documentation? As I have mentioned in other blog posts, if you want your horse judged for collectability, they must have collectability documentation. There's no question about it. Breed documentation is a little more fluid, but there are a few rules of thumb to follow if you're confused. Generally, you do not need breed documentation for every horse. As judges, we should know the breed standards for the common breeds, and therefore don't need the breed standard documented in front of us. There is this misconception I've seen that showers need to prove the effort they've put into their show string with documentation for every horse. This just is not true. Model horse showing is not a book report, judges are not placing your horse based on the quality of your documentation - they are judging your horse based on the horse itself. In many cases, documenting a common breed just takes up space on the table, and as a judge, I usually won't even look at documentation for a common breed in a common color. 

So, what are my general rules for documentation? Let's break it down: 

• Collectability documentation: Yes. A horse must have collectability documentation to be judged on collectability. 
• Common breed in a common color: No. Your judge should already know this information. 
• Common breed in an uncommon color: Probably. In most cases, you should document an uncommon color in a common breed. There are some less common colors that your judge may be aware of, but it doesn't hurt to document them anyway. 
• Uncommon breed: Yes. Judges are expected to know the breed standards for the common breeds, but you can't expect them to know every breed. Less common breeds should have documentation. 

The easiest way to make a distinction between a common breed and an uncommon breed is whether or not the breed has a specific class. Things like your Arabians, Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, etc. have specific classes dedicated to their entries, and therefore they don't need breed documentation unless they're in an uncommon color. 

I tend to make my uncommon colors on common breeds documentation as bare bones as possible - usually just a photo of a registered horse, including their name, and citing the source where I found it.

That being said, this information applies only to open/NAN qualifying divisions at shows. If you are showing in youth or novice, it's likely you will have rules requiring breed documentation for everything - in this case, it's a learning experience. The information is not for the judges, it's a learning opportunity for the novice shower.

It is also worth noting that as of 2026, breed documentation for common breeds is not allowed at the BreyerFest Open Show. Personally, having shown at the Open Show since 2023, I find this to be a welcome change - with the amount of entries, this change will save so much space on the table. The breed list citing what breeds are allowed to be documented isn't out yet at the time of this blog post, but I look forward to seeing it! 

BreyerFest Open Show 2024 - look at how much of this table is JUST documentation. 

What Information Should My Documentation Have?

We've looked at what documentation is, and when we should document. Now it's time to look at what information should be included in our documentation. 

Collectability documentation should have:

• The model's name/model number
• The year(s) it was produced
• How it was obtainable (Regular Run, Web Special, BreyerFest Special Run, etc.)
• The run number if known 
• Is it a variation? (chalky, pearly, etc.)
• Is there something else that makes it special? (Signature, sample, etc.)
• The source for your information (such as Identify Your Breyer or Breyer Horse Ref)
• Optional additions are the sculptor, mold number, and a photo of the model

Breed documentation should have:

• The physical characteristics of the breed (ideally straight from the breed standard)
• Accepted colors
• A photo of the breed
• The source for your information
• Optional additions are the location of origin for the breed and what the breed was bred for

You want to keep the information brief - especially with breed documentation. I've touched on this in my LSQ blog post, but judges do not have time to read a book's worth of information. Ideally, a judge gets through six classes in an hour to keep on pace - that's a class every ten minutes, including loading times. Keep your documentation to a few bullet points of relevant information - we really don't have time for more than that. 

How Do I Find Quality Sources for My Information? 

Okay, now we know what should be on our documentation. Now, how do we know what sources are credible? It's a little harder nowadays with the proliferation of AI. But there are ways to ensure your information is credible. 

Your first step when creating breed documentation should be searching for the actual registry website of the breed. Usually, the registry will have a breed standard handy, as well as photos of the breed and voila! Your search is complete. 

It's not always that easy. Some breeds are more obscure and don't have a website for the registry. Sometimes the registry website isn't in English (or your native language). In this case, your next step should be turning to a breed book. I have three I keep in my collection, and I'd recommend any of the three: 

• International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds by Bonnie Hendricks (ISBN: 978-0-8061-3884-8)
• The Official Horse Breeds Standards Guide by Fran Lynghaug (ISBN: 978-0-7603-3804-9)
• Horses of the World by Élise Rousseu (ISBN: 978-0-691-16720-6)

Wikipedia is a good jumping off point in breed research, but it's not a source I'd choose to cite or rely on for my documentation. It can give you an overview, but use the citations on the page to glean where the information came from, and evaluate the source. Often, Wikipedia will directly link you to the breed standard or registry website and you can use that as your primary source. 

When it comes to photos, I implore you to check and double check the photo. Pinterest is not a reliable source if you can't find the original image - much like Wikipedia, anyone can say anything about the image. For photos, like with my information, I look on the registry's website or Facebook page first. If I can't find something suitable, I move on to the websites and Facebook pages for farms that breed/show that breed. Ideally, I find the name and gender of the horse in question and I make sure to add that to my documentation. If I still can't find a photo (which is common in some of the more feral breeds) I go to photographers or government travel websites - anything official is good! My last resort are Facebook groups and online sales pages, but beware here, as it's easy for crossbreed and color misinformation to be spread as horses change hands. Always aim for your photo to be of a registered horse when possible. 

 

Lesli Kathman wrote a blog post on accuracy in documentation which implores showers to check the accuracy of the information they put in their documentation. I highly recommend reading it, as it shows just how easy it can be to be led astray in research. Lesli also keeps a page on her blog with references for painting, but they work well as reliable sources for photos and information. 

AI is not a reliable source, and often makes things up (it's called hallucinations). An easy way to filter out AI in your search is simply to add a -ai at the end of your search query. 

The most important thing to remember is if you make a mistake in your research, don't take it personally. Accept the mistake, learn from it, and change it for next time. Your entries will be better for it. 

How Do I Create Documentation? 

Documentation seems intimidating to make, especially when you're just starting out. The good news is you don't need to make it complicated! Handwritten documentation is perfectly acceptable, especially for collectability. I've also used it as breed documentation in a pinch when adding a horse to my show string last minute, although personally I don't like to use it for breed (I prefer having an easily referenced photo, but that's just my preference.) 

For those comfortable using a computer, my friend Sarah has a wonderful webinar on creating documentation. She's also the main admin behind the documentation Facebook grouped linked at the beginning of this post. Both the webinar and the Facebook group are excellent places to get advice on actually making documentation. Sarah's webinar walks you through making documentation step by step in a few different programs. I highly recommend watching it if you're new to making documentation, or even if you want to upgrade the documentation you already have. 

One thing I'd like to touch on is to be mindful of the size of your documentation. As we know, space can be a premium in classes, and your documentation should only have a few bullet points of relevant information anyways. With that in mind, I'd recommend your documentation be no more than 4"x6" at most in order to be considerate to your fellow showers. Additionally, if the class is especially large, consider setting your horse on top of its documentation to make room for the other entries. 

If documentation is especially intimidating to you, there are people in the hobby who create templates you can purchase. Personally, I don't do this, as my eye often finds these templates waste a lot of space, but I'm never going to knock someone who chooses to use them. If that is what makes the process easiest for you, by all means use a template. 

It has at times been encouraged for showers to bring a breed book to use as documentation. Fortunately, more shows are moving away from that and explicitly disallow breed books being used as documentation. It goes back to the same table space issue - breed books take up a lot of it. You're better off using your breed book as a reference and rewriting the information in a separate documentation. In a pinch, I do keep a pocket sized breed book in my show tote for quick reference, but I rarely need to use it at a show.

I've also noticed people pulling their documentation up on their phones and leaving their phones on the table. As a judge, I'd like to politely ask showers not to do this. Phones go everywhere with us, and carry a plethora of germs - I don't want to touch a phone to see your documentation, be it through scrolling to read it or waking the phone back up because it went to sleep in the time between the entry being put on the table and me judging the class. Not to mention the privacy concerns, if a personal notification were to pop up on the screen while I was looking at the phone. If the choice is between documentation on a phone or handwritten documentation, I'd much rather see the handwritten version. 

My pocket-sized breed book I keep in my show tote.
For those looking for a copy, the ISBN is 978-1-58017-650-7

One final thing - use the resources you have at your disposal! Consider checking out your local library. It's likely their computers will have Microsoft Office installed, and if not they definitely have access to the internet so you can use Google Docs or Canva instead. Not to mention, they should have public printing, either for free or low cost (at my own library the first ten pages a day print for free). You don't necessarily have to spend money on fancy software. 

Can I Buy Documentation? 

Short answer: No, you cannot buy documentation. 

Long answer: No, do not buy pre-made documentation. It is highly unlikely that the person selling documentation has the rights to use the images and information on them for profit. If you remember my post about plagiarism in the hobby, that's copyright infringement. It's not worth it, and you'll retain the information better if you create the cards yourself. That's why you did homework in school. If creating documentation is hard for you, there are options, as I've listed above. You'll feel more pride when your horses win with documentation you've created yourself. 

In summary, documentation doesn't have to be scary. You don't need breed documentation on every horse you bring. Your breed documentation doesn't need to be long - a few brief and relevant bullet points will suffice! If using a computer is hard, handwritten documentation is perfectly fine. Make sure to double and triple check the citations you use, but don't sweat it if you make a mistake - just fix it for next time! This hobby is meant to be for fun, and you'll learn most by doing. If you need help, there are plenty of resources for you to use to make your documentation, as long as you aren't afraid to ask. My blog comments are always open, and you can find me in the Documentation Facebook group as well. 

I also focused more heavily on the creation and finding sources for breed documentation in this post. If you have questions on collectability documentation, I highly recommend you check out my post on collectability entries linked at the beginning of this post. 

Notes on Theme and Celebration Horses

Every year, as BreyerFest reveals trickle in, the hobby is met with the same questions and complaints. 

"Why is the Celebration Model on that mold?" 

"The Celebration Horse looks like that other model!!"

"Why don't the Special Run models fit the theme?" 

"The Surprise Horse HAS to be this mold because the name is X"

So, let's talk about how and why these choices are usually made! 

The Celebration Horse and Mold Choices

Let's start with the Celebration Horse. Why does Breyer make the choices they do? Well, the horse chosen will have broad appeal - a famous rider (Will Coleman, Buck Davidson) or a story that fits the theme (Oliver, Athenian Lady). Sometimes, it's both - for Celtic Fling in 2020, Ballynoe Castle RM was an Irish Sport Horse gelding ridden by Buck Davidson. This year's Corgi Hill Flinka is a Norwegian Fjord for the Scandinavian themed BreyerFest. 

Additionally, the paint jobs are usually simple - solids or patterns that can be easily translated to masking. In both 2024 and 2025, there were 13,000 produced of the Celebration Model - they need to be on the relatively simple side for production. Dani in 2021 is the exception, likely due to the extenuating circumstances surrounding the Celebration Horse that year. Let's break down the past few Celebration Models: 

The past decade of Celebration Horses, by color and pattern

In the last ten years, just three of the Celebration Models have been patterned. Solids are easier to produce and have less room for masking error. Also, it's just a general fact that most horses are solid. Therefore, when you are making portrait models, it's likely that the well-known horse is a solid. 

As a related tangent, horses come in a variety of shades, yes. However, due to breed standards, most breeds have a handful of colors/patterns that are acceptable in those breeds. Most Warmbloods will be in shades of bay. Quarter Horses are going to mostly be bay and chestnut. Fjords come in five shades of dun. When Breyer has only a select number of molds that work for each breed, it is inevitable that one portrait model may look like another. 

Speaking of molds, it's a well-known fact that the owner picks the mold used for the portrait model. In the video announcing Tight Lines as the Celebration Model last year, they talked about the Cigar mold representing Phish's stride in the cross-country phase. Sjoerd's owner chose the Iberian variation of the Vanner mold to represent her horse's medical history that required his feathers to be shaved rather than one of Breyer's Friesian molds. 

I've also seen complaints about the Celebration Model not matching the real horse enough. Part of this is due to the translation from a real horse to a mass-produced plastic model. Paint cannot fully represent fur. The colors can be approximated, but due to the nature of production it may not be exact. Additionally, Breyer works closely with the owner of the mold to create a representation they approve of - and I know of at least one portrait model where the owner requested the model be changed before it went into production to better represent their horse. Essentially, if the horse is in production, then the owner thinks it is a good representation of their horse. To put it bluntly, the rest of our opinions on the subject don't matter. 

What's In a Theme?

The most common complaint I see every year by far is the Special Run models not matching the theme. I covered this lightly in my 2026 Special Run Speculation, but I'd like to go more in depth on it. 

Basically, if you want and expect the Special Runs to completely match the theme 100% every year, expect to be disappointed. In fact, those expectations should be curbed entirely. It is something that will probably never happen. 

But why? Why, you ask? Because Breyer is a business, and at its heart, a business must make money. BreyerFest Special Run models have to sell. The business needs to make money. Therefore, the Special Runs must appeal to the widest portion of their consumer base. Basically, there needs to be something for everyone. 

Breyer at this point has developed a formula for the Special Run lineup: 

• Vintage mold
• Animal mold 
• At least two, if not all three of the previous year's Premier Club molds (the third may show up as a guest horse portrait) 
• A decorator
• The Surprise model
• A mane/tail variation and/or color variation
• A glossy/matte variation
• A mare and foal set ** this is often dependent on recent Premier Club molds and may not occur every year, but it is in rotation often enough to make a note

You can also expect at least one stock horse to be available somewhere in the lineup regardless of the theme. The same goes for a sport horse. Hunter/jumper, eventing, and western events are by far the most common horse sports in the US, and therefore sport and stock breeds are the most popular breeds of horse. The average horse lover who attends BreyerFest will want to see one of them in the lineup available to purchase. If Special Runs don't appeal to ticket buyers, then they won't buy All-Access or VIP tickets to obtain them, thus Breyer makes less money. This same logic is why not all models are available to online ticket holders - there needs to be an incentive to attend BreyerFest in person.  

So if Breyer must cast a wide net of Special Run models, then why have a theme? Well, the theme can still be incorporated into the Special Run models, and has been through the name of the model. Take this year's theme: Midsummer Fair. While none of the molds used reflect Scandinavian breeds, all are named after aspects of Scandinavian culture. The theme is more of a guideline, a way to unify the Special Runs and have guest horses with things in common. 

You'll notice that the portrait Limited Edition models are all Scandinavian breeds - an Icelandic, a Gotland, and a Knabstrupper. Remember a large percentage of people who come to BreyerFest are not hobbyists, but are families with children. They can meet the horses and buy the models based on them - they aren't paywalled by ticket type, the Limited Edition models are accessible to all BreyerFest attendees. It makes the most sense to have the Special Runs cover collector's tastes (with them only available on the more expensive tickets), while Limited Editions cover the general public as well (since they are available to everyone). Breyer wants to sell models, and appealing to everyone is how. 

Let's have a quick chat about event planning, production time, and announcement timelines as well. Keep in mind that by the time the BreyerFest theme is announced, several months of planning is likely already in the works. The Celebration Horse has been announced in late fall the past few years, with a factory production prototype already in hand. This means that by the time the theme is announced, most of the event planning and guest horse selection has already happened and is moving into production phases. 

The same goes for the Special Runs. I took a look at the VINs on the post-pandemic (2022-present) BreyerFest Special Runs, Celebration Models, and Limited Editions I have. They uniformly have VIN dates of February or March of their respective years, with a handful having dates into April. This means that those models were painted and finished by February of that year, around the time the announcements are being made. 

VIN from the 2025 Criollo Special Run "Future is Bright" 

VIN from the 2022 Celebration Horse Nikolas

This means the production timeline of the models is not necessarily aligned with the event planning schedule of BreyerFest, and in fact it's likely the Special Runs are being developed independently of the theme, and then named to fit. 

So, why even have a theme if the Special Runs aren't going to match up? Because it's fun! It gives a unique jumping off point for naming the Special Runs, and lets Breyer incorporate new guest horses every year. We're there for the model horses - I don't know anyone who bases their attendance purely off the theme itself. By the time tickets go on sale, we know the majority of the exclusive models that will be available at BreyerFest, and that's usually the deciding factor in my experience. 

The Surprise Horse and Its Patterns

There is one final thing I'd like to cover in this post, although it's less directly connected to the theme, and that is the surprise horse speculation. For those less aware, every year Breyer has a gambler's choice Special Run. When it is announced, we only know the name of the model. We don't know the mold or the colors, and we don't find out until the first people go through the Special Run line on Friday morning at BreyerFest, buy their Surprises, and open them. 

Naturally, the months between each BreyerFest are filled with wild speculation as to what the mold will be. 

There are a few hard and fast rules for eliminating a mold from surprise contention. 

1. The mold will not be a vintage mold. 
2. The mold will not have a new release in the same year as BreyerFest (Regular Run, Web Special, somewhere else in the BreyerFest lineup, etc.).
3. The mold is on the popular side. 
4. The mold has not been used for the Surprise before.
5. The mold was not used for the previous year's BreyerFest.

There are a few looser rules as well: 

1. The mold will not be a pair of horses (parent/foal).
2. The mold will not be a pony (the smallest mold used thus far is Flash, and while he is large pony sized, he was sculpted as a Morgan).
3. The mold is not a draft (the closest we've come is the Cleveland Bay).

The chart above lists the entire history of the mold use for the surprise run. One important thing to note is that the Quarter Horse Gelding in 2009 is an outlier when considering molds for the surprise. His mold was 50 at the time of use, and it was the first year a surprise Special Run was used at BreyerFest. He marked an anniversary year for the mold, and essentially he was a test run for the concept of a gambler's choice Special Run (circling back to event planning - this chart makes it crystal clear how early Special Run planning must start: the surprise horse wasn't a Special Run in 2010, and only became an annual addition to the lineup starting in 2011, once they knew the demand for the concept was there and that the models would sell). 

The most important consideration when selecting the Surprise Horse mold is likely "will it sell?" Since the run is split among various colors and finishes, the piece count on the Surprise is the largest. In 2026, the run size is 7,800. The Surprise is always available to both in-person and online BreyerFest guests. Therefore, it has to be something that people will want to buy, or grab to resell. Breyer does not want to be stuck with these taking up space in the warehouse to put in grab bags for years to come. They want to move the product. The mold HAS to be something that will sell, and honestly there is a short list of vintage models that would (it's the Fighter, the Proud Arabian Mare, Lady Phase and maybe the Semi-Rearing Mustang). 

Every year, there's at least one mold that people believe is the Surprise mold because of "theme." Or, because of the name bestowed on the Surprise. It's very rare that the two actually line up. If we look at the chart, we have roughly three who have somewhat fit the theme (CC Shuffle Roxy - Western themed BreyerFest, 2016 Samba Surprise Esprit - Brazilian themed BreyerFest, 2018 Dark Horse Surprise Smarty Jones - Racing themed BreyerFest) and two who have fit the name (2011 Spun Gold Ethereal - various shades of gold, 2024 Girls Run the World Emerson - on the mare variation of the mold). That's five out of sixteen Surprises who align with the event theme or the name, or 31% total. This disparity is because usually the person who designs the Surprise and chooses the mold is not the same person who names the model - and it's a double blind. Neither knows what the other has picked. This is how you end up with a Latigo for the India themed BreyerFest, or a racking Hamilton for the Stagecoach Surprise. 

Cost is the other consideration to take into account with Surprise Horse speculation - the Surprise is usually the most expensive horse in the Special Run lineup. This means people expect a model that is worth the money - hence why a pony mold is extremely unlikely. I could see one of the larger pony molds eventually being used in the future, but smaller pony molds would cause too much griping about the cost not being worth it. Additionally, with the Christmas Day gamblers choice mold often being a large pony, I find it even more unlikely that a pony mold will be used any time soon. The inverse is true for a draft mold - while I wouldn't completely rule the use of one out, I think the production cost versus the model cost may be slightly too unbalanced for a draft mold surprise. 

Overall, I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but it can be frustrating to see the constant complaints about the Celebration Horse or the Special Runs not matching the theme. I'm a person who goes to BreyerFest to see my friends, and to buy pretty model horses. I'm less concerned about theme because that's not a factor in whether or not I go to BreyerFest. I'm going regardless, because BreyerFest!  

Stablemate Sunday: BreyerFest 2016

Since the BreyerFest reveals started rolling out at the beginning of the year, I've been in BreyerFest mode! I swear, the year goes BreyerFest prep mode January through May, BreyerFest mode June and July, and BreyerFest recovery August through December! I love seeing the reveals, I love the rush of getting my live show entry in and figuring out how I want to spend my time. Are there workshops I want to take? What lectures and seminars are there this year? It's such an incredible experience that I spend the whole year looking forward to. 

And since I'm in the BreyerFest spirit, let's take a look at the 2016 Single Day Stablemate Assortment. The BreyerFest theme that year was Carnival, coinciding with the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. The models were all named after states in Brazil. There were 1,750 made of each model. 

Sao Paulo is a bay roan pinto on the G5 Running Mare mold. This was the first plastic release on the mold - she was originally seen as the porcelain Esperanza from the 2002 Spirit Collection. Due to this, the mold is a little stylized and noodly, as she was based on the cartoon character. This also was not the first time a mold debuted as a BreyerFest Single Day model. 2013 saw the debut of four new molds - Rivet, the Loping Quarter Horse, the Icelandic, and the Eberl Andalusian. Nor would it be the last - Tushar the Cob would make his plastic debut in 2017. The Running Mare would show up again in 2016 as Mini Geronimo, the Premier Club's free Stablemate. 

Bahia is a black leopard on the Rivet mold. This marked Rivet's second use as a BreyerFest ticket model after being introduced as a Single Day in 2013. Like the Running Mare, Rivet also showed up as a Club Model later in 2016. Rivet was used as Riptide, the Vintage Club bonus Stablemate. 

For a Stablemate, he is extremely detailed, with mottling on his muzzle and groin areas. He's definitely my favorite of the bunch (I do love the Rivet mold!). He's also the only one I show. Like many of my show models, he has a Taylor Swift name - Down Bad, for the song of the same name. He's been successful, and has multiple NAN cards in breed.  

Para is a bay tobiano on the G2 Andalusian mold. Like Rivet, this is the mold's second use as a ticket model, though much less recent than Rivet. The G2 Andalusian was actually the first Single Day ticket model, as the glossy dark bay Amando in 2004. I think his color is lovely, but he rarely makes it to a show with me. Breyer has leveled up their Spanish Stablemates molds, and I just find him to be less competitive in breed and collectability than other models in my collection. I do usually keep him out on display, because I like looking at him! 

Amapa is a dun on the at the time newly released Valegro Stablemate mold. I love his darker shading on his face around his bald face, and his subtle leg barring. He hasn't yet shown for me, but I thought about trying him last fall, and I think I will try him in the spring - we'll see how it goes! I just think his color is so nice that he deserves a chance on the show table. 

It's Friday, I'm a Judge! Mini Collectability #4

We're at the top of our fourth cycle of the Friday judging clinic, which means we're back to my favorite topic - mini collectability! 

As always, my personal judging history and credentials can be found on my About Me page. 

This week, I'm doing something a little different in our mini collectability class. Previously, I've presented mini collectability classes that would be double judged for breed, rather than similar run types. For our class this week, we're switching it up! All of the horses in this class are Stablemates from the various Clubs Breyer has. I've picked one from each - the Stablemates Club, the Premier Club, and the Deluxe Collector Club. 

Horse A: Virkie - Stablemates Club Gambler's Choice - 2023 - Unknown amount made

Horse B: Corazon - Premier Club Bonus Stablemate - 2015 - ~750 made

Horse C: Fandango - Deluxe Collector Club Stablemate - 2023 - Unknown amount made

Think about collectability - what horse is the rarest? Which is in the nicest condition? Which horse is most desired by the hobby at large? When you're ready, my placings can be found under the jump. 

Conga Time! National Show Horse

It's Conga Time! Today, we're looking at my National Show Horse conga. Sculpted by Sommer Prosser, she's one of my personal favorite molds and has been since I was a child. 

I love the motion and flow of the sculpture - she's so beautifully done, and I find her to be a harmonious blend of art and functional horse. Like Sham and Lady Phase, I typically try to add to this conga at BreyerFest. 

My first horse on the mold was the 2008 Color Crazy Mare and Foal Set (the variation with white markings). She and Naranda sparked my love for the mold, and I still have them both today!

Gwendolyn was one of my childhood grails - I didn't get her as a child, but I did eventually pick her up as an adult. 

Like Thunder was my first foray into low runs! I got him in 2015 or 2016 I think? My timeline is a little fuzzy but I know I was in college. 

Charisma is another like Gwendolyn I coveted for a while. According to Facebook photos, it looks like I picked her up during BreyerFest 2022. Something about this specific shade of palomino and her pinto pattern is very pleasing to my eye! 

This is the 2014 Warehouse Find web special! You can tell the difference between her and the original Madison Avenue by the VIN. The Warehouse Find will have one, while the original Madison Avenue was retired before it was required.

The Regular Runs (L-R): Snow Princess, Naranda, Color Crazy (white markings)

BreyerFest Models (L-R): Rejoice, Gwendolyn, All Glory, Namaste

Special Runs (L-R): Like Thunder, Warehouse Find, Charisma, Champagne Toast