🟪🏆 NAN 2026 🏆🟪
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| Monday NAN |
Hello from the other side of HorseFest week! This is going to be a Thursday post instead of my usual Wednesday because I think I've spent the majority of the past three days when I'm not at work sleeping. A week of model horse festivities really takes it out of you! Over the next month, my Wednesday posts are pretty much going to be BreyerFest content, and we're starting that off with show reports today and next week. I did two multi-day shows during HorseFest this year - NAN and the BreyerFest Open Show, for a total of five days showing in a row. Reader, I was not built for waking up at 5am for five days straight.
Today we'll start by talking about NAN, or North American Nationals. NAN occurs in even-numbered years in Kentucky, and I've volunteered or shown at it since I first started live showing in 2022. I have a post planned to talk about my volunteering experience, so we'll reflect on my 2024 NAN experience here for a minute. I always tend to go into shows with zero expectations, the mindset of "if one horse places I'll be happy," and that's doubly true when I show at NAN and the Open Show. I think in NAN 2024 I can home with one gold cookie, two silver cookies, and twenty top tens and I was thrilled. I had an idle goal that I'd like to do better this year, but I in no way expected to do so.
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| ...and Wednesday NAN |
And then I nearly accomplished that goal on Monday, with two gold cookies, one silver cookie, and seventeen top tens. Wednesday was collectability day, and while I've been concentrating more on expanding my mini collectability string, I still did not expect anything. Cue four gold cookies, two silver cookies and twenty top tens. My total across two days of NAN was six gold cookies, three silver cookies, and 37 top tens, from 131 horses entered. I did not imagine I'd do this well, and I'm so happy that my work curating my collection and show string has paid off.
I'd like to shout out a few of my cookie winners in particular. DWS Mister Waternoose, my loose mane Shannondell I bought from my friend Kelly M. came home with not just a silver cookie in breed, but a gold cookie in collectability as well. What made it even better was Kelly being there to see it!
My beloved
Golden Child completed her redemption arc from last NAN, and took top honors in the regular run unrealistic class. She's one of my favorites in my collection, and I was thrilled to see her (deservedly) do so well this time around. The same goes for my no-stamp dapple gray ASB Psychotic Love Theme, who took a Reserve Champion in a very competitive, 79 entry Regular Run mini class. Both of these models were very lucky eBay lot finds.
I can't talk about NAN without giving a special shoutout to my friends Sarah P. and Kelsey B., who ran my collectability horses for me on Wednesday while I volunteered. They did such a fabulous job, and even took photos of everyone in the photo booth for me! I'm very fortunate to have such fabulous friends.
I haven't quite decided yet how many horses I'll take to NAN in 2028. I may work on some merit awards, and I may volunteer more next time. I'll have to see how my horses show in the next two years - I'm too tired to think about it now!
The Cookie Winners:
It seems to have been a BreyerFest of exceeded expectations! Wow, what a story! Congratulations! I really enjoyed this report.
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