Show Report: Happy Kamper Classic 2026

⛺ Happy Kamper Classic 2026 ⛺

The fall show season has officially kicked off! At the end of August, I attended the Happy Kamper Classic. It's a show I've attended a few times (though it was not held last year). I feel like I say this about every show I attend more than once, but it's one of my favorite shows to attend. I guess I'm just lucky to have the opportunity to attend so many well run shows with great hosts! 

It was a bit of a drive to get there, but luckily I once again was able to carpool with my friend Sarah. We left absurdly early on Friday morning, which gave us plenty of time to drive down, stop for lunch (and ice cream!), and check in to our hotel. We met up with some of our other friends for dinner, and miraculously got to bed at a normal hour. 

This ice cream cone was a SMALL 

The show kicked off bright and early. I mostly brought a mini string, with a small tote of traditionals. Carpooling always makes me more aware of space limitations, so I opted to concentrate on the mini string, particularly because I don't get to show minis for collectability again until November (a combination of judging minis and attending shows that aren't double judged for collectability). The mini string did well, though it was a day for bridesmaids - I had a lot of seconds, and mostly pulled section reserves. This is a tough show, and I'm happy with how my models did regardless! 

Such a lovely show hall! 

After the show, a group of us went out for Mexican. It's always such a fun time getting to meet up with your friends at a show, and the shenanigans that occur. This time, my one friend told the waitress it was our other friend's birthday (it was not. She was not amused).  

Overall, it was such a wonderful time, and I hope I'm able to make it back to Happy Kamper next year! 

The OF Breyer/Other Mini Decorator section callback...only two of these models aren't mine! 

The Champions:

Sowers' Grapes - OF Breyer/Other Mini Light Collectability Reserve

Holy Revival - OF Breyer/Other Mini Light Breed Champion

Psychotic Love Theme - OF Breyer/Other Mini Gaited/Spanish Collectability Reserve

Friendship is Magic - OF Breyer/Other Mini Stock Collectability Reserve

Three Shots, Lemon Drops - OF Breyer/Other Mini Pony/Other Collectability Reserve

Golden Child - OF Breyer/Other Mini Decorator Collectability Champion

It's Friday, I'm a Judge! Traditional Collectability #7

Welcome back to another Friday judging clinic! Let's talk traditional collectability today. 

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

This week, we're concentrating specifically on Regular Run collectability. This is an area I often think gets overlooked at shows, at least in the regions I show in, where most everything is double judged! In those cases, it's really easy to pick a top six without even considering the regular runs on the table. So, today we'll be looking at how to evaluate regular runs against each other - particularly atypical examples of the run. 

Horse A: Hwin - Regular Run - 2017-2019 - Chalky variation

Horse B: Sweetwater's Zorah Belle - Regular Run - 2023-current - Chalky variation

Horse C: Bet Your Blue Boons - Regular Run - 2009-2011

Think carefully - how would you place this class? Keep in mind the collectability judging criteria - age, rarity, desirability, and condition. 

Monthly Round Up! August Additions (+ July Stragglers)

It's the first Wednesday (Thursday) of the month, so let's take a look at what I added to the collection in August! 

So when I posted my BreyerFest Haul I fully expected to not have any other July additions, so I made it the monthly additions post. Then Breyer threw us for a loop and released the Deluxe Club Stablemate Kiana in July rather than the typical September/October. I could have added her to the BreyerFest post, but it didn't feel right, so I saved her for the August post instead! I have two Deluxe Club accounts, one in my name and one in the name of one of my cats. I pulled the matte Kiana on my account, and the glossy on my cat's. I think he has all the luck! 

August is a Stablemates Club month! This month's release was Touché, a lovely bay leopard Appaloosa on the G4 Trotting Warmblood mold. She was a 50/50 glossy matte split, and like Kiana I was lucky to pull one of each! This time, my account pulled the glossy and my cat's pulled the matte. The Thorin pin was a ridealong with one of my orders.  

I had one goal in mind for the Second Chance sale, since I pulled all of the variations I wanted at BreyerFest. I conga Gilen, but I didn't put Birke and Ribe on my Special Run preference list. I figured with the variations announced, there would be plenty left over for the Second Chance sale online, and I was pleased to be proven right! 

August also brought the next Premier Club release - Flapjack and Waffles! They're probably my most anticipated Premier release this year - Carmen went straight to a friend who wanted her, and while I like Georgina and she'll be staying, a pony and donkey duo is much more to my tastes. We've desperately needed new longears in the traditional lineup for a while, and we've now gotten the new mule and donkey in the space of a year. 

I didn't plan to buy a Stone this month. Then Stone surprise dropped $99 Ice Cream themed Chips. If there's one thing about me, it's that I am kind of obsessed with ice cream. Another thing about me is I am equally obsessed with lemons. And wouldn't you know it, but there was a Lemon Ice Cream chip in the drop. Unfortunately, I was broke after BreyerFest, and I resigned myself to letting it go. I noticed the day after the drop he was still available. I was talking with my friend Mel and mentioned it and she was like, "you need him, he belongs with you." And because Mel is an exceedingly generous friend, she loaned me the cash to pick him up. So, now I have a little Lemon Ice Cream Chip in my collection!

I mentioned in my BreyerFest haul post that my Uff Da and second Hygge were delivered to my friend who purchased them on my behalf (I don't trust the service in the Alltech with something as important as my online exclusive BreyerFest purchases. I got burned the year Buggy came out.) I met up with her to grab them and also see The Lion King musical. It was a good day! 

Finally, we have another grail for the year. I arranged to buy a Pancho from my friend Jane, and at the same time purchased the complete 70s Stable set at the same time. We had talked about the Pancho at Big Orange Bash this year, and she graciously allowed me to start time payments after BreyerFest to pick them up at Happy Kamper. She threw in the shipping box for the G1 buckskin Quarter Horse Mare as a bonus. August was definitely the month of generous friends!