Model Horse Showing...and Jujube, a Breyer web special...

Back when I still showed model horses and would tell people what I was going to be doing "this weekend", I often got strange looks, an occasional eye roll and even some laughs.  People not in the hobby or familiar with it didn't understand how you could show a piece of plastic that essentially just stood there.  Even my brother laughed the first time he heard about it and asked "What do you do, run a model around a course?"  It was awhile before he understood, but he still made fun a little.  Most guys don't understand.

There are two main forms of showing horses that I know of.  One is Photo and one is Live.  I used to do both, plus I have hosted both.  They each have their pros and cons.

Photo showing can be beneficial to people who don't live near some place that has a live show or people with limited mobility.  In the "old days", you would get a class list then take photos of your models then mail those photos to the show holder with information on the back of the photo listing which classes you were entering in... (none of the photos are mine)

Fancy backgrounds weren't required, but they certainly made the photos more attractive to the judge.  So long as the model was accurate for the class, was clear of debris/dust and the background wasn't cluttered, that's all that mattered.  I loved getting stacks of photos and wish there were still photo shows done by snail mail.  Anyway, you would send your photos to the show holder who would judge the classes then mail everything back along with any awards you may have won.  I didn't enter too many photo shows because I didn't have access to a decent place to take pictures nor money to buy background photos...

Not that they're super expensive, but you still need to add things like footing to match the background and a place to set it up.

Another type of showing is Live Shows where you actually take your models to a location and show them in person.  That's what I mostly did.  I attended an annual show here in Arizona for a number of years plus I went to San Diego twice and Las Vegas once.  The one in Las Vegas was...an adventure... Sunday morning I dreamt the bed was shaking and woke up to discover there was an earthquake going on.  It ended up being a 4.3, which was a pretty good one.  I just sat in the middle of the bed and waited for it to stop.  Part of me wanted to look outside the window because it was my first earthquake, but in the back of my fuzzy head I knew I should stay away from the window.  When the shaking stopped, I got dressed and went down to the lobby for awhile.  I just felt more comfortable there.  I listened to the front desk clerk answering phone calls from guests and telling them that earthquakes were not uncommon in Las Vegas and that no injuries had been reported.  I was not staying at the host hotel, which probably was good because the host hotel was 14 stories (mine was 3) and I heard some scary things about the building swaying.  Later on after the show had started, we had a couple of after-shocks and the showers in attendance from California told us they could last all day.  I was only aware of 2, maybe 3 more.

ANYWAY, sorry...Live showing can be fun because you get to be amongst other horse enthusiasts and the chance to buy models to add to your collection.  You can choose to show performance and/or halter.  Halter classes are pretty easy, although no less competitive than performance.  Some of the performance scenes can get pretty involved.  At the Las Vegas show, someone had done a camping scene and had bought live fish to put in the stream she had made.  Everyone was talking about that one and wanted to see it.  I took pictures, but none of them came out very well since the hall didn't have very good lighting and I didn't have an external flash.  SLR cameras back then didn't have built in flashes like they do now.  I can't imagine, though, taking some of those performance set-ups to a show because they can be pretty involved...

I tried showing performance a couple of times, but never really caught on.  I sometimes a hard enough time getting my halter models in their classes without having to worry about bits falling out of mouths after setting them on the table or making sure the saddle is appropriate for the class.  I did pretty good.  Won a few First and Seconds, but mostly Third through sixth.  I only ever won an Overall Grand and would you believe I still have that trophy?

I was so shocked and tickled when I saw it by my horse.  I've won fancy-ish rosettes, but this is the only "trophy".  I think I still have the horse, too.  Her name is Alstatia.  I don't remember what I showed her as, though.

I also held mini shows at my house and at one of them, Kathleen Moody attended.  Back then, she was just another shower.  She hadn't become Breyer Famous yet.

It's been YEARS since I've gone to a live show.  I had to stop attending because I didn't have a car to go.  And then it was money.  I wasn't able to afford show fees or horses because I lived alone so all of my money went to rent and groceries.  When I was financially able to attend shows again, Arizona Live was no longer being held.  It is now being held again, but I haven't gone.  I have toyed with the idea of showing again on a much smaller scale, but I haven't done it yet.  I guess you could say I am nervous.  There was a show last month in a city about 90 minutes south of me that I'd thought of attending, but didn't get around to it.  The lady who runs Arizona Live is starting up "home shows" again, but I don't know if I'll go to one.  The first one she's holding is for AR/CM models and I have neither so that's an easy pass.  Maybe when she does an OF show.  Do any of YOU show?

Well, I guess that's it for now...there's no new Breyer news.  No sneak peaks this week.

**Update** And wouldn't you know it...as soon as I post this blog, I get an email from Breyer about a web exclusive...Jujube...

First introduced in 2016, the Berries series introduced horse lovers to a sweet crop of berry-inspired ponies.  For 2020, we are expanding our berry patch with a farm-fresh herd of new ponies you'll be excited to pick!  Sweet and similar in taste to apple, Jujubes are also called Chinese Dates.  While Jujubes sound exotic and are unknown to many, the thorny trees actually grow well almost anywhere there is a patch of sun.  Jujube the pony is a small Gypsy Vanner type, and a calm and mellow friend.  From hot sunny summer days to chilly autumn mornings, she is a steady partner and thrives in any climate.  Artist Sommer Prosser designed her charming silver dapple tovero coat.

She has a sweet face, for sure, and I like her coat pattern, although I'm sure some people will complain "Not ANOTHER paint!".  I'm not too keen on her price, but I will enter for her anyway.  Good luck to everyone who does as well!