Happy Halloween: Breyer Horse Costumes

The thought of a Breyer horse in a costume may sound a bit odd or funny, but its actually one of the neatest thing that you can create for your horse. In honor of Halloween we’ll look at all the interesting some of the “Costumes” that are possible.

With Breyer Horses, the word “Costume” doesn’t just mean witches and pumpkins, it also means any number of historically accurate tack sets that one could think of, things like Native Arabian Tack and Jousting outfits are seen as “Costumes” to the Breyer horse world. Costume classes at live shows tend to be a mix up of all different costumes. There are some times when Arabian Costume will be split out but most times it will be all together, this can make it a bit difficult to bring home that blue ribbon.

When creating a costume the first thing you want to do is to research. Research is the key for any kind of performance entry, but in costume classes it is key. The details really matter and you’ll want to pay attention to every little thing possible. If you are making the costume be sure to pay attention to scale in relation to the horse. If you are just taking up with a pre-made set, be sure that the tack fits properly and that it is adjusted well.

Lastly you’ll want to make sure your horse is accurate. Putting a Clydesdale in an Arabian costume isn’t going to get you many points in the judges eyes, but an accurate Russian saddle set from 1700 with the proper breed is going to pull things far in your favor!

Whatever you decide to do, showing costume is a blast! On this Halloween weekend, why not give making one a shot? Let your imagination run wild and the results will be amazing. Happy Halloween!

The winning costume entry from Golden Oak Stables‘ NEFL

Event Report: New England Fall Live Breyer Horse Show

Saturday, October 24th 2009 was the first annual Golden Oak Stables‘ New England Fall Live. NEFL brought together new and old collectors alike from all over New England as well as bringing a few into New England. We had a collector that joined us from Florida! With 30 entrants the judges had their hands full with classes stuffed to the brim with dozens of horses.

Our experienced judges were wealth’s of knowledge and I’m sure that everyone learned something new. At the end of the day dozens of ribbons were awarded as well as dozens of beautiful trophies. Entrants also qualified hundreds of horses for the New England Regional show as well as the North American Nationals that will be held in Kentucky during the week of Breyerfest! The day was a huge success and while we wind down for the winter, I can say that 2010 holds bright plans for the Golden Oak Stable’s show series.

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse Showing: North American Model Horse Shows Association

In honor of Golden Oak Stables’ first annual NAN qualifying show, New England Fall Live, we’ll see what makes a NAN qualifying show so special!

The North American Model Horse Shows Association, or NAMHSA, was formed in the mid 1990’s when the popularity of Breyer horse shows were growing in a big way. The NAMHSA is the association that nearly all open level model horse shows apply to become a part of. Through membership into the association the show qualifies to qualify horses for the yearly show, North American Nationals, or NAN.

The North American Nationals is held in the summer each year. On years ending with an even number (Like 2010) NAN is held in Kentucky the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before Breyerfest. On years ending in an odd number (Like 2009) NAN is held in a rotating location that is usually on the west coast to give those who don’t travel to Breyerfest a chance to attend. For years that NAN isn’t held in Breyerfest NAMHSA holds a open bidding event where locations are nominated and voted on. The years that NAN is in Kentucky tend to be very popular and even Breyerfest attendance is larger!

To qualify a horse for NAN you must first attend a member show, like NEFL. At member shows all horses that place 1st or 2nd are awarded a green, pink or yellow card depending on the class that is their “Ticket” to get into NAN for the next two years. The only exception to this is that Unicorns, Pegasus, or other fantasy creatures cannot receive a qualification card. Even if you choose not to attend NAN, your NAN cards can still benefit you. NAMHSA holds several merit programs for horses. These programs ask that you attain at least 6 NAN cards for your horse. Once you’ve done so you can apply your horse for a merit award.

Beyond NAN, NAMHSA operates in 11 regions that are divided geographically. These “Regions” are a great source of information, friends and events. There are discussion groups for each region that keep everyone in the region up to date on happenings. You can find out how to contact your regional representative on the NAMHSA site here.

Lastly, horses that are NAN qualified, customs and original finish, tend to have more perceived value in the hobby. Hobbiests tend to value these horses more and customs that qualify constantly are seen to be of Live Show Quality.

There’s many reasons to show, and many more to show at NAN shows. Whatever your reason is, just remember to have fun, it’s a hobby after all!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Breyer Horse Live Show First Aid Kit

Just one week left before Golden Oak Stables New England Fall Live, and in honor of that we’ll learn how to make a “First Aid Kit” so that you’ll have everything you need come show day.

• Horses
• Model Horse Tack
• Tablecloth
• Makeup Brush
• Extra Leg Tags
• Pen(s)
• Notepad
• Business Cards
• Sticky Wax
• Tweezers
• Toothbrush
• Soft clean cloth
• Horse breed book
• Breyer horse collectors guide
• Camera

You’ll of course want to first remember your horses, they’re the most important thing to remember on show day (Except for yourself!). If you are showing performance you’ll want to make sure all your tack is complete and ready to go for the show day. Its a good idea to bring an extra bridle, halter and or saddle just in case something should break!

Something that is easy to forget is a tablecloth. Should your horses fall they stand a much better chance if they fall on cloth. At most shows you’ll share a table with another person, so be sure to offer to share if your partner doesn’t have one, its a great way to break the ice with a shower you don’t know. Judges often take off for a dusty horse, so be sure that you bring a clean makeup brush to dust off any excess dust that has accumulated. You’re bound to loose at least one leg tag by the time you get your horses packed up and then back out at the show, bringing some extra tags will save you a ton of frustration.

Bringing a pen and notebook to keep track of your placings is important, more times than not I’ve gotten home from a show and have no idea who placed and who won! Writing down all your placings is a great habit to get in. While you’re at the show you’ll probably meet someone that you’ll want to chat with after the show, if you have business cards, be sure to bring them along, if not, your pen and notebook will come in handy for exchanging emails or phone numbers.

For last minute disaster prevention you’ll want a soft cloth in case your horse gets dirty (Also cleans off sticky wax well), Sticky Wax for your performance entries, tweezers for tack changes and a soft brush if you should have a haired model who gets a messy mane or tail. Sticky wax also can come in handy if you have a stubborn horse or doll that doesn’t stand well.

Something easily forgotten by new showers is a breed book and a collectors guide. Its a great idea to bring these along for reference to a show, more times than not you’ll need to use it to look something up or someone will have forgotten their’s.

Lastly, a camera! Taking photos of a great show will preserve memories for a lifetime! One thing I’ve started doing is taking a photo of every horse that I have that places at a show, this helps me keep track because I’m bad at writing them down.

Live showing is a great time for all involved and by remembering to bring a few things you’ll save yourself a headache at the end of the day!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Golden Oak Stables NEFL Breyer Horse Show – October 24th 2009

We’re only about a month away from Golden Oak Stables‘ first all open NAN qualifying show and we’re filling up quickly!

If you haven’t taken the time to enter now is the time. NEFL is the only live show in New Hampshire and has a full class list as well. The show features over 100 classes as well as double judging in the Halter classes, that means there will be nearly 500 NAN cards that are up for grabs and over 2000 ribbons! Not only are ribbons up for grabs but there will also be dozens of trophies and rosettes. The NAN cards are on their way, the trophies are here and the ribbons are on order!

Our judges are exceptional! We are proud to be honored with talented and knowledgeable judges that have wealths of knowledge to share. Our judges range from having years of model horse experience, to years of real horse experience, and for our custom classes we have hobbiests that are experts in the field of art as well as horses. As always with Golden Oak Stables the focus will be on learning, and there is no doubt that our judges will teach us all many things!

If this is your first show don’t worry! We have many first time showers as well as many experienced showers already. All ages and experience levels are welcome.

Our show is NAN qualifying, which means that any horse earning a first or second will be qualified for the nationals show in July of 2010. The nationals show takes place in Kentucky the week of Breyerfest, so if you are headed to Breyerfest next year and have a few extra days, you might decide to take your winning horses to the national show. Who knows, you might just go home with a national champion, and all from just showing at NEFL! Information can be found at NAMHSA.org .

Whether its your first show or your hundredth, this is a great show to attend. You won’t find a show with more “Breyer Only” classes as well as having classes for just about any performance entry you can think of! And don’t even think about leaving your customs at home, there are dozens of classes for them too! Mark your calendar and fill out your entry form, NEFL is coming up and filling quickly! Contact me for more information and for a special incentive for those of you that have attended a previous Golden Oak Stables’ show!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Golden Oak Stable’s New England Fall Live Open Breyer Horse Show

Golden Oak Stables is proud to announce the first annual New England Fall Live to be held October 24th, 2009!

New England Fall Live is an all Open level NAN Qualifying show which means that any horse that shows at New England Fall Live and wins a first or second place qualifies to show at the National year end show in Kentucky. The national show, or NAN, will be held the week of Breyerfest next year in Kentucky. Any and all persons wanting to enter are welcome, no matter your showing experience though!

The class list is extensive for NEFL, with over 120 classes! NEFL is an all Breyer show which means that only Breyer made horses will be able to show. There are dozens of Performance classes, in both Original Finish and Custom, for you to show off your creativity! So dust of your tack, start making some props and get ready to impress! Our Performance judge has a long history of judging real horses and will bring her knowledge to us!

The Original Finish Halter class list is huge! With dozens of classes it will be double judged, which means two judges will be judging the horses on the table for each class. One judge will judge the horses based on their breed and the other will be judging based on the rarity of the horse. So thats double the chances of winning and double the ribbons!

The Custom class list is one of the most extensive Breyer only custom class lists around. Most shows force you to show custom Breyers along with Artists Resins, where they hardly have a chance. Not NEFL! We’re excited to see your custom Breyers. So bring them out! The custom class list will also be double judged, one for breed and the other for workmanship, again, double the chances of winning, double the ribbons!

Speaking of ribbons, NEFL is going to be prize central! There will be cloth flat ribbons awarded for all 1-10th place horses, over 40 divisional championships that will be awarded with rosettes and trophies and then of course grand champions and reserves! You won’t see more prizes at any show this year!

So get your ponies out and send in your entry. We’re already starting to fill up and space will be limited, so please get your entry in as soon as possible. Information about NEFL can be found on the Golden Oak Stables website. Previous showers of Golden Oak Stables shows will receive a special gift the day of the show and $5 off their entry, as a thank you for all the support for the past year!

Hope to see you there!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Choosing Breyer Horses

I’ve had the privilege of not only attending dozens of live shows but also hosting and judging Golden Oak Stable’s novice series. As a judge its much easier to look critically at a model horse, much more so than looking at your own horses. Those of you that show might find it hard to understand how a judge can pick out a winner when there are 10 of the exact same model on the table, but today we’ll look at part one of how to choose a horse that is ready for the ring.

All Breyer Horses have flaws. Its nearly impossible to find one that does not. This is because all Breyer’s are painted by hand and all painted individually. There are other flaws that occur due to damage and regular wear and tear. Taking good care of your horses is the first step to having live show quality Breyers, but you also want to be able to enjoy them. With careful play and care you can do both easily.

Some things to look for when choosing a horse to bring to a live show are rubs, paint marks, and flaws.

This arabian mare would be a perfect live show model if not for her flaws. She is a great representation of the breed, she’s also got great coloring as well as being a little rare. But she has flaws.

As you can see, she has multiple rubs as well as paint marks and discoloration on her. Due to these flaws she would not make a good show horse despite all of her positive qualities.

Roxy looks perfect to the blind eye. This Roxy is brand new out of the box, but sadly she has a flaw that will hurt her in the show ring.

She has a shiny rub on her barrel. This isn’t as bad as a normal rub, but it won’t help her in the show ring and is considered a flaw. She could still show in halter, but won’t do as well as a Roxy without a shiny rub. She’d also do well in performance.

One of the most common flaws can be seen on this Ashley. Ear rubs.

Ear Rubs are really common, probably one of the most common damage that can incur to your horse, and judges do notice them as flaws. Taking care not to hit the tops or sides of the ears when playing or displaying your models will help keep them nice.

Taking care of your models is the first step to having live show quality models that can hold their own in the live show ring.

~ Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse Showing: Introduction to Photo Showing

As you may have heard me mention last week in the Introduction to Live Showing, there are two types of showing, live showing and photo showing, today we’ll focus on the basics of photo showing. Photo showing has gained back its popularity in the past few years and is making a smash again today. In the 1980’s and 1990’s photo showing was quite popular but with the economy making travel a little bit more difficult in the past few years, photo showing is back with a fury!

A miniature horse Halter Entry

Photo Showing is focused around photography of your model and creating realistic, yet clean scenes that showcase your model to be the most realistic and correct horse for its breed. For performance its all about creating the most realistic scene, in some cases its nearly impossible to tell if the horse is real or fake!

A rancher catching his calf

Dressage Entry, Cantering a circle at C

In recent years photo showing has changed into the digital age, it was once dependent on the postal service. You would take photos with your 35mm camera, develop the photos and mail them into the show holder. Today with digital cameras so redialy available, there are lots of photo shows that you can simply email your photos to the show holder! What could be simpler than that? But don’t think that these are any less competitive than the live show circuit!

It is also a very inexpensive thing to do, there are many free shows to enter, most of these do not have prizes though. If there is a fee it is normally very low (Under $10) and the awards will be recycled in most cases. Be sure to check out who you are sending your show fees though. Try to only deal with reputable hobbiests.

Two of the biggest photo showing associations are, http://www.imeha.org/ and, http://mepsa1.tripod.com/mepsa.htm. Another good place to look is Model Horse Central, and this year Model Horse Blab has started holding large scale photo shows and even Youtube has been a popular place to find photo shows!

One of the only things you will need to have to start photo showing is a backdrop. Breyer created a photo showing set a few years ago that included a great backdrop along with some other great props to start you out. These are still available through Golden Oak Stables with both a Thoroughbred and a Quarter Horse. Setting up either a realistic backdrop or a very simple one is the best. Just make sure you photos are clear and that the horse can clearly been seen and you’ll be on your way!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse Showing: Introduction to Live Shows

Showing model horses is a fun activity that not only is educational but also helps you get in touch with people of similar interest. Showing model horses is easy and can be extremely fun!

Live Model Horse Showing can seem like a bit of a confusing concept with the word “Live” in there. A “Live Show” refers to the fact that they are live, “In Person” shows where you actually show up the day of show with your horses, There is another type of showing called “Photo Showing” that involves photographing your models and sending the photos either through the mail to a judge or digitally via email to a judge. We’re going to focus on Live Showing today.

The first step in attending any live show is to find one. Breyerhorses.com is a great place to start as is namhsa.org . Both websites allow you to search by area or state and have contact info for more information. If you are in the New England area Golden Oak Stables hosts several live shows a year, check out the website to see upcoming events.

Once you’ve found a show, contact the show holder as soon as possible. You’ll first off need to get information about the show and entering and you’ll also need to enter as soon as possible. Entering early helps the show holder plan the show. Tables and chairs need to be ordered far in advance as well as seating charts and paperwork. Please try to enter as soon as possible; some shows may have a late fee that needs to be paid if you don’t enter before a certain time frame, all of this will be laid out in the show information.

Once you’ve entered you’ll want to start planning what models you are going to bring. For Original Finish models you’ll want to be very critical and pick only your most mint models. Leave any models with rubs, breaks, or marks at home. Models are judged based on not only the model itself but also the condition it is in. In most cases a model with an obvious rub or mark won’t place well. You’ll also want to pick out models that are good fits for the breed. The most realistic horses show best.

When you have picked out your models you will next need to pick breeds for each of them. You can check out the internet along with the library for breed information. It is also a good idea to invest in a Horse Encyclopedia. They can often be found very cheap at most bookstores. Look for one that has lots of breeds, especially ones you may have never heard of before!  Read descriptions very carefully and pay attention to the photos and the colors. If your horse has appaloosa markings make sure whatever breed you pick for it can have appaloosa spots.

There are two types of showing you can do at most live shows, Halter and Performance. Halter is simply judging your horse on the breed conformation, performance is judging your horse doing an activity with tack that is appropriate for the activity. If you are showing Halter be sure to clean your models well and get all of the dust off of them. In between the ears and in the creases of the manes and tails are notorious for hiding dust. If you are showing performance you may choose to “Tack-up” your horse before you pack them up for the show.

Packing your horses needs to be done with care so that they don’t incur damage on their way to and from. Large cardboard boxes work well, but Rubbermade totes work the best. Wrapping the horses should be done with care, using either old tee-shirts or bubble wrap cover the horse entirely and start standing up your largest horses in the bottom of your container. After the first layer of horses is down, start laying your smaller horses, on their sides, on top of the other models. Do NOT over fill your containers, it will cause damage.

The day of the show be sure to get up on time, and head out with enough time to get a good breakfast in your stomach and to also get there on time. Most shows open up an hour before the show starts so that people can begin setting up their horses. It is a good idea to do this. Once you arrive at the show check in with the show holder and introduce yourself. You will probably be assigned a table and the show holder will point you in that direction. Bring a table cloth to set your horses out on and start setting them up on your table. If you are sharing your table with others be sure to be careful about how much space you are using.

Once the show starts just listen for your horse’s classes and have fun, be sure to introduce yourself to others and try to have a good time. The most fun of a horse show isn’t winning, but its making great friends!

~Stacy

How To: Introduction to Breyer Horse Photography

Breyer horse photography can be an art all itself, there are shows devoted entirely to judging photos of model horses, or you may just enjoy taking beautiful photos of your horses. Either way, photographing your models is a fun way to showcase your beautiful Breyer Horses and following a few easy steps, you too can take beautiful pictures to show your horses for all the beauty they have!

Time of day is one of the most important factors to remember when photographing your model. I always suggest photographing outside, and photographing when the sun is shining in the wrong direction can cause problems for your photo. Try to keep the sun over your model, not at sun up or sundown, or try to photograph when the sun is slightly hidden by the clouds. If the sun is shining into your camera you will get bright glares on your model and also in your photograph. Its also not a good idea to photograph your model when it is being covered by a shadow, you want your horse to be lit by a constant light.

Once you have chosen a good time to photograph your model, you want to find a good place use that is free of debris. Grass is not a good place to photograph. Grass is never going to be in correct scale with your model and it will look like your horse is up to its knees in overgrown grass! Try to pick a surface that is flat and that is natural looking. My favorite place to use is my back deck.

As you can see, my deck is very small, and there are things all over that could get in my picture. This is where you have to get a little creative when taking photos. The first is to get down on the level with the horse.

Once you are down on the level with the horse, you want to choose a good angle, pay a lot of attention to the angle that you are taking your photo at, the photo above shows a poorly angled photograph, the horse isn’t in the middle and the main focus of the photo isn’t the horse, its of all the “stuff” around it.

Now we are at a better angle, by laying on the floor and looking up slightly at the model, but unfortunately we have a car in the picture, so we’ll need to change the angle a bit.

This angle is much better, now you can clearly see the horse and the background isn’t a distraction, the horse is clearly lit, it is a little bright on the horse’s back, but you can clearly see the horse, and the focus is clearly on the horse and not the background.

You might decide at some times to get a little creative with your photographs, try taking photos from different angles, always remembering to focus on your model and to keep your background plain and clean. Taking photos of your horse from different angles can create interesting and beautiful photos.

Photographing your horse can be so much fun, and taking the time to photograph your horse can produce great results. It’s a great aspect of the Breyer hobby that is fun for all ages and all collectors! So grab your camera, your favorite horse and head outside on the next nice day to shoot some photos, experiment and remember these simple tips and you’ll have beautiful photos in no time!

Stay tuned next week for live coverage from Breyerfest! Its only a week away!

~Stacy