Real Life Breyer Horses: Rags to Riches

There are many great colts in Thoroughbred racing but a great filly doesn’t come along every day. In 2007 we got to meet a filly that has found a place in many hearts.

Rags to Riches was born in 2004 out of A.P. Indy (Sire) and Better than Honour (Dam). On her sire’s side was the famous Seattle Slew, Secretariat and Bold Ruler, and on her dam’s side was the famous Northern Dancer. Rags was bred out of the small Skara Glen Stables in Pennsylvania, known for its Thoroughbred breeding program, but not just race horses, they are also known for their hunters and jumpers!

In 2005 Rags to Riches was brought to Keenland for sale and sold for an astonishing 1.9 million dollars to Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. She was sent to training at the age of two with Todd Pletcher. It was clear that, while she was fast, she would flourish at long distances. In January of 2007 she was brought into competition at Santa Anita race track and won her first race by six lengths. She then went on to win a few other races and eventually the Kentucky Oaks. This little filly was really making people notice!

In June of 2007 she was entered in the prestigious Belmont stakes and she truly made it memorable. She faced Curlin, the horse of the year and a strong competitor himself. She stumbled out the gate and while that would take a normal horse out of the race, she still found her way to the front of the pack and dueling it out with Curlin at the final stretch. In the end, it would be the first time a filly had won the Belmont in over a century!

Rags was retired shortly after due to a front pastern injury and was bred for the first time in 2008. In early 2009 she gave birth to her first foal and is expecting again!

Breyer’s Rags to Riches is featured on the wonderful Ruffian mold who is also a famous champion filly. She is in full stride heading towards the finish line with a wreath of flowers already over her winning neck. She is a stunning bright chestnut and has a long blaze down her face with three socks. She’s truly a beauty to behold.

Check out all the race horses that Breyer has to offer at Golden Oak Stables and keep an eye out for Rags’ offspring, they’re sure to make a splash some day soon!

~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

Real Life Breyer Horses: Smarty Jones

In 2004 a chestnut colt found his way into many of our hearts. Resembling his famous family and touching the lives of those who were lucky enough to see him race.

Born in February of 2001, Smarty Jones was bred with an exceptional pedigree with relatives such as Funny Cide, Afleet Alex, Northern Dancer and Secretariat. He was born to Someday Farm in Pennsylvania. Smarty was named after the co-owner’s mother, who’s nickname was Smarty Jones, because the two of them shared a birthday!

In 2003 Smarty began his racing career in a big way! He began training with John Servis and by the end of 2003 they were sure Smarty was something special winning several small races in big ways. In early 2004 he went to race in the Count Fleet stakes at Aqueduct Park in New York State. He won his first stakes race by 5 lengths proclaiming him a real contender for the derby! In the winter and early spring of 2004 Smarty went on to compete and win in three other stakes races before finally going to the Derby.

On May 1st 2004 the once unknown horse from Pennsylvania went on to win the prestigious Kentucky Derby. He was the first unbeaten horse to win the Kentucky Derby since Seattle Slew in 1977. In addition to the purse for the Kentucky Derby, Smarty also was awarded an additional 5 million dollars for sweeping The Rebel Stakes, The Arkansas Stakes and The Kentucky Derby.

Smarty then went on to the other legs of the Triple Crown and while he brought home the win in the Preakness he was sadly shut out of the Belmont, the only race he ever lost. After the Belmont Smarty was put into retirement and now lives a quiet life in Lexington, Kentucky at Three Chimney’s Farm.

The Breyer Smarty was released on a brand new mold in honor of his release. He is featured in a full gallop with a base resembling the home stretch of your favorite race track. His dynamic position and energy has made him stick out in a crowd. In 2009 Smarty was joined by his grandfather Secretariat who is featured on the same mold. They make a beautiful pair! There are many beautiful racehorses produced by Breyer every year, check out Golden Oak Stables to see if your favorite star has been immortalized.

Smarty is a modern day champion that will be remembered for years to come! His spirit and determination has created one of the greatest champions of our generation, and will surely sit in our hearts for a long time to come.

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse Rarity and Collectibility Part 2

Last week we talked about what made vintage models collectible and desirable, this week we’ll take a look at current models and what makes them collectible and desirable.

Models today may all look the same when you get them from your dealer, but often times there are subtitle differences that can make them much more desirable than you may think. It is important to remember that there are many factors that determine what makes a model more desirable than the next one and we can’t touch on each one here but we can touch on a few things  that will help you find out why your horse is special!

Most of you know that all Breyer horses are painted individually by hand, and due to this, each one of them is different. Sometimes this creates distinct variations that can be quite collectible. Sometimes you’ll find a horse that has shading thats exceptional, or one that is either significantly darker or lighter than a “regular” one. This can sometimes make the model much more desirable. Another variation that can make a model desirable is missing socks or facial markings. Depending on the mold, variations such as this can make the model very desired by many collectors. The rarest variation to find is a glossy variation. In the past year or so variation glossies have been popping up all over the country, this is the rarest form of variation to find and these models are highly sought after. Please see Friday’s blog concerning glossy models, its very important.

In addition to variations there are other factors that create desirability in newer Breyers. There are many molds that are popular, typically brand new models are most desirable because they are collected by so many collectors. Many people collect what are called “Conga Lines” where they attempt to get every release of a certain mold. Some collectors collect only a certain sculptor or a certain breed of horse so new molds can have fans for those reasons as well.

Special runs can become very desirable based on mold, number produced and color. Glossies are very popular with collectors right now and special runs with a glossy finish are very popular. Newer molds also can make a special run popular, but the thing that impacts how desirable a special run is, is the number produced. Models under 350 produced are considered very limited and models under 1000 made are considered limited. Some models of higher numbers can still be hard to find and very collectible.

There are many factors that go into how desirable a model is, but it all depends on how many people want to add a particular horse to their collection!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Authenticating Breyer Horses

There’s no question as to authenticity when we purchase a new Breyer from our favorite dealer, but sometimes we purchase used or rare models from individual collectors. The vast majority of collectors are very honest and upfront about the history of a horse, but sometimes, especially with rarer horses, its best to cover all of your bases.

In the past month or so there have been several cases of fake models being sold as real; I’ve had this happen twice to myself. This can happen to anyone, regardless of experience in the hobby. Commonly we purchase second-hand horses via the internet, which is great and convenient for all of us, but we’re purchasing through photographs instead of seeing the model in person. We also may not always know our seller.

The most commonly reproduced models are the glossy prize models that Breyer awards at their sponsored shows and as prizes for other contests. These models have become very valuable and collectible in the past decade and are very desirable. There have been countless cases of these models being reproduced. The common way to tell the difference is the feel and smell of the gloss. Unfortunately you can’t tell this until you get the model home.

At every Golden Oak Stables’ show I give the same speech that I’ll give here. Make sure you know the owner. If you are going to spend several hundred dollars on the model be sure to get the seller’s full name and if he or she won the model, if not, find out who did win the horse. Once you have that make contact with the original winner (If you don’t have their email a google search can help find it) and see what the history of the model is. You can also check JAH for Breyerfest winners for each year, I suggest checking this out and looking for the winner’s name.

These steps aren’t always full proof, but it is a good start. In addition you should ask for up close photos of the horse including the stomach, legs, hooves, tips of tail, under the chin, ect. These are areas where the gloss would drip. It is very easy to purchase a regular run model and place a coat of gloss over them, so checking these places for drips and bubbles will help you weed out the fakes. All Breyerfest models come with a Certificate of Authenticity, but these are VERY easy to reproduce, so do not rely on this to authenticate the horse for you. After you’ve done some homework and if you feel the horse is authentic be sure to use a secure method of payment such as a credit card as well as working out a return policy in writing should the model end up being fake.

Decorators are the second most commonly reproduced models. Decorators (Blue, Gold, Woodgrain, ect) are quite rare and are much harder to reproduce than a glossy model. Most decorators are very easy to tell from photographs which are real and which are fake. Most vintage decorators were produced prior to 1970, so one way to check is to ask for a photograph of the mold mark. No vintage decorators should have the U.S.A mark. Taking a look at the current Breyer guide as well as familiarizing yourself with what these models look like will help you if you should decide to make the plunge.

After you purchase the model though you’ll want to test the model. There’s a cleaning solution by the name of Lestoil that will take off any paint that is not original finish leaving the original paint below. Diluting this in water and leaving the horse soak for a short period of time will either do nothing, meaning your horse is authentic, or the paint will start to peel, which means the horse is a fake. I have yet to hear a story of Lestiol disturbing an original paint job.

Its always best to purchase models in person if possible, but do your homework if you decide to buy online. Check out your seller on Model Horse Hobby Reference for detailed accounts from other buyers about prior transactions and always purchase with a bit of buyer beware, and always remember, you can’t go wrong with a new Breyer from your dealer!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Real Breyer Horses: DZ Weedo – Champion Appaloosa

A champion appaloosa is always a sight to behold. One that has accomplished as much as this one is truly another story.

DZ Weedo is the grand son of Zippo Pine Bar, one of the most famous and accomplished Quarter Horse stallions of our lifetime. In 1994 DZ was born to the world and started taking the appaloosa world by storm at age 3 when he won the Appaloosa champion trail horse. He then in 1998 was named the Appaloosa western champion. He holds world and national titles in trail riding, western riding, western pleasure and bareback equitation.

His flashy coat is one thing that truly makes him stand out in a crowd. His beautiful blanked appaloosa pattern with big bold spots are a stand out in the ring, but his most remarkable feature is his coat. Standing out in the ring is a blanketed appaloosa with a bright and metallic buckskin coat that just shimmers. Two socks and a deep black mane and tail finish off this winning package.

DZ Weedo is last but certainly not least a sire that is creating champions over and over again! His offspring have also won several world and national titles as well as titles in racing. Through his offspring, DZ is creating a legacy that will live on for years and years to come.

Breyer released the beautiful DZ Weedo model in the spring of 2008. DZ is featured on the updated Stock Horse Stallion mold. For the DZ Weedo release, Breyer sculpted a new tail for the mold to create a fresh new look especially for this model. That summer brought a few very rare variations of this model. Breyerfest 2008 brought glossy DZ Weedo’s that were given away as prizes for the Breyerfest youth show. There are only a handful of these and they are nearly impossible to be found. The other variation that Breyer released was a few hundred DZ Weedo’s without spots! Its unknown if this was intentional or not, but it certainly makes this model all the more memorable.

You can check out DZ Weedo on the Golden Oak Stables website as well as many other western champions. This flashy beautiful stallion is sure to bring some color and pizazz to any stable.

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse Rarity and Collectiblity

Its no secret that there are some Breyer horses out there worth a significant amount of money. Some Breyer models can be worth $1,000 while some are only worth $1. Its hard to tell rare models when you see them, but looking out for a few simple things can help distinguish them from the others. Its good to remember that these are not always true and there are exceptions to the rule. Your best resource is going to be a Breyer guide. Collecitbility and rarity is very difficult to explain, as many of you have asked at Golden Oak Stables event, but hopefully this will give you a better idea of what makes a rare horse rare.

Vintage models can be difficult to both identify and place value to. Condition is always the most important thing to look for. Breaks, chips, yellowing, and major rubs will render nearly any model worthless. In vintage models, the finish is a good indicator or value. Models with a glossy finish tend to be rarer than matte ones. The glossy finish places the age of the horses as older than 1970 in most cases. Another positive to the glossy finish is that it helps to protect the models from rubs.

Vintage models can also have a finish called “Chalky”. Chalky models were produced during the oil crisis of the early 1970’s and are distinguished by their coat of white primer under their regular paint job. Normally Breyers are painted directly on raw plastic, but in the early 1970’s recycled plastic needed to be used, creating plastic of various colors. To combat that a coat of white primer was used. Models that are chalky are hard to distinguish, but they have a few features to look for including thick paint around the hooves and under them and a little “pooling” of paint on the belly. Chalky models have very delicate finishes and are very difficult to find. Many models also appear to be chalky when they are not. An experienced collector is really the only way to tell one from a normal horse.

Finally, one last thing to look for is models with “Decorator” paint jobs. Decorators are models of colors that aren’t regular horse colors. Woodgrain, charcoal, Dapple Blue (Copenhagen) , Dappled Gold (Florentine) , Solid Blue (Wedgewood) and Solid Gold (Gold Charm) are some of the more common Breyer decorator colors. Typically any model with one of these finishes can be very collectible, but there are some very common Woodgrains and Charcoal models, so be sure to research what you are buying. Nearly any vintage gold or blue model is very very rare.

Next week we’ll go over what makes current models hard to find and collectible!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Breyer Horse Restoration-Removing marks

Continuing from two weeks ago, today we’ll learn how to remove those pesky black, brown and sometimes white paint marks that Breyer horses seem to pick up. These marks can occur for many reasons, the most common reasons are falling or bumping into another horse. These marks are not rubs, they are small remnants of paint that have left on the horse. These marks can be difficult to remove, some people might even believe they are permanent, but with these tips, you can save your models!

Black and brown marks are pretty easy to tell, but white marks on your horse could easily be mistaken for rubs. Take a nice close look at your Breyer. As you can see on the horse below, there are many thing wrong with this horse, including black marks on him.

The first step to any restoration is to give your horse a good bath. Using a mild soap like Dawn is best. Dilute a small amount of Dawn in warm water and bathe your horse in it. Take a soft cloth and do a light scrub. Some horses have texture that will hold dirt. Be sure to get in the nooks and crannies as well.

You can first try a little bit of Dawn or other dish detergent on a wet rag to get the mark off. Gently scrub the mark with a rag with a bit of dish detergent on it. Scrub lightly, you can even use your finger nail over the rag, but do not scrub harshly or scratch at your model. If after a few moments your mark doesn’t budge you might want to try another method.

Another tool to use is a pencil eraser. This works best for black marks on a white model, but may work on other colors, be very careful not to damage your horse. Using the eraser move in small circles over the mark and apply a bit of pressure. Within a couple minutes you will know if it is working.

One of the harsher methods to use for stubborn marks is Lestoil. Lestoil is an industrial cleanser and should be used very carefully. It can be found in hardware stores as well as some grocers. Fill a large bucket with water and add a small amount of Lestiol, put your model in there for a few hours and check it. Lestoil does not remove original finish paint but will remove any other paint. Wipe over your horse and if the marks come off give him a good bath, if not let him sit for another couple hours.

There are many choices when it comes to repairing your models, but the most important thing to remember is to have patience and take your time. Rushing will only hinder your restoration project and in most cases make more work for yourself.

Stay tuned to Golden Oak Stables’ Stable News for more restoration projects and tips to come, along with the latest Breyer news!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

“Real” Breyer Horses: The Saddle Club

The word “real” is stretched a little bit this week when referring to “The Saddle Club” but to its fans, The Saddle Club is as real as any horse alive. Stevie, Carol and Lisa have become friends to many in their nearly 25 years.

The original Saddle Club was a series of novels written by Bonnie Bryant in 1986. Bonnie was a horse lover that had spent little time with horses aside from her time at summer camp in upstate New York. The books vary a bit from the television show that most people are more familiar with in a few ways, the main being set in Willow Creek Virginia. The other main difference is the coat colors of the horses. Starlight was originally a dark bay with a star and Belle was also a bay. They are portrayed a bit differently in the show. The book series saw 101 novels and countless other spin-offs.

The Saddle Club television show began airing in 2001 and after a hiatus of 5 years, returned in 2008 with a new cast and show! There have now been over 70 episodes shot and its still going strong. The television show is shot in Victoria Australia and features actors and actresses from Australia, although it does air all over the world. In the television show Stevie’s horse Belle is a chestnut and Carol’s horse Starlight is a bright buckskin. These are the two main difference in the show and the books. The show has also seen the begining of a successful music line performed by The Saddle Club girls! They even performed at Breyerfest!

Some collectors will remember that Breyer created a The Saddle Club line of horses in the mid 1990’s, that was unfortunately discontinued by 1998, but in the past couple years we’ve seen the line return with new horses! The line features traditional horses featuring Prancer, Belle and Starlight, a classics line that also features horses with accessories, a plush line and stablemates! You can take a look at the entire line on GoldenOakStables.com which features tons of Saddle Club horses, dolls and accessories.

The Saddle Club may have started as a book series that horse lovers from a generation past fell in love with but with both a television show and a new Breyer line, there are many young girls that are finding the series over 20 years later! I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of The Saddle Club for many years to come!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com