Happy Trails: The Show Gets Started

Unpacking models started early on Saturday morning. Liz, Yvonne, and Jamie were staying at my home, and like me, Yvonne is an early riser. She and I chatted as she took her models from their totes and put them out on my coffee table.

Take a look at some of her entries and you will see why judging Happy Trails is HARD. Happy Trails may be a small pony party type show, but there is always some serious eye candy there.

Oh. My. Goodness! Some day I will find a set like these. 

Also up early was Craig. He and Lisa were driving over to Iowa City to meet up with Sarah, Todd, and Trinity and go to the Purdue/Iowa football game. When Lisa arrived, I took their photo.

As I was taking their photo, Liz came downstairs and the school rivalry began!

Liz is an Iowa grad and, knowing that she was in Boilermaker country, was repping her school that day. (Interesting hobby history note: Liz was the first editor of JAH and edited it from her dorm room on campus there at the University of Iowa!)

Allison Pareis and her husband Stan Sollars arrived from Muncie, and we all dug into the yummy donuts Kelsey brought us from local legend, Marilou Donuts as we continued to chat and unpack.

So much model goodness!

It was almost like playing  I spy with my little eye as I walked around and took a peek at what people had brought. A Davy Crockett clock! A florentine Running Foal! A Presentation Adios!

The dining room was also full. I had put both leaves into the table and Liz took one end

and Jamie took the other.

The Purdue/Iowa rivalry wasn't the only fun being had. Knowing that I am NOT a unicorn fan, Allison named one of hers after me - the little one is called "Lynn's Nightmare." 

Kelsey told me she didn't have many Breyers to bring. That may be true, but the Breyers she brought were absolutely incredible!

The show started at 9:00 and the rings were my kitchen island and table. The island was for entries in the Celebrating 50+1 Years division, and the table was Love My Collection.

I took a look at that first class (1950s regular runs) and knew I was in for a very tough day of judging.

See what I mean?

Tomorrow I will share photos from the various classes. Stay 'tooned for some pretty amazing entries!

Oh, and in case you are interested, Purdue won the football game!

Trinity (who is a freshman at Iowa), Lisa, Craig, Sarah, and Todd.