The Inaugural Happy Trails Toilet Paper Races

Throughout the show, the materials for the toilet paper racing sat enticingly close to the raffle items, sunlight glinting off the loving cup so generously donated by Shannon Rodgers.

Well, not really, but you get the idea! Having them out and displayed did create a lot of interest and anticipation, though!

We set two tables up together and got started. Racing was harder than it looked.

Your model could fall over, but if it was still on the toilet paper, then it wasn't out yet.

Pat Reed and Liisa Etrita raced first with Lisa winning the first heat.

Leslie stepped up next with Breyer's Halloween Stablemate, Cornelious. She'd borrowed him from my collection so we were an owner/jockey pair. LOL

Kelsey Kramer raced Kamie Fenwick. 

Kelsey's Donovan raced on all fours for stability. It worked!

She beat Kammie and then lost to Leslie in her next race.

Leslie and Shannon's heat.

Brooke and Michele Evans. (Brooke borrowed my Torlinie so we were another owner/jockey pair.)

Finally, there were just two people undefeated - Leslie and Brooke.

The three of us realized after the show that we'd had the current Feast director facing off with the past one. Go figure!

It was a tight race, but Brooke's Torlinie was taken down by the folding crack in the table and Cop an Attitude and Leslie won the silver cup!

Cop an Attitude/Cornelius is back home and on my shelf and the cup is at Leslie's home. I let Brooke keep Torlinie for next time.

If you are having any kind of model horse gathering, I highly recommend having toilet paper races as part of the day. Not only were they fun, but they were a great mixer that brought us all together. We did a lot of laughing and cheering each other on.

That wraps up coverage of the 2025 Happy Trails/Dan Patch Show. I'm already thinking of next year and holding it again in Oxford. Maybe moving the date to June or September.

Stay 'tooned!

A Really Cool Raffle Donation

Second Post of the Day

Amid all the planning for The Feast of the Hunters' Moon, I am also preparing for Happy Trails V - The Dan Patch Show. (Note to self: holding a live show a few weeks after the Feast is not the best idea!)

Donations have been arriving, including this one from Marilou Mol. She saw it at BreyerFest and thought it would be perfect for the show. (She was right.)

Cheryl Erickson's new book about the Standardbred, Greyhound.

To commemorate the 100th running of the Hambletonian, there were 100 special slipcases made for the book.

and Marilou's book has one of the slipcases!

The back of the slipcase.

The book itself.

The book is signed by the author, includes a bookmark,

and has tote bag to keep everything in!

What a generous donation! Thank you, Marilou! Whoever wins this in the raffle will be a really lucky person!

You could win this Cute Highland Cow keychain!

Comment to enter the September Give Away!

Prep for Happy Trails/The Dan Patch Fun Show

I'm really busy working on plans for Happy Trails V - The Dan Patch Show. While the show is an invitational pony party/swap meet/show, I still will be asking guests to RSVP so I can plan where tables will go, how many swag bags to make, etc. 

So, last week Lisa and I drove out to Oxford (a twenty-five minute drive from my house; so close!) and met with Brooke to tour the building and get plans into place.

The first thing we saw as we drove into town was this mural.

Oxford is very proud of being Dan Patch's birthplace and where he started his racing career. He lived there for the first six years of his life. Not only did he race while he lived there, but he pulled delivery wagons for Dan Messner, too.

The Dan Messner building where the show will be held is right on the town square. One of the things I wanted to check out was parking, and I was pleased to see when I arrived that there was plenty right there in front of the building. Plus, that accessibility ramp to the left of my car will make it easy for people to bring in their tubs and things.

Isn't the tile mosaic beautiful?

When Brooke and Tom bought the building a few years ago, it was in sad shape and on the verge of demolition. They are lovingly restoring it and while it's not finished, it's finished enough for events. They have renamed it The Prairie Victorian.

The double doors are original and 15 feet tall. What a gorgeous door handle!

I love bells (think sleigh bells and the farmhouse dinner bell at the barn) and this one jingles every time the door is opened.

A look from the back of the main floor looking forward to the front double doors. Brooke has lights she hangs for events that she will put up for us. Those original wood floors are going to be gorgeous when she and Tom restore them!

We sat in antique chairs by the front doors and discussed how the day would go, asked questions, and figured out details. I think this is really going to be a fun and a unique opportunity for us all to experience some Dan Patch history, right where it happened. 

When we finished, next on our list was to continue to look at parking and then talk to a woman who will be doing box lunches for us.

The town square's park and pavilion is right across from the building. This summer Oxford held an event where there was a potluck in the park and then everyone came across the street to the Prairie Victorian and had a hoe down!

See the big rectangular white sign? That's The Market by Midwest Prime Farms, the place that will make our box lunches. Right across the street; easy peasy!

While we were across the street at The Market, I snapped a photo of the Prairie Victorian's side, again to check on parking options.

There's plenty of room for parking beside it

and on both sides of the road. No one is going to have to hike a long distance to reach the show hall.

Lisa and I wrapped up with Brooke and then headed out. We wanted to find Dan Patch's barn and historical marker, and we wanted to try out the other restaurant in town.

The Dan Patch Cafe.

Stay 'tooned!

Happy Trails: The Entries

 If you are a vintage Breyer lover, then these photos should make you very happy. (And possibly cause you to start adding to your list of "must haves"... Haha!)

Just three decorators sitting on my kitchen island along with some other gorgeous 1960s Breyer goodness!

This photo does not do this model justice. Its spots were like very fine powdered sugar sprinkled on its hips and its whites were bright.

Two presentation models and a buckskin Lady Phase from the 70s class.

I think this was the My Favorite Model class.

The real deal! Breyer is offering this set (sans doll, sadly) as the first piece in the 2022 Vintage Club.

A hard to find black point Proud Arabian Mare with lovely halo spots.

One of the handful of pink elephants known to exist.

The variation class.

 

Doubles!

Triples!

This class was for the same color done on different molds.

As a nod to my 50 + years friendship with Sue Seese, I had a class for bay Stretch Morgans. (She gave me hers years ago.)

She also gave me On the Run, her bay Jumping Horse, so I had a class just for bay jumpers.

We had a pot luck for lunch, and I recommend that if Kelsey Kramer ever offers to make you her crockpot macaroni and cheese, you say "YES!!" and bring a big spoon. Best macaroni and cheese I have ever had.

Since it was Yvonne's birthday, Jamie brought a cheese cake and we sang to her.

We also sang a few lines from this old Beatles song, too! (It was rather timely, if you catch my drift.)

 

I made her a special birthday haversack to celebrate.

Pat Reed's winning entry in the old style collectors class.

Classic Love foals still in their blister packages from the 1970s! (These are Allison's.)

There were several classes for vintage customs. 

These models were in fabulous condition despite their age.

Not only was it her birthday, but Yvonne won the championship rosette for the Celebrating 50+1 Years division with her amazing Indian Chief with Prancer music box.

The judging was tough but the friends (and food) were great. Happy Trails IV is in the books; now I am getting ready for the Great Lakes Congress show this weekend.

Stay 'tooned!