An Up & Down Hobby Day

Between Breyer and hobby news yesterday, I am about done in. It was an up and down, exhausting day.

First, Breyer released Belize, the last of the Exotic Destinations models.

The coloring was designed by Sommer Prosser to look like the ocean waters off Belize. (Screenshots from Breyer's ad.)

The ad for him say he is "pearly shaded blues and white...with blue interference...sand colored hooves and a high-gloss finish."

The more I looked at him, the more I liked him, so I decided to enter. Wish me luck.

Breyer also sent out an email yesterday announcing a new way to log into their web site. It's like what many other sites have gone to - you put in your email and then are texted/emailed a number to fill in rather than using your password.

The issue folks have with it is having to use Shopify as well as having to check their email for the code number if not using their phone. Many people could not get around Shopify and so are having to log in through it and have reported difficulties in accessing their code quickly and easily.

I don't like Shopify, either. When Breyer first introduced it some time ago, I found myself in a Shopify loop that took me a lot of effort to get out of. I never, ever used Shopify again. (Not on Breyer or any other web sites that use it.) 

And so, when I was prompted to log into Breyer using Shopify with their new login process, since I no longer had a Shopify login on Breyer, there was another option I could and did use. Thanks to that,  I was able to login to my Breyer account without going through Shopify. (I was still sent an access code, but it came through my phone.)

Others have not been so lucky, are upset, and I don't blame them. 

Finally, in NAMHSA news, the organization's president resigned. It's a long story and if you are interested in what happened, it's not hard to find on social media. It's just too much to condense into a brief summary here.

I ended the day feeling quite exhausted from the hobby news and woke up this morning with a migraine and had to cancel my early morning physical therapy appointment as a result. 

I may or may not get another post written today although I do have a lot I can share. (There IS a second baby barn swallow in the nest!)

Stay 'tooned.

Indiana, a Hotbed of Showing: Ideas & Thoughts on Stats

Yesterday I invited readers to share their ideas as to why Region 8 had the most NAMHSA members when the population of the states in that region are much smaller than those of other regions. To refresh your memory, here is the chart of current members:

R1: 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming)

R2: 13 (​California, Hawaii, Mexico, Nevada)

R3: 11 (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah)

R4: 15 Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, North & South Dakota

R5: 19 (Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana)

R6: 20 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North & South Carolina)

R7: 28 (Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee)

R8: 35 (Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan)

R9: 24 (Delaware, Maryland, D.C., New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia)

R10: 21 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island)

R11: 5 (Canada)

And here is the state population chart:

Finally, here are some ideas and thoughts:

- Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri are relatively rural states with exposures to real horses more frequent which helps create interest in them.

- Coupled with that, the Amish, German Baptist, and Mennonite communities expose people to horses and pique interest.

- Proximity to Kentucky and its horse industry influences interest in horses and provides jobs.

- Real horses are cheaper to board away from highly populated areas so more people have the opportunity to own one in these states. (Or to take lessons or lease a horse.) 

- Buying land to keep your own horses is cheaper as is hay and grain.

- Less traffic on highways means getting to model horse shows is easier and so people are more willing to travel to them.

- The harness and horse racing culture has roots in these states and people are exposed to horses at county fairs and other racing venues.

- Strong 4-H Horse & Pony programs in all four states provide access to horses along with support in learning about them, caring for them, riding, and more.

- The Indiana High School Rodeo Association and other high school supported equestrian teams foster interest and access to horses.

So from that list, it seems as though exposure or access to real horses may be the beginning point, or at least a big part of it, in influencing a love of horses. And for those who fall in love with horses through that exposure and cannot own a horse, model horses are an affordable alternative.

But is that too simplistic? Possibly. There are some people who seem to be born loving horses. Where does that come from? And how does it translate over to model horses and collecting?

I don't know the answer, but I do think we've hit on some very plausible reasons as to why Region 8 has the most NAMHSA members while having far fewer people to draw from.

If you have any more thoughts or comments, send them my way (horsiemama8@gmail.com). And thanks for the responses that have already been shared with me.

Back to Hoosier shows tomorrow! Stay 'tooned!

Indiana, a Hotbed of Shows: NAMHSA Membership Stats

Recently NAMHSA* Region 8 Rep Chris Wallbruch was asked what the current membership numbers are for the organization. She posted this on the Region 8 Facebook page:

Currently 201 members.

R1: 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming)

R2: 13 (​California, Hawaii, Mexico, Nevada)

R3: 11 (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah)

R4: 15 Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, North & South Dakota

R5: 19 (Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana)

R6: 20 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North & South Carolina)

R7: 28 (Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee)

R8: 35 (Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan)

R9: 24 (Delaware, Maryland, D.C., New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia)

R10: 21 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island)

R11: 5 (Canada)

Region 8, which includes Indiana, has more members than any other region. Surprisingly, it has more members than Region 2 which includes California and Region 10 (a highly active show region) with New York and Washington DC.

(Map found on Google Images, linked to Finding Model Horse Shows - Seunta LLC)

So, what causes the discrepancy? It is logical to think that the more highly populated regions would have more NAMHSA members. And while Region 8 does have Illinois in it, Illinois' population is smaller than California's or New York's.

I have some ideas but I want to think about them before I write. You may have some thoughts, too, and if you do, I'd love it if you either posted them in the comments or emailed me at horsiemama8@gmail.com.

There are more shows in Indiana to write about, but I'm still waiting on information that I'd like to have before I write. If it doesn't arrive in a day or two, I will go ahead with what I have.

Stay 'tooned!

*North American Model Horse Shows Association

50th Anniversary: 1990s BreyerFests, NAN, and Lincoln Land Live

The 1990s were probably the busiest decade in my life. My older kids were in high school and moving on to college, all my children were in sports and church activities, and I was volunteering at church and school. This was on top of delivering the early morning newspapers to vending boxes and the afternoon neighborhood routes with my kids, piano, and other music lessons. Time was in short supply.

I still was able to carve out time for my model horse activities. I missed the first BreyerFest in 1990, but Craig sent me to Kentucky for a "mama vacation" for the second one in 1991. I went all by myself and enjoyed some me-time. Not only did I do the horse park and shop at the Holiday Inn in the evening, but I spent time in my hotel room simply reading and relaxing. 

That started a trend and I was able to attend BreyerFest in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, and 1999. Photo is of Stephanie Clift, Kathy Bateman, and Beth Dickinson with one of the Kentucky Horse Park trolleys during the 1999 BreyerFest.

It was during the 1990s that NAMHSA (North American Model Horse Showers Association) was formed. Live show holders could apply to NAMHSA to have their show become a qualifier for NAN, the North American Nationals. 

NAN is an annual show where the best model horses from across North America compete to be awarded national champion, reserve champion, or top ten in the nation.

I attended the first NAN in 1995 in Lexington, Kentucky. My circus girl set-up had qualified and made top ten. I was very excited about that; I had made everything from the doll's outfit, the tack, and the ring.

Sorry for the poor photo quality - the photo album is starting to fall apart and I chose to not pull the pictures out to scan them because of that.

A the time, NAN was alternating every other year from Lexington to another place in order to make it accessible to more hobbyists. I think the 1996 NAN was in California - too far for me to go. But it returned to Kentucky in 1997 and I was there! 

My Windsong Sherif has top tenned in every NAN I've attended and won reserve national champion, too.

Ouiatenon, tacked up with a Kathy Bateman western saddle, top tenned at several NANs, too. This is the 1995 NAN.

The 1990s were also the time when I took the plunge and held a couple of live shows.

In 1993 I held the Central Illinois All Halter Live Show in a large classroom in Craig's building on the campus of the University of Illinois. Julie (Poremba) Propes was a judge...

... as was Karen (Lebeda) Beeson. Both were studying at the UI back then and are now living in the Chicago area. Karen was a Breyer dealer and she'd call me when a new shipment came in. I loved going to her home and buying new Breyers from her!

I also held Lincoln Land Live I, II, and III during the 1990s. I only found two photos from those shows.

D'Arry Jone Frank debuted her M&M jump at Lincoln Land III. She still has it - she posted a photo of it on Facebook earlier this year. 

Kathy with the awards for Lincoln Land III.

Between family life and model horse activities, I was always on the run. But life got even busier. I went back to school. More on that in the next 50th Anniversary post.

Today is the last day to enter for the embroidered haversack. Comment to enter!

Yes, I Made a Doll

In the early 1990s I made a circus performance set-up complete with tack, ring, and doll rider.

 (Anne Field, this is why I asked YOU to make my new doll and didn't do it myself!)

I poked around on Identify Your Breyer trying to figure out which Brenda Breyer I had used. Judging by the shirt, it was an English rider doll. But the hair puzzles me - I don't see any English dolls with short hair.

She is from the early 1990s and can bend her legs, but that is the only articulation she has.

I made a harness for Liberty to wear, painted a huge quilting hoop and affixed gold star stickers to it, added some footing, and showed them in performance classes at live shows.

 Believe it or not, the set-up did well and qualified for the very first NAN in 1995.

It even placed in the Top Ten! (Which is an indication as to how far Performance entries have come since 1995.)

I'm still under post-op lifting restrictions, but I will see if Craig will pull out some tubs for me where I think I have the harness stored as well as a photo of the circus entry from NAN 1995. Stay tuned!

NAMHSA's Member Show of the Year

Congratulations to The Jennifer Show for winning NAMHSA's Member Show of the Year!

If you know anything about The Jennifer Show, then you also know that they deserve to be Member Show of the Year. It's a fantastic show, and I'd like to go some day. 

 Allison and I were surprised but very excited to have been nominated.

She put a notice on our show's web page thanking our entrants for the honor. And while we did not win, we are pleased to have even been considered as a contender, especially since it was the very first time that The FAMulous Collectibility Show had been held.

In the meantime, I am seriously thinking about attending the The Jennifer Show the next time it is held.

After all, it's held only about a mile or so from Denver Daughter's home - I could coordinate a visit to her along with attending the show. Horseyreader Trinity has shown model horses with me a time or two when she was younger. I bet she'd love to come show, too.

In the meantime, take some time and noodle around The Jennifer Show web site. I think you will see why they are this year's NAMHSA Member Show of the Year.

Well done, Jennifer and Jennifer!

The FAMulous Collectibility Show - Nominated!

Thanks to someone who attended The Fabulous Collectibility Show last August, the show has been nominated for NAMHSA Member Show of the Year!

The email announcing the nominees arrived last week and I skimmed over it to see if I knew any of the show holders or had attended any of the nominated shows.

It had never occurred to me that FAMulous might be listed so I audibly gasped when I saw it on the list. Quickly I texted Allison to see if she had heard that we'd been nominated. She hadn't, and a flurry of texts ensued as we excitedly celebrated our good news.

The winner and two runner ups will be announced during NAMHSA's Annual Member Meeting via Facebook Live during BreyerFest. Allison and I agree that we are honored that someone thought enough of our show to nominate us, and that that is a win in and of itself. 

Best of luck to all the other nominees!