Virtual Show Wrap-Up

One thing I was not counting on was being exhausted this week, even though I didn’t go anywhere, do much of anything, or even go outside and enjoy the heat all that much over my “vacation”.

(For the record, I actually do “enjoy the heat”.)

The Surprises are starting to show up, and as a courtesy to those who want to be surprised when they arrive, I won’t discuss them until mine does. (So… about another three days, at least.)

It’s… not a mold I expected (I had it pegged as an outside chance) but the ones I’ve seen are quite lovely, even (especially!) the one that seems to be the most common. As always, I’m hoping for a Gloss, but not counting on it. Like, at all. 

So here are my top three “winners” at the BreyerFest Virtual Open Show.

First is Winslow, a Collector’s Choice Sergeant who took Second in OF RR Donkey/Mules/Zebras/Primitive Breeds (Class #106):

I bought him years ago as a companion to a Sample of the release I found in the NPOD. There’s not a huge difference between the two - the Sample is slightly darker and pearlier, and has notations and signatures on his belly. I was rummaging around the display collection looking for last minute entries the Saturday before, and he caught my eye.

Second, my #103 Appaloosa Yearling Premonitions, who took Second in OF RR Stock Breeds & Types Foal (Class #503):

I bought her at BreyerFest years ago, in a room in the 200s. I had been looking to upgrade my big-blanket variation of the Appy Yearling: she was very pretty, with immaculate spotting, and her price was right! I almost entered my two-sock variation, but this girl was in better condition overall.

Third, my Riegsecker 1984 Red Chestnut Draft Horse Joonas, who took Second in OF SR Mini Draft Breeds (Class #613), showing as a Jutland:

I have the complete set of seven Riegsecker Stablemate Drafts. When I used to show some of these Drafts before, I’d always go with the flashier ones - the Red Roan, the Palomino, sometimes even the Steel Gray - even though I always thought the Chestnut was the nicest one in the set I received. Glad I decided to go with my gut!

Since, like most folks, I couldn't get anything to function properly on Friday, I spent most of my day refreshing the show results. I was pretty pleased that I hit my “target” (10 placings) by lunchtime, and the placings were fairly evenly distributed through the entire ribbon spectrum, except for the utter absence of Firsts.

I totally tanked in Special Run OF (only one ribbon out of 30 entries) and did best in Collectibility (14 out of 65) and Foals (5 out of 22).

If you factor out the OOAK/Test Colors Classes - I had only one placing out of 12 I entered in that section, partly because the Test Colors I do have are on older and less flashy molds that I bought second hand for cheap - I did quite well statistically, though I was hoping for better (one First!)

Some of the placements I found… uhm, interesting? That’s something that's always been a thing, both at live shows in general and BreyerFest shows in particular, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise. Judge’s prerogative and all that.

And it benefited me in some ways: I entered my pretty Bay PAS Witez II in OF RR Arabian Stallions because I couldn’t fit him in anywhere in Collectibility. While not normally considered a competitive mold since the introduction of Huckleberry Bey, it has been getting a positive reevaluation in recent years.

Combine that with the fact that his paint job is flat out gorgeous (he finished fourth in a very competitive OF RR Collectibility Class at Pansies and Ponies last year!) I thought he’d have a shot at a lower placing - but he finished third!

As someone whose hobby preoccupation is history, I did wince at some of the documentation that I saw in some of the Collectibility Classes, and cringed even more when some of those models placed over mine. I know other factors are in play when it comes to those class placements, but some of them did feel like tiny little stabs in the heart.

On the other hand, in regards to my breed assignments, I thought I did pretty well. Before I became obsessed with Breyer History, I use to obsess over horse breeds, and I used to look forward to buying the October All-Breeds issue of Western Horseman every year.

If I do pursue Live Showing more actively in the next year or two, I think the best use of my time (other than taking my customizing more seriously) may be in focusing on the breed assignment aspect.