Monday, November 30, 2015

Chasing stars

If you are a member of the Swedish Model Horse Society and enter shows (live or photo) you can earn qualification cards for the Swedish Nationals liveshow if you models place first or second (for liveshows) or get a championtitle (photoshows). Nowadays you can also collect cards in order to earn "Starshower Model" certificates for your models. You'll need 5 cards to earn a bronze certificate, 10 cards (or five + a bronze certificate) for a silver certificate and 15 cards (or 5 cards + a silver certificate) to earn a gold certificate. I thought it'd be neat to see how my horses were doing in the chase for "star cards" and had to dig up my pile of cards:


I wasn't a member of the SMHF for some years so for some of the shows I entered recently I haven't gotten any cards but I still managed to gather a small collection:

Model name Qualification cards
Ancient Gold 7
White Phantom 6
Chocolate 5
Epsilon 5
Milda 5
Royal's Mexican Heat 5
Shaniqua 5
Sunny Side N 5
Bocelli 4
Illusions Fade Away 4
Imperia 4
Lord 4
Acuatico 3
Athame 3
Deja Vu 3
Fallen Warrior 3
Kiss of an Angel 3
Since You Don't Love Me 3
Verdict 3
"Takoda" 2
AR Brigadör 2
Diamond 2
Fuego 2
Gemini 2
Lotus 2
Qarneval 2
Silver Echo (In The News) 2
A Star Is Born 1
Belize 1
Bellini of Decorima 1
Black Pepper 1
Carmen 1
Charisma 1
Chester VS 1
Colibri Daughter 1
Daydreamer N 1
Dixi 1
Dunbar Prince 1
Farasha 1
Helios 1
Liten 1
Lost All Hope 1
Lovely 1
Northern Lights 1
Pharao 1
R. Peppermint 1
Remembrance 1
Royal's Frozen Hope 1
Shabha 1
Symphony D 1
Treasure 1
Troublemaker 1
Viking 1
Zahrat 1

The ones written in a kind of bronzey colour (or whatever) are the ones that I have enough cards for to send in for a bronze certificate and will keep showing with the hopes to earn "higher" certificates! The ones written in red are the ones I will probably not actively try to earn certificates for. The ones written in green are models that I actively will try to earn certificates with.

I really need to get going with the photoshowing since I can't get to that many liveshows!

Wish me luck!

Friday, November 27, 2015

Diorama

The Swedish Nationals Liveshow also has a performance division. It was held on the Sunday but since I wasn't entering I didn't attend the show on Sunday. It was a little sad since I really enjoy performance and dioramas but I couldn't go. But I was kind of lucky since some of the show attendees started to prepare at the end of the Saturday. I was blown away by some dioramas made by one of the entrants and I decided to dedicate this post to her work!

These are britain models (I believe it was actually a toy brand but I'm not sure) that the owner have repainted and she made the harness herself I believe.

But without further ado, here are the pictures! 













I'd love to make something like this one day!

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Liveshow haul

My small liveshow haul from the Swedish Nationals that I'm very proud of!


I got three show ribbons! The blue one for Remembrances' champion title, the green for Belizes' champion reserve title and the red one for R. Peppermints' best stockhorse.

I also got a few other things:

G2 Sm. Paso Fino, G2 Sm. Warmblood and G2 Sm. Morgan.
Apoxie Sculpt

A few unpainted stablemates that I'll probably customize. Most likely for my Silver Brumby project but I'm not quite sure yet! In the raffle I also got more Apoxie sculpt! And I still have quite a lot left from my other jars so maybe I can get into some more extensive resculpting :)

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Swedish Nationals Show Report

I got to got to yet another liveshow this year! And not any liveshow, the Swedish Nationals! It's pretty much like a lot smaller version of NAN, I think. You need to qualify to attend (but you may enter a few that haven't qualified). 

Although this turned out to be one of the smallest liveshows I've attended with only five people showing in person and three had sent models to be proxy shown, it was alot of fun and really nice to meet some new people. The competition was still fierce and there were so many gorgeous models!

I brought 32 models. We were allowed to bring 5 that weren't qualified so 27 of mine had qualified! I had a few more with qualification cards but I decided not to bring them since I didn't think they would stand much of a chance :)

My table
One thing I love about liveshow is walking around, drooling over all the beautiful models one everyone's tables!
This beautiful Victrix resin was painted by Swedish artist C. Johansson

If I remember correctly, this guy was customized by Anna Zahrenkova. I really loved the detailing on this guy and how she made the mane and tail!
Sm. G2 Warmblood remade into a curly horse by S. Nordström. I really liked this guy!

I think these are britain models that the owner repainted and she also did the harness. These guys are smaller than stablemate scale and I am amazed at what the owner have done with them! They are so cute!
This one belongs to the same owner as the drafters above!

A cute mini Horatio. I think I want one!

I'm not that into the longears. I like them but they usually doesn't speak to me. But I like this guy!

A favourite model of mine, can't wait to get my own copy painted!

Animal Artistry Friesian mare, another one I really like!

This guy wanted to come home with me, I swear ;) Atleast I wanted him to :) I'm normally more of a "sporthorse" person but this is one of my alltime favourite draft models and one day I'll get my hands on one! :)
Oh well, enough drooling for now :) On to the actual show report. I judged quite alot of classes at this show which means that photos are a bit more scarce than normal but I hope you'll enjoy them anyway!

First of all it was time for the foals. I had 5 foals to show in this division and darn the started the day out great for me! Troublemaker (my sm. scrambling foal rr T. Wolmer) got first in his class, and so did Helios (Mink Oliver rep. S. Kern), Black Pepper (Tr. Zenyatta's first colt OF) and R. Peppermint (PS Weanling rr S. Nordström). My fifth foal, Dixi (the donkey) (CollectA Donkey foal that I repainted) got third out of three in her class, The day could barely start out better than that!

When it came to the champion titles it was the day of the drafters! A shire filly took the champion title with a clydesdale filly as reserve.

Champion Foal: Roselyn, Eberl Rosita rep. H. Schwafel
Champion Foal Reserve: Lilly Rose, Lilly rep. S. Lawson
Onto arabians. Not my biggest breed but I had three who managed to get qualified to join. Athame (AA Sabiha ret) took second place in her class and so did Farasha (Breyer Tr. Weather Girl Thunderstorm OF). Shaniqua (Cl. Arabian Mare OF) took fourth out of four in her class.

When it came to arabians it was the day of the Sarah Rose minis. They are exquisite sculptures! 


Champion Arabian: Ramses Asahmah, Mini Nahar rep. K. McKenzie
Champion Arabian Reserve: Gawaiz, Jezebel rep. P. Lawson
British Drafters were up next and there were some tough competition! I had two qualified models and one not qualified. My two qualified models, AR Brigadör (MM Brigadier rep. A Gustafsson) and Fallen Warrior (Breyer Tr. Foxvalley Oliver OF) took third and fifth in their class. But my other horse really made my day! Some of you might remember the mini Haggis I painted for this show, I managed to finish him in time and it was all worth it when he won his class! I am so proud of him! The class wasn't very big but I was so happy with how he turned out and for him to win his class really made me ecstatic!

With the competition I didn't think my models would win any of the bigger titles but the winners were more then well-deserving!

Champion British Draft: Dark Shadow, Eberl Adonis rep. P. Lawson
Champion British Draft Reserve: Big Chadwick, Ursus Major rep. S. Prosser
Next division was very diverse and absolutely awesome! I didn't have a single model to show in this division so I could concentrate on the drooling part ;) So many lovely models!

Champion Other Drafters: Viggo, Tiny rep. P. Lawson
Champion Other Drafters Reserve: Pollyglittra, Sm G4 Para-dressage rr. P. Nilsson
When it came to ponies I had two qualified models and two that were not qualified. Remembrance (PS Pony Shoal OF) surprised me by winning his class and so did my Bailey (Sm. G3 Jumper rr. by me) with Amulette (Sm. G1 Swaps rr. by me) as second and Colibri Daughter (Pasha rep. S. Nordström) as third.

I got even more surprised when Remembrance went on to claim the Champion title!

Champion Pony: Remembrance, PS Pony Shoal OF
Champion Pony reserve: Vind-Ile, CollectA Dartmoor rep. P. Nilsson
Europeans were a very scarce for me, I only showed one model but it is one of my best showhorses; Bocelli (Breyer Tr. Tregoyd Journeyman OF) and once again he made me super proud, winning his class!

The Champion of the Europeans is a model I am very fond of.

Champion European: Bifrost, Eberl Mini Icelandic rep. M. Glahe
Champion European Reserve: Mercurio, Tr. Man O War cm P. Nilsson
Two of my horses were in the riding- and carriagehorse championship. Since You Don't Love Me (Sm. G2 ASB rep. A. Gustafsson) and Ancient Gold (Breyer Tr. Akhal-Teke OF). They took first and second in their respective classes. The championship wasn't huge but the competition was good.

Champion Riding horse and Carriage horse: Golden Romance, WBP Covenant Kept
Champion Riding horse and Carriage horse Reserve: Viewhill Scandinavian Trademark, Covenant Renewed rep. S. Nordström
Next championship is my absolute favourite and probably the one where I have the most horses. Sporthorses! I showed 9 horses in this championship and there were 7 classes. I managed to own at least one horse in every class!

Sunny Side N (Breyer Tr. Seattle Slew OF) took second in his class. Lost All Hope (KittyDidit rep. L. Lawrynowicz) took third out of three, beaten by a beautiful Kestrel resin and the above seen Victrix! Royal's Mexican Heat (Breyer Sm. G2 Thoroughbred rr. S. Nordström) took second in her class. Chester VS (Eberl Caitano rep. S. Nordström) who qualified last minute did good and won his class. Lord (Tr. Keltic Salinero OF) did good too and took a second place! Belize (Eberl Genoveva rep. S. Nordström), Charisma (Breyer Tr. GG Valentine OF) and Imperia (Breyer Tr. Sidesaddle Strapless OF) showed in the same class and took first, third and fourth. My last horse of the championship, Symphony D (Breyer Sm. G3 WB rr. Sophie Nordström) got third out of three. I am so proud my horses did this good but it didn't end there!

Belize took the champion reserve title right after the beautiful Tristan CH.

Champion Sporthorse: Tristan CH, CollectA Hanoverian rep. P. Nilsson
Champion Sporthorse Reserve: Belize, Eberl Genoveva rep. S. Nordström
The stockhorse championship actually excited me more than usually since two of the models I managed to finish was to show in this championship. Beside those two, Chocolate (Breyer Tr. Impress Me Shannon OF) also showed in this championship and he got a third place. Wherever You Go (Liddy Quintessance repainted by me) took third out of three but I was still happy. Shot in the Dark (Bat Girl repainted by me) took a second place.

In the end it took an appaloosa and a paint to win the championship!

Champion Stockhorse: R. Nocci Nocci, PS ISH cm S. Nordström
Champion Stockhorse Reserve: R. Rainbow Warrior, Little Lonestar rep. S. Nordström
In the second to last championship I had two horses to show and they took second (Fuego, my Tr. Hidalgo OF) and third (Acuatico, my Tr. Blue Suede Shoes OF). I wasn't expecting more since the championship was tough and the champion and the reserve were worthy of their titles!

Champion Wildhorse and Crossbreed: Sahale J, El Embosco rep. E. Gonzales
Champion Wildhorse and Crossbreed Reserve: Enigma, Nevada rep. S. Prosser
There were quite a few other equids and it was a hard championship to judge (as were most of them). And all models were really good!

Champion Other Equus: Alfons, Hey Mule rep. C. Jolly
Champion Other Equus Reserve: Marja, HA Marcimello rep. P. Lawson
The novice show had been judged at the same time as the open division but since I judged a lot of the novice classes I don't have any good pictures to show you (except for the Best in Show titles seen further down).

The Best of breeds prizes. Left to right:
Best Arabian: Ramses Asahmah
Best Drafter: Viggo
Best Coldblooded Trotter: Love Boy (Breyer Sm. G3 Friesian OF)
Best Warmblooded Trotter: Zig Zag J (Breyer Sm. G2 Pacer cm  P. Nilsson)
Best Friesian Sporthorse: Spiderwheel (CollectA Friesian rep. P. Nilsson)
Best P.R.E/Lusitano: Mercurio
Best Stockhorse: R. Peppermint (PS Weanling rr S. Nordström)
Best Morgan: Golden Romance
Best Mustang: Sahale J
Best Thoroughbred: Quite Like June (Kestrel rep. P. Nilsson)
Like I said I didn't get any pictures of the novice championship but below you get to see the Best in Show and the Best in Show Reserve. The competition was quite tough but the winners were absolutely worthy of the titles!

The Novice Best In Show: Silverpilen
Had a very impressive paintjob!

The Best in Show and the Best in Show Reserve of the novice show!
The best in show voting for the open division was tough. And few points seperated the Best in Show from the Reserve and the Reserve from the one just outside the titles! But once again, great models claimed the titles!

Swedish Nationals Best In Show 2015: Ramses Asahmah, Mini Nahar rep. K. McKenzie
Swedish Nationals Best In Show Reserve 2015: Sahale J, El Embosco rep. E. Gonzales
It was a great show and I hope to be able to attend the Swedish Nationals again soon!

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Show models?

With the liveshow less then a week away this is the state of my models:


Bailey might have to be shown as dark bay/seal bay instead of roan if I can't find the time to do the roaning.


Wherever You Go needs her mane, tail, markings and details done.


Shot In The Dark also needs her mane, tail, markings and details done.


Amulette also needs her mane, tail, markings and details done.


Brigand (who might need a new name) needs some more shading before doing his mane, tail, markings and details.

I really hope I'll be able to finish them in time but now I'm back in uni so we'll see.