Swedish Nationals 2016 Show Report

For this years Swedish Nationals I had 28 horses qualified and I also brought the maximum of 5 unqualified horses. So in total I showed 33 models. My models did good but not great but I had the best time meeting all the awesome hobby people again :)

16 of my models actually brought home new qualification cards. The competition was really, really tough in most classes so I'm quite happy with my models placings.

The first championship was the foal championship. It contained 8 different classes, I entered 4 of them. Black Pepper (Breyer Tr. Zenyatta's Colt OF) placed third out of three in the sporthorse class and R. Peppermint (Peter Stone Weanling rr. S. Nordström) took third out of five in the stockhorse class. I was a bit surprised as she usually does better, but the winners really deserved their placings :) Troublemaker (Breyer Sm. G2 Scrambling Foal rr. T. Wolmer) and Helios (RC Oliver rep. S. Kern) made me proud by winning their respective classes. Helios even managed to claim the champion title with a gorgeous shire foal as reserve.

Champion Foal: Helios, RC Oliver rep. S. Kern
Champion Foal Reserve: Roselyn, RC Rosita rep. H. Schwafel

At most shows all Arabians compete in the championship but this time they were so many that the championship had to be divided. It was divided into three championships; Original Finish, Artist Resin and Customs. First up was the OF Championship. I had 2 horses to show in this championship, Azrafel Ibn Shai (Breyer Tr. Huckleberry Bey OF) and Farasha (Breyer Tr. Weather Girl Thunderstorm OF). Both of them managed to grab second place in their classes, behind what would eventually be the Champion and Champion Reserve, who both happened to be the likes of my models.

Champion Original Finish Arabian: Carizina, Breyer Tr. Weather Girl Thunderstorm OF
Champion Original Finish Arabian Reserve: Saslic's Nont, Breyer Tr. Huckleberry Bey OF

I didn't show any custom arabians, which gave me lots of time to oogle all the beauties on the tables. The classes were big and really tough but in the end the championship title went to a beautifully painted Weather Girl who's name was misheard during the reading of the results so she was nicknamed Piraya (Swedish for Piranha) for the show :) The reserve title went to a custom I would love to have. He is absolutely gorgeous.

Champion Custom Arabian: Sasori Thuraiya, Tr. Weather Girl rep. S. Nordström
Champion Custom Arabian Reserve: Shemei Chayyim Cl. Swaps rrh L. Daniels

Yet more arabians were coming up in the form of the arabian resin cast championship. I had only one arabian to show in this championship, my beloved Athame (AA Sabiha ret.). She was in a really, really tough class and I was happy to see her place fourth out of seven, as I really wasn't expecting her to do that good since the competition was fierce! There were so many beautiful resins it was hard to know who to vote for in the championship voting. The champion title was awarded to a well-known face by now and the reserve title went to a super cute mini Ziryab with a hairdo and wonderful color.

Champion Resin Cast Arabian: Ahvaz Fahd, RC Nahar rep. S. Rhodes
Champion Resin Cast Arabian Reserve: Sasori Hazar, RC Mini Ziryab rep. C. Tippett

The next championship is my absolute favorite, the sporthorse championship. I showed no less than 12 horses in this championship. I actually had horses in all classes but one. Sunny Side N (Breyer Tr. Seattle Slew OF) and Nimble's Last Thief (Breyer Tr. Zenyatta OF) showed in the same class and got second and third. Royal's Mexican Heat (Breyer Sm. G2 TB rr S. Nordström) got fourth in her class. I really need to fix the flaws on her tail and then I'm pretty sure she'll do better. My new addition, Fallen Hero (who showed under the name Point of no Return) got first in his class and Lost All Hope placed fourth. Five horses of mine showed in the next class, Fandango (Valegro OF), Lord (Keltic Salinero OF), Charisma (Valentine OF), Imperia (Tr. Sidesaddle Strapless OF) and Elessar (Copperfox Finnegan OF) got first, second, fourth, fifth and seventh in that class. Two of my best show horses, Chester VS (Eberl Caitano rep. S. Nordström) and Belize (Eberl Genoveva rep. S. Nordström were up next but they didn't go all the way this time and placed third and fifth. I was a bit bummed but not for long, as not long after, my new Valor got crowned champion sporthorse with the winner of the only class I wasn't entering, as reserve.

Champion Sporthorse: Point of no Return (Fallen Hero), RC Valor rep. N. Söhn
Champion Sporthorse Reserve: Ciderprinsen J, RC Sioux rep. S. Nordström

Drafthorses were divided into two championships, starting with British drafters. I had two horses to show, Brego (Mini Haggis rep. by me) and AR Brigadör (MM Brigadier rep. A. Gustafsson). I wasn't expecting much but once again Brego took me by surprise, winning his class! Brigadör took third in his class. In the end the winner of the Irish Cob class claimed the champion title with the winner of the shire class as reserve.

Champion British Draft: Tyrol, RC Tiny rep. P. Lawson
Champion British Draft Reserve: Big Greta, AA Relaxing Shire cm S. Nordström

The next championship was for other draft breeds. I had no horses to show in this championship so once again I had the chance to oogle the beauties among Ardennais, Fjords, North Swedish Drafthorses and others. In the end the champion title was won by a Vladimir Heavy Draft and the reserve title was won by a percheron.

Champion Other Draft: Saskia, RC Camaro rep. L. Riviera
Champion Other Draft Reserve: Franciscus, AA Little Ted rep. P. Lawson

Next up were ponies who were also divided into two championships, the first being British ponies. I had only one British pony, a rather new face, Gold Rush (Copperfox Sovereign OF) who did great and placed first in his class. The championship was tough and I wasn't expecting Gold Rush to win any big titles. Instead I kind of crossed my fingers for another model, one that I'd love to own one day, and she went on to claim the champion title! Her reserve was a super adorable Shetland pony.

Champion British Pony: Sound Leisure, RC Applause rep. S. Nordström
Champion British Pony Reserve: Al Capone, RC Kipling rep. S. Nordström

Other ponies were up after the British and I had 5 to show in this championship. Remembrance (PS Pony Shoal OF), Bailey (Breyer Sm. G3 Jumper rr by me) and Mirabelle (Breyer Sm. G1 Swaps rr by me) showed in the same class and got first, third and fourth. In the other class Maverick (Tivoli rep. A. Dionne) and Colibri Daughter (Pasha rep. S. Nordström) showed and got second and fifth. The winner in that class was crowned champion and Remembrance did well as the reserve.

Champion Other Pony: Jumping Jack Flash, RC Flitwich rep. C. Johansson
Champion Other Pony Reserve: Remembrance, PS Pony Shoal OF

Stockhorses were up next. That's not really my championship but I still had 3 horses to show. The first horse I showed was another new face, Whiskey Lullaby (Smart Chic Olena JCP SR OF). He took a first in his class. My Wherever You Go (Quintessance rep. by me took fifth out of five in her class. Another surprise of the day (for me at least) came in the paint horse class where my Shot in the Dark (Bat Girl rep. by me) took second! My horses did okay in their classes but didn't have much of a chance in the championship voting, which was won by a beautiful quarter horse mare with a beautiful quarter horse stallion as reserve.

Champion Stockhorse: Potter's Gulch, Tr. Adios rrh S. Nordström
Champion Stockhorse Reserve: R. Dirty Cash, RRQH #1 C. Williams

Wildhorses and crossbreeds were up next, I really, really like mustangs but unfortunately I don't have a lot of them. I showed one this time. Fuego (Tr. Hidalgo OF) took fourth in his class behind several beautiful resins, with my absolute favorite mustang (who I don't own) as first. My favorite mustang went on to claim the champion title with another beautiful mustang as second. 

Champion Wild- and Crossbreeds: Sahale J, RC El Embosco rep. E. Gonzales
Champion Wild- and Crossbreds Reserve: Rio Bravo, RC War Chant rep. N. Reid

After the wild horses and crossbreeds it was time for other equus. This was quite a small championship but the quality of the models shown was still high. I didn't have any models to show in this championship so I just hung back and talked with the other entrants of the show and watched the really cool horses. An awesome custom mule managed to grab the champion title with a beautifully donkey as reserve.

Champion other Equus: Bumblebee, Breyer Cigar cm S. Nordström
Champion other Equus Reserve: Marja, HA Marcimello rep. P. Lawson

Next up were European breeds and I actually had a horse to show in this championship :) My trusty old Bocelli (Tr. Tregoyd Journeyman OF) once again earned himself a new qualification card as he placed second in his class. A lot of beautiful models were shown in the championship and the voting was tough but both the champion and champion reserve deserved their titles.

Champion European Breeds: El Salvaje, RC Veroccio rep. L. Lawrynovicz
Champion European Breeds Reserve: Merrilinn J, Sm. G2 WB cm A. Zaharenkova

The last championship was other riding- and carriage horses. I only had one horse to show in this class (it feels like I need to distribute my showstring better among the championships). Since You Don't Love Me (Sm. G2 ASB rep. A. Gustafsson) was the horse I showed and she managed to claim third place in her class. The champion title went to a beautiful Morgan with a lovely akhal-teke as reserve.

Champion Other Riding- and Carriage Horses: Golden Romance, RC Covenant Kept rep. Unknown
Champion Other Riding- and Carriage Horses Reserve: Anastasiya J, RC Kara Kush rep. S. Nordström

The Best in Show voting was quite tough since there were so many great models on the callback table! The resin Arabian champion claimed the Best in Show title with the European breeds champion as reserve.

Best In Show: Ahvaz Fahd, RC Nahar rep. S. Rhodes
Best In Show Reserve: El Salvaje, RC Veroccio rep. L. Lawrynovicz