Show report - Halter

I'm so sorry for the delay! Had some BIG problems getting the pictures to work but here it is finally :)

Thanks to a fellow hobbyist I have pictures from the show to post :)

All pictures are copyright by Sophie Nordström and used with permission.

As I wrote in my previous post I arrived for the show Friday. It was my first show in over a year and I was super excited to finally show again. I went with the showholder to the place where the show was to be held in order to help her organize the tables and unpack my models.

Unfortunately when we unloaded my car one of my boxes slipped out of hands and fell to the ground. And it wasn't just any box. It was the box with my, probably, most fragile content.

When I unpacked the box I was glad to see that my Sue Sifton Pasha, my NL New Forest and my custom stablemates all survived. But then I unpacked my AA Sabiha (painted by AA as well) and realised that she didn't make it. A piece of her tail broke of, both ears (one of which were shattered into LOTS of pieces), one of her front legs broke and the base of her tail did too. So that wasn't really a good start to my weekend. Fortunately the showholder is a very good customizer and painter and she offered to repair her for me. So at least I know she's in good hands and I'm certain that she will be restored to her former glory :-)

Anyway, with one horse less to show, I unpacked the others and there were no other mishaps, thankfully :)

(C) by Sophie Nordström.
My table at the show, minus Illusions Fade Away (Breyer Tr. Treasured Moves OF) and Chocolate (Breyer Tr. Impress Me Shannon OF) who were up for judging when the photo was taken.

As you can see my table consists mostly of OF models, with some AR and CM thrown in.


The day started out with the stockhorse division. I don't have a lot of stockhorses in my collection (or showstring for that matter) so I wasn't really expecting something big in this division. So it was nice to see that Illusions Fade Away (Breyer Tr. Treasured Moves OF) came in second in the Painthorse - OF Plastic class and a few minutes later Chocolate (Breyer Tr. Impress Me Shannon OF) proved himself by winning the Appaloosa - Plastic class!

Chocolate went on to the vote for division champ since he won his class but didn't claim any title. Still with the competition he had it was no surprise.

(C) by Sophie Nordström.
Champion Stockhorse: R. Dirty Cash, RRQH #1 by C. Williams
Champion Stockhorse Reserve: R. Quíckinicci, RC Working Girl cm Sophie Nordström
Best Original Finish: R. Mecom Bonnie Moon, Breyer Tr. Bet Yer Blue Boons OF
Best Novice: Oliver Twist, Cl. Keen mold OF 

Next came the other Equine division. I didn't show any models in this division but I love to see all different kinds of donkeys and mules :)

(C) by Sophie Nordström.
Champion other Equine: WW Rosie, RC Jasmine rep. Sophie Nordström
Champion other Equine reserve: Hanky Panky, RC Hank rep. Sophie Nordström
Best Original Finish: Asta, PS Chips OF
Best Novice: Mulle, Rubbermodel cm Sophie Nordström

The foal division was next and it's always fun to see all the little babies. I showed two in this division, Troublemaker, my riding pony foal (Breyer Sm. G2 Scrambling Foal rr Therese Wolmer) who won the pony foals class and Victory (Breyer Tr. Heartbreaker OF) who took second place in the other foals class.

Troublemaker went to division champ voting but didn't make it.

(C) by Sophie Nordström.
Champion Foal: Ahvaz Tabriz, Breyer CAF cm Q. V.d Wiijd
Champion Foal Reserve: Ölandstokens Tårta, RC Honey rep. Sophie Nordström
Best Original Finish: Twilight, Breyer Twilight OF
Best Novice: Jam Jam, Breyer Sm. Scratching Foal OF

Arabians have their own division since it's a quite popular breed. I showed 3 arabians, (should have showed 4 but because of Athames accident, she wasn't really in "show-shape"). Azrafel Ibn Shai (Breyer Tr. Huckleberry Bey OF) was last in his class of other Huck molds and a Sham. Farasha (Breyer Tr. Weather Girl "Thunderstorm" OF) and Shaniqua (Breyer Cl. Arabian Mare OF) showed in the same class and got second and third.

The arabian division offered me a chance to see a traditional scale Nahar live for the first time. I have seen him in pictures and I have seen the mini version, but I just love the look of the traditional one.

(C) by Sophie Nordström.
Champion Arabian: Ahvaz Fahd, RC Nahar rep. S Rhodes
Champion Arabian Reserve: Strathemoor's Aüle, AA Venus rep. Sophie Nordström
Best Original Finish: Strathemoor's Phyre, Breyer Tr. Atlantis Bey V OF
Best Novice: Svarta Hingsten, Breyer Tr. Sham mold OF

The following division was one of the two where I thought I would have a chance at the bigger titles, the warmblood division. I showed 6 horses in this division. Charisma (Breyer Tr. GG Valentine OF), Anything But Mine (Breyer Tr. Strapless OF) and Gemini (Breyer Tr. Mon Gamin OF) showed in the same class and got second, fourth and fifth. In the KWPN class Imperia (Breyer Tr. Sidesaddle Strapless OF) got third and in the other warmblood class Lord (Breyer Tr. Keltic Salinero OF), shown as a hanoverian got second.

The horse whom I had the highest hope for in this division was my newest aquisition, Chester VS (Eberl Caitano painted by Sophie Nordström) shown as a Swedish warmblood. Let's say my hope sank when I saw the competition in his class. It wasn't a very big class, just 6 horses, but it was probably one of the most competitive classes in the show (I'm glad I didn't have to judge it). His competition consisted of two beautifully painted Caprice resins, one DaCaprio resin and the two I thought would claim the top places in the class, a sweet Eberl Elsa and a yummy Eberl Willoughby. When the result was announced my jaw almost dropped to the floor! Chester won! I almost wanted to jump off my chair and do a happy dance! And it doesn't stop there, Chester was also named Champion Reserve in the warmblood division after a stunning Eberl Valentino painted by Tom Bainbridge!

(C) by Sophie Nordström.
Champion Warmblood: JJ Rascal, Eberl Valention rep. T Bainbridge
Champion Warmblood Reserve: Chester VS, Eberl Caitano rep. Sophie Nordström
Best Original Finish: Advokaat, Breyer Tr. Elegance Dressage OF
Best Novice: Bellissa, Breyer Tr. Mistys Twilight Mold OF

The Draft division, another division where I don't have a lot of horses. I don't know why that is, since I'm very fond of the bigger breeds. I actually showed only one horse in this division. The horse in question was Fallen Warrior (Breyer Tr. Foxvalley Oliver OF) and he came in third in the Shire class and went on to bring home the title of best OF drafthorse.

(C) by Sophie Nordström.
Champion Drafter: Belatucadros, Starlite Clydesdale rep. L. Bickford
Champion Drafter Reserve: Solor Bjorn, RC Cheveyo cm Sophie Nordström
Best Original Finish: Fallen Warrior, Breyer Tr. Foxvalley Oliver OF
Best Novice: Foxvalley Oliver, Breyer Tr. Foxvalley Oliver OF

After the drafters came another division where I thought I'd really have a chance. The Thoroughbred/Standardbred division. The first class in the division was the OF Plastic Thoroughbred class in which I showed two horses, Nimble's Last Thief (Breyer Tr. Zenyatta OF) and Sunny Side N (Breyer Tr. Seattle Slew OF). I was very happy when they claimed first and second place in the class.

Next class in the division was the CM Plastic TB class. I showed Royal's Mexican Heat (Breyer Sm. TB rr. Sophie Nordström) but it wasn't her day, she placed fourth out of four.

The class after that was the other one I was really curious to see the outcome of. The resin cast TB class in which I was to show Lost All Hope (RC Kitty Didit rep. Lexie Lawrynovic) for the first time :) She competed against a RC Sweet Lullabye, a RC Babysitter and a Starlite Ruffian rep. so I found it hard to guess whether she would do good or not as good. I wasn't disappointed. She won her class and went on to claim the champion reserve title in the division and that's not all. Nimble's Last Thief was crowned best OF Thouroughbred/Standardbred.

(C) by Sophie Nordström.
Champion Thoroughbred/Standardbred: Sun's Crash N Burn, PS TB rrh Sophie Nordström
Champion Thorouhbred/Standardbred Reserve: Lost All Hope, RC Kitty Didit rep. L. Lawrynovic
Best Original Finish: Nimble's Last Thief, Breyer Tr. Zenyatta OF
Best Novice: Rachel Alexandra, Breyer Tr. Rachel Alexandra OF

The European division was up next and it offered a nice diversity of breeds. My first horse on the table in this division was Deja Vu (Breyer Tr. Goffert OF) who won the friesian class. Next was Bocelli (Breyer Tr. Tregoyd Journeyman OF) and White Phantom (Tr. Templado OF) who both showed in the same class (OF Plastic Other European). They took second and sixth place.

The European division wasn't one of my more successful divisions but look at that Octavio and Mephisto! Not to talk about that Headley Britannia! (I NEED one of those to fit in between my sidesaddle Strapless and original Strapless :) )

 

(C) by Sophie Nordström.
Champion European: Prateado J, Eberl Octavio rep. H. Polster
Champion European reserve: Mikkel Heden, RC Mephisto rep. D. Schacht
Best Original Finish: Emerentia, Breyer Headley Britannia OF
Best Novice: O'Leary's Irish Diamond, Breyer Tr. O'Leary's Irish Diamond OF

 

The other American division also proved to be a diverse division. They offered Morgans, Saddlebreds, Curlys and Pasos to name a few. Two of my horses showed in this division: Since You Don't Love Me (Sm. G2 ASB rep Annika Gustafson) in the Saddlebred Mini class and Lotus (Breyer Tr. Harmonie Tuigpaard OF) in the Other Saddlebred class. Since You Don't Love Me placed second and Lotus third.

(C) by Sophie Nordström.
Champion other American: Annie Get Yer Gun, RC Let's Fiesta rep. S. Nordström?
Champion other American reserve: Viewhill Maple Leaf, RC UVM Yesteryear rep. S. Nordström
Best Original Finish and Best Novice: Gangster, PS ASB OF

I thought ponies were another one of those "don't have a lot of horses to show divisions" but looking through the classlist I see that I had no less then 5 ponies! That's impressive for me who thought I had like 2.

In the Welsh class, Treasure (Tr. Cefnoakpark Bouncer OF) came in second and in the Connemara class Epsilon (NL New Forest OF) came in third out of three. The other riding ponies class contained my last three horses in the division. Lady Louisa (RC Pasha by Sifton rep. Sophie Nordström), If I Could Dream (HA Misty Dawn rep. Annika Gustafsson) and Symphony (Breyer Sm. G3 WB rr Sophie Nordström) got second, third and fifth.

(C) by Sophie Nordström.
Champion Pony: O'Boy J, Breyer Showjumper cm S. Nordström
Champion pony reserve: Mojito, Border Fine Art Shetland OF
Best Original Finish and Best Novice: Timotej, Breyer Fun with Model Horses Flash OF

 

The Asian/African/Oceanian division is normally not a very big division and this time it consisted of 4 classes. My only horse, Ancient Gold (Breyer Tr. Akhal Teke OF) took fourth in his class and was crowned the best OF in the division.

(C) by Sophie Nordström.
Champion Asian/African and Oceanian: Aasifay, AA Tagus rep. C. Engdahl
Champion Asian/African and Oceanian reserve: Alexandra, Hamilton Resin cm S. Nordström
Best Original Finish: Ancient Gold, Breyer Tr. Akhal-Teke OF
Best Novice: Altaj J, Breyer Cigar mold OF

 

The last division of the halter show was the Wild and crossbred division. My two mustangs Acuatico (Breyer Tr. Blue Suede Shoes OF) and Fuego (Breyer Tr. Hidalgo OF) took first and third in the plastic mustang class. That lead to the title of best OF in the division for Acuatico.

 

(C) by Sophie Nordström.
Champion Wild and crossbred: Sahale J, RC El Embosco rep. E. Gonzales
Champion Wild and crossbred reserve: Haywire, RC Cheveyo rep. S. Nordström
Best Original Finish: Acuatico, Breyer Blue Suede Shoes OF
Best Novice: Inez, Breyer Mesteños Mother mold OF

 

When all the divisions were judged it was time for the Best In Show voting. It was a hard choice who to vote for I mean, look at all the champions!

 

 



(C) by Sophie Nordström.

 

In the end the Best In Show title went to the beautiful JJ Rascal. The Best In Show reserve went to R. Dirty Cash.
Best overall original finish went to Timotej and Best overall Novice went to Gangster.


It was a really nice show and I can't wait until I am able to attend another one!

Stay tuned for performance results and more ;)