Stars & Stripes Theme Celebrates American-Bred Horses
BreyerFest® Stars and Stripes, held July 20-22, 2007 at the Kentucky Horse Park, attracted more than 6,000 visitors, featured more than 300 equine performers representing more than 25 breeds and welcomed 150 artisans and vendors from around the world for the three day model horse festival and horse fair.
Thousands lined up at the gates to be paraded into the park by a mounted color guard to be ready for the Opening Ceremonies and the opening of the Breyer Store which stocks the limited edition model horses available only at BreyerFest.
BreyerFest’s three days of equine entertainment was highlighted by unique shows that rarely travel to the East Coast: Michelle Macfarlane of Scripps Miramar Ranch, San Diego, Calif., and her high-stepping American Saddlebred champions – all homebreds – showed why they are featured on television each year at the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif. Wearing a gorgeous Parade costume and with her horses tacked in exquisitely hand-made Edward Bohlin saddles with sterling silver decorations and flowers and ribbons in their manes and tails, Macfarlane’s star power shone brightly in Kentucky.
PCRA-nominated for entertainer of the year, Blake Goode of Texas performed his Roman riding & roping routines on the backs of two 2,400-pound Brahma bulls to the delight of the audience, while Big Horse Productions, Las Vegas, Nev., performed difficult acrobatic and vaulting routines on their Belgian draft horses that thrilled the crowds.
AQHA Professional’s Choice Horsewoman of the Year Lynn Palm of Palm Partnership Training and Rugged Painted Lark, son of two-time AQHA Super Horse Rugged Lark, which was the BreyerFest Celebration Horse, performed a number of bridle-less routines to popular music that had audiences clapping.
And the Nokota Horse Conservancy was on hand with a beautiful demonstration that captured the beauty and talent of this unique strain of horses from the North Dakota badlands that are descended from mustangs and horses stolen from the great Sioux Chief Sitting Bull’s herds.
The arena was lined with vendors selling vintage Breyer models and other equine-themed merchandise. Just outside, the Craft Activity Tent, hosted in conjunction with the Explorium of Lexington, offered children the opportunity to experience some of the activities that model horse hobbyists enjoy. Stablemate model painting and the opportunity to watch the development of a Breyer model horse as master sculptor Sue Sifton demonstrated and taught sculpting using a live horse were highly popular with all ages!
A new feature of the Craft Activity Tent was Story Hour and BreyerFest was proud to feature Bonnie Bryant, author of The Saddle Club series, Ellen Feld, author of Blackjack: Dreaming of a Morgan Horse, and Buck Kalinowski, owner of Cupid and Arrow and author of Cupid’s Secret, who each read excerpts from their books. Collectors of all ages learned to sculpt, paint, etch and repair their models in various hands-on workshops. Free seminars were available to anyone who wanted to learn more about collecting and showing their model horses and more.
Many attendees also participated in the Open and Youth & Children’s Model Horse Shows that featured halter and performance classes of all breeds and disciplines similar to those at real horse shows, as well as other collector classes that were created just for model horses.
Through the annual Live Auction, Silent Auction and two Benefit Raffles, Breyer collectors raised nearly $65,000., a portion of which will be donated to the Morris Animal Foundation, the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA), The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other local Kentucky charities.
BreyerFest 2008 will be held July 18-20, 2008 at the Kentucky Horse Park and will feature an international theme called Global Gallop. Mark your calendars for this international festival featuring horses of the world. And stay tuned for more information by visiting the Breyer website at www.breyerhorses.com.
