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MODEL HORSES The model horse hobby began in the late 1960's/early 1970's when a few collectors found each other and decided to keep in touch via mail and telephone. The exchange of photos through the mail back and forth showing off their collections to each other led to photo shows (where photos of the model horses are mailed to the show holder's house and judged) and live shows (where the showers meet to display and show their model horses) in each other's basements and backyards. Live shows these days take place in central locations with showers staying in hotels and show halls can be a simple as the local VFW or as elegant as a hotel ballroom. Model horse shows are just like the real thing only in miniature... and without flies. Classes are held in halter and performance where the set ups can be quite elaborate. Each model is judged as if it were a real horse but of course the judge cannot ask for a change in gaits; each horse is evaluated frozen in that one snapshot in time. |
Many model horse hobbiests are collectors who simply display and enjoy the original factory finish horses as they are. There are also customizers who take a plastic model and cut/chop/heat/melt/twist the horse to a new position, filling and resculpting areas with epoxy, then sanding and painting a new coat of color on the model. And there are other collectors who buy and collect the new one of a kind creations made by other hobbiests. The hobby has many aspects to keep the model horse enthusiast busy. Hobbiests can customize models, make tack (saddles/bridles/harnesses), create props (jumps/trail obsticals), photo and live show the models and there is even pedigree assignment where hobbiests study color genetics and specific aspects of particular breeds of horses. Because we take it so seriously, sometimes it seems that model horse people know even more than the REAL horse people do! :> |
This is the PAM (Proud Arabian Mare) in original finish.
...and if you are a customizer, these are some of the fun things you can do with the PAM ;)
One of the nice things about showing model horses is having your model take home a ribbon! It is a mark of accomplishment and makes any owner proud. The following is a list of ribbon colors so you will know how well your horse did.
| USA | CANADA | |
|---|---|---|
| FIRST | ||
| SECOND | ||
| THIRD | ||
| FOURTH | ||
| FIFTH | ||
| SIXTH | ||
| SEVENTH | ||
| EIGHTH | ||
| NINTH | ||
| TENTH |
While the traditional Champion and Reserve Champion ribbon colors are combinations of Blue/Red/Yellow and Red/Yellow/White, respectively, there are many other options that showholders can use to award the highest honors at their shows. Below are some examples:
A great place to order show ribbons for your event is Hodges Badge Company. They have a great selection of awards and offer excellent service.