Japan Thoroughbred/Riding Pony

I saw this piece last week at Sell It Here in Lafayette. Although it has a break on its hind leg, for $3 I felt it should be rescued. And, it bears a close resemblance to my very first piece, Brownie.

 Japan Thoroughbred, $3, Sell It Here, Lafayette, Indiana, 6/2014.

 You can see the break on the hind leg in this photo.

I found some similar Japans on Karen Grimm's Black Horse Ranch Model Museum. Unfortunately, she died of breast cancer a couple of years ago, so I cannot email her and get her opinion on my new piece.

 She calls this "Clover Riding Pony."

And then she had my beloved Brownie in her collection, too.

She calls it "Clover Riding Pony - Small."

Since my new horse has a numbered blanket on, I will keep calling it a Thoroughbred. No clover mark, but he does have the number 24 carved in his inner upper right thigh. Since it's been painted, I am certain it was put there when he was created.

Dapple Grey Proud Arab Stallion

This one may be a chalky. I saw him a week ago at Sell It Here in Lafayette, but wanted to think about it before buying as I already have one. Yesterday I went back and purchased him.

 Breyer Proud Arab Stallion, #213, 1972-1988, $15.50, Sell It Here, Lafayette, IN, 6/2014.

 The front hooves are like other chalky models' hooves...

 ... as are the back hooves.

But compared to my other chalky PAS, he isn't quite as obvious.

I have a message and pictures out on Model Horse Blab asking for opinions.

Peace, Love, and Horses

When this piece was released for 2014, I was NOT going to buy it. For one thing, I rarely purchase classic scale models. For another, this one is WILD.

But the more I looked at it, the better I liked it. And so I took the plunge.

 Peace. Love, and Horses, 1st in Series, #61083, $20, 5/2014, Lynn Luther, The Model Trading Post.

Groovy, man!!

Stardust

Sometimes I bypass a model when it first comes out, only to regret it later and have to hunt for it on the secondary market. That is the case with this piece, Stardust, the Running Stallion in a pearly white and navy with spots and a star on his hip.

 Stardust, #1146, 2000 - 2005, $30, 5/2014, Teresa Gillen, Clintonville, Wisconsin.

I love him!

Hagen Renaker Designer's Workshop Thunder

My friend, Cindy Neuhaus, owner of Lakeshore Collection Horses, has sold me several of her Hagen Renaker pieces at very good prices. I cannot afford to pay collectors' prices on the old Designer Workshops, but once in a while someone offers one at a really good price, and I jump. I have accumulated several really nice pieces just by watching the market and waiting for the right price.

Yesterday, this Designer's Workshop Thunder arrived in the mail from Cindy.

DW Morgan Stallion Thunder, B-549, 1954 - 1958, matte palomino, $75, Cindy Neuhaus, Edwardsville, IL. 5/2014. (Cindy paid $200 for him!)

Cindy wasn't sure, but said his offside head/neck area and his tail may be restored.

I'm no expert, but I did not find anything that resembled restoration work when I examined the piece. That could mean that I have a poor eye, or more likely, the restoration artist did a terrific job!

Black Pintos!

Recently on the Clinky Connection Facebook page there was a discussion about a china foal I have had since childhood and named Diamond Dindy. 

(This is not my piece; this is the one being discussed on Clinky Connection.)

Folks began posting about theirs or their desire to have one and how they'd been looking for one. Seeing all those black pinto Japan chinas made me feel nostalgic (I am already VERY fond of the old Japan chinas!) and so I found a couple on MH$P, made offers, and added three to my herd.

Victoria Ceramics Glossy Black Pinto Trotting Pony, $12, 5/2014, Lynn Lindgren (has sticker on belly.)

Back side of previous piece.

Japan Black Pinto Head Up Trotting Horse, $23, 5/2014, Lynn Lindgren (partial sticker and red dot on belly)

Other side of previous piece.

Japan Black Pinto Walking Horse, $23, 5/2014, Janet Onderchanin, Detroit area, Michigan. (Possibly Lefton; N856 on left front hoof.)

Other side of previous piece.

Entering NAN

I used to do quite a bit of showing with my collection of model horses. As I began teaching, weekend time became harder to find, and so, while I still collect and keep up with what is happening in the hobby, I rarely travel to shows anymore.

But, after a show-drought of seven or eight years, I attended three shows in Indiana, Iowa, and Kentucky in 2012, including Breakables in Lexington, the largest all-china show in the world. (My tablemate was from Puerto Rico, and folks from all over the world were there.)

My 1958 Hagen-Renaker china Sherif winning the Reserve Grand Championship of the Americanware Show. (The red china horse head is a stirrup cup trophy sculpted by Kristina Lucas Francis just for this show.)

All three of those shows were qualifiers for the very biggest model show in the world - a three day show that encompasses not only china, but plastic, resin, customs, and performance called NAN (North American Nationals).

With reciprocal qualifying shows in Europe and Australia, folks from all over the world who qualify pieces come together for those three days to show annually at venues across North America. This year it is being held in Lexington, Kentucky - a four hour drive and thus quite doable.

I attended the inaugural NAN in 1995 and then the third NAN in 1997, winning several Top Tens at each. There were 100+ showers back then; that number has since more than doubled. Competition is FIERCE. (I may not have gone since 1997, but I do watch the show as it is live streamed each year.)

All in all, I have about 30 pieces qualified, but I am only taking 15, the best of my best. (Including Sherif who has won multiple trophies and championships over the years at shows. Not bad for a $4 auction find!)

So, I organized all the needed qualifiying cards, filled out the online entry form, and then mailed in the cards (they prove that I was at the show and won the class) to the registrar in Texas.

I have a BUSY summer coming up, and I may end up not being able to show depending on family plans. I can get a refund of all my entry fees until June 13, so I will make my decision by then.