Happenings at the Horse Park, In Which I Live Virtually and Vicariously

Travel, of a sort

 

Awareness of the outside world. Beneficiaries – BreyerFest 2020.
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Today is the first day of Celtic Fling, Virtual BreyerFest 2020. I’m not completely sure how everything is organized. That’s okay, no one else knows either. Breyer has been around for 70 years. BreyferFest for 31. This is the first virtual. This is my first BreyerFest of any kind. Time at BreyerFest 2020 will be time spent staring at a screen, either watching events or shopping.

Things to Look At
Guest Horses
Seminars
Workshops
Model Horse Photo Show, update
Best Customs Contest, photos Braymere Custom Saddlery: BCC finishwork entries
Diorama Contest, photos Braymere Custom Saddlery: BreyerFest Diorama Contest entries, part one, four parts.
Live Auction
Silent Auction
Artisan’s Gallery, update
Vendors
Equus Film Festival

Of course, some of these could make the leap from “look” to “buy” if I am struck coup de foudre by an artist’s resin. I don’t think it’s likely. This is not a high expense-risk event for me. Okay, I will admit to one, tiny grail model that might be hanging out in a vendor’s barn, Herald-Leader: Breyer adds ‘Big Lex’ to its stable, Staff report, 2010. We’ll see. Really, my shopping list is long enough as it is.

Things To Buy
Commemorative Model. Comes with my ticket.

Special Run Models. IRL, one gets a ticket for a certain time. Enters the Special Run sales tent. Is allowed to buy two models from available stock. To recreate this exercise in enforced scarcity, we submitted a list of preferences in order. At the appointed time, I will be offered two models based on my list and what is available. My top choice was the decorator model Boudicca. I assume I will get this because decorators are not a fan favorite. I also chose the surprise. I don’t have a strong preference among the rest, I’ll take whatever they give me. Needless to say, I’m very much a tourist in the hobby.

Limited Editions. Have my eye on the shiny green stablemate, Éire. Not sure if this is limited or unlimited. I only want one, so I should be fine. Okay, maybe two. They’re small.

Regular Run. All the normal Breyer products will be on sale as well, I assume. Expert advice says yes. This one is pretty. Lipizzan Mare & Foal, Favory Airiella Gift Set.

Probably a few other things that will leap into my cart when I’m not looking.

Raffle. They have three. Tickets are free, but I have to remember to enter. Update.

All the loot bought from Breyer will be held until after the event, combined into one order, and sent with free shipping. Nice.

Things To Do
The exception to all of this screen time is the Gaelic Gallop on Sunday morning. I signed up for this back in January, when life was still normal. Remember those days?

May walk in the pasture. May do multiple laps of a pocket park near me.

More Links
Celtic Fling nail art from eternalequestrian on Instagram.

BreyerFest posts from the miniature artist who blogs – not often enough – as Desktop Stables, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014 II, 2014 I. Their work is amazing.

[VBB Model Horse Post Archive]

Meanwhile, Elsewhere in KHP

Over in the Rolex Arena, the Saddlebreds are showing IRL at the Lexington Junior League Horse Show. To my mind, gathering hundreds of horses from 30 states is not the best choice of activity in the middle of a pandemic, but no one has appointed me dictator of the world. Having made the decision to go ahead, KHP/LJL have done what they can. Here’s what I saw via the livestream on Monday.

Judges, ringmaster, etc. wore masks.

Much messaging, both on the video crawl and by the announcer, on masks & social distance.

I think I glimpsed a mask with the horse show logo. Handed out by show? No, sold as a fundraiser.

Victory pass but no presentation shot.

Blue ribbon handed out in the ring. Rest of the ribbons given outside of the ring.

No post-ride interview.

Ring took up half of the Rolex arena. Other half used for warm-up. Lots of space. Rolex arena is huge. Lots of room for warm-up and entry. Exit lane may have been a little tight, but most people hustle right on out of there.

No crowding along the rail.

No spectators allowed. Lots of space in seating. People were seated far apart, in clumps. I assume those are the ones they came with and already have each other’s germs.

Judging from the still photos from the official photographer, the rails look to have gotten more crowded as the week went on. Still, many masks.

Mitigating the creep factor. I wasn’t stalking Reagan as much as Stepping Stone Farm in general. The day that I livestreamed, Reagan was the only adult showing, so she represented. After that, I refuse to admit how many times I checked the schedule & results at HorseShowsOnline: LJLHS 2020 or surfed the photos at Howard Schatzberg Photography: Lexington Jr. League.

As you can see, I’m still guilty of living other people’s lives instead of my own, a little bit. That’s why I limited myself to one day of livestream. It was tempting to get the whole week. Not a good use of time since I end up watching all the sessions, because they’re paid for. Turns out, you can learn a lot from close examination of show proofs.

SSF has one more class this morning & then heading home. Safe travels.

Stay safe. Stay sane,
Katherine Walcott