Harnessing the past

I would be remiss if I didn't share pictures of the four harnesses that accompanied the Marie Welch stagecoach.

Alas, that is the only picture I have of the entire set. As Trish told me so many years ago, these harnesses were sewn onto the models. 

We took them off the bays, and now they're staying off, at least for the foreseeable future.

Instead, I tried to lay out the pieces of one of the harnesses in a way that made sense. It was harder than I expected!

I did a better job of capturing the details of the collars. 

The hames are made of hand-bent wood. Rather than relying on glue, the wire pieces are attached to the wood through tiny holes. 

Here's one of the other collars shown on the horse.

Remember, this was made decades before Rio Rondo. 

There is no mass produced, specialty hardware here.

It's all beads, jump rings and shaped wire.

Three of the Zaras have holes drilled in the corners of their mouths for ease of bitting.

The fourth Zara's bit is secured with a nearly invisible piece of thread.

Like Pecan's halter, most of the leather is stiff and brittle with age. The collar, the saddle, the blinders and the breeching are made of pleather and have fared significantly better. In fact, they look almost as good as new.

None of this is modern live show quality, but for its age, it's completely amazing. Trisha's grandmother was not a model horse hobbyist, but she was an accomplished horse woman and artist. Her work reflects her knowledge, ingenuity and attention to detail. I am honored to have it in my collection.

Dani's BCC entry

Excellence in Tack Making joined BreyerFest Best Customs Contest line-up as a one-time Theme class in 2023 and then as a regular division the following year. As a resident of Colorado, I am not allowed to participate. Still, I love seeing other tack makers rise to the challenge. This is Dani Boiko's 2026 entry.

She writes: This is a Scythian Ceremonial Armor set dating back to 4th-3rd century B.C.E. While called armor, it may not have been used for battle but rather for royal burials for the Nisean Horse. Talk about a challenge that pushed my tack making skills at the time of building this!

The horned mask and the neck portion easily took the longest. Many failed attempts went into both that is for sure.

Some of you may recognize this set. I made it a few years ago as part of a horse/tack collaboration with Monika West. It's one of the best things I've built, so it was only fitting to give it the chance of maybe becoming a finalist this year!

Congratulations, Dani. This is really a cool set and definitely deserved the chance to shine in Kentucky. Good luck at BreyerFest!

Challenge accepted

In April 2024, I wrote a post about a new tack trend: Ruffles.

In it, I shared photos of various ruffled tack items and closed with a challenge to my fellow model horse tack makers, specifically Maire Lanzafane. 

I have no idea if Maire saw that post, but her August sales drop included a whole section of ruffled saddle pads.

I was so excited to see them!

Of course, I had to buy one.

It arrived right before I left for Mississippi.

My camera isn't capturing the tiny ruffles, but trust me, they are exquisite.

I also bought a fitted hunter pad...

and an olive green Western pad.

My third, fourth and fifth Maire pads of the year. Apparently, these are the only hobby items I am still actively collecting.

Thank you, Maire, and congratulations. I knew that if anyone could make those in 1:9 scale, it would be you!

Mikayla's BCC entry

Every time I think I'm done with contest posts another one - or two or three or four - pop up that are just too good not to share. Case in point, this excellent Excellence in Performance entry by Mikayla Herrera. Thank you, for sharing Mikayla. And to everyone else, keep them coming! I am happy to continue showcasing contest entries right up until the winners are announced!

The Making of Dulce

by Mikayla Herrera

This is my second year entering the Best Customs Contest, and I chose the Performance Excellence category to highlight a lesser-known discipline, Escaramuza, which is the only women’s event in charrería, Mexico’s national sport. 

Inspired by revolutionary women who played vital roles in the war, teams of women perform synchronized routines side-saddle on horseback.

Due to school and work, I couldn’t create eight separate costumes and models as a full Escaramuza team requires. Instead, I focused on the “punta,” a maneuver where two riders execute a precise sliding stop in a marked arena box, contributing to the team’s score.

Customizing the model was the easiest part. 

I started with a Roxy body and transformed her into the sliding horse I envisioned, named Dulce, painted as a striking dapple grey. 

Crafting the tack was more complex… 

I skived and dyed leather, hand-strung a cinch, and designed a saddle tree and stirrups in Blender, which I then 3D printed, as premade options weren’t available.

The rider’s dress posed another challenge. 

I used Swiss batiste, a thin cotton, to ensure the ruffled design laid flat so she could sit on the dress. With my mom’s help, I dyed and crafted the dress. I also pieced together and flocked the sombrero myself. 

Over a few months, Dulce and her rider came together beautifully. I’m incredibly proud to have showcased a vibrant piece of women’s history through my artistry.

Congratulation, Mikayla. This is a fantastic set-up, and can I just say how much I love the sombrero? Good luck in Kentucky!

Eva's BCC entry

In 2023, Eva Mathews made one of the biggest and most ambitious BreyerFest Best Customs Contest Tack class entries not to make the finals.

Six harnesses. 

That would have been it for a lot of people.

Not Eva. Instead, she kept working on that entry, making it bigger, stronger, even more ambitious. She resubmitted her photos for the 2024 event, and this time she made it to the finals.

A lot artists would have been content with that, but again, not Eva. Her 2025 BCC Excellence in Tack entry is another multi-horse harness set-up, and let me tell you: this is spectacular!

Eva writes: This is my entry for this year's Best Customs Contest. It's the 1830 coronation harness that is still used by the British Royal Family for special occasions. It took me nearly a year to research, plan and make it.

It features over one hundred thirty working buckles and more than two hundred gold leafed decorations. Blue duck saddlery in Austria custom made the buckles for me, and the leather was flown in from Italy. I also ruched ten yards of two millimeter silk ribbon for the mane decorations.

I dreamed about making this set for years, and I'm so glad I finally did it.

Congratulations, Eva. I love everything about this, and I fully expect to see it standing on the table - with a big rosette next to it - at the Artisan's Gallery. Good luck in Kentucky!

Paige's BCC entry

Last year, I had the pleasure of judging Paige Palen's entries in the Performance division of the BreyerWest Open Show. Her Purdy Zippin Chic was my Overall Champion, so I already knew Paige was a really good performance shower.

What I did not know is that she's also a really good tack maker. Take a look at the harness she made for the Excellence in Tack Making category of this year's BreyerFest Best Customs Contest.

Paige writes: It’s a simple harness based on IVC Carriage harnesses and made to fit the Cleveland Bay mold. This is my first ever time entering the BCC, and I’m super nervous.

Congratulations, Paige, and let me say, I don't think you have anything to be nervous about. This is an extremely lovely harness, and I would not be at all surprised to see it on the finalist table. Good luck in Kentucky!

Lisa's BCC entry

Excellence in Tack Making joined BreyerFest Best Customs Contest line-up as a one-time Theme class in 2023 and then as a regular division last year. Although, as a resident of Colorado, I am not allowed to participate, I love the boost this gives to the hobby's tack makers. Also, the inspiration. 

Today's featured entry comes from Lisa Smalley, who writes: I have not had much time for extra things while completing my MBA courses, but at the last minute, I decided to utilize a momentary lapse of judgement that I could get something smaller finished in time for the BF25 Best Customs Contest deadline. My entry is a freehand carved Western bridle with braided romal reins. The reins feature fifty one authentic "rawhide" knots, some with two-tone interweaves. 

No, I did not get much sleep last night.

Congratulations, Lisa. I don't think a set of braided reins with fifty one knots qualifies as a smaller project, but I'm glad you were able to convince yourself otherwise. This is a fantastic, "little" entry. Good luck in Kentucky!

Today's photo

Today's prompt for the Advent Model Horse Photo Challenge is Roan, which is - according to Kirsten and who am I to argue? - boring and basic.

Unfortunately, I own even fewer swirlies than roans, so here's Tickled Pink. He is a Sheila Bishop Comet resin that was also customized and painted by Sheila.

I decided to pair him with my brand new Christmas antlers and wreath set by Canadian tackmaker, Terri Wright. This was one of my purchases at this year's inaugural Christmas on Mane Street event. It arrived yesterday, and I am so pleased with the crisp clean workmanship and attention to detail.

Today has been a day so I didn't have a lot of time for this, but here's what I came up with.

Three down, twenty two to go!