Decisions decisions

Which group of pictures should I edit first?  Those I took Saturday at Brian Lebel's Old West Show... 

or the photos I shot today at the Rocky Mountain Miniature Horse Show in Estes Park, Colorado?

It's a tough decision--Native American...

and Charro tack...

vs. teeny weeny driving horses...

and hunters!

I don't think I can make this decision on my own.  Does anyone have a preference?

More NAN performance awesomeness

NAN 2011 may have been the smallest NAN to date, but don't be fooled.  At least as far as Custom and Resin performance goes, this show was plenty competitive. 

The day started with Harness.

photo by Jamie Stine

Deb Omel's fabulous Sicilian donkey cart was shown atop a mirror  so the judges' could properly appreciate all its amazing details. 

photo by Jamie Stine

Not surprisingly, Sugar Beet was the unanimous choice for the Custom/Resin Harness championship.  Congratulations, Deb!

photo by Diana Parker

It's hard to follow an entry like that, but Colette Robertson's amazing Marwari costume by Cary Nelson was more than up to the task.

photo by Kim Carter

Boom Shakalaka is a Carol Williams Valor resin customized by Karla Rankin.

photo by Kim Carter

 Just an amazing set-up and a very worthy winner of the Custom/Resin Other Costume Championship.

photo by Diana Parker

The Scene class is always full of interesting entries.  This year those ranged from circus set-ups...

photo by Kim Carter

 to trail rides.

photo by Kim Carter

Uh oh.  Those rascally raccoons have raided the picnic basket and one of them is eating a ham sandwich!

photo by Kim Carter

The Over Fences classes included several grey Valentino resins.  Not sure who owned this guy, but Annette Dean's LZ Arctic Knight ended up winning the Reserve.

photo by Diana Parker

The winner was Lyn Norbury's Come A Chameleon.

photo by Diana Parker

I can't be certain, but I think I recognize those reference photos! 

photo by Diana Parker

I love the jumpers...

photo by Diana Parker

so I feel compelled to post lots of jumper pictures!

photo by Diana Parker

Ditto for the event horses! 

photo by Jamie Stine

The winner of the Show Jumping/Cross Country class was Spot the Money owned by Paula Anderson.  Kevin McFarland built this amazing jump.

photo by Jamie Stine

Come a Chameleon came back to win a Reserve Championship in the English Trail Class.  This horse is a Sheila Anderson Bishop Sundance resin that was customized by Lyn.

photo by Diana Parker

The Saddleseat Championship went to one of Lyn's other horses, Summer Shades... 

photo by Diana Parker

And Jamie Stine's Pik Atari BWS was triumphant in Dressage.  Jamie is the author of the  Dressage and the Model Horse series--congratulations, Jamie!!

photo by Diana Parker

Last one--this is Christine Armstrong's custom Percheron competing in Draft Horse Barrel Racing.  This time I know I recognize the documentation!

photo by Jamie Stine

Thanks to Kim, Diana and Jamie for sharing all the wonderful photos.  I would have loved to have been therein person, so pictures like these are the next best thing!

Friday Favorites

Generally speaking, I am not a fan of dioramas.  They are big and bulky and as often as not, they detract rather than add to a performance entry.

I am, however, a huge fan of Kim and Kathi Haymond so it's should come as no surprise that their "Midwest Fishing Pond" is my second entry in the Friday Favorite file.

This thing is amazing from every angle!

Kim writes: This was a commission, and the customer wanted quite a bit of water for an upper Midwest style fishing pond. She provided us with this great custom made plexi tray, and we went to town. 

 Since the customer is a very competitive performance shower, we wanted to give her as much space and versatility as possible for her horses while still having lots of interesting details and a finished looking diorama. 

There are lots of removable elements included, so she can customize the scene to exactly what she wants. 

The diorama is the full 18x30" allowed at NAN and with 2" deep water, it's a beast!

We worked out a new technique for the water lilies, and I'm very pleased with how they turned out.

Dragonflies! Five of them ended up on the diorama, including one that is 'flying.'

Yes, the dragonflies are handmade. There are four different types but I'm pretty sure in that scale that I'm the only one who would know there is a difference in the wings!

If you're interested in learning to build a diorama, Kim offers these words of advice:  An idea for getting started might be the little mini diorama kits that Woodland Scenics makes. I've seen them at both Hobby Lobby and Michaels and of course you can get them online. I've not tried one out myself, but since Woodland Scenics has repackaged their products into these kits it seems like a neat way to get some instructions, a wide variety of scenery material, and a finished base all in one shot at a pretty decent price (especially with a coupon). Woodland Scenics calls them SceneARama and there are some pretty neat ideas, including mountains, a river, and a desert.  Also, if you two attend BreyerFest, we taught a diorama workshop last year and hopefully will again in the future. 

The lucky new owner of this diorama is a friend of mine, so I am looking forward to seeing lots of pictures of it in the showring!

If you'd like to see more of Kim and Kathi's work, please visit their website and Webshots albums.  You can also join their Yahoo list for information about commission opportunities.

Kellye's other NAN pictures

My friend Carol and I went camping with our kids and my dogs last night.  A good time was had by all, but I am exhausted and uninspired today.  Fortunately thanks to Kellye Bussey, I still have lots of NAN pictures to share.  

First up is Kellye's lovely custom PAM by Sue Kern shown in an Arabian costume by Karen Beeson.  This set up was Top Ten (third by points) in the Custom Arab Costume class.

Kellye's Lorenzo (custom Deseoso by Lyn Norbury) followed his victory in the Scene class with a Top Ten in Other Performance.  His tack was made by Vicky Norris. 

Also garnering a Top Ten in the Other Performance class was Kellye's other Andalusain, Fiesta.  This is a custom Stage Mom showing in a Spanish Leadline class with dolls by Joan Yount.

It was Kellye's third horse, however, who won the Other Performance class.

Diamond Jubilee is a Sarah Rose Miss America resin customized by Mindy Berg.  She also won the Natural English Trail class...

and Custom Huntseat English Pleasure.

Wrapping up the Custom Performance division, this is Amarillo by Morning, a customized Sarah Rose Lone Star by Lyn Norbury.  He won the Natural Western Trail class with a saddle by Des Corbett, bridle by Vicky Norris, and rider by Joan Yount. 

Moving on to the Original Finish classes, this is Wicked Lovely winning the OF Parade class in a vintage 1950's style parade set by Sue Bensema-Young with a doll by Joan Yount.

Lucy in the Sky took home the gold trophy in both the OF Huntseat Pleasure...

and the OF Western Pleasure Non Stock Type classes.  I'm not sure who is responsible for Lucy's English tack, but her Western gear was made by Erin Corbett.

Kellye's Breyer Valentine named Patina also had a good show.  She was first in OF Natural Western Trail, 

first in OF Stockwork,

and second in OF Other Western.  In all three classes, she wore a saddle by Des Corbett and a bridle by Vicky Norris.  Mary Haynes made the fabulous diorama.

As always, thanks and congratulations go out to Kellye Bussey.  If you want to know what national quality performance entries look like, look no further.  Kellye's set-ups are first rate and very deserving of all those wonderful placings!