High Plains Live Other Performance

The Other Performance division at the High Plains Live Show opened with the Light Harness class.  Although I didn't have an entry in that class, there was one Braymere "harness" on the table.

I made this Swiss ski-joring set for Sandy Lyles way back in 2004.  I haven't seen it in years, so it was a real treat to revisit it Saturday.  I was especially pleased to note that it's held up pretty well.  My buckles and keepers are a bit neater nowadays, but nothing on this set made me wince!

It's worth mentioning that only the harness and bridle are mine.  Sue Rowe made the noseband and Sandy made the blinker hood, boots and doll.

Onto Arabian Costume!

Even though I own several nice costumes, I don't generally show in this class.

Tiffany told me that was ridiculous, so I told her I'd show in the class if she'd do all the work.

Woo hoo!  It turns out that Tiffany is a really good groom.  My old friend Nejmet won her first ever pink card with the six year costume.

Native American costume is another one I usually skip.

This time, however, there was a Brio Sombra up for grabs.

If I wanted to win it...

I needed to bring my A-game.

Once again, I leaned on Tiffany.  She came through by lending me this adorable costume...

which came complete with some spiffy handwritten documentation!

It turns out that Tiffany is not just a world class customizer.  She also makes dolls.  Who knew and why has she been holding out on me?

The rest of the costume was made by Shannon Granger of Riversong Saddlery.  

After a quick tack change, Emma was back in another Riversong tack set.  I thought she looked pretty wonderful, but the Parade/Other Costume class was tough.

Some of the other entries included Regan's Deseoso,

Sandy's Lonesome Dove,

and Val McEntee's Egyptian Dancing Horse.

Top honors went to Val's other Arabian, who looked absolutely stunning in this parade entry.

Scene was next.  I was too busy cleaning my house to prepare an entry for this class.  

Probably it didn't matter.  It's awfully hard to beat Sandy in this one!

The division wrapped with Other Performance.

Sandy's Lonesome Dove was back, this time in jousting gear.

"My name is Inigo Montoya..." 

After two near misses, Emma finally broke through to claim her first blue ribbon of the day.

Still, it wasn't enough to challenge Lonesome Dove for the division championship.  He was the clear winner with three first place ribbons, two seconds and a fifth.

Emma had to settle for the Reserve Championship title.  I didn't know it at the time, but that was a sign of things to come!

English Performance is next!

High Plains Live customs

The custom halter division at last Saturday's High Plains Live consisted of just eleven classes.  However, in this case there were a lot of good things wrapped up in that small package.  Here are a few that caught my eye.

The first class of the day was Arabian/Part Arabian/National Show Horse.  Sherre Tuley's customized Lonesome Glory claimed the blue ribbon.

My Purdy horse, Khartoon Khompounded Interest was right behind him in second.

My other Purdy horse, Quiver, also placed second in his class (Spanish/Gaited).

He was beaten by Tiffany's Freedom Generator.  This is a Breyer clock horse with a Salinero head.

Onto the Stock Horses.

Photo by Nancy Dement

These were separated into two classes--spotted and solid.  One of Sheila's early customs won the spotted class...

photo by Nancy Dement

while Tiffany's Azteca, Quivario, won the solid.

Sport Horses were next and once again it was a Purdy horse who claimed top honors.  This is Schmitterling, a Breyer Salinero with a Memphis Belle head.

Here's another Salinero--this one was competing in the Draft class.

Yet another Salinero was spotted (ha ha) in the Longear/Extotic/Other class.  

photo by Nancy Dement

Onto ponies!

Tiffany's Touch of Pink was the big winner there.  

As the horses returned to the table for the Custom Division Championship...

one thing was abundantly clear...

It was a good day to be Purdy!

Overall Champion honors went to Tiffany's self portrait, Rat Poison.

Reserve was Freedom Generator.

Purdy, purdy, purdy!

Performance pictures next!

High Plains Live Model Horse Show

Last Saturday's High Plains Live was Sheila Bishop's first experience as a live show host, and boy, was it an impressive debut!   

Perhaps the most notable feature of the show was the prizes.  Champions received a traditional scale Brio Sambra or Charity resin, while Reserve Champions were awarded a Chevy medallion.  Additionally, the top horses in each division won either a blanket of flowers or neck sash.  These items were donated by Nebraska's Chris Allen.

Since not everyone can win an award, there was also a mighty fine raffle.  Offerings included  a pancake griddle, painted and unpainted medallions... 

original finish models and several different resins. 

Here's Sheila choosing a winner. 

Tiffany won the Brio Sombra!  Technically, I won the doll but I let Tiffany take it home with her.  After all, it's a driving doll and everyone knows I don't show in harness.

Although there were no Original Finish Plastic classes, this was a big show by Colorado standards with six separate divisions.  The five person judging staff included Karen Gerhardt (Custom Halter), Barb Spohr (OF and Custom Glazed China), Molly Pengra (Performance), 

Jennifer Scott (Mini Resin Halter) and Jane Schneider (Artist Resin). 

photo by Nancy Dement

Tiffany and I each had a table but rather than going with a "yours and mine" arrangement we used one table to store the halter horses...

and the other for tacking and talking.

Actually, "tacking and talking" pretty much sums up my day at the High Plains Live show.  Here's Teresa tacking,

Sandy tacking,

and Tiffany and Regan talking.   

Many thanks to Sheila and all the judges for their hard work in making the High Plains Live Model Horse Show such a big success.  I can hardly wait until the 2013 edition!