Since then, he's been working as an assistant manager at a gas station.
That's an honest job and one that pays better than you'd probably expect. Still, it's not something a smart kid with two engineering degrees wants to do forever. He's been looking for something in his field since before he graduated, and last month - finally! - the stars aligned. An offer was extended, a trip was funded and a contract was signed.
In Wisconsin.
My baby boy is moving to Wisconsin.
It's okay. I'm okay.
He's an adult.
He's ready.
This morning, James, Kimmy the cat, Mercury the snake and I will start the long drive from Loveland, Colorado to Madison Wisconsin. Wish us luck. We're probably going to need it!
This year, we were instructed to put them in the Medium Dog division. They're both in the sixteen to seventeen pound weight range, but okay, whatever.
There were so many dogs in the this division they split us up into multiple heats. Piper and Tang ran in the first. This is a picture of the pre-race interview.
Pipes tried really hard, but Tang is just too fast. Once again, they placed first and second.
We watched the next three heats, and I am relatively sure Piper could have won two of them. Why, oh, why did I make her race Tang?!
Tang advanced to the semifinal and won that handily.
Then it was on to the championship match race. His only competitor was a giant Great Dane named Murphy. Here's how that went.
The champion of the Doggy Derby's Medium Dog division weighs one hundred fifty six pounds.Reserve Champion is seventeen pounds.
Medium dogs, obviously.
This was so much fun. I love seeing our dogs race dogs of all sizes, and hope springs eternal! Piper wants another rematch!
One of my very, very first customs was a Rugged Lark. I airbrushed him with a $20 badger airbrush and a can of air from Michaels to a grulla that was far too blueish grey.
I proudly plopped him on the table of a local show (another one of my firsts), and proceeded to win nothing. I wasn’t upset by it--just confused. I thought I’d at least done a decent job of painting him, and I was showing in a youth-only division, so the bar was quite low. I probably should have asked the judge for feedback, but I was thirteen.
It wasn’t until yeeeeaaaaarrrrsss later--after I’d gone back to showing as an adult--I overheard someone referring to the mold as “Rugged Lard” and it clicked. The MOLD was bad, not my paint work. To be fair, the paint job was probably also bad, but I was pushing a bolder up hill either way.
I still have a bit of a soft spot for the mold. Not enough to collect it. I have several congas of wonky old molds* filling my shelves, but devoting space to Rugged Lark is a bridge too far. Even for me.
I’ve used Rugged Lark for the BCC before. My dun mare from the top of my canyon entry was a Rugged Lark body dremelled down to an armature. But you’d also never guess by looking at her. There was very, very little left of the original mold’s look in the final project.
This year, I want to keep as much of the mold’s character in my final product…minus all of his faults.
I had my work cut out for me.
I spent a lot of the long hours of sculpting and resculpting watching The Saddle Club tv show.
I’d read some of the books as a kid but never caught the show. It was just supposed to be background noise, but I think it did something weird to my subconscious because I felt compelled to make this:
Shout out to my loving husband for acting as my cameraman.
I’m not the easiest director to work for, and I can’t make a “simple” model horse video without behaving like I’m making Citizen Kane. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Film & TV, and that part of my brain does not turn off.
He stood patiently while I painted his mostly white body into a bay tobiano, and did several loping takes so I could get extra coverage. He didn’t bring speed to his performance, but he at least got into character.
*If you’re thinking, “I know Laura has a bunch of Shams, but he’s not really that wonky. He’s artsy at least.” Yeah, no, y’all haven’t seen my herd of beloved Morganlanzes.
Congratulations, Laura. This is everything we've come to expect from you and more. I'm already looking forward to your 2027 entry! Good luck at BreyerFest!
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