TJS Jackpot Performance

I attended my first show as an entrant in 1999. It was a small show and not a NAN qualifier. There were two halter divisions: Original Finish and - essentially - not Original Finish. My Beswick Highland beat all the Mistys and Cantering Welsh Ponies in the pony class. It was great.

My table at March Madness, 1999

Now, of course, that wouldn't happen. Original Finish is always split by media and often by scale and manufacturer. Resins and Customs are rarely - if ever - combined, Custom Glaze Chinas have come into their own, and collectibility and workmanship divisions are a thing. There's no doubt, halter showing has come a long way in the last twenty years.

Halter champions plus one performance pony at Rocky Mountain Spring Fling, 2018

The same can not be said for Performance.

Jane Schneider's Ronin at the Rocky Mountain Model Horse Expo, 1999

The quality of our entries has improved immensely, but our class lists have stayed mostly the same.

Flying Phoenix showing in High Performance Hunters, Battle of Breeds 2018

I shouldn't complain. I've had...

Flicker of Sunshine, Overall Performance Champion at Wild Wild West Live, 2007

a lot...

Emma, Overall Performance Champion at Rocky Mountain Rendezvous, 2010

of success...

Jennibray, Overall Performance Champion at Springamathing, 2014

with the "show one horse in three divisions" format.

Olivia, Overall Performance Champion at Rocky Mountain Spring Fling 2018

Still, the best and most enjoyable showing experiences of my hobby life have involved non-traditional performance class lists.

My Pink! class entry at Candyland Live, 2019

I absolutely loved the breed-based performance classes at Nae Keller's Battle of Breeds...

Team Braymere at Battle of Breeds, 2018

and the themed performance classes - and entries - at Heather Malone's Candyland Live were just about the best thing ever.

Jackie Rossi's Over Fences entry at Candyland Live, 2019

I know most of the hobby is more attached to the old-style, three-division performance format than I am, so that's what we're doing Saturday at the Jennifer Show.

The Sunday performance class list is a lot more interesting. We're starting the day with the Performance Challenge, and then it's five Performance Jackpot classes. These will be stand-alone themed performance classes with really big prizes.

I am so excited about the future of model horse performance showing, and I can't wait to see what's on the table at the Jennifer Show Performance Jackpot.