FriendsWest

I've said this so often it's become a cliche, but the best part of BreyerWest is the people.

Tara Reich

From beginning...

Piper Buxton, Tiffany Purdy, Angelo Žunić and Jennifer Buxton

to end...

Heather Malone, Jackie Rossi, Christine Jordan, Heather Puleo, Julia Turner, Maggie Bennett, Angelo , Jennifer Buxton and Fabian Rodriguez

this year's BreyerWest was as much a celebration of people...

Maddie Caron, Julia Turner, Heather Jackson-Lain, Katie Hail-Jares, Stephanie Blaylock, Heather Halone, Tara Reich, Christie Richardson, Jackie Rossi and Tiffany Purdy

as it was of model horses.

Chris Wallbruch, Angelo Žunić, Kristen Cermele, Jackie Rossi, Kristin Arendt and Melanie Miller

I spent time with old friends,

Alice Corbett and Tiffany Purdy

new friends,

Celeste Alvarez-Plitz, Arabella Alvarez-Plitz and Jennifer Buxton

near friends,

Heather Malone

far friends,

Lisa Smalley

friends I see often,

Fabian Rodriguez and Tiffany Purdy

friends I haven't seen in a really long time...

Marianna Stepniewski

and friend's family members (although she's a friend, too!),

Joanne Cermele

As I look through all my BreyerWest pictures I'm struck by the fluidity of the friend population. 

Alice Corbett and Erin Corbett

Certainly, there is a group of people I see - and spend time with - at every event.

But that group is never the same group.

Hailey Noelter, Jennifer Buxton, Heather Jackson-Lain, Melanie Miller, Heather Malone, Maggie Bennett, Heather Puleo, Christine Jordan and Jackie Rossi

People cycle in. 

Jocelyn Page, Kristen Cermele, Eleanor Harvey and Alice Corbett

People cycle out.

Jennifer Scott

Two of the four people who rode Olive this year are the very definition of new friends. I met Celeste for the first time at last year's BreyerFest...

Olive Buxton and Celeste Alvarez-Plitz

and this was the first time I ever met Maddie. We weren't even Facebook friends when she swung her leg over Olive's broad back!

Olive Buxton and Maddie Caron

Of all the things I love about the model horse hobby, this just might be my favorite: Everyone is welcome.

Celeste Alvarez-Plitz, Julia Turner, Marianna Stepniewski, Eleanor Harvey, Olive Buxton, Christine Jordan, Maddie Caron, Heather Jackson-Lain, Tara Reich, Lisa Smalley, Jackie Rossi, Fabian Rodriguez, Rhino Jackson-Reardon and Melanie Miller

Thank you to everyone who spent time with me at this year's BreyerWest. I love you guys!