Nelli's diorama entry

Over the last few years, Wyoming hobbyist, Nelli Jeanne Lucus has become one of the BreyerFest Diorama Contest's most consistent and excellent builders. This year's entry is exactly what I've come to expect from her: interesting, dynamic, well researched and personal. Thank you, Nelli, for sharing a little slice of your world with us.

'Michéle Mouton Pioneering Women in the Sport of Rally' 

by Nelli Jeanne Lucus

If you know me, you know cars are my life! I was so excited to bring to life another diorama that hits home, while also being fun with lots of small details!

The sport of rally racing was forever changed when Michéle Mouton took on the Pikes Peak Rally in 1985. Not only was she the first woman to race Pikes Peak, but she with the help of her all female crew, she demolished the previous records by thirteen seconds, claiming the win! Inside of the Howdi, Michéle Mouton is seen jumping a hill on Pikes Peak. With some added fun colors, the environment encapsulates the excitement of rally. Thanks to Mouton’s contributions, rally and motorsport as a whole is now more accessible to women than ever before!

In accordance with contest rules, real life brands like Sparco Racing Seats, Shell, Castrol, Audi, Red Bull, and Michelin have all been changed to trademark-friendly versions! In order of previous line, Stallion Racing Seats, Hoof, Spurol, Howdi, Red Mule and Marechelin! Making these logos/brands were so much fun!! Also picked back up airbrushing for this project, sounds like I've got to spray some bodies to be tested on in the future.

The Breyers are two Mini Whinnies in the driver and co-driver seats, and have been modified with racing suits and helmets, painted and all! 

You can also see the co-driver holding the rally directions, while they both brace for dear life. Mouton holds the wheel with one hoof as she grabs the gear shift with the other!

Congratulations, Nelli, on a job well done. I can't wait to see what you come up with next year!

2024 BreyerFest Diorama Contest preview

The theme of the 2024 BreyerFest Virtual Diorama Contest is Pop Culture That Pops!

But first... Let me take a selfie by Erin Verscheure

The description reads: Dynamic and constantly changing, popular culture defines each generation. From music and fashion to entertainment and sports, each decade has its icons and iconography. This year’s BreyerFest look has been inspired by late 90s and early aughts music and design and we are challenging fans to create a diorama, using at least one Breyer model of any scale (excluding CollectA), that depicts one example of the many categories of pop culture from any decade in the last one hundred years, such as entertainment, sports, fashion, technology, etc.

Lady Gaga's icornic 2010 VMA Meat Dress by Nadia Siedschlag

Here's a quick look at a few of this year's most eye popping entries, starting with Olivia Tierce's "Getting Groovy at Breyerfest". Olivia writes: The 1970's were a time of fashion, especially the bellbottom jeans. Along with this, the hippie movement brought in several new trends, such as the peace sign necklaces, round sunglasses, and many contrasting patterns and colors. My diorama is inspired by these iconic fashion statements of that time, many of which are still seen today.

Jennifer Arsuaga's entry is an homage to the 1939 technicolor masterpiece, The Wizard of Oz. She says: When Dorothy opens the door to OZ...that moment...right there...TECHNICOLOR magic!

Joanna Bechtel Chronister also took inspiration from a movie, although hers is a lot more recent. She explains: Jurassic Park was a huge piece of pop culture history as it paved the way for a new era of computer generated movie effects and combined CGI with animatronics bringing the dinosaurs to life. The movie score became iconic and further impacted pop culture history. The movie reinspired people to reignite an interest in paleontology and dinosaur inspired themes. At the time it became the highest grossing film worldwide and earned multiple academy awards. Due to the theme's success, it has inspired sequels, memorabilia, and theme park attractions.

Continuing in the cinematic theme, here's Samantha Thompson's Harry Potter inspired creation. Here's how she describes her connection to this pop moment: When I think of iconic pop culture phenomena from my childhood, the first thing that comes to mind is the Harry Potter film franchise. I’m a 1990’s baby, so I was just old enough to really comprehend the story of Harry Potter when the movies started coming out in 2001. I grew up with a new film coming out every few years and would go to the midnight premiere of each new film with my friends when they were released, often dressed in my Gryffindor robe with wand and chocolate frogs in-hand. When the last film came out, I remember that the billboards didn’t even include the title of the movie, because everyone knew what they were for. That’s gotta be about as iconic of a pop culture moment as they come.

Moving on to music, here's Kristy Thiessen's take on Michael Jackson's Thriller. Yes, she used a fog machine!

Heather Jackson-Lain chose to depict a moment from Taylor Swift's Eras tour., and yes, those are real sparklers!

Here's something a little different. Maddie Miller's entry is called "iTrot": a nod to Apple iPod's "Silhouette Campaign". She writes: My entry is incredibly simple, but so was the original series of advertisements. Obviously it worked, because just about everyone had an iPod in the 2000s and early 2010s. Despite the overall simplistic concept, my diorama features working LED lights, 3d printed "iTrot" devices, sparkly stickers, and a Breyerfest playlist that I think everyone should listen to.

Finally, here's Morgan Lytle's Pop Shove-Its and Power Slides: How Street Skating Birthed The X-Games. She explains: The 90's saw an explosion in "Xtreme" sports as they went mainstream and street skating was at its center. Street Skating Birthed The X-Games in 1995, bringing these Xtreme sports front and center of the world. New heights and tricks were constantly being created and reached. And for young girls like myself watching females such as Fabiola Desilva crush male competition was empowering. Two years later, 1997, the winter X-Games were born. This diorama features three skaters doing very specific tricks.... A Power Slide (grulla horse on left), a Pop Shove-It (center black horse) and a rail grind (appaloosa on right)! I would like to add for the first time in the history of skateboarding, May 2024 to be exact, a female has not only completed BUT landed a 900. A trick only twelve people in the world have completed and landed. This was a huge win for female Xtreme sports enthusiasts!!

Congratulations Erin, Nadia, Olivia, Jennifer, Joanna, Samantha, Kristy, Heather, Maddie and Morgan. All of these dioramas really pop. Thank you so much for sharing them with us!

Olive update

It's been three weeks since Olive colicked. I know how close I came to losing her, and I am literally so happy to see her every her bright eyed, cheerful face every day.

That said, the first thirty days after colic surgery are hard. Olive's care instructions call for complete stall rest, with quiet hand-walking or quiet hand-grazing ten to twenty minutes twice daily.

At first we did most of our hand-walking in the indoor arena.

Then Olive told me in no uncertain terms that the indoor arena was boring, and she would rather go back to her stall than walk another lap in there.

We tried the outdoor arena, but it wasn't long before Olive rejected that as well. Reluctantly, I decided to bite the bullet and take her for a walk around the retention pond.

That first walk was extremely lively and snorty.

I switched her back into the rope halter and tried again.

And again and again.

For the last week or so, we've been walking around the pond twice a day every day.

Sometimes we're joined by friends,

but most days it's just the two of us.

I really expected to be having behavior problems by this point, but if anything, she just getting easier and easier.

Because of that, we've been able to add more and more small activities to our time outside the stall. 

These include visiting with friends,

grooming,

barn aisle maintenance...

and nightly checks on the two pregnant mares. They're due any day now!

We also make sure to visit the best waterer on the property at least twice a day.

She has water in her stall, of course, but she still sucks this one dry every single time.

It's not how I'd planned to spend this summer, but it's okay.

Olive is healing. Olive is thriving. I am so thankful.

BCC potpourri

In a perfect world, every single entrant in the BreyerFest Best Customs contest would get a post of their own. Unfortunately, time and energy are in short supply. Today's first post features a whole bunch of horses from a whole bunch of categories, starting with everyone's favorites. The Glow Ups.

model and photo by Serena Pedane

The entries in this category ranged from easily recognizable, "simple" customs...

model and photo by Alexa Wellington

all the way to pieces where the base model is almost unrecognizable.

model and photo by Carly Kudalis

In case you're wondering, he's an Adios.

model and photo by Carly Kudalis

Other entries included Joanna Bechtel Chronister's Foalzilla...

and Danielle Feldman's multi mane and tailed Latigo.

Moving on to Fantasy, here's a neat forest unicorn by Maura Rubendall...

and an underwater scene from Mel Cox.

Performance is next. There don't appear to be a lot of entries in this category, but what it's lacking in quantity is definitely made up for with quality. I love this mounted archery set-up by Emmalia Sebusch. It's so well done and so pink!

Finally, the Tack category. This seems to be another small but mighty division. I've only seen three entries, but all of them are good. This lovely sidesaddle set was made by friend and fellow blogger, Kristian Beverly.

Beautiful work!

Thank you so much to all the artists who generously shared BCC entry photos with the Braymere blog. Your work is outstanding, and we are cheering for every one of you!

Celsie's BCC entry

Year after year, the Fantasy Division yields some of the best and most memorable entries in the BreyerFest Best Customs Contest.

This year is no exception.

Today's featured entry comes from Celsie Rae Abelt.

It's called "A Mother's Love."

Celsie writes: This is for all the mothers who fight for and protect their little ones. I see you and I salute you.

It's a really great entry, with something for everyone.

There are two really nice customs, plus a dragon...

and a fantastic, detailed diorama.

Congratulations, Celsie, on a job well done. Good luck in Kentucky!