Laura's BCC entry

This year, in addition to creating yet another outstanding BreyerFest Best Customs Contest entry, Laura Skillern also wrote, directed and starred in two promotional videos and wrote a blog post about it all.

As one does, if you're Laura Skillern.

Patch Deserved Better

by Laura Skillern

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.

Additional hat tips to my “Patch”. 

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!