September 27, 2011-- Collector Laura Pervier is selling three books by Gail Fitch that she said she's "had for years and years. Excellent historical hobby material. I need the shelf space, so hopefully they'll find new homes." They are for sale on MH$P.

"Hartland Horses and Riders" from June 1986
http://www.modelhorsesalespages.com/view_details.asp?id=877688

"Horse Colors and Gaits" from Nov 1986
http://www.modelhorsesalespages.com/view_details.asp?id=877692

"Hartland Horsemen & Gunfighters, Hartland Models, Volume 1" from Feb 1998
http://www.modelhorsesalespages.com/view_details.asp?id=877696

These books were autographed. They include color photos. Contact Laura Pervier at laurap@lonewolfstar.com.

 

Fall 2011 News and Events

by Gail Fitch, September 27, 2011

A memorial service for Thoroughbred stallion Invisible Ink, who was a Kentucky Derby contender, was held September 16, 2011, at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Equine Affaire, Eastern States Exposition, is November 10-13, 2011, in West Springfield, Mass. See www.equineaffaire.com.

The Great Lakes Congress, Inc., has model horse events planned for northern Illinois in the final months of 2011. It posts notices at GLCLiveShow@yahoogroups.com.

In September, Back in the Saddle mailed its Autumn 2011 gift catalog for horse lovers. See Backinthesaddle.com.

The latest horse story to make the best seller lists is The Eighty Dollar Champion by Elizabeth Letts, 2011. It's the story of Snowman, the former plow horse who took show jumping honors in the late 1950s. There has never been a movie about Snowman, but given the interest in this book, perhaps a movie will follow.

 

September 28, 2011--

Seabiscuit, the inspiring, late 1930s Thoroughbred race horse, was the subject of "American Experience" on PBS television on Monday, Sept. 26.

For more of the American experience of shopping, there's the Chicagoland Equestrian Lifestyle Expo & Holiday Market, November 19-20, 2011, at the Lake County Expo Center in Grayslake, Illinois. For details, see www.HorsemensCouncil.com/Expo.

A new sitcom on CBS television this fall, "2 Broke Girls," included a walk-on by a horse in its second episode (Sept. 26). Caroline, a former rich girl, has a horse named Chestnut. As she pointed out, Chestnut is a champion. Since her family's money suddenly collapsed, Caroline's been working in a diner and rooming with her fellow waitress, the other "broke" girl. Apparently unable to afford board, she's been keeping Chestnut just outside the apartment. Who knows what the poor animal is eating? This show has possibilities.

 

 

 

February 4, 2011 -- by Gail Fitch

If you own Hartland test models, contest-prize horses, or other rare models -- especially those made since 2000, bring them to the Stone Horse's Eureka Live Model Horse Show at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, California, on Sunday, February 13, 2011. Someone will be there to photograph them for a book.

 

Dress-up themes are popular lately at some model horse shows. Mardi Gras is the theme of the February 13 show in Santa Barbara. See www.stonehorses.com.

The 2011 Show for the Cure has a western theme. Anyone dressing as a cowboy, cowgirl, or Indian is eligible for a prize. The show, which raises money to combat cancer, is March 19, 2011 in Itasca, Illinois. See www.showforthecure.com. Show hostess Jenna Nejman is author of Amy's Big Day, a story of a high school student who's preparing to enter her first horse show. The book is sold at Amazon.com.

 

The Great Lakes Congress model horse club has shows scheduled for February 19, March 12, April 30, and May 28, 2011, in Huntley, Illinois. See www.GreatLakesCongress.com. or the GLCLIveShow group at www.Yahoo.com.

March 12, 2011, is also the day of the Crystal Creek Rider's spring show in Wisconsin. Contact Karen Meekma at kmeekma@centurylink.net.

A year-long exhibit, "Celebrities: Saddlebreds and Personalities from the Silver Screen, Cinema, and History" opens February 18, 2011, at the American Saddlebred Museum at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Kentucky.

The Illinois Horse Fair is March 4-6, 2011, at the state fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois. See www.HorsemensCouncil.org/HorseFair.

The Equine Affaire equestrian expo, with clinics, seminars, demonstrations, a trade show, and more, is slated for April 7-10, 2011, at the Ohio Expo Center, Columbus, Ohio. For details, see www.equineaffaire.com.

Ride & Shine Model Horse Tack Shop has branched out from blankets to include halters, leg wraps, saddles, and costumes. The prices are reasonable. See www.rideandshine.com.

Following Santa Barbara in February, Peter Stone events slated for 2011 include: The Stone Horses Country Fair in Shipshewana, Indiana, in May; the Beach Party Live Model Horse Show in Pocomoke, Maryland, in June; Equilocity, July 14-16 in Lexington, Kentucky; and the Rocky Mountain Rendezvous in Grand Lake, Colorado, in September. Equilocity includes a model show, breakfast, ice cream social, dinner, and the Equlocity Artist Colony (vendors). See www.StoneHorses.com.

A new magazine that began in July 2009, Model Horse Performance features delightfully illustrated how-to articles on model horse performance showing. It is published quarterly by Shannon Granger and Riversong Press, Rathdrum, Idaho. See www.modelhorseperformance.com.

BreyerFest 2011, the largest model-horse collecting convention in the world, will be July 15-17 at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Kentucky. Three-day admission tickets are $70 if paid for by April 1; $85 thereafter. Admission for children 7-12 is $55. See www.BreyerHorses.com for more information.

In 1995, Carl Carlson bought Hartland Horses and Riders, the two-volume book on regular Hartland horses, horse-and-rider sets, and Hartland company history. His wife said he really enjoyed it. Now, she is selling it on eBay. If you don't see it there, email me at gfitch@tds.net for more information on how to get in touch with her. She was selling each volume separately.

Some factory color-sample Hartland models from the 1980s and 1990s and a few painted later than that have been for sale on eBay by horse_power_graphics_inc, starting about a week ago (in November 2010). Hartland production models and some unpainted (white plastic) models are for sale also.

The November 2010 issue of Model Equestrian: Horse Collecting & Hartland News is now available. It is the first issue in two years, and covers a lot. It is 28 pages, including two in full color. The price is $8.50 ppd.

-- Gail Fitch, November 21, 2010

 

Model Horse Show Slated for March 19, 2011

The Show for the Cure, hosted by Jenna Nejman, will be March 19, 2011, in Itasca, Illinois. It raises money to combat cancer. See www.showforthecure.com.

Model-Horse-Related Events for Fall 2010 Include:

October 8, 2010
Secretariat, the new movie about the 1973 Triple Crown winner, opens in theatres.

October 8 & 9, 2010
Artist and equestrian Elizabeth Shatner, who is married to actor William Shatner, creates impressionistic, digital photographic art depicting many horse breeds and riding disciplines. She will be on hand to sign her work at The Kentucky Horse Park Gift Shop, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, October 8 and 9.
      The Horse Park also reported that the Shatners and three of their American Saddlebreds participated in the opening ceremonies of the Alltech FEI 2010 World Equestrian Games in progress September 25-October 10 at the Horse Park, which is near Lexington, Kentucky. Elizabeth rode Boston Legal, and William drove Call Me Ringo. (The third horse, All Glory, was the subject of a 2010 BreyerFest model.)

October 23, 2010
The Great Lakes Congress, Inc., is presenting a Youth Model Horse Show and Breyer Fun Day on Saturday, October 23, 2010, at the Huntley Park District building, 12015 Mill St., Huntley, Illinois. The Youth Show, open to ages 18 and under, will have 34 judged classes and a $10 entry fee. Free activities open to all ages include painting a small Breyer horse, and a judging clinic. A Breyer dealer, Bentley Sales Co., will have new models available, and there will be other vendors and door prizes. Great Lakes Congress is a non-profit organization that promotes the study of horses and the hobby of model horses. For more information, see www.greatlakescongress.com.

October 31, 2010
The Halloween Horse Parade, October 31, 2010, in Beaver Dam, Wis., the largest all-horse parade in the state, steps off at 12:30 p.m. There is a $10 donation per rider. Proceeds go to the Crow Creek Sioux Reservation. Contact the Dodge Co. Boots and Saddles Club, www.dcbootsandsaddleclub.com, Rob or Maily Kocinski, kocinskim@hotmail.com. (Added October 24, 2010)

November 11-14, 2010
The Equine Affaire, Eastern States Expo is November 11-14 in West Springfield, Massachusetts. See www.equineaffaire.com.

November 20-21, 2010
The Chicagoland Equestrian Lifestyle Expo & Holiday Market is November 20-21, 2010, at the Lake County Expo Center, Grayslake, Ill. An indoor event with vendors and seminars, but no live horses, it is produced by the Horsemen’s Council of Illinois. See  www.horsemenscouncil.org

By Gail Fitch; added October 8, 2010

(For your event to be mentioned here, send a news release.)

The Meows and Minis model horse show to benefit the Cat Guardians cat shelter in Lombard, Illinois, will be September 11, 2010. For information, contact Chris Wallbruch, wombats@earthlink.net.

Gail Fitch,
March 13 & 14, 2010; March 23, 2010; April 11, 2010.

Buy Rare Hartland Items with Caution

by Gail Fitch, August 12, 2010

It was inevitable: When a collectible becomes valuable, fakes become part of the collecting landscape. It happens more as time goes on. Two recent instances of Hartland fakes include a saddle and a rider -- in separate eBay auctions, by different sellers, and going to different buyers. Both models were represented as originals, and carried high "buy it now or make an offer" prices. Both buyers are now chagrined.

The saddle was actually a common saddle, but stripped of its paint and repainted to resemble a rare saddle. It's hard to tell the rider's original color scheme because the attire was entirely covered with non-factory paint. It is now in a rare color scheme. It probably began as a common color. If it was originally the rare color, but repainted to cover rubs, it was a bad idea. Hartland models in average condition, with rubs in the paint, but original finish, are normally more valuable than blemish-free repainted or touched up models.

The names of both sellers are known. For now, give extra scrutiny to high-priced, "rare" Hartland pieces sold by individuals in Pennsylvania or Minnesota or who do not reveal their geographic location. Also, if an eBay seller asks you to pay outside eBay, don't do it. As a buyer, you would lose protection.

Here's some advice. After buying an expensive, "rare" piece, get it checked by an expert -- it's not hard to send photos by email. (My email is gfitch@tds.net.) Don't put it off. Soon after a model arrives is not too late to ask for a price adjustment or to ask to return the model. I've had people ask my advice before an auction ends, but let's face it: a "buy it now" auction encourages spending first, and asking questions later.

There are things you can check for once the model is in your hands. On factory-painted Hartland models, airbrushing was the norm; visible brush strokes in the paint are a giveaway that the model was either touched up or entirely repainted. On all but a handful of model designs -- mainly very early ones -- the Hartland factory used paint masks to neatly demarcate painted areas. Sometimes, the masks slipped, leaving a blurred line, but that is a more consistent line than the dodgy edges left behind by unmasked, hand-brushed work.

The trend toward fakes being paired with high, "buy it now" prices should make collectors extra wary of such auctions of "rare" items. Rare items, by definition, don't turn up very often. In an auction of a group of items, with no claims made about the scarcity, if you think you spot a rare item in the bunch, it is more likely to be authentic. The highly polished auctions that boast about scarcity or feature a single item are more likely to involve fakes -- although auctions featuring such calculated misrepresentation are still few and far between.

Many sellers are not well informed, and eBay is full of the garden variety of incorrect or vague identification or description. That's why a picture is worth 1,000 words. It doesn't hurt to ask the seller questions although I'm not sure how productive that would be when fakes are labeled as rare and original.

The most important issue is correct representation of the item for sale. Some collectors don't mind touched up models if it improves the appearance. Likewise, some collectors will even commission an artist to repaint a common model to look like a rare model, so that they can fill a hole in their collection. Repaint artists should always sign the underside of the model.

But I think most collectors are like me: generally turned off by retouching and repainting. I'd rather have an authentic piece. The condition doesn't need to be close to perfect.

Customizing -- repainting a model to look unique, not like any existing mass produced model, or adding more details to a model whose identity remains unchanged -- is fairly popular. Hartland never made Zorro, the Cisco Kid, or General Grant, but there are crafters who happily transform Hartland models into those and other characters and correctly label them as "custom" or "customized" in their eBay auctions. Likewise, there are hobbyists who fancy-up a Hartland Lone Ranger or Roy Rogers by adding more painted details to the tack, the horse, or the rider's outfit. Customized models can be fun.

It's all in the labeling.

Model Horse Events Peak in Summer

by Gail Fitch, July 21, 2010

Each year, the biggest model horse events are two conventions hosted by model horse manufacturers. Both happen around the third weekend of July in Lexington, Kentucky.

Equilocity, the Peter Stone Co. event, runs Thursday, July 22 through Saturday, July 24, 2010, at the Mariott Griffin Gate hotel, Lexington. Thursday events include model sales and an ice cream social. Friday begins with a pajama breakfast, and ends with a buffet dinner at 6 p.m., followed by an auction of one-of-a-kind Peter Stone models at about 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The models not only have unique paint jobs, but are uniquely re-shaped from the manufactured versions. Bids may be placed by email until noon on July 23. The Stone Age Live Model Show is Saturday, July 24.

BreyerFest is Friday, July 23 through Sunday, July 25, 2010, with a heavy schedule of model shopping and workshops, model horse shows, a Saturday night dinner and test model auction, and real-horse spectating. Most BreyerFest events are held at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, with a few at the Lexington Holiday Inn-North. The 2010 BreyerFest featured models include likeness of All Glory, a bay Standardbred roadster owned by Elizabeth and William Shatner; and Rising Sun, a palomino that was owned by Elvis Presley.

The Holiday Inn is a short walk from the Mariott, making it easy to participate in both BreyerFest and Equilocity. The BreyerFest events at the Horse Park require a BreyerFest ticket, which includes Horse Park admission. Many of the Equilocity events do not require an advance ticket purchase. In addition to the formally scheduled activities, collectors go room to room model shopping late into the night at the Holiday Inn.

For more information, see www.stonehorses.com (click the box for "Equilocity 2010"), and www.breyerhorses.com.

On Values -- Revised November 7, 2010

Second-hand collectibles generally sell for much less than they did a decade ago, which is good for ("true") collectors. Rare and sought after items still garner high bids on eBay, which is reassuring for sellers who paid a lot for them years ago.

Long-time collectors have nearly everything by now, but there are always new collectors with extra spending money. When huge collections go up for sale, it's a great collecting opportunity.On eBay, "jettabird" is one of the major collectors selling
Breyer, Hagen-Renaker mini, Peter Stone, and Hartland horses. She lives on the East Coast, and I've known her by phone and mail for more than 20 years.

1995 Hartland Book Sells for $120

An old Hartland book edition from 1995 sold for $120.00 on eBay on December 9, 2009. It was from the fifth edition of Hartland Horses and Riders, and sold by "shatormar_studios" -- a collector in Pennsylvania whom I've met. (Each book was numbered and signed. The first edition came out in 1983.) That high bid contrasts with the modest price ($25-$30) for the current and far superior editions published by Schiffer Publishing: Hartland Horsemen and Hartland Horses and Dogs. It does make me feel appreciated as an author.

Tennessee
Many model horse shows are held each year, but only some are for the benefit of nonprofit organizations or charitable causes. The eighth annual Big Orange Bash model horse show will help the University of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine buy equipment for its new Equine Sports Medicine Department. BOB 8 will be June 19, 2010, at the Hollingsworth Auditorium at the University of Tennessee Agriculture Campus. It is a NAN qualifying show. For more information, contact Jennifer Pommerance, anj@mindspring.com or see http://magmade.com/bob2010/

Kentucky
BreyerFest 2010, the model horse expo held by Breyer, the model horse manufacturer, is slated for July 23-25, 2010 at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Kentucky. See www.BreyerHorses.com.

Ohio and Indiana
Equine Affaire, a real-horse expo, is April 8-11, 2010, in Columbus Ohio. The Hoosier Horse Fair is April 9-11, 2010, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. The Stone Horses Country Fair is May 7-8 in Shipshewana, Indiana. Stone manufacturers plastic model horses (www.stonehorses.com).

Northern Illinois
No-Frills model horse shows are slated for April 10 and May 22 in northern Illinois. April 10 is an all-mini show. For information, contact lizicory AT aol.com or check GLCLiveShow, a group at Yahoo.com.

Wisconsin
The Midwest Horse Fair, one of the largest horse expos in the country, will be April 16-18, 2010, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

Seeking Show Co-Host

The Show for the Cure (to cancer), hosted by Jenna Nejman, raised $3,200 on March 20, 2010 in Streamwood, Illinois. The model horse show is an annual event (see www.showforthecure.com). Jenna Nejman is looking for a co-host for a possible show in Madison, Wis., in fall. Contact her at: bellboots AT att.net.

Wisconsin Shows Grapevine

Another model show, Greatest Show on Earth, was held March 20, 2010 in Spencer, Wis. (in Marathon county). Wisconsin area model horse shows are listed at Badger_State_Model_Horse, a group at Yahoogroups.com. Show listings may be sent to Carol B. at jaxdgg2g AT yahoo.com.

Upper Midwest

The first NAMHSA-member model horse show of the year was held in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, in January. (For a schedule of the North American Model Horse Shows Association's member shows, see www.namhsa.org/membershowsbydate.htm.)

The 21st annual Illinois Horse Fair was March 5-7, 2010, at the state fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois.

California

The Eureka Live model horse show, sponsored by Stone Horses (the manufacturer) was February 14, 2010 in Santa Barbara, California. I attended and will report on it in the next issue of Model Equestrian: Horse Collecting and Hartland News.

New Breyer Model

While there, I saw a new Breyer action model, "Esprit" by Kathleen Moody, at a tack shop. It's an action model in dapple grey with windblown mane and tail. Other new Breyer molds include Stablemates illustrated in the January/February 2010 Just About Horses, the Breyer company's publication. (I appreciate model horses of all brands.)