Congratulations to Amelia – at right in the photo – who won Overall Champion in the children’s division of the Northwest Congress model horse show last weekend. Proud mom Karen shared the photo of her daughter with a show judge. Karen explains the competition, which, for kids, isn’t about creating the models, but working with them, in intricate detail. The show, held in Kent, involved people bringing their model horses and putting them, Karen said via e-mail:

… into ‘classes’ by what real breed the model is most like. The show is divided into OF (original finish model as you get them from the store) and CM (models that you customize by resculpting and painting.) The children’s portion of this show was only for OF models. But there is a lot that goes into it!! The kids first have to not play with and scratch up the model, which is not easy! Then , they have to assign a breed to the model based on what the model looks like, what color it is and how it’s moving. Often, the box will say it’s one kind of model but the color is wrong for a real horse, or the model is not really representative of that breed. Then the kids must get a show number and create a master horse list of the horse’s individual show number, the breed, the horse’s name (that they make up themselves) and what class the model will show in.

This is a very competitive thing at adult level. We met adult collectors … who had over two thousand models that they show. Shows are held all over the country and they have national championships once a year.

The show was well run and the children’s judge was great! She gave so much helpful advice to the kids and explained why she judged as she did. All of the kids there were such great sports, too! They listened and took in the advice, with good cheer and they all congratulated each other when they placed or won. It was an amazing day!

You can find out more about the model-horse-showing hobby here.