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Gem Twist, the handsome grey Thoroughbred gelding, is regarded as one the greatest show-jumping horses in history. He is the only horse to have won the American Grand Prix Assocation Horse of the Year Award three times. He may also be the first gelding to sire several offspring... by cloning!
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Gifted was purchased by Carol Lavell as an untrained four-year-old. She obviously had a good eye, as under her tutelage, he quickly rose through the levels in the dressage world. The huge, 17.1- (some say 17.3-) hand Hanoverian with the high socks and blaze was foaled in 1980, and by 1988 was named US Dressage Federation Horse of the Year for Fourth Level and Grand Prix St. Georges levels. With the United States in a twelve-year dry spell for international Dressage medals, it is said that Gifted put the US back on the radar, helping bring home Team Bronze twice. He remained Carol's companion his entire life. |
The Gypsy King was one of those rare horses whose name starts with "The" for a reason. Truly a king among Gypsy Vanners, this handsome black and white pinto is the reason so many of us fell in love with the breed. He was huge, powerfully built, strikingly marked, and wore the heavy mane, tail and feathering that's the breed's trademark. Although he passed away in 2015, he has left his indelible mark on the Gypsy Horse breed with over 90 offspring.
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Halla, a German-bred mare from Standardbred bloodlines, holds the World Record for the most Gold Medals (five) by a single horse! While training to be a steeplechaser, her talent caught the attention of the Olympic Team trainer, and she began her rise to stardom. Too difficult to handle on cross-country courses, she became unbeatable as a stadium jumper. She and her rider went on to win 125 competitions together before she was retired to become a broodmare. Halla lived a good long life, enjoying the sunshine into her 34th year, and proving beyond a doubt that trotting-horses can compete in more than just trotting races!
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Hickory Hills Wall Street: This adorable release on the Brighty mold is a portrait of Hickory Hills Wall Street, a young champion Miniature Donkey with a bright future ahead of him! This cutie was born in 2013 and already has several championships under his belt. He displays primitive markings, including a bold Mary's Cross and leg barring all the way to his fetlocks. |
Hickstead was a handsome bay Dutch Warmblood stallion who earned the title "Best Horse in the World" in Show Jumping. The title was earned after he completed an extremely rare four clear rounds with four different riders at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010. (In this unique format event, the four highest-scoring horses swap riders.) With his regular rider Eric Lamaze, he brought an Individual Gold Medal home to Canada from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and led the team to a Team Silver Medal. His was the first individual Gold Medal in Equestrian ever won by Canada, making him and Eric household names there. Hickstead tragically passed away in 2011 of an aortic rupture as he completed the final fence in an Italian competition. |
Hidalgo (the name is a Spanish term for minor nobility) was the name of a Mustang owned by Frank Hopkins, who was part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show and claimed to be the greatest distance-rider on Earth. Disney's 2004 movie Hidalgo honored the legend that Frank and Hidalgo participated in a grueling long-distance race across the Saudi Arabian peninsula, facing ethnic disparagement against both him and his horse, and having many adventures along the way. After returning to America, Hopkins became an outspoken supporter of Mustangs. In the movie, Hopkins was portrayed by Viggo Mortensen and Hidalgo was played by the Paint horse TJ. Viggo, well-known as a horse lover, purchased TJ after filming was complete, and even rode into movie premiers on the handsome sorrel pinto. |
Hollywood Dun It's career was so meteoric that he only competed for two years before retiring to stud, and became one of the most influential studs in Reining history. While competing as a three- and four-year old, he earned titles as NRHA Derby Champion, NRHA Superstakes Champion and NRHA Futurity Reserve Champion. His progeny have gone on to become some of the best-known reiners in the world, making him the NRHA leading sire in 1993, 1995, and 1996. When his owners sold a 50% share in him in 1998 for over a million dollars, he also became the highest selling reiner in history! |
Jet Run was a Maryland-bred Thoroughbred who proved successful as a hunter-jumper from a young age. After making quite an impression at age 6, he was purchased by Mexico and competed there, taking home Individual Gold and Team Silver for that country in the 1975 Pan-American Games before being purchased and brought back to the US to continue his career under rider Michael Matz. With Matz's guidance, he took the Individual Gold and helped the US Team win Team Gold at the Puerto Rico Pan-American Games in 1979. Among his many other accomplishments, he also won the American Gold Cup twice, making it look effortless, as in the photo to the left.
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Joe Patchen: The black Standardbred stallion Joe Patchen, sire of famous racehorse Dan Patch, was himself famous in his day. He was unusually tall and long-legged for a Standardbred, but it seemed to be to his advantage. Foaled in 1889, he won 53% of his starts and placed second in 39% more. He set the World Record for a half-mile track in 1896 at 2:05 1/4, a record that stood for seven years until it was broken by his own son Dan Patch.
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John Henry is a legend among racehorses. Named for legendary steel-driving man who raced machinery and won, John Henry lived up to the hype. Small in stature, unremarkable in breeding, and with an attitude that got him gelded at an early age, John Henry's is a Cinderella story for the ages. He sold at auction for merely $1,100, but went on to become the richest Thoroughbred of his time. With the right care and training, he proved that talent outweighs breeding, winning 30 stakes races, 7 Eclipse Awards, and being voted Horse of the Year twice. Anyone who ever met him (and I count myself lucky enough to be among them) will never forget this tough little race horse. John Henry enjoyed a long retirement at Kentucky Horse Park with lots of care and attention until he passed peacefully at age 32. Still, his legend lives on.
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Justin Morgan, father of the Morgan Horse breed and star of the Marguerite Henry book of the same name, was a little bay horse that made a big impression wherever he went. Owned by a traveling school teacher, he became locally famous for being able to work hard all day and win races at night. He could pull more weight than horses bigger than him and his high-headed, high-stepping charisma wowed all who saw him. Breyer honored him with this Chris Hess sculpt in 1977.
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Keen, a handsome 17.1-hand sorrel gelding, helped the US win Team Bronze in Dressage at the Montreal Olympics, Individual Gold in the Pan-Am Games in Puerto Rico, and then Individual Silver when the Pan-Am Games came to Mexico City, along with the US National Dressage Championship an amazing four times! he was inducted into the US Dressage Federation hall of Fame in 1997.
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KB Omega Fahim ++++//, a beautiful 15.1 hand blue-black Arabian stallion, as a yearling he bested mature Arabian stallions in "Sport Horse In Hand" competitions. Under saddle Meg can be found in multi day ride endurance trails as well as attending the occasional schooling show were he competed in a variety of classes. In 2002 Meg started his career in dressage and has shot to fame with multiple Regional and National Champion Honors. Meg has earned the Legion of Masters Excellence from the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) by winning 300 or more points in-hand and performance. |
Kelso is one of the top-ranked US Thoroughbred race horses of all time, and beat more champions and Hall of Famers than any other horse in the 20th Century! He was born at Claiborne Farms in Kentucky in 1957, and because of his temperment, was gelded young (didn't help, according to sources), which is why he isn't as well-known today as he would have been if he'd gone to stud.
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Kennebec Count was a magnificent horse. There's a quality that a few horses have - Man O' War's owner called it "the look of eagles." They know they're great, and seem like kings looking out over their adoring public. Count was one of those very special horses. He was a stunning sorrel Morgan stallion with a flaxen mane and tail, and with his son Kennebec Russel, was a three-time National Pairs Combined Driving Champion. Eleda had the privilege of meeting Count and Russell at their home and says they were the only horses, other than Friesians, that moved her to tears just to look at them. They were handsome beyond words, with their long, golden manes and forelocks, and even in their stalls, "You couldn't help feeling you were looking at royalty."
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King - Trick-riding group The Trixie Chicks put on a crazy show for audiences around the world with their amazing horse-back stunts. They have a whole team of gorgeous horses, which they dress up with colored stripes in their tails and glittery "brands" on their rumps to match their colorful costumes. One of the most colorful of the group is King, a palomino pinto American Paint Horse. King not only performs with them at events; he is also a favorite lesson horse for riders to learn tricks with. Now you can have King all to yourself with this portrait model on the Stock Horse Stallion mold!
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Kola: This handsome bay pinto on the Mustang mold is a portrait of Kola, owned by well-known horse trainer and clinician GaWaNi Pony Boy. Pony Boy taught the importance of relationships when training horses, and was a special guest at BreyerFest 1998 along with Kola. They are pictured here doing a demo at BreyerFest.
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Kripton Seni II is a star in the Andalusian world, racking up title after title, and earning fans everywhere he goes, including BreyerFest. Born in 2000, Joe and Nancy Latta purchased him as a young stallion in Spain and brought him to the US. In Joe's first time handling a horse in a halter class, they came away with a Reserve, and from then on, they never looked back. Not just a pretty face, Kripton performs in Western Pleasure, Hunt Seat, and Dressage Hack, showing what an all-around athlete he is. At the 2009 International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association's Nationals, competing against horses from around the world, he came away with the Overall High-Point Andalusian title and was named Horse of the Year by the organization.
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Lady Phase, a beautiful copper chestnut mare, was the very first AQHA World Champion in Halter. She was bred and owned by famous country singer Lynn Anderson, who was a renowned Quarter and Paint Horse breeder, as well as being an all-around kind person. Lynn often volunteered for charity, helped found the Special Riders Program in Tennessee that brought children with physical and mental challenges to horses, and was active in getting riding events approved for the Special Olympics. As a matter of fact, another of her horses Skipsters Chief, was also immortalized by Breyer as a poster horse for handicapped riding programs.
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Legionario III in the breed in the 20th Century. He was a pure Carthusian Andalusian and the Spanish National Champion in 1969. With his presence, conformation, and color, he was a showstopper, and his progeny continue win championships all over the world.
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Llanarth True Briton: Champion Welsh Cob Llanarth True Briton was honored with a Breyer tribute model in 1994. Born in 1976, the dark sorrel with three socks and a star, known around the barn as "Tubby," has become one of the breed's leading sires. |
LV Integrity - Endurance superstar LV Integrity, whose barn name is Ritz, has logged over 9,000 miles, including at least 36 1-day 100 mile rides! In 2015 he was entered into the American Endurance Ride Conference Hall of Fame. Competing into his 20s, the bay Arabian gelding has been in endurance for nineteen years and is still racking up wins!
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Man O' War: Few horse names evoke so much admiration as does the name Man O' War. Foaled in 1917 and named for submarine that debuted for the Great War, this 16.2-hand, copper chestnut with a little round star and faint stripe became the great racehorse the world has known, according to many sources. His owner, Samuel Riddle, who was new to racing, took great care of his star colt, not allowing him to race in the Kentucky Derby because he believed it was too early in a horse's life for him to run that distance. He handily won the Preakness and Belmont, though, and then beat the one-year-older Triple Crown Winner Sir Barton in a match race by 7 lengths, leading the whole way.
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Mariah's Boon: The gorgeous Gypsy Drum Horse stallion Mariah's Boon was honored as the Celebration Model for Breyerfest 2012 with this portrait on the Othello mold. This big guy is as lucky as he is handsome. After a show as a youngster, he began running a fever. His owner Laura Moon brought him to the University of Florida, where it was discovered he had developed a basketball-sized abcess in his stomach!
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Maynard's Miss Sheba is the gold standard of mules - Having won pretty much every championship open to her! With skills ranging from halter to Western Pleasure, Dressage, Sidesaddle, Trail and even more, she's more than just a pretty face. Breyer honored Sheba with a portrait model from 2003-2005. On the Brown Sunshine mold, she wears Sheba's buckskin (or dun) coat with her Mary's Cross marking and leg barring. |
Midnight Sun was a leading sire of Tennessee Walking Horses and a two-time World Champion in his own right. In fact, only four horses outside of his bloodline have become World Champions since 1949! He was born in 1940 and stood just under 16 hands high. He was originally called Joe Lewis Wilson, but changed to the catchier name Midnight Sun, presumably because of his solid black color and "sunny" disposition. He was such a calm fellow that children were often given bareback rides on him so they could say they'd ridden a two-time World Grand Champion. He enjoyed a retirement at stud until he passed away at age 25. Even though Breyer's sculpt depicts him with a "Big Lick" stride, that is a trend that didn't develop until after his time, and Midnight Sun was actually shown in standard keg shoes.
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Might Tango, ridden by Bruce Davison, was a star eventer, winning Individual Gold in the World Three-Day Eventing championship. Bruce acquired the 17-hand grey Thoroughbred as a two-year-old ex-racehorse and brought him to the top of the sport. He was only seven, and Bruce's backup for that event, when his primary horse came up lame, thrusting the still-inexperienced Might Tango into the spotlight. Their win, against great odds and extreme heat, was compared to "a junior high school quarterback leading USC to victory in the Rose Bowl" by Sports Illustrated.
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Misty: The most famous Chincoteague Pony ever was of course, Misty. The epic tale Marguerite Henry wrote describing the wild herd and mysterious, un-catchable mare she was born to was an award-winning book read by every horse-loving kid. Misty also starred in her own movie, went on tour with her filly Stormy, and performed at shows on Chincoteague to the delight of visitors from around the globe. She pretty much put Chincoteague on the map, and now the tiny island hosts tens of thousands of tourists every year for Pony Penning Week.
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Misty's Twilight, a great-granddaughter of famous Chincoteague Pony Stormy, was sired by a grandson of Bold Ruler. With famous horses on both sides of her pedigree, and a book of her own by Marguerite Henry, Misty's Twilight became the most famous Chincoteague Pony of her generation. She found her calling in Dressage, but also toured. Fun bit of trivia: Eleda (of Triple Mountain Model Horses) was privileged to meet "Twi" and her first foal Twister in 1984, when Twister was only a couple of months old. They had come to attend Breyerfest, held that year at York, PA.
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Native Dancer, nicknamed The Grey Ghost, was the first television star race horse. With tv becoming popular in the early 1950s, millions watched the two-year-old go undefeated in his nine starts. His three-year-old year was a repeat performance, except for the only loss of his career, which came in the Kentucky Derby. His jockey was criticized for giving him a terrible ride, with one person reportedly saying, "He took that colt everywhere on the track except the ladies' room!" He went on to win the other two legs of the Triple Crown, then was retired partway into his four-year-old year due to a recurring foot injury. On May 31, 1954, his image graced the cover of "Time" magazine. He became a very influential stud and passed away in 1967 following surgical removal of a tumor in his intestine.
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Newsworthy, known around the barn as Cheers, was an amazing large pony who taught many young riders, leading them all the way to the top of their field. This handsome grey was considered by many as the best instructor of their lives, because he'd do anything you asked, right or wrong, and so taught them by experience. In the show ring, he was unstoppable, jumping 3' 6" fences with ease and perfect form, all the way to Devon. He became a legend in the ring, sweeping championships everywhere he went. Once back home, riders remember they could ride him bareback down wooded trails with no worry. he truly was a pony worthy of a Breyer portrait model!
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Niatross - The Standardbred racehorse Niatross was so famous that after he retired, he actually went on a 20-city tour to meet fans in the US and Canada. Niatross was a force on the racetrack, winning all 21 starts as a two-year-old. In his three-year-old year, he won horse racing's first million dollar race, then in a time trial at the Red Mile, he beat the world record by almost 3 full seconds! This amazing athlete went on to continue to break records wherever he went, and more than 23,000 fans turned out to cheer for him in his final career race. After such a stellar career, Niatross retired to stud. At age 20, he was inducted into the Living Horse Hall of Fame.
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Nobel II is a handsome Andalusian stallion who is also listed as a founding sire in the Spanish Norman Horse breed registry. This handsome dapple grey was a special guest at BreyerFest 2004 and was chosen as the event's Celebration Model. He is owned by Tracy and Roni Vale of Cortijo Val Moor of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
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Northern Dancer was as handsome as he was fast. The bright bay Canadian-bred colt became a national hero in Canada when he won the 1964 Kentucky Derby, then the Preakness, and finished third in the Belmont. He was nearly passed over as a yearling because of his small stature, but his big heart and talent showed the world that size isn't everything. Northern Dancer went on to become one of the most influential Thoroughbred sires of the 20th Century, and now close to three quarters of the world's Thoroughbreds have his name in their pedigrees!
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Orchidee: The bay Thoroughbred Orchidee, with rider Dirk Hafemeister, representing Germany, was part of the Olympic Gold Medal Team in Jumping in the 1988 games at Seoul. Breyer ran a tribute set to the Gold Medalists for two years: 1989 and 1990.
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OT Sara Moniet RSI: The magnificent Desert Arabian mare OT Sara Moniet RSI is a three-time Drinkers of the Wind Cup endurance champion. She won the cup in 2010, 2011, and again in 2012, finishing all 31 starts, ending all but one in the top ten. Bred, trained and ridden by Crockett Dumas of Outlaw Trail Ranch Arabians, this is one pretty girl with a bright future!
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