*Kristin Berkery-
Kristin grew up around stock breeds, Arabians, and drafts in the midwest and moved to California to work in the Arabian business for five years. She's studied conformation and biomechanics for the last seven years and has expanded her interests to include all breeds and equine color genetics.
Her judging focuses on correct conformation, breed type, and condition/quality of the model horse. Kristin also does lovely finish work, which can be seen here: Red Dog Studio
*Tracy Tariska-
Tracey Tariska learned to ride when she was five years old.
When given a choice of ponies from her riding stable for her very
own, instead of the dreamy push-button black Welsh hunter or the
bombproof grey gelding or the stylish chestnut Connemara, she
stubbornly insisted on a cranky varnish roan POA mare. Tracey
and Princess competed on the flat and over fences---against well-bred
hunters and Thoroughbreds---and often won, to the consternation
of the competition.
After selling off her Breyer collection before heading to college
(YES, she knows now how stupid that was), Tracey rediscovered
model horses and the fascinating new hobby four years ago. She
has been active as a successful exhibitor in halter and performance,
and recently as a judge. Tracey is a member of RESS and continually
strives to improve her expertise in biomechanics/anatomy, sculpture,
and finishwork.
She places great emphasis on accurate breed assignment and the use of supporting documentation to enhance an entry, both for common breeds and those lesser-known.
*Debbie Enghusen Prince-
I've owned and shown real horses for a good part of my life, showing in various different disciplines throughout the years (my favorite was Hunter/Jumper.) Though I don't currently own a real horse, I am working on that, and plan to own my own horse again within the next 5 years.
I began collecting model horses when I was a little girl, and when I was about 11, I discovered model horse showing. I did only photo shows until I was about 13, when I attended my first live show in Reno, NV. I showed for many years, and after a 3 year hiatus, I have been back showing for about 2 years. I collect and/or show Breyers, Stones, OF resins, and Artist resins/customs. Chinas are lovely - but for me, too breakable~~ :)
I will be taking into account condition of the horse, appropriate breed assignments, confirmation, etc. Collectibility will not be a consideration, as there is a collectibility division for that!! :)
I am truly looking forward to meeting you all and judging your
Breyers at Fall Fiesta!! :)
*Des Corbett-
Des Corbett fell in love with horses at an early age, and by extension, *model* horses! She worked at a stable by the age 11 in exchange for lessons, and has competed in English and Western events ever since! Des studies all things horse from an early age. She has owned several horses, most recently including her Thoroughbred mare who competed in Eventing with Des, her Quarter Horse mare who Des started as a yearling and is the current pleasure horse, and her most recent acquisition, the PMU mare Echo and her foal Toby! Des also was a member of the 1979 National Champion B Vaulting team! Des and her friends also held their own model horse shows, taking turns acting as judge, and making their own ribbons.
Like many hobbyists, Des had packed away her models during college and while starting a family. The models came back out in the early '90s, and not long thereafter the internet was discovered! Des then began showing live, and fell in love with that aspect of the hobby as well. She also began making her own tack and painting models. You can see her work at Rafter C Creations. Des has been the showholder of the Fall Fiesta for several years now, and has judged all divisions from OFP to CM, AR and Performance. Des continually strives to improve her knowledge base, and has studied anatomy, biomechanics and genetics for the last several years. She took a sculpting seminar in order to learn more about the process and gained a new appreciation for the model horse as a miniature science project as well as a piece of art. She also printed out the entire USAE (formerly AHSA) rulebook and has studied that as well!
"My focus as a judge is on accuracy and correctness. When judging, the first things I look for are the anatomy and biomechanics of the model. I want to see repositions done correctly, with no mystery joints or phantom muscles! When judging OF, condition becomes very important, as well as a well-researched and documented breed choice. I very much appreciate a model that is presented in a neat and clean manner, with good documentation that shows the entrant has done her homework. I frown on dust or lint, and frown on carelessness when choosing a breed. The color must be legal and accurate for the breed, and the body type must be representative of that breed. Good documentation is a must for any but the most common of breeds."
*Caroline Boydston-
I was born in Bern, Switzerland. My family came to the United States when I was 4 years old. Since then, I have lived mainly in Southern California. Currently I live in Yucaipa, California with my husband Scott and daughter Emily.
I've loved horses all my life and was fortunate enough to have my first horse at age 10. During my High School years my family raised Hanoverian and Thoroughbred horses at our ranch in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I competed in many equestrian events as a teenager on my much loved Hanoverian gelding "Dante".
I've been drawing horses and animals for as long as I can remember and have won many awards for my work, beginning in the second grade. :) I was discouraged from pursing a career in fine art by well meaning family, friends and teachers, (who weren't necessarily wrong!), so I pursued an alternate career in sales and marketing.
I began painting seriously again in 1995 and was drawn to try
3 dimensional horse sculptures, something I hadn't even heard
of until that time. I am deeply grateful to my good friend, Sheryl
Leisure, for her inexhaustible patience in teaching me to use
an airbrush! I now paint full time and enjoy the challenge of
trying new techniques and improving my work. I especially
enjoy adding alot of detail and realism to my work by using iridescent
paint and mixed medias such as water color, colored pencil and
pastels. My web site shows some of my work: White
Horse Studio
I have a large Hagen Renaker collection myself, horses, animals
and mini's as well as Pour horse, Beswick, Hutschenreuther and
more. I love all china's and always enjoy adding to my collection.
:) I've been fortunate to have both Sheryl Leisure and Heather
Wells as good friends, and their collections are astounding! They
have both helped me learn about rarity and what makes one piece
stand out over another, (mold detail, color, shading etc.) I have
even custom painted a china piece myself, so I have some idea
of the work and creativity that goes into doing custom glaze pieces.
Also I grew up with horses, (my family raised and trained Thoroughbreds
and Hanoverian's) which gives me some background and understanding
of real horse conformation, (although there is always more to
learn!) :)
I look at the overall horse first, it's balance and overall proportions.That's what I was always taught mattered, in other words is there somethingthat just looks "off", something that doesn't flow. Then I'll break down individual conformation components and try to stick to the real thing as much as possible, paying especially close attention to the legs. For example I'd rather see a horse that's a little bit over at the knees then one who is behind, a much more potential soundness fault. (I know we're talking horse sculptures here, but hey, you have to judge them on some type of "ideal"). :)
I also try to know as much about different breeds as I can, such as gaited horses can and should have straighter shoulders then say a Warmblood or Thoroughbred, as they are asked to do something completely different performance wise. I look at the breed that was chosen for a particular horse to see how well it matches up to that standard. Then I look at aesthetic things, such as the head, facial expression, coloring shading etc.If I'm judging for both rarity and conformation, condition etc. then I'll take into account how rare a piece is, is the color exceptional, is the condition exceptional, things like that. I will almost always place a horse that is very, very old, has exceptional coloring, good conformation and exceptional condition, over a newer "rare" model, since the older one is just much harder to come by, it had to service much longer! Those are the main points and allot of times when I'm judging I'll take the time to explain exactly why I pinned a class a certain way, I know that's helpful to me when I show. Sometimes it's as simple as changing a breed and a particular horse may show much better. I've also seen some horse that just needed a good dusting and they would have pinned better! :)
As a closing thought though, I want to say that I always try to encourage fellow hobbyists to buy what they LIKE! We have trained ourselves to look for what's "wrong", which is fine, we'd have a hard time "judging" them if we didn't. However if you like something, that's the reason to buy it! (In my opinion.) You should see some of the horses in my own collection, they would never show well but are loved much anyway! :) Also be happy that there are lots of different judging styles out there, can you imagine if only the same horses pinned ALL of the time. That would get pretty boring. (Again just my opinion.) At least this way you never know just what to leave at home..........! Happy horse collecting, (and showing)! :)
(Pending)
(pending)
I have been in the hobby of collecting model horses for approximately 25 years. I have a very broad knowledge of original finish Breyer models, as well as Peter Stone Company models. Although I am aware of various types of chinas, I have only a brief knowledge. I am up-to-date with many of the top resin artists in this hobby, as well as some of the new and upcoming ones. I have been a Breyer dealer since 1990 and have gained a very solid, reputable business. I also was one of the first Peter Stone Company dealers, established in 1996, the year the company began business, but due to the ever-growing problems of timely production, my dealership with the Peter Stone Company is diminishing. I find that I am a good and informative resource to many collectors regarding original finish models, and I take pride in knowing the Breyer company inside out!
I learned to airbrush while painting test pieces at the Peter
Stone Company factory. In May 2001, I began airbrushing my own
horses for resale. My horses have been very well received by the
public and hobbyists alike, with my horses selling very quickly
and many custom orders being taken. My work is live show quality
and I have seen many of my pieces be NAN qualified, even at shows
where the competition is tough. See more of my work here: 3B Designs
I have been judging since 1994, and have judged quite extensively
the past two years. I judge any customized or original finish
divisions, both halter and performance. As I am very proficient
in the knowledge of original finish plastic models, that has become
my trademark venue. I can dictate from memory a large majority
of the Breyer stock numbers, names of models, and years produced
without hesitation, as well as give an accurate value of the model
as well. I was the first person to publish a collector and reference
guide pertaining to the Peter Stone Company model horses. I have
a very good knowledge of these models and values as well, although
with the flood of special runs over the past few years, maintaining
up-to-date knowledge of these horses has been difficult. When
judging either halter or performance, I have never felt it necessary,
nor justifiable, to judge any horse based on the artist who 1)sculpted
the horse or 2) painted the horse.
Elaine Lindelef :
Elaine Lindelef is an artist, tackmaker, and enthusiastic shower. She has been involved in the hobby since 1980 and is a past president and founding member of both NAMHSA and RESS. She enjoys collecting and showing models in all divisions, and has won National Championships with both halter and performance entries where she created all of the elements. She is a sucker for glossy palomino, and looks forward to someday creating her own glaze horses at her new farm in Potter Valley, CA. Elaine has a degree in mechanical engineering from Caltech and has shown real horses in hunters, jumpers, dressage, and eventing.
Elaine says, "When judging performance, after verifying
that the entry meets all of the basic requirements of the class,
I want to see a horse with the right attitude, structure, and
potential movement to do the job. I love beautiful tack and obstacles,
but correct usage and fit is more important than exquisite detail
when I pin the class. I am especially strict about neatness and
that whatever elements are used are presented as well as can be.
Note cards explaining what the horse is doing are always appropriate,
but make sure that your horse is actually doing what the card
says. A beautiful doll rider will snazz up an entry, but clumsy
or inappropriately dressed dolls will be penalized. If you have
any questions after the class, please ask; I am always happy to
help make it better for next time."
RESS Challenge classes-Elaine Lindelef
See her bio above