Meet the 2024 Breyer Essay Contest Winners!

Last summer we invited Breyer fans to tell us why their favorite horse deserves to be a Breyer model in honor of the company’s 75^th anniversary. Our team read the stories of nearly 2,000 horses who were sources of hope, inspiration and confidence for their people – many of these essays were profoundly moving, and we thank you for sharing your favorite horses’ stories with us.

From those entries we had to narrow them down to a mere three winners. Now that all three models are finished and on their way to their homes, it’s time to share them with the world! Our grand prize winner, Cash, will have the honor of becoming part of the Breyer regular line – his model will be put into large-scale production and will be available for purchase in summer 2025 as part of our mid-year lineup. Our runner-ups will remain as one-of-a-kind test models sent to their respective owners, but we want to share their inspiring stories with you as well.

Winner: Cash

Available for purchase mid-year 2025!

Breyer has honored so many important horses over our 75-year history – Olympians, Triple Crown winners, and countless national and international champions. Cash the Quarter Horse is a perfect example of a horse that may not have ever seen a high-level competition ring, but is equally a champion in the hearts of everyone he meets.

Cash spent much of his life as a tried-and-true lesson horse teaching countless children how to ride. As a retiree, he has now landed with owner Andrew M. of Ohio and rekindled a love of horses that Andrew had long lost touch with. Together they’ve found a brand-new passion that keeps them sharp as a tack: ranch roping! Andrew’s essay was brimming with personality that perfectly painted the picture of what kind of horse Cash is. “Although we are just two middle aged guys trudging along in the arena, we love having eyes on us as we do our work and enjoying the treats (and cold Sprite for me) at the end of a day’s work,” he wrote.

As the grand prize winner of the “Why My Favorite Horse Would Love to Be a Breyer Model” essay contest, you’ll be able to purchase your very own model of Cash when he enters the Breyer regular line in approximately July 2025!

Runner-Up: Thiarnain

Thiarnain (pronounced keer-nan) is a 15-year-old part-bred Vanner mare owned by Kimberley S. of Michigan. As she battled ovarian cancer, Kimberley was unable to ride her horses, including Thiarnain, and was only able to drive with a harness and cart. She entrusted her nieces with the mare and together they trained her to become a valuable part of their equestrian team, even making it to their state finals. Thiarnain has since become a multi-state grand champion thanks to their hard work.

Kimberley’s health has seen recent improvements, and her dream finally came true – she was able to ride Thiarnain! Since then, she has been in the saddle nearly every single day enjoying this special mare. “I was nervous for our first ride, but she stood like a statue at the mounting block. Once I was finally up I knew I was ‘home’ with her,” Kimberley said in her essay. “Our journey together reminds me that no matter how tough things get, it’s never too late to dream. Thiarnain and my nieces have shown me that love and perseverance can overcome any challenge.”

Runner-Up: Skip to My Lulu

“Lulu’s” story is one of perseverance, determination, and healing. Owner Aimee M. of Minnesota first met Lulu as a young girl of 11 years. This one-eyed Miniature Horse was wild, untouchable, and deemed “unadoptable” by the rescue she was housed at, but after three hours of cat-and-mouse Aimee was able to calm Lulu down, stroke her muzzle, and a bond was instantly formed.

Over fifteen years later and with countless hours of dedicated training, Lulu is now a completely different horse! In addition to official accolades such as multiple national championship titles and a 2016 induction into the USEF Horse Stars Hall of Fame, Lulu has also found a knack for making small but meaningful differences in the lives of others. “Lulu reads people,” Aimee’s essay read. “She can be spicy and put on a show at Midwest Horse Fair only to turn around and gently put her head in the lap of a wheelchair-bound fan. She patiently stands in nursing homes, resurrecting memories of bygone horses as gnarled fingers lace through her mane. As a lesson horse, she forgives the blunders and allows both youth and adults to successfully engage in all aspects of horsemanship.” As an ambassador for Miniatures, disabled horses, and rescue horses, Lulu’s impact is truly monumental.