Halter Showing 102

Article and photos by Kristen Cermele

In Halter Showing 101, we discussed how to find a model horse show in your area, how to choose a horse and how to pack it to get to the show. In Halter Showing 102, we will go through how judging works, and how to give your model the best chance to succeed!

First, remember that showing is supposed to be fun, and the results of one show under one judge does not determine if your horses will ever win or not. Celebrate your placings if you do well, but if some horses come home without ribbons, don't be discouraged!

It's true that based on some of the factors that we’ll discuss here, some models don't show as well as others, but depending what else is on the table (sometimes shortened to WEIOTT,) and judge’s preference, perfectly showable and competitive models may just stay out of the ribbons some days. Also remember to collect and own what you love! Even though I'm an avid OF halter shower, I have lots of horses I know aren't the best halter show models - and often I bring them out to show off just for fun, even if I don't expect to win it all. 

All three of these models show as different pony breeds, and often together in the same class. Each of these horses has won their whole class, or not even gotten a ribbon, depending on the judge and what else is on the table!

When placing your horse on the show table, be mindful of the class list. Horses are divided into classes based on breed and type. For classes where there are going to be a lot of the same breed, the whole breed may have one class (or even have it split into genders,) such as "Quarter Horse," or "Arabian Mares." However, for other classes, it may be a type, such as "Feathered Drafts." This would put all Clydesdales, Shires, and other draft breeds with feathering into the same class.

Classes are designed to try to put "like with like," so that when the judge is going through their criteria, they are comparing apples to apples, as much as possible. If you have questions as to where a horse should go, always refer to the show holder or your judge and ask before the class is called. Just make sure to catch the judge in between classes while they aren't over the table judging.

Like names, picking a breed for your horse doesn't mean that you have to use the same breed that Breyer designated it when you purchased it. Look at your model, and decide what kind of horse it is. Is it a draft? A sport horse? Pony? When you've decided that, narrow it down to a specific breed. Try to find real horses that look similar to your horse in build.

It’s also key to make sure the breed you want to use comes in the color your model is painted. Looking up breed registry and breeder webpages is much better than using Google image search, as Pinterest pins come up in an image search and anyone can mark any photo as whatever breed they want, without proper research. If you are using a rare breed, rare color within a breed, or a rare cross, you want to consider creating yourself some documentation. Documentation is a piece of paper with a brief explanation of the breed, with key facts, and a photo that matches your model the best that you can.

How does a judge choose who wins? There are a number of factors, and since we as a showing body do not have universal criteria (remember, all of these show holders and judges are volunteers) each judge may weigh values differently. That said, here is a list of what judges are looking for:

1. Anatomy/Biomechanics: If this model was a live horse, could it live? Are all the bones and muscles sculpted in the correct spot so that it would be able to stand, walk, breathe? This is different than conformation, which is more about how nicely the parts of an animal fit together to breed standard. Biomechanics is just concerned about how functionally alive a horse could be, and many molds (even some of my personal favorites to collect) don't stand up to this test. 

2. Breed: How well does your horse represent the breed you've chosen for it? Is it a color the breed can genetically come in?

3. Conformation: This looks at breed standard as well as looks for conformation issues that would be a problem in all breeds (such as club feet, over at the knees, etc).

4. Model Condition: Chips, breaks, and deep scratches are fairly obvious flaws. Other subtler things that can bring one horse over or under another in placings would be hoof or ear rubs. On the positive side, since all Breyer models are individually hand painted, models in the same run can all have variations in dapples and shading, and when it comes down to final decisions, a judge may see a quality in a certain horse's paintwork that they admire.

At the end of the show day, showing is a bit of trial and error, so have fun and make sure to take the time to look into everyone else's collections!