Western Performance Showing

Article and photos by Lindsay Diamond

In addition to English and Other Performance class sections, there's the Western performance section. There are a few classes that you’ll find in almost all Western performance sections: Western Pleasure, Western arena/show ring trail, natural trail, gymkhana (both timed and non-timed/elimination), ranch work with and without livestock, and other Western performance. To understand how to show these classes in the model horse world, it’s important to understand what the classes are in the real horse world.

Western Pleasure is a class that looks at the horse in real life – is the horse a nice example of an easy horse to ride? Is the horse calm and moving along easily, or is it tense and jumpy? A good pleasure horse should be a pleasure to ride – easy moving, sound, listening to the rider and a pleasure to watch as well. In the model world, a horse that has a head level, contact on the bit, is not in front of or behind the bit, and is displaying a moderate gait - not a full gallop or over-animated one - is desired. Breyer makes some great options, including Zippo Pine Bar, Latigo, and the Stablemates Loping Quarter Horse.

Stablemate Loping Quarter Horse shown in Western Pleasure
Entry by Lindsay Diamond

Arena or Show Ring Trail looks like an obstacle course! In the real world, there are usually obstacles created with groupings of poles, the opening of a gate  (usually fashioned out of rope for the ease of set-up), bending and moving between cones or mailboxes, going over a simulated bridge, and multiple other creative options.

When setting up an entry for the arena/show ring trail class, you will need a pattern that shows the entire course. Pick one portion of the pattern to display - with space constraints, you wouldn’t be able to set it all up on the table! It’s important to know what gait your horse is performing so you can set the horse in a particular obstacle. Watching videos of horses going through a trail pattern online is extremely helpful to see how various obstacles should be performed. Many patterns call for a jog or lope, so finding a model that has a nice, even gait, again not showing too much animation or excitability, is important. Zippo again is a good trail horse - he gives the appearance of listening to his rider and is moving nicely.

Custom Stablemates Loping Quarter Horse in Arena Trail
Entry by Lindsay Diamond

Natural Trail is set up just as it sounds - depicting a moment in time with horse and rider out on the trail! Using in-scale shrubbery and trees to create a forest scene for a trail ride can be a challenge, but you can find different props in the diorama and train sections of hobby stores. Natural trail can also include crossing a stream - which again can be made from supplies found in hobby stores. There are videos online on how to create these bases, especially if you want to get super-fancy. If you want to go a little simpler, there are mats that look like grass or dirt available. Other scenarios that can be set up for natural trail could be having the horse tied up while a rider is having a picnic, or scenes involving wild animals approaching the horse and rider while out for a ride.

Gymkhana classes are a great place to get creative! Gymkhana is defined as competitive games on horseback, and there are so many fun options. There are two categories of gymkhana games - timed and non-timed/elimination. Timed events include speed races like barrel racing, pole bending, plug race, and any sort of relay race. These can include the magazine race, where riders have to ride down to a barrel or stand where a magazine is placed, find a pre-determined page, rip it out and ride back. Another fun game is the Keyhole Race, where riders go into a key-hole shape laid out on the ground, usually outlined with flour or powder, and turn around and back out without stepping on or outside the lines. Non-timed or elimination games include the egg and spoon, Australian Pursuit (which is a trotting game), Ride-a-Buck, Musical Stalls or Mats, Ribbon Race, or any sort of game or event where the horse and rider are eliminated during the game.

Gymkhana class with "Bribe-a-Horse" game
Entry by Lindsay Diamond

Ranch Work classes also usually come in two varieties - with livestock and without. Those classes with livestock require some form of cattle or other animals you might find on a farm - sheep, goats, or pigs are great examples. Events include those you might see on an actual working ranch or some that might be at a rodeo, like calf roping or cutting. For classes without livestock, this could be something you again could see on a ranch - mending fences or moving branches or brush.

An example of Ranch Work with livestock
Entry by Dani Youdris

Last but not least is Other Western Performance. This is a catch-all class and can encompass many different set-ups. A popular new performance scene is Western Dressage. Much like dressage that you would see in the Olympics with a dressage saddle and English rider, Western Dressage uses the same principles as classical dressage. Western Dressage has two levels: basic and primary. Tests begin and end the same as classical dressage, and use the same letters and markers. Western Dressage horses are expected to move out with energy - very different from the movement you would see from horses in a Western Pleasure class.

Western Dressage
Entry by Lindsay Diamond

Other options for other Western pleasure include a Horsemanship class, which is a pattern that each horse and rider rides individually. In a real horsemanship class, the rider is judged on how they control the horse while performing a specific pattern. Reining entries could also go in this class - Breyer’s Bobby Jo is a great model horse for reining! And a new section showing up in the real horse world is Ranch Riding. This class focuses on simulating a horse riding and working outside of an arena environment. There is a set pattern that the horse and rider must follow, including showing the walk, jog, extended jog, lope and extended lope, and also moving over a log. The horse should not be braided or have hoof polish, fancy tack is discouraged, and the rider’s show clothing should be workman-like. Dundee the Australian Stock Horse is a great model for Ranch Riding - he is moving out freely for an extended lope, and the loose mane and tail are perfect.

Breyer’s Dundee model showing the extended lope for Ranch Riding
Entry by Lindsay Diamond

While certainly not a complete list of possible options for showing in the Western section, I hope this helps give you a start to coming up with ideas to show!