Spokes & Spurs Roundup

by Jocelyn Cote

Photos by Melinda Nagy & Jocelyn Cote 

Approximately every 18 months, Breyer Collector Club members are offered the chance to enter for one of our exciting Collector Events, held in various locations throughout the country. For each event, 200 lucky attendees are chosen by lottery to join us on this adventure which includes visits to elite horse farms, social events, and of course, exclusive Breyer models!

This year’s event took us to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and was held May 3^rd-5^th. It had been nearly a decade since we last held a Collector Event in the Midwest, and “the Big Friendly” welcomed us with open arms. The event’s “Spokes and Spurs” moniker was a nod to our two equine destinations: Express Clydesdales, home of a world champion hitch featuring unique black Clydesdales, and Silver Spurs Equine, home of some of the country’s top reining stallions including Wimpys Little Step. A Traditional Breyer portrait model of Wimpy was included with all tickets along with a Stablemates portrait model of Ned, one of Express’s Clydesdale ambassadors.

After checking in on Friday afternoon and receiving their Wimpys Little Step and Ned models, guests enjoyed a Roy Rogers - the national drink of Oklahoma - and boarded buses to head to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. They were greeted with a reception in “Prosperity Junction,” a replica turn-of-the-century town at dusk. After dining on hors d'oeuvres and chatting with fellow attendees, guests were welcome to wander the galleries and take in the museum’s stunning collection, which includes ornate Western tack and saddles, Native American art, and unique pieces of cowboy history.

Saturday was an incredibly busy day! As the sun rose, guests boarded buses to our two featured farms. At Silver Spurs, guests were introduced to Wimpys Little Step and many other champions that call the stallion barn home. Wimpy is well-known in the world of reining and is the National Reining Horse Association’s #1 living sire, with offspring that have exceeded $13 million in earnings. They then watched an exciting reining demonstration by NRHA Hall of Fame member Mike Flarida and his son Matt, who is also a champion in his own right. Guests were treated to a variety of signature reining moves including spins, rundowns, and the iconic sliding stop.

Lunch was hosted in Express Clydesdales’ fabulous barn on the upper level. Down below, guests saw the inner workings of this elite facility – from the process of grooming and harnessing a horse for the hitch to a behind-the-scenes look at Express’s horse-drawn vehicles, trailers and day-to-day operations. After taking a carriage ride around the property pulled by two of their famous black Clydesdales, guests got to meet the star of the show: Ned! Standing a towering 19.1 hands, Ned’s size may have made him a little intimidating, but he was nothing short of a gentleman. He made it very clear that he was enjoying all the attention, leaning into scritches as guests took their photo with this gentle giant.

Returning back from their exciting journey in the late afternoon, guests had time to get in their cowpoke best for the Boots & Blossoms Party! Guests gathered at the host hotel to dance the night away, have a fabulous dinner, and take an in-person look at the event’s exclusive Breyer Boutique models plus additional sneak peeks at upcoming BreyerFest and club-exclusive models. A silent auction was also held, which included an opportunity to design your own Breyer model that sold for $13,000.

One of the most exciting parts of the night came when it was time to raffle off the decorative centerpiece models – a neon-hued Western Pony dubbed “Route 66” after the iconic highway that runs through OKC. 25 guests’ names were pulled at random to take one home, and many screams of delight from winners ensued.

On Sunday morning, Spokes & Spurs began its wrap-up with the Breyer Boutique, a unique shopping opportunity with exclusive, limited run models on offer. Guests were lined up by random draw and offered the chance to purchase up to two different models from the available selection. With some new herd additions in tow, we said our farewells as guests moved on to their next adventure. Another successful Collector Event in the books!

Spokes & Spurs Special Run Models

Wimpys Little Step Event Model 200 pcs.	Ned Event Model 200 pcs.
Oklahoma Rose 104 pcs.	Faded Love 96 pcs.
Guthrie 60 pcs.	Ozark 52 pcs.
Redbud 45 pcs.	Biscuits & Gravy 40 pcs.