Seminars at BreyerFest 2026!

Seminars at BreyerFest are a great way to learn about something new, or dive deeper into something you’re already curious about! These informative, 60-minute talks cover both model horse and real horse topics and are taught by some incredible equine and model horse experts.

Taking place in the South Theater of the Visitor Information Center (VIC), Seminars are FREE to all ticket holders, including virtual, and are recorded for our online broadcast viewers. These talks are also a great way to beat the heat if you’re looking for a spot to cool off during the day.

You can find the complete schedule here.

Friday Seminars

Write Your Horse’s Story with Terri Farley

Start your BreyerFest weekend off with a dose of creativity and joy!  What if one of your Breyer horses came to life? Only you can tell that story! Use role-playing, your imagination and guidance from Terri Farley, author of 35 published horse book, to see when and where your Breyer model fulfills your dream to becomes a living, breathing horse. Using your 5 senses and horse smarts, you and your horse find your way to friends or freedom, competition or family. Does your horse survive danger or rescue you and others? Is your horse a prankster who picks locks or eats only oats with ice cream? You decide! A quick introduction (and take-home handout) shows you how to create a scene so that you will leave this talk with a fun story starring your favorite Breyer horse.

Introduction to Model Horse Showing with Kim Bjorgo

Interested in learning how to show your models? Kim, one of the managers of our Children’s and Youth model horse show at BreyerFest is here to show you the ropes! Suitable for all ages of new showers, including adults, this presentation will walk you through getting started in the fun, educational, and exciting world of model horse showing!Want to learn more? Stop by the Hands-on Hobby Tent to participate in our mini mock model horse show!

All a Roan – Patterns of White Hairs That Add Detail to Model Horses with Lesli Kathman

Hair-by-hair painting is very trendy at the moment in the model horse customizing world. In this talk, artist and horse color genetics expert Lesli Kathman will look at all the equine coat types that feature white hairs, including dark-headed roans, spontaneous roans, rabicanos, sabinos, and appaloosas. She'll also look at other opportunities to use roaning techniques on your model horse customizing journey, such as roan patches, mapping, and coon tails.

Sergeant Reckless and War Animals of World War II with Robin Hutton

Robin brings history vividly to life through heartwarming and heroic true stories of extraordinary four-legged and winged companions, drawn from her two acclaimed books, Sgt. Reckless: America’s War Horse and War Animals: The Unsung Heroes of World War II. These unforgettable accounts reveal war through the eyes of the animals who served with courage, loyalty, and sacrifice, often changing the course of events and the lives of those beside them. It’s a powerful, deeply human way to learn history, and audiences leave the theater inspired, uplifted, and forever moved by these remarkable stories.

Saturday Seminars

Identifying Your Breyer with Liz Isham Cory

In this lecture, Liz will walk the audience through the process of figuring out which Breyer horse you have, determining its age, valuing the piece, and more. Collectibility is a component in model horse showing, and knowing what you have in your herd is an asset! Liz will also touch on research, documenting your collection, and (if the time comes) best practices when liquidating a collection.

Demystifying Documentation with Sarah Pavolko

Are you new to model horse showing and intimidated by the thought of making breed documentation for your models? Are you an experienced shower wanting to make your documentation more competitive? With so many breeds, colors, rules, and different programs for formatting and printing, it can be difficult to know where to start. Join hobbyist and documentation enthusiast Sarah Pavolko for a look into which models and breed assignments need cards, what information to put on them, how to find the information and photos you need (and give proper credit!), and how to create the cards themselves in a few common computer programs.

The Story of Greyhound with Cheryl Eriksen

Learn about Greyhound, a legendary, Depression-era trotting hero with Cheryl L. Eriksen, author of a new biography. Greyhound was an incredible horse who went from underdog, to national hero, to legend. He was unbeatable like Man O' War, had record-breaking speed like Secretariat, and was a hero to the people like Seabiscuit. Foaled in Lexington, KY in 1932, Greyhound was an awkward, largely-unwanted yearling when he went through the sale ring in 1933. By 1934 he was the top trotting two-year-old in the nation and by the time he retired from racing in 1940, he held 25 world records, including the fastest trotting mile - a record which stood for over 30 years! This talk will include photos and rare film clips.

Journey to the Pryor Mountains with Ginger Kathrens, Founder and Board President of The Cloud Foundation

Step into the world of Pryor Mountain wild horses with Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and longtime observer Ginger Kathrens. Drawing on decades of time spent in the mountains, Ginger shares stories of the powerful mares who shaped the herd and the generations that followed. From legendary horses of the past to today’s foals exploring the range for the first time, this presentation offers an intimate look at the family bonds, traditions, and enduring legacy of one of the West’s most celebrated wild horse herds.

The Norwegian Dole Horse with Nina Schreefel of The Norwegian Stables

Nina Schreefel, one of the founders of The Norwegian Stables, works closely with breeders in Norway and has helped to bring the Dole horse to the United States as a part of a broader effort to preserve this historic Scandinavian breed. In this informative talk, Nina will cover the historical background of the breed, its role in Norwegian society, its post-World War II decline, and the preservation efforts that are currently underway to restore the breed’s population. You can also catch the Norwegian Dole horse live during our Covered Arena demonstrations during the day, the schedule for which will be released in June.

Schedule subject to change.