Meet Samantha Farrell: BreyerWest Youth Show Steward

With BreyerWest just around the corner, Breyer caught up with Youth Show steward, Samantha Farrell. Samantha is an experienced Breyer hobbyist, who shares some insights for people looking to get started in model horse showing. 

When did you start model horse showing?

I started model horse showing by going to the Breyer® Fun days that were advertised in Just About Horses. I then discovered a larger show that was more competitive, and I met a ton of people there who were more than happy to show me the ropes of competing, and I was hooked after that. 

What is your favorite memory from a Breyer® model horse show?

My favorite memory from a model horse show is when I won the "Most Loved Breyer" class at the youth show in BreyerFest® 2014. It was my first time showing outside of the west coast, and I learned a lot about shipping models and different judging systems in the process! I remember working on the one page essay for days on my most loved Breyer--Thee Desperado-- trying to fit everything he meant to me on just one page. He was one of my first models, and he was the first I saved up to buy myself, so he will always have a special place in my heart. 

What is a piece of advice you would give someone looking to start showing?

One piece of advice I would give to a Youth show competitor who is just starting out is to take your first show easy! Try not to stress about bringing all of your models-- the fewer you bring, the more chances you'll have to talk to the people around you and learn more about horses and showing. You'll also be able to look at everyone else's pretty models, which is always part of the fun of a show! Don't worry about not taking a blue ribbon, or any ribbons at all-- use this as a learning experience to ask the judge how to improve. You may find that the judge has a better breed assignment for your horse,  or you may learn a new trick for identifying flaws on a model.

Who inspired your love for horses?

My love for horses was inspired by both my mom and my grandma. My mom has always loved horses, and she took riding lessons while I was growing up. I remember visiting her at a lesson once, and I got to meet all of the lesson horses and I immediately fell in love with them. Shortly after that, my grandma gave me my first Breyer, and that sparked my love for Breyers, and furthered my love of horses.

What is your favorite part of the Breyer Hobby?

My favorite part of the Breyer hobby is being able to meet other people with the same passion for horses. It's great to know that there are other people who grew up "horse-obsessed" and we didn't grow out  of that phase like everyone else said we would. There's also so much knowledge about both real and model horses in this community-- it's great to be able to share that knowledge with other people who have a passion for horses. 

Purchase your BreyerWest 2019 tickets here!