August 2024 Breyer Photo Show Results

August 2024: Fun in the Sun

Judging by Dani Boiko

Hi, I’m Dani Boiko of Savvy Appy Studios! All my life I have been that horse-crazy girl that got to live out the dream of owning horses from a young age. Throughout my life I have owned 10 real horses and hundreds of model horses. It’s easy to say that horses are a huge part of who I am today.

My favorite Breyer sculpture is Dundee, the Australian Stock Horse. He has such a sweet, quiet face that reminds me of my very first horse named Monty, who was a retired ranch Quarter Horse. My love for the models and this hobby blossomed into a passion for tack making. For the past 8 years I have been making model horse tack and for the past 5 years I have taught tack making workshops at BreyerFest.

All your beautiful photo entries for “Fun in the Sun” have been judged by myself using the following criteria:

• Creativity
• Composition
• Accuracy and adherence to the theme "Fun in the Sun"

17 and Under

1^st place:

Isabelle M., FL

Who doesn’t love a beautiful sunset? The colors play beautifully off the black and white coat of this pony who is having such a fun time leaping the waves. This photo was timed perfectly to capture the pony jumping the incoming waves. I love how the photo was taken from a low enough angle to keep us eye-level with the horse. Plus, having the horse turned as he is lends extra movement and emotion to the shot. Very well done in the last rays of sun!

2^nd place:

Lindsay H., ON, Canada

If a ride on the beach doesn’t say “Fun in the Sun,” I don’t know what does! What a perfect day to go for a ride with the beautiful blue sky in the background. The simple yet stunning background plays nicely off the bay coat of the horse. The rider could be sitting just a smidge further back, but the hackmore is well-done and the rider is holding the reins nicely. Another great touch was having the rider looking in the same direction as the horse, as if something interesting is happening further down the beach.

3^rd place:

Ella M., MN

How fun is this, with the horses in their little sunglasses playing beach volleyball? I love the addition of the sunglasses. The background setting is good and not distracting from the main focus of the image. A small recommendation would be to smooth out the sand of the play field so the horses’ legs aren’t sinking so far down into it. Otherwise very creative!

4^th place:

Merryn E., IN

Best friend selfie, anyone? Super-cute idea having these two riders posed to take a photo together. Really great use of camera angle to capture this shot. The mud on the legs of the horses is another nice touch to match the muddy footing – it looks as if they went riding through the creek and along the bank, splashing mud as they rode. The rider on the left should be holding her reins and both riders should have their feet in the stirrups for safety. The footing is great with nothing out of scale shown and the background is nicely blurred so as to not distract from the riders.

5^th place:

Violet S., GA

Look at these friends enjoying a beautiful day in the sun with their horses (and pony!) They’re in a super-cute lineup as if their parents wanted to capture the moment forever. The tack fits the models well and I like how each horse has a bit of turquoise in their getup so they match. The rider on the white horse should be holding her reins, even with her horse standing, just in case he spooks. The same goes for the rider of the pony – ideally, she should have at least one hand on the reins and her feet should be in the stirrups. The grass is a little long and out of scale, especially in the foreground. Lifting the camera up a bit would help. Otherwise, a well-composed image!

6^th place:

Mariner G., VA

What a perfect day to race along the beach with a friend! These two are living out the dream of many horse girls. The background is blurred just enough to not distract from the riders, but not so much that you can’t make out the details of the water and sky. I love the action of the horse, but I would have liked to see the camera pulled back a little bit to see more of him. This model would need to be held up to get the positioning just right but be sure to hide any aids used to make this happen. I would crop your hand out of the photo or place a clear rod under the horse’s belly to keep him stable. The riders should also have their hands on the reins when racing at speed down the beach and at a jump. A lovely idea that truly fits “Fun in the Sun” – well done!

Honorable Mentions

Sophia D., NH

I love the dramatic feeling of this image! While not exactly “Fun in the Sun” with such a low sunset blocked by the clouds, I felt this one deserved an honorable mention for the feeling it evoked. A lone horse running the beach in the calm tide into what looks like what could be storm clouds feels like the start of a fantastical story.

18 and Over

1^st place:

Maddie M., FL

Such a lovely pair of horses happily trotting down the beach! With their ears forward and relaxed expressions, you can tell they are enjoying their time in the sun. The footing is perfectly in scale and looks as if the horses had been tearing around before the photo was snapped. I love how the background plays so well off the coloring of the models. It makes the black horse pop and the dapple gray stand out with the crashing waves behind. Very well done!

2^nd place:

Isabell E., VA

I just love the creativity in this photo! The hat, the beach bag, the “extra” towel – it is all too cute! This one easily fits the “Fun in the Sun” theme. I can tell the horse is ready to soak up those rays on such a bright and sunny day. A slightly blurred background nicely sets the horse as the focus. I would have pulled the camera up just a hair so we aren’t looking up at the horse quite as much, but that’s very nitpicky on such a lovely entry. Great job!

3^rd place:

5^th place:

Bryce S., OH

Look at that lovely golden glow of the evening sun. These two girls are enjoying a nice relaxing bareback ride on their horses. Is there anything better than that? The placement of the models is well done – they are close enough to show they are riding together but spaced enough we can see at least half of the Paint horse. The grass is out of scale. Trimming it down or moving to an area with just dirt would have kept the footing closer in scale. Still a lovely photo regardless!

6^th place:

Cade R., AZ

Keeping our beaches clean is very important! Who says you can’t have fun while cleaning up? This pair found a way to get their equine friend involved. The placement of the people and the horse looks good and the scattering of trash on the ground adds to the story. The background could be blended better to be a seamless transition, but still a cute photo. The tack is well-fitted to the model and the rider is sitting on that bareback pad well.

Honorable Mentions

Jasmine T., OR

How adorable is this image? Those two little foals look so excited over their sandcastles, especially the little Appaloosa. Each model looks like they are having a wonderful time playing on the beach. The sandcastles are the perfect size and the footing is perfect for these small models. If the background had been a bit blurred it would have helped the horses stand out even better, but overall a fun photo!