*Contest is open to legal residents of the U.S (excluding AZ, CO, CT, MD, NE, and ND) ages 14 and up with an email account. If selected as a potential winner, parental consent is required if entrant is under age 18 (or under the legal age of majority in the entrant’s state of residence in the U.S. – whichever is greater). Void where prohibited or otherwise restricted by law.
HOW TO ENTER:
• To create your BreyerFest 2026 Best Customs Contest (“Contest”) entry, customize a Breyer model in accordance with the requirements/criteria for one (1) of the 2026 BreyerFest Best Customs Contest Divisions above. Entry must be original and entirely created by the entrant (except for the tack and/or rider figure, if entering the Performance Excellence Division as described above). Customs must fit within a 24” x 24” (60.96cm x 60.96cm) or 18” x 30” (45.72cm x 76.2cm) footprint on a table, no exceptions, and entries cannot be taller than 30” (76.20cm).
• Take digital photographs of your completed entry and pick the six (6) pictures that best show your entry. ONE (1) of your photos of your completed custom entry MUST include a ruler for scale and ONE (1) photo MUST be an in-progress shot from early in your customization process of your entry that clearly shows the underlying or original model used. For the Extreme Customs and Model Glow Ups category, one of the photos must include original model/mold used before it was altered. Do NOT watermark your photos.
• Email six (6) digital photographs of your Best Customs entry (JPEG or PNG files between 500kb and 2MB each, but not more than 2MB each) to customs@reevesintl.com. All photo entries must be in JPEG or PNG digital form. (All other formats, including but not limited to PDF, PSD, and BMP format will be rejected. Please ensure your images are attached and formatted correctly). Images must be attached to the email and not sent embedded/inline or via a digital link. Digital photographs must be named as follows:
[YOUR LAST NAME]_BF26Customs_[DIVISION]_[NUMBER].[.JPG/.PNG].
(E.g.: Smith_BF26Customs_FinishWork_1.jpg.) Mail entries will not be accepted.
• Images submitted must include your completed, finished entry. Entries are judged, and winners selected, based on the images submitted.
• Your entry must include the subject line “BF2026 Best Customs Contest” along with your digital photographs, the name/mold number of the original/underlying Breyer model used, the name of the Division you are entering, the footprint of your entry (24” x 24” or 18” x 30”), your name, age (at the time of entry), mailing address, telephone number, and email address as well as parent/legal guardian’s email address and statement of parental consent if under age 18 (or under the legal age of majority in the entrant’s state of residence in the U.S.– whichever is greater) at time of entry. Performance Excellence Division entries must include a brief description detailing the discipline and class being performed. Fantasy Division entries must include a brief description of what they are presenting. Tack entries may include a brief description of what they are presenting, but it is not required. Entry and/or statement of parental consent must be submitted in English. Entries missing any of the above requirements will be immediately disqualified.
• Limit one Contest (1) entry in only one (1) Division per person. Participants may not enter multiple Divisions. Submissions will only be accepted digitally. Contest entry period begins February 2, 2026 at 2:00pm EST and ends on June 12, 2026 at 5:00pm EDT. All entries must be received via email at customs@reevesintl.com by 5:00pm EDT, June 12, 2026. No other method of entry will be accepted.
• If you won first place in the 2025 BreyerFest Best Customs contest in any division, you are not eligible to enter in the same Division in 2026 – you must enter in a different Division.
JUDGING:
• Entries will be judged by a qualified, independent judge or judge(s). Each entry will be judged on the following criteria (by Division): (a) Excellence in Finish Work will be judged 50% on overall excellence in final paint decoration, 30% on level of detail work and 20% on realism; (b) Fantasy will be judged 60% on creativity of concept and 40% on overall execution; (c) Most Extreme Custom will be judged 40% on extent of re-working of conformation, 40% on finish work and 20% on realism; (d) Performance Excellence (shown with Tack or Tack and Rider) will be judged 80% on the customization of the horse and 20% on the tack (or tack and rider) presentation; (e) Excellence in Tack Making will be judged 30% on craftsmanship, 30% on creativity, 30% on accuracy/realism, and 10% on presentation, and (f) Model Glow Ups will be judged 50% on refinements/edits made to the original model and 50% on finish work. Eighteen (18) winners will be chosen (one (1) first place, one (1) second place, and one (1) third place winner in each of six (6) divisions).
• Sponsor will contact potential winners in each Division by email on or about June 24, 2026. Selected potential winners (or parent or legal guardian of potential winner, where applicable), must confirm receipt of email within three (3) business days, and must show their custom entry at BreyerFest 2026 in the Clarion Hotel Ballroom (1950 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY) on Thursday, July 9, 2026, for presentation and display during BreyerFest weekend (July 10-12, 2026). Potential winners/finalists may show their entries at BreyerFest by proxy.
• Winners will be announced and prizes awarded in-person at BreyerFest during BreyerFest weekend, July 10-12, 2026 at the Clarion Hotel Ballroom (1950 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY), at approximately 9 PM EDT on Saturday, July 11, 2026. Custom entries and prizes will be available for pickup at this time.** Winners may be announced online on BreyerHorses.com during BreyerFest weekend, July 10-12, 2026.
• Custom entries not picked up by the close of the Artisans’ Gallery in the Clarion Hotel Ballroom (1950 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY) at 11:59 PM EDT on Saturday, July 11, 2026 will not be returned and become the property of Sponsor.
PRIZES:
• One (1) First Place Prize Package consisting of (1) Special Edition BreyerFest Best Customs Traditional scale model “Lingonberry” (Model #B-EV-10782, Estimated Retail Value (ERV) $1,000 USD) and one (1) first place rosette (ERV $10 USD) will be awarded to one (1) first place winner in each of the six (6) Divisions for total of six (6) first place Contest winners.
• One (1) Second Place Prize Package consisting of one (1) Special Edition BreyerFest Best Customs Stablemates scale model “Gravlax” (Model #B-EV-10783, ERV $250 USD) and one (1) second place rosette (ERV $10 USD) will be awarded to one (1) second place winner in each of the six (6) Divisions for a total of six (6) second place Contest winners.
• One (1) Third Place Prize Package consisting of one (1) Special Edition BreyerFest Best Customs Stablemates scale model “Gravlax” (Model #B-EV-10783, ERV $250 USD) and one (1) third place rosette (ERV $10 USD) will be awarded to one (1) third place winner in each of the six (6) Divisions for a total of six (6) third place Contest winners.
• Total ERV of all eighteen (18) Prize Packages is $9,180 USD.
** If, for any reason, Sponsor is forced to cancel, postpone, or transition BreyerFest 2026 to an entirely virtual (no onsite BreyerFest guest activities) event, images of finalist entries will be displayed and winner announcement will take place online only during BreyerFest weekend (July 10-12, 2026).
See Official Rules for complete details.
