LEXINGTON, KY – BreyerFest 2024, the annual celebration of all things equestrian, will feature an exciting new addition this year: the Blue Zeus model figure. This highly anticipated release celebrates the stunning blue roan Mustang stallion, Blue Zeus, who now resides at Skydog Ranch & Sanctuary in Prineville, Oregon. Clare Staples, the founder of Skydog Ranch, will be present at the festival to participate in a live stream panel, sign autographs, and meet fans, while showcasing the Blue Zeus model figure.

BreyerFest, held at the Kentucky Horse Park from July 12-14, is a beloved event for equine enthusiasts, featuring model horse exhibitions, live horse performances, workshops, and more. This year, attendees will have the unique opportunity to purchase the Blue Zeus model figure online, celebrating the story of this remarkable Mustang stallion. Clare Staples, renowned for her dedication to rescuing wild horses, will be sharing her experiences and insights during the event.

Skydog Ranch & Sanctuary, founded by Clare Staples, is dedicated to rescuing wild horses and donkeys from slaughter and providing them with a safe haven. The sanctuary’s mission is to raise awareness about the plight of wild horses and advocate for their protection. Blue Zeus, the magnificent blue roan stallion, is a testament to Skydog’s mission. Once roaming the Red Desert of Wyoming, Blue Zeus and his family were rounded up and sent to a holding facility in Colorado. Clare’s relentless efforts ensured his rescue, and today, Blue Zeus roams freely at Skydog Ranch.

Blue Zeus’ journey from the wild to the sanctuary is a story of resilience and family bonds. Clare’s determination to reunite Blue Zeus with his family, despite numerous challenges, highlights the importance of second chances.

“When I first saw Blue Zeus and his family in the wild, I knew I had to do everything in my power to keep them together,” says Clare Staples. “Rescuing Blue Zeus and reuniting him with his family has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”

Clare will be at the festival, engaging with fans, discussing the significance of Skydog Ranch, and promoting her book, Wild Horses of Skydog: Blue Zeus & Families. The event will also feature a live stream interview with Clare and a special appearance by Blue Zeus, providing attendees with a unique insight into the life of this extraordinary Mustang. In the same way, the Blue Zeus model figure will be made available exclusively at BreyerFest 2024 for purchase in person each day and online for $75.

For more information about BreyerFest 2024 and to purchase tickets, visit the BreyerFest 2024 website. To learn more about Blue Zeus and Skydog Ranch, check out the BreyerFest Blog. Additionally, visit the Exclusive Models page for details on Blue Zeus and other special edition figures.

Clare will be at the Horse Illustrated and Young Rider booth at BreyerFest on Saturday, July 13, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. for book signings and autographs. While at the booth, sign up for a chance to win a special package from Young Rider and Trafalgar Square Books, publisher of Wild Horses of Skydog: Blue Zeus & Families.

◆ Get a preview of BreyerFest 2024 Guest Horses.

◆ Plus, learn about other BreyerFest 2024 Special Guests, sure to inspire and entertain.

— Edited Press Release

Thanks to CareCredit for our 2024 equestrian coverage.

The post BreyerFest 2024: Celebrate with Blue Zeus Limited Edition Figure Model and Clare Staples of Skydog Ranch & Sanctuary appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Welcome to Barn Banter, the official podcast of Horse Illustrated. In Barn Banter episode 21, hosts Susan Friedland and Horse Illustrated Editor In Chief Holly Caccamise talk all things BreyerFest, including Susan’s unboxing of childhood Breyers. Then, they talk with Amanda Delgado, owner of Athenian Lady, the 2024 BreyerFest Celebration Horse. Finally, they chat with Amanda Stevens, head trainer at the Humane Society of North Texas, about this month’s ASPCA Right Horse adoptable horse, Takoda.

Click to listen on mobile.

Listen to Barn Banter episode 21 now to hear about Amanda’s journey with Athenian Lady, and stay until the end to meet Takoda.

Title Sponsor of Barn Banter: Adequan

Big thanks to our sponsor, Adequan! For over 30 years, Adequan® i.m. (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan) has been trusted by veterinarians, trainers and horse owners. Ask your veterinarian if Adequan® is right for your horse. Visit Adequan.com to learn more. Adequan®. Start with it. Stay with it®.

Amanda Delgado, Owner of Athenian Lady

Amanda Delgado is a lifelong equestrian who specializes in the rapidly growing discipline of western dressage. She graduated from St. Andrews University with a Bachelor of Arts in Equine Business Management and serves as an executive board member for the Western Dressage Association of America and is the president for the North Carolina Western Dressage Association.

In 2015, she rescued her mare Athenian Lady. Overcoming Athena’s dangerous temperament, injuries, and various health issues due to her neglect, Amanda trained Athena and has guided her to over 10 World Championship titles at the WDAA and PtHA World Shows in western dressage.

Amanda currently owns and operates Olympus Equestrian on a small farm near Fort Liberty, N.C., where they specialize in western dressage and stock horse events. She prides herself on putting equine welfare first and teaching kind, correct horsemanship methods. She coaches, trains, and is a clinician all over the Carolinas. She currently holds her NCSU open show cards in the Western, Hunter, Saddleseat, and Gaited divisions and is working on her USEF Western Dressage “r” and AQHA Level 1 cards.

◆ Olympus Equestrian on Instagram (@olympusequestriannc)

Takoda, Adoptable Horse of the Month

Takoda is a 23-year-old Quarter Horse cross available for adoption from the Humane Society of North Texas. He was a negotiated surrendered horse that HSNT rescued through a cruelty case last September, when he arrived in very poor condition with a body condition score of one. He also was blind in both eyes and needed to have his eyes removed.

Takoda has since regained all of his strength and is healthy; he has had both eyes removed and is doing amazing. He is a beloved horse at the ranch and HSNT is so excited for him to find his forever home.

Click here to learn more about Takoda.

Susan’s Childhood Breyers

At the beginning of the episode, Susan tells us about some childhood Breyer models she found in her sister’s basement. See below for the Breyers she revealed in her unboxing.

1 of 3

If you’re also intrigued by the Chincoteague Pony Penning Week photo portfolio by Shelley Paulson, grab a copy of the July issue of Horse Illustrated.

In addition to Barn Banter episode 21, you can check out all previous episodes of Horse Illustrated’s podcasts.

The post Barn Banter – Episode 21: Sponsored by Adequan appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

When her father’s military career took Amanda Delgado’s family to Japan when she was in high school, her beloved horses couldn’t come along.

“I was lost without them,” she says. “I was ‘the horse girl’ growing up. Horses defined me.”

After high school, Delgado followed in her father’s footsteps and joined the Army. Her own military travel made horse ownership impossible, but no matter where she was stationed, she’d find nearby stables where she could volunteer. She just wanted to be around horses.

A Horse In Need

Fast forward several years, and Delgado was volunteering regularly with a rescue near her home in North Carolina. One day, the organization received a phone call that would change Delgado’s life.

A little red mare, the caller said, was in desperate need of help. She was emaciated and practically feral. She shared a pasture with a rusted-out Volkswagen and the skeletons of former pasture-mates.

Delgado and her team loaded a vehicle with supplies and drove almost an hour to assess the situation.

“My heart skipped a beat when I saw her for the first time,” Delgado recalls. “There was something special about that horse.”

But that horse was also very scared. Volunteers could barely touch her, so they left clean water and a mountain of hay and promised to return. The rescue was full, so the horse needed an immediate home. Two potential adopters met the horse, but both turned her down.

That night, Delgado tossed and turned in bed. She couldn’t get the mare off her mind.

Gaining Trust

The next morning, after a third potential adopter passed on the horse, Delgado stepped up.

“I said I’d take her,” she says. “Everyone thought she was dangerous, but I knew that she was just misunderstood.”

She began making daily visits to the mare, but couldn’t get near her with a halter: if the horse felt cornered, she’d paw, kick, or plow through volunteers.

So Delgado tried a new tactic: she sat on the ground with a bucket of grain. If the mare wanted to eat, she had to come to Delgado, who spoke quietly, earning the mare’s trust. After four days, she was able to slip the halter over the horse’s head and lay hands on her trembling skin.

The horse needed a name, and Delgado wanted something to reflect both her nature and her journey. She named the mare Athena after the Greek goddess of war, who, like the horse, was both elegant and resilient. The goddess, fittingly, was also the inventor of the halter and bridle—the original tamer of horses.

After two weeks of basic groundwork and endless patience, Delgado was able to coax Athena onto a trailer and transport her to the rescue.

An Unfortunate Injury

But just hours after her arrival, Athena sliced her deep digital flexor tendon on a round pen panel. The initial stitches didn’t hold, and then a flesh-eating bacteria ate its way down to the bone.

“Several vets suggested euthanasia,” says Delgado. “But I couldn’t. I had to give her a chance.”

One vet agreed to attempt a surgical repair of Athena’s leg, but warned Delgado that the horse may never be rideable. Delgado didn’t care—she just wanted her horse to have the chance to be loved.

After the surgery, Athena was prescribed several months of strict stall rest. Delgado drove to the barn daily and sat in Athena’s stall, reading The Black Stallion out loud and offering the mare comfort and support.

Four months after the injury, Athena was cleared for simple groundwork. Two months later, against the odds, she was given the all-clear to carry a rider.

Saddling Up

While saddling Athena for that first ride, Delgado remembers how carefully she observed her horse’s body language. The mare had a reputation for being touchy and explosive, and everyone watching expected fireworks.

“But when I put my foot in that stirrup, Athena looked back at me,” she remembers. “I had this overwhelming feeling that she trusted me, and that I could trust her.”

Delgado swung a leg over the mare’s back. Athena stood completely still. And then she yawned.

“I had tears in my eyes,” says Delgado. “I just kept thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, everyone said this wasn’t going to happen, but we did it!’”

Despite a tumultuous past, Athena excelled under saddle due to the strong bond she had developed with Delgado.

“When I rode her canter for the first time, I felt like I was home,” she recalls.

Eventually, Delgado was ready to take Athena to her first show. Athena, under the name “Athenian Lady,” loved the new environments and challenges of showing, and the pair competed at local open shows. They were often in the ribbons, and—more importantly—Delgado felt that Athena was enjoying herself.

Knowing that her horse had more to offer, Delgado sought out opportunities for the mare at higher levels. But moving beyond open shows came with new roadblocks: Athena had no registration papers.

Delgado was able to register her in the Pinto Horse Association of America (PtHA), but she didn’t always feel like they fit in among the well-bred stock horses in their hunter under saddle classes.

Regardless, in 2018, Delgado and Athena set off for the first PtHA World Show, where Delgado stumbled on the new discipline of western dressage.

“I watched a class and thought, ‘Athena could do this,’” she says. “Athena has big movements. She doesn’t move like the pleasure stock horses, and I wasn’t going to try to force her to. I’ve never wanted make her into something that she’s not.”

Western Dressage Accolades

The pair placed well at the 2018 World Show, earning top-5 and top-10 awards in hunter under saddle classes. But Delgado was intrigued by western dressage. She loved how the discipline—a mix of ranch riding and classical dressage—emphasizes safe, sound, happy horses.

Delgado began competing in western dressage in 2019, finding the Western Dressage Association of America (WDAA) extremely welcoming.

“Since I met Athena, most people focused on what we couldn’t do, because of her past, or because she was a rescue, or because she wasn’t registered,” says Delgado. “So many people said, ‘You won’t be able to ride her. You can’t show her. A rescue horse won’t be a world champion.’

“[But] WDAA opened their arms to us. When they learned that Athena was a rescue, their response was, ‘She is? Great! We have awards for that!’”

In 2019, Delgado and Athena returned to the PtHA World Show. Not only did Athena win her western dressage division, but she had the highest score out of any dressage ride at the event, including classical dressage performances and professional riders. Athena and Delgado were two-time World Champions, Reserve Champion, and placed twice in the top 10.

But even more exciting was that Delgado and her mare had found their place in the showing world. They’d found Athena’s gift and passion. They found a place where Athena was respected and appreciated for exactly who she was.

They’ve also found a level of success that Delgado would never have imagined, winning multiple World Championships (among other honors) at the WDAA World Championship Show in 2020, 2021, and 2023.

Delgado has set their sights on the 2024 WDAA International Challenge and the 2024 World Championship Show.

Becoming a Breyer

But perhaps their biggest news for 2024: Athena will be immortalized as the Celebration Horse at this year’s BreyerFest.

“I thought it was a prank,” Delgado says, remembering when she received an email from representatives at Breyer. But it wasn’t.

Delgado was invited to a virtual call with Breyer. The 2024 theme had not been announced publicly, and she was sworn to secrecy: “Against All Odds” would feature stories of triumph over adversity, advancement in the face of disbelief, and defying expectations at every turn—a perfect match for Athena.

“Athena’s story resonates with so many people; everyone goes through tough times, but those experiences don’t have to define you,” says Delgado.

“I love that Athena represents both beauty and strength,” said equestrian artist Larissa Ann Ray, Delgado’s close friend and neighbor. “That mare is so powerful, but she moves like a ballerina. She has overcome difficult challenges with grit and grace. I can’t wait for her story to inspire so many more young girls this summer.”

Athena and Delgado will be on-site at BreyerFest, held at the Kentucky Horse Park from July 12-14. They’ll be signing autographs and doing riding demonstrations throughout the event.

“I’m really excited for everyone to see their relationship,” says Ray. “They’re magic to watch. Athena knows how much Amanda loves her and tries so hard for her. It’s a real privilege to see them together.”

While it may seem like Delgado changed Athena’s life more than the other way around, Delgado sees it otherwise.

“This horse has completely changed my life,” she says. “She’s my best friend and my partner. She’s beautiful and resilient; graceful and strong. There’s no quit in her. And for her story to be immortalized … it’s an honor and a dream come true.”

For More: Listen to our Barn Banter episode with Amanda Delgado about Athenian Lady’s story.

This article about Athenian Lady appeared in the July 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Meet Athenian Lady: 2024 BreyerFest Celebration Horse appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

PEQUANNOCK, NJ — BreyerFest: Against All Odds spotlights heroic horses and horsepeople with tales of triumph over adversity who have defied expectations and difficulties to become real-life stories of equine empowerment. Now in its 35th year, BreyerFest will take place July 12-14, 2024 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington – and online – with a robust virtual broadcast you won’t want to miss!

From Celebration Horse Athenian Lady, the one-time neglected rescue who made her name with multiple World Championship titles, to Alan A Day’s Work, a jumping mule who proved his mettle at horse shows, to virtual guest Blue Zeus, a blue roan Mustang who once roamed Wyoming’s Red Desert, fans will be inspired by unique stories of the hundreds of horses attending BreyerFest for meet-and-greets, photo ops, autograph sessions, equine entertainment, and demonstrations.

North Carolina-based Amanda Delgado was overwhelmed when she received an email from Breyer about her mare Athenian Lady. Hearing that Breyer thought Athena’s transformation made her the ideal candidate for Against All Odds’ Celebration Horse rendered her speechless. “I just started crying. It was surreal,” said Delgado, who is thrilled to share Athena’s courageous story with BreyerFest attendees.

From live horse demonstrations and autograph sessions to horse and human special guests, Against All Odds promises memory-making moments for a lifetime. Get to know rare Swedish Gotland Ponies from the largest herd on the continent. “So few rare breeds have success stories,” said Leslie Bebensee, whose Kokovoko Farm in Kentucky is home to 27 Gotland Ponies.

Special guests, such as Lauren Reischer, 25, who was born with Cerebral Palsy, will share their transformative journeys with horses. As Director of Development at Special Olympics New York (SONY), Reischer raised money to help create the Summer Show Series for the program’s equestrian athletes. Reischer still spearheads the SONY equestrian program, cultivating the next class of riders with disabilities. A Board Member of GallopNYC, the therapeutic riding organization where she learned to ride, Reischer personifies triumph over adversity.

“BreyerFest showcases the best of the horse world, and we’re honored to spotlight guests that are so inspirational for our 35th anniversary,” said Jaime Potkalesky, Breyer’s Director of Events. “There is so much to see and do for horse lovers, and for families who want to enjoy a fun-filled weekend in the country. BreyerFest welcomes people of all ages.”

On Friday and Saturday nights, the spotlight will shine on BreyerFest’s Celebration of Horses equestrian spectacle, produced by Sylvia Zerbini and featuring a dazzling cast of talent, including special guest Guy McLean of Australia. Included with all tickets, virtual attendees can livestream the show from the anywhere in the world.

Ever-popular returning attractions include workshops, seminars, free Stablemates model painting, live music, model horse shows, a kid’s jump competition and select films from the EQUUS Film Festival. DockDogs are back for an encore, with a lineup of eager canines that love to run, jump, and swim. Get your running shoes on for BreyerFest’s Never Say Neigh-ver 5K on Sunday morning, July 14th.  Limited edition Breyer models and more will be available for purchase, and the Vendor Marketplace will feature additional equestrian artwork, books, clothing and more.

The choice is yours! Attend BreyerFest in-person at Kentucky Horse Park or online at BreyerHorses.com. Tune into virtual content —live or on your own time—and feel like you’re there in Kentucky. All online ticket holders can access BreyerFest seminars and shopping—Virtual Marketplace and Virtual Artisans’ Gallery included—plus the evening Celebration of Horses show. Recorded seminars will be available to view again after BreyerFest weekend into the summer.

So saddle up and shop your tickets! They’re just a click away . . .

◆ BreyerFest 2024 Tickets

◆ A Preview of BreyerFest Guest Horses

◆ Special Guests

— Edited Press Release

About BreyerFest® 

Now in its 34th year, BreyerFest is a 3-day equine extravaganza bringing more than 30,000 fans together with 300+ live horses and thousands of model horses at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington each July. From model horse shows and hands-on workshops, to real horse demonstrations and equine celebrities, BreyerFest is the hub of the model horse hobbyist world—where creative animal lovers of all ages celebrate their passion. A hybrid event with online ticket options, enthusiasts from over 100 countries now livestream BreyerFest virtually from everywhere in the world. 

Discover everything straight From the Horse’s Mouth in the BreyerFest First Timer’s Guide, also available for Virtual First Timers.

About Breyer Animal Creations® 

One of America’s most iconic toy brands, Breyer Animal Creations is a division of Reeves International, Inc., a family-owned, NJ-based toy manufacturer and distributor that took home the nation’s Horse Industry Vision Award in 2021.  Celebrating its 73rd anniversary in 2023, Breyer has championed the horse and animals for decades. Breyer’s dedication to creating authentic, realistic model horses for play and collecting inspires a vibrant, devoted international community that considers Breyer far more than a brand. 

Learn more at www.BreyerHorses.com. 

Thanks to CareCredit for our 2024 equestrian coverage.

The post True Equestrian Heroes Set Stage for 35th BreyerFest®: Against All Odds July 12-14, 2024 in Lexington, KY appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.