Armstrong's Bodacious Tah-Tah
Bay Sabino Clydesdale mare customized from the Breyer Clydesdale Mare

Bodacious is my stable mascot and the most successful show horse I've ever created, being a live show champion, a winner of dozens of photo show titles, and named 1991 Reserve National Champion Clydesdale of the Model Draft Horse Club! (No small feat considering the amazing competition in that club!)

I got the original idea to do her after seeing Laura Rock-Smith's older piece, the beautiful Diamonddraught (photo at right). I fell in love with the position and suddenly thought, what if I did a model like this but instead of choosing a regular draft color, what if I made her a pinto?! What an idea! By the time I finished her, I'd gotten many draft horse magazines and discovered to my disbelief that there are actually SPOTTED Clydesdales which have been fully registered and are shown to championship status! When I first started on her, I never expected that she would be able to be shown as a purebred Clydesdale, but I have photos and proof from the secretary of the Clydesdale Association of America to back me up!

Armstrong's Baby You're a Star
Bay Clydesdale colt customized from the Breyer Traditional Clydesdale Foal

This was the first draft horse I ever worked on, and I'd originally planned to sell him back when I customized him in 1989, but by the time I was done, I'd fallen in love with not only him but draft horses in general! Baby was responsible for opening my eyes to the beauty of drafters, and I've never looked back since! I enjoyed adding feathers to his legs and making a "bun" tail...I thought he was so neat looking that I was surprised I hadn't been more attracted to drafts before. A couple of years ago I resculpted Baby's muzzle to make it look nicer, but now I've been cringing every time I look at his skyward eyes...I guess he's going to be going back to the surgery lounge one of these days!

Armstrong's Showtime
Dapple bay Mixed Draft stallion customized from the Breyer Stablemate Draft Horse

This is the only Stablemate drafter I've done but he was a lot of fun to do; he has braids in his mane and tail, and even has tiny dapples! He also features ramie feathers, a very fine, silky hair which lends itself perfectly to Stablemates. This little guy has shown very well over the years, despite the fact that he was done a while ago...I think in 1990. Sold at BreyerFest 1995 to Barbara Birge and now shown as "Avon," and doing no less than third place at the live shows she's been to in the past six months! Congratulations!

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