REYERFEST

As a way of getting closer and giving back to their customers, in 1990 Breyer started an event which has grown into THE location for thousands of model horse enthusiasts to congregate each summer from all over the world.

The first event was held in 1990 in Lexington, Kentucky at the Kentucky Horse Park (KHP), with the host hotel of the Holiday Inn North (HIN). (Jaunuary 2011: HIN is now Clarion Hotel, Lexington, but still the major center for BF activities.)

The second year, Breyer expanded to have four events around the country. However, in subsequent years, only one BreyerFest, at the Kentucky location has been held. The second year locations included Lexington, Kentucky and Ponoma, California.

BreyerFest has become the place to buy and sell the hard-to-find rare vintages, see artists' newest work (espeicially in the Artist/Artisan Hall), the newest company releases, and especially to meet old and new friends. Over the years, Breyer has added live shows (BreyerFest Live) for both open and novice showers, clinics and deomonstrations covering just about every aspect of the model horse hobby. Participants can watch the Parade of Breeds at KHP, wander the halls of the HIN for sales opportunities, tour the Thoroughbred farms and local racetack.

Each year one "dinner" special run model is available; this is a portrait of a real horse (who usually attends the event as a "guest"). In addition, numerous other special runs are available only at BreyerFest, as "tent" special runs (limited in number), as well as BreyerFest Live awards, raffle items, and there is an auction of many special runs and one-of-a-kinds.

As the popularity of the venue and BreyerFest increased, other events began to be held in/near/around BreyerFest. In 1995, the first North American Nationals (NAN) was held; the event is in Kentucky every other year. The Peter Stone Company has also set up their main customer event, Equilocity, to be held in Lexington at the same time.

In 2006, Breyer began a second annual event, in conjunction with the Western States Horse Expo at Cal Expo in Sacramento, California, called BreyerWest. It's nominally held on the first weekend of June.

The offical BreyerFest website can be found here. BreyerFest is usually held the third of fourth weekend of July. (Information is updated about six months before the event.)

BreyerFest 2006 program here (pdf).

Photos of some of the raffle/auction pieces from the 2008 BreyerFest can be found here.

Photos from BreyerFest 2009 can be found here.

Photos from BreyerFest 2010 can be found here.

BreyerFest 2011 information/photos can be found here.

BreyerFest 2012 information/photos can be found here.

BreyerFest 2013 information/photos can be found here.

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BreyerFest 2021 information/photos an be found here.

Photo credits:

Top: From Breyerfest 2007. This was one of the volunteer demonstrators. She was painting Stablemates. Her name is Jamie Rott. Photos by Melodie Dowell.

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