Hi everyone!
It feels so nice to finally have a long weekend! The temperatures are warming up, the days are longer, and exciting events are slowly drawing closer. (It's even warmer the next week as I continue writing!)
As I'm preparing for my first local show of the year next month, I'm reflecting once again on the importance of shows offering a variety of collectibility classes, including those for larger SR and more common RR. For many years, the standard classlist for shows in my region meant classes organized by breed and double-judged. While it was nice to compete in Collectibility & Workmanship at the same time (it provided more options to win awards for the money spent by entrants), it served to deepen the divide of folks who chose to bring entries with the intent of competing in both aspects of a class - particularly for Collectibility.
As an aside - speaking as someone who has judged CM and AR breed many times over the years, I find that the gulf between what does well in Breed and what does well in Workmanship is not very large. The classes tend to not only be smaller than OFP (in particular), but the goal of many artists creating accurate representations of horse breeds tends to align well with careful and precise workmanship. I don't always end up placing horses in the same order as the Workmanship judge, but there is significant/frequent enough overlap that I personally don't feel it's as glaring of an issue as Collectibility.
Also, considering the China divisions are small, I don't know that there's really enough discrepancy there between Breed & Collectibility. I also notice that most OFC divisions are small enough that they can offer classes for Breed and Collectibility independently and not run too long, if double judging is a concern.
The Saga of OFP Collectibility - Particularly Breyer
In the late 90's or early 00's, likely brought on by the advent of NAN classifying Collectibility separate from Breed, many shows started to offer "double-judging" (I do not know exactly when it originated, but it was commonplace by the time I started attending Open level shows in 2004). This made sense at the time, there wasn't much push to have it separate - at least in my area, I do know of some Collectibility specialty shows in other regions that date back that far.
There was also less demand for separating out sub-sections of OFP at that time, Stone was still "relatively" new, and hadn't yet started cranking out as many micro runs and OOAK as it has in the last decade, and most people weren't really bringing other brands like Hartland. Mini shows & divisions were less common, but usually happened independent of larger shows that included other scales, finishes, and Performance.
The typical "big weekend" shows at the time had everything and the kitchen sink - CM/AR Halter (sometimes split between CM & AR, sometimes not, but splitting that up became more popular over time), OFC Halter, CMG Halter, OFP Halter - all double judged, and at least one Performance division. While there are some venues & hosts that can still pull this off now, for the most part the growing need for additional segmentation is rendering this approach unsustainable.
As time marched on, into the later 00's and 2010's, there weren't too many major changeups to this method of class list creation. Along the way, some additional Breed type classes were added, with the advent of additional molds from Stone and Breyer (in particular, the increase in variety of Gaited and Spanish type molds). In 2013, the change to NAN rules to allow certain Fantasy models to earn Collectibility cards really only resulted in most shows adding a couple of Fantasy classes at the end of the division. Eventually, a few more shows did also offer a few "Unrealistic color but not fantasy" classes to round out an all Collectibility Section that the Breed judge could skip and use the time to load their overall Champs.
"Sections" began appearing in longer class lists, particularly in the 2010's. This approach had a twofold appeal - There would be fewer models at the end of a division for a tired judge to decide between, and it allowed entrants to be able to pack up more models as they finish. Instead of having to leave out every model that won a first or second all day, you only needed to keep those who won Sectional champs or reserves. This didn't have a particular direct impact on Collectibility, but it was an overall quality of life change for attending shows so I wanted to mention it briefly.
What Are the Major Contributing Factors to Sentiments About Collectibility?
One major shift in show running that I do believe impacted sentiments about Collectibility was the general change in how many placings per class were offered, particularly for larger shows that offered double judged OFP. It's been common for many years that really popular classes such as Mustangs, Thoroughbred/STB, or Arabian may have upwards of 40-50 entries per class. For classes outside of the big outliers, it's not unusual to see 25-35 entries, and even the lightly attended ones tend to average around 15-20 for a large show.
When I started attending shows, the default amount of placings most shows offered was to 10th place, particularly for larger "everything and the kitchen sink" types. Some of the smaller ones would go to 8th or 6th. Over time, one of the strategies to save time and justify adding additional classes was moving to placing only to 6th - even for those really large classes of 50+! This was claimed to be a time saver for judges, so they don't need to write down as many results. Personally, as a judge, I heavily dislike this. Most classes, particularly the large ones in my region are highly competitive and on any given day will have at least 10 models that could win the class, or at the very least are deserving of recognition. Giving me fewer options to place is worse, because now I have to agonize over which of my top group I don't place, instead of slotting the lower candidates into the 7th-10th positions. While I understand the reasoning behind cutting placings down to 6th for smaller divisions which typically have fewer options per class, I don't agree with doing the same for OF Plastic. At the very least, I'd like to see a compromise for placing to 8th. When the shift happened, it felt VERY sudden, like we went straight to 6th from 10th and didn't really test out placing to 8th at all.
The other change that I believe happened within the same era, was the shift from allowing a base amount of 3 entries per class to 2 entries per class. Some shows did/still do allow buy-ins, but if you don't want to pay extra on top of you show fee, you may be restricted to 2 options for some shows. For double judged shows, my strategy was often one breed-leaning horse, one collectibility-leaning horse, and one that I felt like could do both, for shows that allowed 3 per class. With fewer options per class, I felt more compelled to focus on only models that could potentially place in both, unless I had a specific model I really wanted to qualify for one or the other. The goal of the class limit change was to make large classes more manageable for judges, but it also fed into justifying expanding some class lists (which was nice, if the balance was there, this did work).
I believe that both of these shifts aggravated the already developing apprehension in entering Collectibility for double-judged shows. Due to the nature of how the classes are structured, Breed judging is always done based upon entries that are uniform enough to each other that it makes sense to compare them. In contrast, Collectibility is a hodge-podge of everything from really common models to OOAK tests, micro runs, and otherwise highly unobtainable pieces. It's not really a surprise that all judges, including myself, will award the most collectible out of what is there, and it tends to be stuff that may be harder for the average collector to obtain. (Personally, I tend to lean more towards "old and rare" over "modern and rare" overall, but it's always based on what's on the table.) While I find the structure frustrating in general (hence this post), the knowledge of how things generally go hasn't dissuaded me from competing where I can, because I love Collectibility - it is one of my passions within the hobby.
But this is not the case for everyone. Increasingly over the years, I hear plenty of comments about how folks are dissatisfied with how Collectibility is structured, that they find it intimidating, or even that they've basically given up on trying to win anything in it and go for Breed instead. I am greatly troubled by this, because I don't think it's being structured in a way that's fair enough and feels exclusionary. And if enough people lose interest in Collectibility...like with any other aspect, that is not good for the longevity of the hobby. Collectibility and hobby history are fascinating topics, and if they are well presented and inclusive, they can be enjoyed by anyone.
As convenient as the double-judged standard was for a long time, I don't believe it is the best reflection of everything we as a collective community has to offer anymore. In some ways, the folks who care mainly about Breed, or who are on the Artisan side of the hobby (as discussed above, Workmanship doesn't feel as decoupled from Breed as Collectibility does), don't understand just how vast the gulf is for Collectibility showers. At least once, I've suggested the idea of offering a double-judged show but with the class list categories flipped on its head - split up by Collectibility rather than Breed, to have the Breed part be the "secondary" which is more difficult to judge - and at least a few people outright found it ridiculous or couldn't understand why I'd suggest such a thing. But that's the point. It's to show people exactly why this format isn't worthwhile anymore for anyone who isn't a collectibility enthusiast like me and/or isn't someone who consistently does well because of the focus on their collection.
In the past few years (including the few leading up to the gap of 2020/2021), there has been an increase in specialty shows again, including more diverse and creative class lists that have offered folks the chance to bring out models they might overlook otherwise! This has been really nice to see. A "specialty show" as I define it, is simply a show that does not try to do everything in the same day/weekend. It usually focus on one division type, one type of models, or may even be hyper specific (such as a single breed type). I think this is a good direction to go in - and I also love collaboration between two hosts to put on a whole weekend. One hosts one type of show, and another hosts a different type of show (or perhaps, the same type, but with a classlist that is quite different from the other!)
Another pinch point for the hobby right now (besides affordability, which is a broad discussion affecting every aspect and I don't have time to get into that here) is the growing "middle ground" of models that used to be competitive, but are less successful over time. This is more of a phenomenon that is impacting Breed, but it has affects for Collectibility too. As newer, more breed-accurate molds are introduced every year, especially from Breyer and Stone, a growing number of older molds are no longer considered the latest and greatest. The suggestion for any older mold that isn't as "viable" in Breed anymore is sometimes "just show it in Collectibility", but without adequately coverage in those classes, many of these models don't really fit in there either.
This evolution has left many hobbyists bewildered and frustrated, particularly those who prefer vintage molds, or anyone who's not consistently able to go out and invest in the latest & greatest molds (or those new molds don't match their collecting tastes). It can feel like being pushed away from a hobby and community they used to enjoy, but now there's less of a point if they do care about coming home with some awards. It's not a big deal for everyone, some folks still enjoy the social aspect and/or the eye candy first and foremost and are not necessarily bothered if they don't do as well as they used to. I do think it is one of the biggest reasons that people just up and leave the show side of the hobby without explanation - they may not want to cause any drama or be accused of whining, so it's easier to just not say anything at all.
This is why it's really important to have a greater focus on exploring specific niches within divisions - mini shows, innovative class lists, giving Workmanship & Collectibility more spotlight with flushed out options, etc. The more we grow and evolve, the better chance we have of retaining interest in live show events in general. And I cannot stress enough to anyone looking to host a specialty show - if your classes are NOT broken out enough, there's less incentive for folks to pick your show over a larger catch-all type, if they must choose. For example, there was a breed type specific show in my area years ago, and while it offered classes in every usual division for that breed type (OFP, CMG, CM, AR, OFC, Performance, etc.), it basically only took the same classes from a regular show and did not expand further. It could have grouped models within each breed included by color, gender, scale, but it did none of that. The show was still enjoyable, but I felt like it could have offered more and been more unique.
Of course, with any show, you run into the conundrum of how much you can offer vs. how much time you have in a day and space in your venue. I don't want to downplay that, because trying to do too much is how catch-all shows became more and more unsustainable, but doing too little will mean less interest from potential entrants and a potential loss of your time/money.
How does this tie into my title?
I apologize for the long pre-amble, but I believe the background is necessary to understand the rest of the discussion! Now that I've covered a history of the Collectibility division (based on my local experience), and some of the challenges facing Collectibility, I want to dive into ways in which folks can support "common collectibility" and explore a few examples of models you might see in certain classes that fall under this definition.
Every model horse is collectible to some degree. We often think of the rare and unobtainable when first thinking about the term "Collectibility", but just like Breed, every model can compete, given the correct conditions and class structure. Under the double-judged system, a broad spectrum of different collectibility levels are present in each class, leading only the rarest pieces to make the cut for placement. The judges' decisions are on a whole, objective, but there are a lot of subjective factors that eliminate most of the field fairly quickly. The chances of multiple of the same super rare model being present are much lower than the same easier to find model for Breed (though my region has proved time and again, that percentage is never 0! Ask me about the time I had TWO woodgrain IBM in the same callback!)
Whereas for Breed, unless you have molds that aren't overly competitive compared to what else is on the table that day, and you aren't showing anything with a rash of obvious condition issues, you have a decent chance of placing as much as anyone else. If you have a Lady Phase and 9 other people have other Lady Phases, if that's the mold the judge deems "best stock horse" out of what is entered, those 10 Lady Phases then have an equal chance to win/place well.
When Collectibility classes are broken out appropriately for the population served by the division (OFP Breyer? Stones? Minis? etc.), the classes feel more like Breed - you are on a far more even playing field than with a double-judged class, and your likelihood of placing is harder to estimate but more likely to occur overall. I can look at a double judged class and know pretty quickly if I'm likely to place in Collectibility or not, but Breed is usually somewhat uncertain.
The better dialed in the class list is, the easier prep may be for entrants as well. There is less uncertainty about what competition you may be up against, or which of your models you should bring (it's not infallible though, especially if you are still relatively inexperienced at entering divisions based on Collectibility!) Finally, offering a balanced amount of "Mid-Common" range classes will help widen your entrant pool - if you restrict to only rarer stuff, fewer people will attend.
I understand that for some folks, thinking about judging mid-range or common collectibility classes may feel intimidating, simply because you are probably not used to assessing those models often if most of what you focus on is rarities. This is fair! But like with anything else, practice and research helps. Some "mid tier" or "common" models can actually be fairly desirable, hard to find, or even relatively expensive these days. They still can't compete with rare vintages, OOAK, event models or anything, but they may totally shine compared to their peers. Even a more common run with really nicely done shading and details deserves to be celebrated!
For my Novice/Intermediate show, I always offer basic Collectibility classes that trend more towards commonly available models. (More on NENE in an upcoming blog post, since I'm now accepting entries!) It's a good foundation for understanding how Collectibility operates, and the classes are tailored more towards what I usually see in the collections of folks who attend.
So, how do I judge "common collectibility"?
It's honestly not too much different than any other level of collectibility! Age may not be as much of a factor if you're looking at modern regular runs, but that's also true for say a BreyerFest raffle model from only a year or 2 ago. Condition should be the same amount of consideration, especially in cases where you may have multiple of the same run (which is less likely with rarities, sometimes you have 2 but 3+ is very uncommon) and need to look more closely to decide between them. Rarity can still fluctuate between common models - they'll range from models like Lil Ricky Rocker who was available for over a decade without too many major changes, to some that were only available for 3-6 months or had variations within the run. Some more "widely available" SR may be considered harder to find due to the original source, even if they weren't overly limited in quantity. Desirability is still based on things like mold & color popularity. Also, some 2000's RR especially have had spikes of people looking for them years later with few available. Consider that most TSC aren't super expensive once retired, but models like Dollar are still very hard to find (and unlike most TSC, Dollar has a stated run amount of 3000) due to mold/color popularity and also the interest from fans of John Wayne in addition to hobbyists.
Thus far, there have been more folks giving their thoughts on the 2000-2009 class, which I understand. Common Collectibility in particular is easier to parse through the older the models are, particularly when taking into account trends in popularity over time. Some models are not super popular initially, but they see a spike later on. Sometimes, another model is released on the mold and this causes a brief jump in folks looking for others on the same mold. Other times, people will look back after a number of years and realize they overlooked a certain horse.I think in the past I've done these on FB, but thought it would be fun to try here this time. When many of us think of "collectibility", we immediately think of the rarer, vintage, hard to find pieces. I am a strong advocate of the notion that every model has some level of "collectibility", and that offering various categories for live or photo shows (such as RR, SR, LR, Vintage) makes the division more accessible for participation
Today, I want to offer a couple of sample "classes" for people to consider (I think we've had a few threads like this in the past, but usually on Breed), and choose their "Top 5" for each. Both will be Modern Regular Runs - but as you'll note, even within regular runs, there are some that are more limited, harder to find, or more desirable than others. There is more nuance than you might expect when first thinking about modern regular runs! I would love to hear your reasons for your choices!
Each "class" will have 9 "entries", so you only need to put 5 of those in order (though if you want to place all 9, that's totally fine too! I just don't want it to be too time consuming). I've linked to at least one photo on IDYB for reference for each model, but please visit the mold's IDYB page and/or BreyerHorseRef for additional photos/context if needed.
CLASS 1 - Breyer Regular Runs Introduced 2000-2009
*Options*
Brighty - Available in 2007 only, originally came with book - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/Images2/1295a.jpg
Barbaro - Available in 2007 only. Two versions released, one prior to his passing and one after. Model comes with COA - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/Images2/1307a.jpg
Picture Perfect Draft - Available in 2007 only. Accessories included: disposable camera, flower pot, background, photo frame, and instruction booklet. Those who purchased this set new in 2007 were encouraged to use the included items to enter Breyer's photo contest. - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/01305a.jpg
Firefly - Fall Collector's Edition July-December 2001. Came with hang tag and a special box sticker - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/Images3/1130jc1.jpg
Shasta Moon - Spring Collector's Choice January-June 2009 - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/Images3/1363a.jpg
Akhal Teke - Limited Edition 2007 - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/Images3/1282a1.jpg
Nokota - Benefit Limited Edition 2007 - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/1279a.jpg
Caravelle - Limited Edition Portrait 2006. Came in set with stallion Chubasco - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/001268.jpg
Zips Chocolate Chip - Limited Edition Portrait 2003 - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/1197a.jpg
CLASS 2 - Breyer Regular Runs Introduced 2010-2019
*Options*
(Abraham Lincoln's) Old Bob - 2012 only, comes with black & silver blanket and silk covered "top hat" - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/1442d.jpg (with accessories - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/1442c.jpg)
Hickory Hills Wall Street - 2016-2017 - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/1761c.jpg
Bay Pinto Gem Twist - Introduced Mid-Year 2013, retired December 2013. It is unclear why this model had such a short run. He was not advertised as a Limited Edition - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/001705a.jpg
Glossy Red Dun Lady Phase - ELCR Benefit 2010. Comes with hang tag - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/01428.jpg
Best of British Newsworthy (Loose mane) - 2015-2016. Partway through the run (I can't recall if this was fall 2015 or spring 2016, if you remember please let me know!) collectors unexpectedly started seeing loose mane/tail versions of this run in stores, after 6 months-1 year of only having the braided version. The braided version (to my knowledge) was available concurrently with the loose hair version through the end of the run. The braided version was initially exclusive to the UK for a short time before hitting stores in other countries. - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/9170long2.jpg
Four Seasons Treasure Hunt (Glossy Fall) - The 2010 Treasure Hunt featured Othello in 3 colors named after the Seasons, each with matte and glossy versions. Collectors would obtain one UPC from each Season to mail in and receive the Prize "Winter" in matte or glossy during 2010. - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/1417g1.jpg
Bonanza TV Series "Chub" - The 2011 Bonanza series featured a range of Breyer products based on 4 equine characters from the Bonanza western TV series that originally aired from 1959-1973. "Chub" is the mount of the character Hoss Cartwright. - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/1453a.jpg
Weathergirl Treasure Hunt (Thunderstorm) - The 2011 Treasure Hunt featured 3 colors on the Weathergirl/Trotting Arabian Mare mold name after weather conditions. Collectors would obtain one UPC from each Weathergirl to mail in and receive one of 3 "Rainbow" prizes (matte or glossy pintaloosa, or the rarer clearware rainbow) during 2011. This was the final Treasure Hunt series to date. - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/1462b.jpg
Glitterati - In 2015, Breyer celebrated their 65th anniversary with Glitterati, a glossy bay semi-leopard appaloosa on the Western Horse, who has black tack with gold accents. He came in a special box with a spread about Breyer history on the back panel. - https://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/1735a.jpg
I'm excited to hear what everyone thinks! I hope this is fun ☺️"
I encourage everyone to take another look at your "common" models - they are special too and deserve to shine in their own way! Collectibility is meant to be fun and should be accessible for everyone. 💖
Thanks for sticking it out through this unusually long post! If you want to play along and "place the classes", especially if you aren't on Blab, feel free to leave a comment! 😊
Comments
Post a Comment