Copperfox - First Live Show Debut

Hi gang!

I have a couple of updates from the last week or so that I'd like to share with you;

Last week I received a fabulously LARGE parcel from utterly Horses.  I was a bit surprised as I'd already received my pledge model, so wondered if there had been a mistake.

There was no mistake I'm pleased to say, it was a box full of Welsh Cob models!  Copperfox had very kindly sent me one copy of each of the Welsh Cobs.  There was the Black, the Buckskin SR, an unpainted copy and the lovely shaded Bay.... and a grey!  I had a bit of a head-scratching moment as I racked my brain trying to remember the grey model from the Kickstarter, but it didn't register!

So, I emailed Becky at Copperfox thanking her for this most wonderful instant-collection, and asked her about this grey model.  She told me he is one of five test copies they had made for a possible future special run and that they wanted me to have one of those copies.  How wonderful is that?  I've not been a collector of OF models for many years (I had a respectable Peter Stone Pebbles collection once) but I remember the thrill of owning such a rare model, and one that, I don't believe, anybody else outside of Copperfox currently owns - what a buzz!

Last Saturday it was the Didmarton OF, CM and CTF Live Show in Gloucester (UK).  The Didmarton shows are a long-established group of shows that are perfect for more specific showing, as they are split into three shows; Preformance and Workmanship; OF, CM and CTF; and Artist Resin and China.  So I took along my new collection to show off to my friends and to enter into the special new section that Yvette, our host had added to the schedule specifically for the new Copperfox range.

There was a very impressive turn-out considering the Copperfox range is so new, I really enjoyed "spotting" the Copperfox models in amongst all the others that the collectors had brought along with them.

I entered the class for the Welsh Cobs (unsurprisingly!) and was thrilled when the Grey took first place!

He is now BMECs/NAN qualified which is very exciting, he also went through to the Copperfox championship lineup along with the winners for the Connemara, Exmoor and Mixed Breed classes.  I was tickled pink when the Champion rosette was placed at his feet!!  The top three included a Welsh, a Connemara and an Exmoor, which I felt was the perfect result for the first ever Copperfox division at a Live Show :)

I took with me a roll of tinfoil to the show.  I wanted to fatten up the armature for the second in my mini Lipizzaner series; the Courbette.  I am hoping to release the Capriole model (with the pink wires) this year and the Courbette next year, with the remaining disciplines following along as soon as I can do them, I'm very excited about this group of models, they have been playing on my mind for years, so it feels great finally releasing them into some sort of physical form, albeit rather odd-looking right now!

At the end of the Live Show, the Supreme lineup was looking fabulous, with a fantastic selection of OF, Simple Repaint CM and more Drastic Reworked CM, CF, Bendy, Plastic and even Felty finalists.  I was very proud to see my Copperfox Welsh Cob alongside all of these Champions, though I knew deep down that, whilst the Copperfox models are excellent quality for a company just starting out, he was out-perfected by some of the other models on the day.

The Supreme Champion was this gorgeous custom model, I believe the work was done by D'Arry Jones Frank, but could be wrong.

 The Reserve Supreme was another Custom but was Champion of the Simple custom section.  This Alborozo had been refinished by the late Kathy McKenzie.  It is wonderful to see her work still doing so well at the Live Shows.

And finally the Reserve to Reserve Champion was this OF Peter Shone Ideal Stock Horse, whose rich tones, glossy finish and lack of any flaws earned him the final Supreme rosette.

The Supreme winners were certainly worthy of their titles, but I still felt like I was the biggest winner of the day.  The new Copperfox range made a brilliant début in their dedicated section at the show and there was much discussion and excitement over them.  

We combined the event with a visit to see my family, it was really lovely showing them the Copperfox Welsh models that I had been a part of creating.  Over the weekend my niece uploaded a couple of photos to Facebook (I'm sure she won't mind me sharing!) and this one in particular just sums up how I feel about being a part of the Copperfox story.  My niece insisted on being photographed with each of the models and was completely fascinated by them.  I feel she will become a young collector soon along with so many young ladies (and gents!) around the world.  Winning rosettes is a fabulous feeling, but THIS is what it's all about!