816-Umcastef Farming, Saturday, April 5, 1997
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)
When the Saddle Cinches 4-H
Horse Club held its first open-to
the-public show last year, it didn’t
expect to have to provide stabling
for over two thousand horses. But
that’s what happened. Thankfully,
though, club members had done
their homework before the event
and were able to cope with the
unexpected crowd of animals. In
fact, they were so well organized
that they managed to fit all the
equines into the basement of Lan
caster’s Farm and Home Center
building.
All of this was possible because
the event was the club’s First
Annual Model Horse Show, and
the animals were plastic sculp
tures less than a foot high. Still,
accommodating the estimated
2,000 horse models and more
than 50 of their owners present
at the March 1996 show wasn’t
easy. Entrants were able to stow
their boxes of models on rows of
assigned tables and prepare their
prized equines for the show ring,
but despite Saddle Cinches’ best
efforts, space was a little tight
This year, however, the show
promises to be bigger and better in
more ways than one.
The Second Annual Saddle
Cinches 4-H Model Horse Show
will be held on Saturday, April 26,
beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the
Farm and Home Center in Lancas
ter, just off PA’s Route 72. Slated
for the event: more space and a
greater number of classes! Model
horse collectors from all over the
area and if this year’s crowd in
anything like last year’s from
as far away as Maryland, Dela
ware, and New Jersey, will have
the opportunity to show their
prized models to top placings and
championships.
If you’re new to the world of
model horse competition, you
may be wondering how plastic
ponies can compete in anything!
The answer is that model showing,
a horse-loving hobbyists’ pastime,
replicates a real horse show on a
small scale. The collectors’ entries
are lined up on a tabletop (the
“show ring”); then their owners
stand back and watch anxiously as
the judge inspects the animals and
decides who will receive the first
through sixth place ribbons. Mod
els are entered in breed classes,
where they’re evaluated against
the other “animals” present and
against, say, the appearance of the
ideal Morgan of Clydesdale horse.
Showmanship classes are judged
upon the model’s condition (qual
ity of paint job, freedom from
scratches or breaks), on the tack it
wears (a scaled-down halter or
bridle, like that needed to lead a
real horse, is required), and on its
position (as a showmanship class,
in the real horse world, requires
the handle to pose the animal
properly before the judge). It is the
performance classes, however,
which showcase all of the creativi
ty and realism which model show
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the publication of
author Marguerite Henry’s Newberry honor-winning pony
tale, “Misty of Chlncoteague,” a gift set of Breyer models of
Misty li and daughters Black Mist and Twister will be sold
and signed by owner Kendy Allen of Manhelm.
Model Horse Show Attracts Collectors
ing can offer.
“Performance” means, simply,
that the horse must be doing some
thing, and model performance
classes are packed with examples
of what a tiny equine can appear to
be doing, be it racing down the
track at Churchill Downs, separat
ing a cow from the herd, or clear
ing a jump.
In order to compete, models are
outfitted in miniature replicas of
saddles, bridles, and other equip
ment, most of it made by hand.
Readying a model for perfor
mance competition requires the
owner to know- the rules and-reg
ulations of each event from the
type of saddle a horse ought to
wear, to the colors in which to
paint diminutive jumps. Costume
classes, too, are one of the high
lights of any model horse event.
Here, you might see the tiny
horses decked out in silver-draped
parade saddles a la Roy Rogers,
wearing the brightly colored tas
sels of Arab chieftans’ mounts, or
carrying miniature knights in
armor into battle. The number of
variations is limited only by the
contestant’s imagination.
Model horse showing, then, can
be something of a spectator sport
as well as a hobbyist’s passion.
Observers and competitoros alike
are welcome at the Saddle
Cinches event: between classes,
visitors will be able to purchase
handmade tack and both new and
vintage models from vendors, and
enjoy homemade barbecue and
baked goods courtesy of the 4-H
food stand. The show’s main
attraction, however, will be the
model horse signing. 1997 marks
the 50th anniversary of the publi
cation of author Marguerite Hen
ry’s Ncwbery Honor-winning
pony tale. Misty of Chincoleague.
The book is still in print; and
Breyer, the leading name in the
model horse business, has
released a gift set of models in
honor of Misty’s enduring popu
larity. Misty 11, featured in the set,
is the real-life granddaughter of
the equine star of the book. She
and her daughters, Black mist and
Twister, are owned by Kendy
Allen of Manheim, who will be on
hand to sign Misty II gift sests for
a $3 fee at the show. Models
signed by the owner of the real
animals are highly collectible, and
visitors are welcome to either
bring a Misty set to be signed or
purchase one from Mrs. Allen at
the show.
Junior and senior champions
and reserve champions will
receive rosettes and a Breyer mod
el. Pre-entry fee of $lO due by
April 19, or $l2 on show day
enters 27 classes. Make checks
payable to Saddle Cinches 4-H
Club. To receive more informa
tion, or to register for the show,
send a self-addressed stamped
envelope to Kirsten Kauffman,
761 Hess Rd„ Elizabethtown, PA
17022. Questions? Call (717)
367-5295 evenings.
Klrsten Kauffman prepares for the upcoming Saddle Cinces 4-H Model Horse Show
to be held April 26 at the Farm In Home Center In Lancaster. Model horses are-jdOged
the same as live horses according to their breed and type. In addition showmanship
and performance competition will be held.
Explore Ephrata Cloister History
EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.)
In times when cellular phones and
e-mail are rapidly expanding the
world, the simplicity of paper and
ink as a form of communication
may seem a bit old-fashioned. Yet
paper has served as the medium of
exchanging ideas and recording
our heritage for centuries. The his
toric Ephrata Cloister will offer
the chance to discover more about
paper and its role in history during
the new interpretive program
Pages of History, Saturday, April
12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Throughout the day, visitors will
have the opportunity to try a little
paperwork, 18th century style!
“By the early 17405, the Eph
rata Cloister had become a com
plete publishing center, with its
own paper mill, printing press,
and book bindery,” notes museum
educator Michael Showalter. In
addition, the Cloister introduced
the Pennsylvania German decora
tive writing called Fraktur to
America. “Pages of History gives
visitors a first-hand look and a
chance to experience the crafts as
sociated with paper,” adds Sho
walter.
Richard Aldorasi of the Phila
delphia Handmade Paper Com-
pany will demonstrate and explain
the traditional techniques of turn
ing linen rags into fine quality pa-
per, just as the Brothers of Ephrata
Cloister did two centuries ago.
Craftsperson Claressa Resh, who
specializes in the reproduction of
Ephrata Fraktur writing and draw
ing, will offer information on the
art form. Printer Lee Haines will
demonstrate the printing process
used by the Cloister members to
produce impressive books and
pamphlets. Anthony Havers tick of
the Water Steet Bindery will dis
cuss the methods of bode binding
which the Brothers employed. Not
only will these talented people
share their knowledge with visi
tors, but invite viewers to try the
crafts for themselves. Decorative
paper work will also be featured in
the Museum Store with Fraktur
artist Myrtle Shreiner and paper
cutter Neil Haring offering insight
to their crafts. The Museum Store
also offers a wide range of items
relating to paper, including prod
ucts of the craftsmen demonstrat
ing during the day.
All activities, including guided
tours of the historic site, are in
cluded with admission to the
Cloister. Admission is $4 for chil
dren (age 6-12), SS.SO for Senior
Citizens (age 60 and above), and
$6 for adults (age 13-59). Ephrata
Cloister Associates members re
ceive reduced admission.
Founded in 1732 by Conrad
Beissel, Ephrata Cloister is one of
got milk.
America's earliest communal so
cieties. Gathered in unique medie
val style buildings, the community
consisted of celibate Brothers and
Sisters, and a married congrega
• tion of families. The life of the
celibate members was character
ized by severe discipline and self
denial of comfort. At the zenith of
the community in the 1740 s and
17505, about 300 members work
ed and worshiped at tSe*£|ftister.
Following the death of the last
celibate member in 1813 the mar
ried congregation formed the Ger
man Seventh Day Baptist Church.
Members continued to live and
worship at the Cloister until 1934.
In 1941 the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania acquired the historic
site and began a program of re
storation and interpretation. To
day, nine original buildings are
part of a 28-acre complex open for
visitors.
Ephrata Cloister is located in
Ephrata Borough, Lancaster
County on Route 322 at the inter
section with Route 272. The his
toric site is open Monday through
Saturday, 9 a.m. to S p.m. and
Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For
more information, call (717)
733-6600.
?