What is
the
Tricked Out Pony
contest?
For the
eighth time, Horse-Power Graphics along with a model horse sponsor will
be offering this fun and exciting art contest, this coming year using a
Hartland model horse. Participants are free to decorate them in an
artistic and definitely non-realistic way, and enter this contest where
the winners are selected by a panel of judges. The winners will then be
announced at the 2009 Jamboree Winter Challenge Show at the Mariposa
County Fairgrounds in historic Mariposa, California and the entries will
be on display there February 28th and March 1st,
2009. The winning models will be auctioned for the benefit of the
artist, the sponsors and an animal charity. 
All
entrants will use the same Hartland Polo Pony model provided by Hartland
Horses seen here. Artists apply and pay an entry fee to contest manager
Horse-Power Graphics, Inc. The applicant is given free rein to decorate
it in any artistic fashion, provided it is not painted to look like a
realistic horse. This could range from decoupage, mural, patchwork, or
any media, and any design that retains the at least some of the original
form of the horse underneath.
Judges including well-known hobbyists, artists and horse owners will
vote for the winners prior to the announcements at the Jamboree Winter
Challenge Show. Ribbons will be awarded to the top six entries in each
division in each age division. Special awards will be awarded to the
First and Second place in each division in each category. The names and
information about the winners and the winning entries will be posted
here on the Horse-Power Graphics web site.
What
happens to the entries after the Jamboree Winter Challenge Show?
Horse-Power Graphics, Inc. will use eBay to auction the winning
models in each category in mid-March of 2009. Auctions may take place
over several consecutive weeks and may not be offered all at the same
time. You can even bid on your own model if you wish! Information on the
items to be auctioned and auction dates will be posted here. Those not
entered in the auction will be returned to the artists via UPS or USPS
beginning in mid-March.
50% of
the proceeds of each Tricked Out Pony auction will be donated to an
animal charity, 25% will to the sponsors, and 25% will go
back to the artist. Horse-Power Graphics, Inc. will handle payments to
the charities and to the artists once the auctions are all closed and
payment have been received.
Photos
of the Tricked Out Pony models along with their selling price will
remain here in the TOP Gallery.
2009 Adult Professional Division:
FIRST PLACE
"Equus Fontanus"
By Jennifer Williams
My horse this year is a working fountain! There are many
fountains around the world that feature horses and they inspired me to
make my own. I made him into a seahorse because I wanted a more ancient
feel and it works perfectly with the water. I sued my imagination to
find materials for the bowls. I used real seashells to accent the base
and included an access panel to reach the pump. It works really well and
looks really cool and I hope everyone likes it.
This is my fourth TOP contest, my second in the
Professional division, and I love it more every year. As always, a lot
of work but a lot of fun!
SECOND PLACE
"Siren’s Song"
By Becky Lisle
When I saw the contest model’s ears were turned back, I
envisioned creating something angry, malevolent and unstoppable. The
inspiration for the piece was the movie “The Perfect Storm,” in which a
commercial fishing boat is swallowed by a monstrous, once in a century
wave.
My interest in Greek and Roman mythology was also
integral to the piece. The siren’s beautiful haunting songs lured
sailors to their deaths on the treacherous seas, and the sea god Proteus
was said to be a shape-shifter. This piece is a composite of those
myths, portraying what might have befallen a fleet of ships unfortunate
enough to be out of favor with the gods.
Creating Siren’s Song was challenging in many was, but as
always, the fun of creating something concrete from an abstract concept
made it well worth while. After repositioning the model’s legs,
resculpting the neck, mane, and tail, he was anchored to the base by
being screwed to scrap wood. I ten used wire mesh to make the wave
armature and filled in gradually with Apoxy. Siren’s Song is painted
with acrylics and sealed with satin finish for a slightly wet but not
overly shiny look.
THIRD PLACE
"Picasso’s Horse"
By Olva Stewart Pharo
I cut off the head, tail, the front legs and the back
legs and put them all back together as Picasso would. Then I painted
them accordingly.
FOURTH PLACE
"Guitar Horse"
By Steffany Martin
This is my 3rd year being in the TOP contest
and my 1st entering as a professional. I chose to combine the
horse with my favorite instrument, the guitar. It was really fun and
challenging to create this one. I included the stand so that the
“guitar” can be displayed like a real one. For the paint job, I chose to
do basically the American flag since horses and guitars are very
American. The back was more abstract like a lot of guitar’s paint jobs,
but still like the “rock” feel.
2009 Adult Novice Division:
FIRST PLACE
"EMT"
By Esther Goodrich –Puffer
My name is Esther and this is my second time entering the
Tricked Out Pony contest. This year I decided to make my pony into an
ambulance – with a siren on his head, a stretcher on his back, a
stethoscope around his neck, and (Ace) bandages around his legs, this
pony is ready for any emergency!
The 2008 Entries have
been judged!
First Place Entries won this Plum Mink Stone Pebbles Arabian.
Second Place winners won the Copper Penny Stone Pebbles Arabian.
Youth 4-10 Division:
FIRST PLACE
"Mosaiciash"
by Megan Stoppani Age 9
"My horse's name is Mosaiciash, and he is a mosaic horse. I made a
mosaic horse because I like mosaics."
SECOND PLACE
"Mix Up Match"
by Jenna Stoppani age 7
My horse's name is "Mix Up Match". He is of nature, and I like nature.
One side is desert and the other is ocean.
Adult Novice Division:
FIRST PLACE
"Tiempo"
by Becky Lisle
Tiempo, which means "time" in Spanish, is the name of this mechanized
equine time machine. This is my third year entering the contest and ever
since my first year, I have liked the idea of somehow utilizing the
space inside the model. Creating Tiempo was one challenge after another
from start to finish, but I still had a lot of fun with the process. I
wanted to embody the constant movement of time so of course, I had to
put the model in "motion." Then came the installation of the windows
(made from pieces of a broken Carlo Rossi wine bottle...the piece almost
got named Carlo in honor of my purple muse!) and then the inner "time
machine." To finish him off, I completely re=sculpted the mane and tail,
and then painted him in layers of metallic colors to create a deep,
antiqued copper effect."
SECOND PLACE
"Horse of Every Color"
by Barbara Connors
This is not a horse of a different color, but a Horse of Every Color!
Gnomes at the Horse Painting Station have snuck in and decorated this
fellow's coat with a number of different colors and white patterns, and
snuck back out without even cleaning up their paint cans and brushes.
This fellow is left with and "every color" coat!
THIRD PLACE
"Blitz"
by
Steffany Martin
"The elemental tiger-horse of lightning. This is my 2nd year to enter
the Tricked Out Pony. I wanted to combine my two favorite animals as one
along with my favorite force of nature. I had a lot of fun doing it, and
look forward to next year!"
FOURTH PLACE
"Celtictoo"
by Jane Wagner
My “Tricked Out Pony” entry this year is inspired by the
popularity of tattoos. I thought it would be interesting to try a tattoo
look on the horse and I love the intertwining of Celtic designs. So I
attempted to combine the two with a blue tone “skin” color to offset the
black design.
FIFTH PLACE
"Sculpted Horse"
by Peter Flaiban
NOTE: This entry lost points in judging because no
description was provided.
Adult Professional Division:
FIRST PLACE
"Antique Ellegance"
by Jennifer Williams
This is my third year in the TOP and my first competing with the
Professionals. I made my pony into an antique carousel horse. It is
styled after horses from the early 1900's from famous artists like
Detzel, Carmel and Looff. He is an outside row stander which are most
prized by collectors because they were the largest and most elaborately
carved horses. I painted him to look like he is in the original paint,
which is also very appealing to collectors. This was a lot of work and a
lot of fun and I can't wait to see how he does!
SECOND PLACE
"Ol' Hayburner"
by Gloria Moore
It doesn't look like this guy has heard of the energy crisis. He's happy
as long as he has enough hay to keep his own internal-combustion fires
going. After all, long before gasoline-fueled engines became popular,
horse power was generated by hay-power.
This happy, grinning fellow has had his head and neck lowered, his mouth
opened, and teeth added. His right side is opened like a chiminea to
show his internal flickering fire (powered by 2 batteries which are
included!) Hayburner is done in multiple layers of pastels and acrylic
paints and then sprayed with several coats of matte fixative. His ears
have been carved out and he has a new mane and tail.
THIRD PLACE
"Farridae"
by Aimee Skee
Corgis were said to have been steeds for faeries, which is why the breed
usually sports a saddle-shaped marking on their back. This one is
lacking one - he must have been a wild stallion! Corgis were also
thought to be a gift from the faeries so that farm children had help
watching cattle. This particular Corgi-steed bears the name to honor that
gift, which means literally "a gift from Faeries". It seem like most
barns have both horses and these adorable fox-dogs. What better way to
honor both than to combine the two?
I've been customizing model horses for many years and doing the Tricked
Out Pony contest for the fifth year now. I enjoy doing fantasy models
the most, probably because I can get really creative and not be limited
by my crazy ideas, and I love every moment of customizing!
FOURTH PLACE
"Autumn Spirit"
by Jennifer Keiter
My name is Jennifer Keiter and this is my 4th year entering the TOP
contest. I love to get a little creative now and then and this contest
has been a good outlet for that.
This year I wanted to depict Fall, which is my favorite season. I love
the feeling that change is in the air and, of course, the colors of Fall
are a sight to behold. The leaves were my inspiration for Autumn Spirit.
He is a galloping horse but he is not held down by gravity. As he runs
he takes on the shape of a mass of leaves being blown by the wind. He is
the embodiment of that Autumn wind of change carrying leaves to and fro
towards destinations unknown.
FIFTH PLACE
"A Rooster's Wish"
by Olva Stewart Pharo
Once upon a time there was a Plymouth Rock rooster named "Plymouth," of
course. He took his job guarding the hens, very seriously. One day a
wild dog got into his yard and killed two of his hens. Plymouth called
to his hens to hide, but some had not been fast enough. He even tried to
chase off the dog but had to run and hide himself when the dog proved
too strong for him.
Across the road there were big animals called horses. They had hooves
and sharp teeth and could run fast and jump. When the dog tried to chase
the horses they chased it quickly out of their pasture, hooves flying
and teeth snapping.
Plymouth watched in amazement. If only he could be like that he would be
magnificent! He flew to the top of the fence, flapped his wings and
crowed as loud as he could. "I wish, I wish..."
Next time, instead of a munch of weak chickens the wild dog would heard
hear the thunder of hooves and the snapping of teeth - it was still all
black and white feathers but it was now a dogs nightmare and "A
Rooster's Wish".
SIXTH PLACE
"Big Bang Theory"
by Kelly Weimer
I've been collecting since 1978 and creating custom Decorators for about
5 years. This gut got his name from the first set of lights I tried - he
got so hot, I thought he would explode!
(This model has tiny lights inside and holes drilled in him to make a
lighted figure)
"Nazgul"
By Katie Langford
Ever since I started customizing model horses, I've
always wanted to do a Custom Ring wraith from Peter Jackson's Lord of
the Rings trilogy; I finally got around to doing it this year for the
TOP competition. Once I saw the horse was the ISH, I knew I had to do
it!
He's all tacked up with epoxy and cloth details, and even has a ring
wraith rider! They've been traveling all over middle earth searching for
those pesky hobbits and have been through some muddy areas, making them
an ornery pair I wouldn't want to come across!
NOTE: This entry arrived after the judging and display,
so was not included in the competition, but the artist wants the model
to be sold with percentage of the proceeds going to animal charities.
Adult and Child Collaboration Division:
FIRST PLACE
"Dino"
by Jodie and Melody Havens
"Dino" is a mythical creation thought up by my daughter, Melody.
Together we used Gapaxio to sculpt a new head, mane and forelock. We
also added a dewlap and extra skin behind the forelegs. It was melody's
idea to use rose thorns for horns and she chose all of "Dino's" colors.
She also helped paint and gloss "Dino" and helped glue the rhinestones.
Be sure to check out the galleries of entries
from the past Tricked Out Pony Contests!
