The Complete RTB BreyerFest Guide

 The Complete RTB BreyerFest Guide- In Person and Virtual

The Road To BreyerFest Guide To BreyerFest: In Person and Virtual

Welcome to Road To BreyerFest and BreyerFest in general! This whole group serves as a great guide to plan your BreyerFest Adventure, learn more about the Model Horse Hobby, and it is a great, positive community to share your plastic ponies, real horses, and so much more. Our Guides, which can be found here: Road To BreyerFest | Facebook  , are a great place to learn everything to expect during BreyerFest, find maps on where to find locations at the event, find links to the virtual marketplace vendors, and so much more. This Guide will be going in depth on the First Timer’s Guide that is released from Breyer and can be found here: BreyerFest First Timer's Guide - BreyerHorses.com

What To Expect

For the in person event, this is almost a loaded question. There will be real horses, plastic horses, seminars, workshops, a place to learn about the hobby from the artists and big hobby names, and so much more. You will be able to shop the BreyerFest store in two different locations and experience the Kentucky Horse Park up close and personal. Each thing to experience will be broken down later in this Guide, so don’t worry about not knowing something now.

For the virtual event, this is a great question! While you will not be traveling to the event in Kentucky, you will still be transported there through your computer (or whatever you use to access the event) screen. You have it much easier because you have comfort and air conditioning and not having to walk miles each day! You will get to see equine demonstrations, interviews with Guest Horses and Hobby Members/Artists, view seminars, have workshops, and so much more. Each experience will be broken down later in this Guide, but I am holding off on that section until Breyer releases all of the juicy details that we so desire!

In Person Event

For tips and tricks during the In Person Event, I have to always recommend our BreyerFest Tip and Trick Post in the BreyerFest for Beginners Guide. This post highlights tips and tricks that have been sent in by many BreyerFest veterans over the years and includes all of Breyer’s tips and tricks. 

No matter what someone tells you, there will be lines at BreyerFest. These lines can be long, they will be hot, and you will get cranky. From the line that forms to the Breyer Store on Thursday night into Friday Morning to the line that forms to pick up your Special Runs, expect to stand in line. Now, that is not saying that these lines will be there all day long. No, they will dwindle in size during certain times of the day and then swell back up before dwindling back down again. My best advice, along with many of the Roadies, is to check and see what the line looks like. If you are not able to stand in the line, then by all means check back later. If you think that you got this, go for it! There is absolutely no reason to actually stand in the super long line to get into the BreyerFest Store on Friday morning, that is for the hardcore crazy people, like me. Breyer will restock the stores through the weekend and the same items are available in both stores, according to Breyer.

Bags are a point of contention during BreyerFest and there is indeed a size requirement of what is allowed into the BreyerFest Stores and what is not. There is a bag check located near the stores that allow you to store your bags for up to an hour, but you must pick them up after that time. Bags that are larger than a traditional sized model (around 10 inches) are NOT allowed into the BreyerFest Stores. This means that rolling bags of all sizes, wagons, duffel bags, large purchases or tote bags, backpacks, and all shopping bags are NOT allowed into the BreyerFest Store. The source of the size and what is not allowed is from the First Timer’s Guide page 1. Wagons and rolling carts are allowed on the concourse of the Covered Arena, however please be aware that this area is CROWDED and could potentially cause an injury, even if by accident. (I got ran over last year, LOL!)

There is a shuttle this year! It is recommended to use it, especially if you are wanting to check out the Clarion. The Shuttle Schedule has been posted in the First Timer’s Guide on the Breyer website and will definitely be getting its own post here in the group under the Let’s Talk BreyerFest Guide. The shuttle has two routes for the Kentucky Horse Park itself and two routes for the hotels. Definitely be sure to read this carefully as it has caused confusion in the past!

The Kentucky Horse Park Routes- runs approximately every 15 minutes

Red Route- This is a continuous route around the perimeter of BreyerFest. It will take you to certain stops through the parking lot and on the edges of BreyerFest itself. This is a great shuttle to take if you are parked out in the far end of the parking lot and need to get closer to the gates.

Blue Route- This is a straight shot from the Altech Arena to the Rolex Gate, which is the entrance of BreyerFest itself. It does not stop at any other location.

The Hotel Routes- runs approximately every 30 minutes

Green Route- This is the Clarion route which runs from the Kentucky Horse Park to the Clarion Hotel on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings from 5 PM EDT to 11:30 PM EDT.

Yellow Route- This is the Hotels route and it services the local hotels in the area- The Candlewood Inn and Suites, the Embassy Suites, Mainstay Suites and Quality Inn, and the Clarion. It does not go to any other local hotels. The hours are not listed, but it would appear to be the same as the Green Route.

The maps to the Shuttle Information will be posted in the Let’s Talk BreyerFest Guide Post about Shuttles.

Models

Every ticket comes with a model. That’s right, you read that correctly. Every BreyerFest Ticket comes with one Event Model. What are the Event Models? The Celebration Horse Model and the set of four Stablemates are the event models. You can find their pictures in this album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...

The VIP Ticket will come with one Celebration Horse Model and a full set of the Event Stablemates. *

The All Access Ticket will come with one Celebration Horse Model *

The General Access Ticket will come with one randomly selected Event Stablemate *

*Reminder that this is only the Event Models and not the other models released for BreyerFest.

For the Celebration Horse Model, you will be able to redeem your Redemption Ticket at the Special Run Line or the Event Model Pickup location, depending on your ticket type. There will be a map placed in the Let’s Talk BreyerFest Guide. You can pick up these models all weekend long.

For the Event Stablemates, General Access Ticket Holders will be able to redeem their Redemption Tickets at the Event Model Pickup Tent. You can pick up these models all weekend long. Breyer states that these are randomly selected and many people will stick to that, however if the lines are not too bad, they MIGHT give you the Stablemates that you select.

VIP Ticket Holders- You will be picking up ALL of your models at the Special Run Line Tent. This means that your Celebration Horse Redemption Ticket, your full set of Event Stablemates Redemption Ticket, your two Special Run Redemption Tickets, and your two Limited Edition Redemption Tickets will all be turned in here and the model horses will be given to you in this location.

All Access Ticket Holders- You will be picking up your Special Run Reservation Tickets (both the labeled ones and the Wild Card Ticket ones) at the Special Run Line Tent. You can choose to redeem your Celebration Horse Model in this tent or in the Event Model Pickup Tent.

General Access Ticket Holders- You will be redeeming your Event Stablemate Redemption Ticket models at the Event Model Pickup Tent.

Special Runs

As mentioned above, there is a Special Run Line Tent this year. This is where all of the VIP and All Access Ticket Holders will redeem their Redemption/Reservation Tickets for the Special Runs. There will be a line set aside for the Wild Card Tickets per the First Timer’s Guide on Breyer’s website page 8. This will be the only place to pick up the Special Runs.

Limited Editions

If you do not have a VIP Ticket, you will be purchasing your Limited Editions in either of the BreyerFest Stores. Stock does get restocked daily, so if they are sold out, check back later.

If you have a VIP Ticket, you will be redeeming the Redemption Tickets for the two Limited Editions that you have already paid for in the Special Run Line Tent. All other Limited Editions that you would like to purchase will be available in the BreyerFest Stores.

Online Only Limited Editions

These Limited Editions are available to all ticket holders during BreyerFest weekend, however you must purchase them via the website. This model is not available for VIP Ticket Holders to pre-purchase.

Special Runs for the All Access Ticket Holders

There are no Special Run Times any more. Special Runs can be paid for and picked up all weekend long.

If you purchase your All Access Tickets before the Special Run Preference List cut off in Spring (There will be an announcement), then you will be using the Special Run Preference List to rank the special runs in the order that YOU like them. From that list, Breyer will do everything that they can using an unreleased algorithm to select the Special Runs near the top of that list. When you receive your Ticket Books, you will be able to see which Special Runs were selected for you as their Reservation Tickets will be in that Ticket Book. If your selections were not available, you should be receiving a Wild Card Ticket.

If you purchase your All Access Tickets after the Special Run Preference List cut off in Spring, all of your Reservation Tickets will be Wild Card Tickets.

You will be paying for and picking up your Special Runs at the event in July.

You can definitely read more about Special Runs, Limited Editions, and all of the model information in our Guides linked at the top of this post.

Activities at BreyerFest

BreyerFest is a place where you can do so much that it is physically impossible to experience it all in one day or even one weekend! However, if you are like me, you will do your best to do that. Take my advice- Pace Yourself! It is hot and humid in Kentucky. Make sure to drink a lot and don’t forget to eat. Check out the Museums if you get too hot.

Covered Arena

The Covered Arena is the hopping place to be during BreyerFest. This is where the Equine Demonstrations happen and you will get to see those awesome Guest Horses perform and do what they do best! This is also where you will find the Breyer Booth, the Vendor Marketplace, the Breyer Lounge, and the Breyer Baby Lounge.

Seating in the Covered Arena is limited so if you want to sit down and watch the demonstrations, make sure to get there early or stalk the sections, like I do. There is a snack stand in the Covered Arena, so you do not have to go far for food, unless you want to.

The Breyer Booth is the place to check out the BreyerFest Silent Auction. There are many donations from BreyerFest Vendors, Guest Horse Owners, and artists to bid on all weekend long. Bidding ends on Sunday at noon. You must be present at the Breyer Booth to win.

There is NO Information regarding Raffles at this time

The Breyer Lounge is a paid in advance place to relax and watch the Equine Demonstrations. This area provides air conditioning, a place to relax, and light refreshments. Tickets are required and space is limited. When these tickets go on sale, there will be a post. There are no physical tickets for this location, so you will need to save your email confirming that you have purchased this ticket. Names will be checked when you arrive.

The Breyer Baby Lounge is for parents that are looking for a bit more privacy and quiet to take care of their little ones. This area offers a private room with a changing table, a changing pad, chairs, and electricity. You do not need a ticket to access this area.

Around the Covered Arena

This is the area that surrounds the Covered Arena, but it outside of the actual arena itself.

The Hobby Center

Known as the Hands On Hobby Tent in the past, this is a great place to learn from some of the hobby greats. From artists that will show you how to paint a model to customizers that show you how to hack up and reposition a model to make it something completely new, you will definitely find something to peak your interest here. Don’t forget to stop by, see what they are working on, and talk to them. You never know what you will learn about!

Diorama Contest

VIP and All Access Ticket Holders that are participating in this contest will need to drop off their entries at the Hobby Center Tent on Friday between 9 AM EDT and 5 PM EDT. Entries will be on display to the public until Saturday at 4 PM EDT and the winners will be announced by 1 PM EDT on Sunday. Unclaimed Dioramas will be discarded. Please make sure that you read all of the contest information before entering this contest, especially the fine print.

Special Run Line Tent

This HUGE Tent is being the place for three different things this year. VIP Ticket Holders will be picking up their models (all of them) using the Redemption Tickets in their Ticket Books here, All Access Ticket Holders will be picking up their Redemption Card Special Runs here as well as the Wild Card Redemption Card models here. For those with All Access Tickets, you are also able to pick up your Celebration Horse Models here as well.

Event Model Pickup Tent

Located next to the Special Run Line Tent, this tent is the place to pick up your Event Models for the All Access and the General Access Ticket Holders. This tent shares a line with the line tent for the BreyerFest store in the Covered Arena.

Collector Club Tent

Located at the foot of the ramp to the Covered Arena, this tent is open to Collector Club members only. Yes, you can take your kids inside. Please do not leave your kids unattended outside the tent- they might be used for bag holders! This is a place to sit down in some fans and shade, have some water, chat with Breyer staff, and see what the Collector Club and other Clubs have in store for the rest of the year.

Guest Horse Autographs

Over in the barns, there is a section that is highly spoken about. This is a place to meet, greet, and get the autographs of this year’s portrait models that are at BreyerFest. There will be a full schedule in the program that highlights when you will be able to see each horse and get that model signed and the full schedule will be posted here in the group as well. There will be staff members on hand to answer questions directly related to this area during the event. Signings are limited to 200 people each and numbers are handed out fifteen minutes before the horse’s session. This area is super busy, so it is recommended to stay where the Breyer staff says and definitely do not get in the way of the horses that are grazing, being worked, or being groomed.

The Altech Arena

Standing over by itself, away from the main area of the Kentucky Horse Park, stands the revolutionary Altech Arena. Air conditioned and with plenty of room, this arena is home to several things during BreyerFest.

BreyerFest Open Show and Children and Youth Show

The Open Show is Friday 7 AM EDT to 5 PM EDT and the Youth and Children’s Show is Saturday 8 AM EDT to 4 PM EDT. Located in the North Exhibit Hall, you do need to pre-register to attend these Shows. Registration will be announced soon and there will be a post in this group. These entries sell out fast! Guests are welcome to come observe and you can look around at all of the awesome models, however definitely do not touch and be very careful not to disturb anyone.

Workshops

Located in the South Exhibit Hall in the Altech Arena, these workshops are a great hand on introduction to all things model horse. Workshops are open to VIP and All Access Ticket Holders and you will need to re-register before the event. These will be released soon and do sell out fast. If you are a parent and you want your child to attend the workshop, you will need to be with them. If you are wanting to participate in the workshop alongside your child, you will need to register for the workshop as well.

The BreyerFest 5K

Taking place on Sunday during BreyerFest, this benefit 5K runs a lovely route around a portion of the Kentucky Horse Park, starting at the Altech Arena. You will need to register in advance. This can be done online after BreyerFest Tickets go on sale or before the race on Sunday at 6:30 AM EDT. There are awards handed out after the race. Each participant will receive a BreyerFest 5K finisher’s medal and a commemorative t-shirt. Packet pick up and onsite registration will take place Friday and Saturday near the Covered Arena.

Other Activities Around The Kentucky Horse Park During BreyerFest

These are free activities that you can experience during the event. Some might include things that you can purchase and some might be entirely free.

Stablemate Painting

This FREE activity is open to all ages, parents and kids alike. Located in the Annex ring, which is behind the Covered Arena, this large tent is the location to paint some pretty ponies. This activity is limited to one per person per day. If there is a lot of demand, they might limit it to just kids for a time period.

The Celebration Park

Located to the side of the Covered Arena, away from it and across a lovely bridge, this is place for all of the free activities. There are pony rides, a petting zoo, a kid’s jumping contest, circus performers and face painting, the Big Dig, Dock Dogs, and more.

In this area, there will be a Beer Garden and food trucks so that you can rest and relax in the shade with some good entertainment and refreshments.

The Visitors Information Center

This is the place to preview all of the Live Auction models on Friday before the Auction on Saturday evening.

This is also the place for the free Seminars. These seminars are open to all ticket holders and are about 60 minutes long and feature a wide array of presenters. The complete list and schedule will be released in the Program and posted in the group when available.

The Kentucky Horse Park

Included in your BreyerFest Ticket is admission to the greatest place in the world for equine lovers, the Kentucky Horse Park. Some things to not miss out on as you adventure around the park is:

The Hall of Champions

The Breeds Barn

The Kid’s Barn

The Big Barn

The International Museum of the Horse

The American Saddlebred Museum

The Gift Shop (Some Breyers are sold there)

and so many other things to see and do.

There will also be several live horse shows during BreyerFest weekend so if you feel up to it, take a stroll to the arena where they are happening and check them out! Spectators are always welcome.

This is about everything for the In Person Event that you might see and do around the park. Please make sure to check out our Guides for a lot more in depth information on everything BreyerFest related!

The Virtual Event

The BreyerFest First Timer's virtual event Guide can be found here: BreyerFest Virtual First Timer's Guide - BreyerHorses.com

What To Expect

There is much more to the virtual event than meets the eye. Many people brush off this part of the event as not as fun as in person or that there is not much to experience at all. However, that is simply not the case! In addition to what everything Breyer has to offer that will be posted here, Road To BreyerFest offers a virtual Room Sale through the RTB Sale and Trade Group for those that are still wanting to sell their models or trade them. I also make MANY posts all BreyerFest weekend long and do my best to make videos and I am hoping to get a small microphone to interview the horses this year! Let’s get into what Breyer will offer!

First, you will need to purchase one of the two ticket types to attend the virtual aspect of BreyerFest. The in person tickets do offer the virtual content as well, however if you cannot find a pick up person or you are unable to make the trip, the virtual ticket options will allow your Event Models to be sent to your location. These ticket types are well explained in the Guides of Road To BreyerFest. But, let’s dive into what to expect during BreyerFest weekend, that is totally why you are here.

Once BreyerFest weekend rolls around, you will need to log into the Breyer account that purchased the BreyerFest Tickets. You will notice that there is a banner that says Enter BreyerFest. Once you click that banner, you will be taken to the virtual content.

The BreyerFest homepage will be divided into a lot of different sections ranging from the Live Broadcast to Workshops and more! You are able to click on the pictures and it will take you to the page associated with those tabs.

The Live Broadcast offers a commentary from Kimber Goodwin. You will be seeing interviews with the Guest horse owners, BreyerFest Guest speakers, BreyerFest fans, and more.

You will be able to see all of the Equine Demonstrations from the Covered Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. Be warned! Horses do not follow times and some times, things can be delayed or changed from the program. If you miss something, this is usually available on demand after it is finished streaming for the day.

You will be able to view the Celebration of Horses Evening Performance starting on Friday, July 14th at 6:30 PM EDT. This one of a kind show is a great thing to experience and watch, no matter where you are in the world. The artistry and expression of the horse will almost bring tears to your eyes.

There is a BreyerFest Seminar series that is free to watch and covers the topics or real horses and model horses!

Plus there will be check ins all around the Kentucky Horse Park.

There will be pre-recorded content that will be available to Online Traditional Access Ticket holders. These are workshop like videos that are free to watch. However, you will need to purchase your own supplies. When the supplies are posted on the website, they will be added to the Guides in the group so that you are able to see them, click links where you can find the harder to find items, and more. In addition to these workshops, any guest performers or entertainers that are unable to make it to the in person event will provide video content to view during BreyerFest weekend.

There are Model Horse Shows available to VIP, All Access, and Online Traditional Access Ticket Holders. These shows are as follows: Breyer Boot Camp, Breakables Live, and the Resin Futurity. There will be much more information posted about these Shows before the event.

The Online Diorama Contest is available to VIP, All Access, and Online Traditional Access Ticket Holders. Please make sure to read all of the rules and regulations regarding this contest as there are restrictions.

Special Runs

Online Traditional Access Ticket Holders will be using the Special Run Preference List, that will be released in Spring, in order to rank the Special Runs that are available to them. If you purchase your ticket after the Spring cut off date, you will be randomly assigned a Special Run per ticket on your account to purchase during the event.

Each Online Traditional Access Ticket is able to purchase up to two Special Runs. You are not limited in how many tickets that you are able to purchase.

You will not know which model or models were selected for your account until the event in July.

Limited Editions

All Ticket Holders, both in person and virtual, are able to purchase Limited Editions from the BreyerFest Store on the Breyer website during BreyerFest weekend. There will be two Online Only Limited Editions there as well- one traditional sized model and one stablemate sized model.

Other Activities during BreyerFest

BreyerFest 5K

You will be able to participate virtually in the BreyerFest 5K during BreyerFest weekend. Registration will take place after BreyerFest Tickets go on sale- There will be a link posted in the Pinned Post in the Featured Section here in the Road To BreyerFest group.

BreyerFest Live Auctions

Saturday at 5:30 PM EDT during BreyerFest weekend, the Live Auction will take place. Virtual Ticket Holders are able to participate as well as in person ticket holders. More information will be released about this event later in the year.

Celebration of Horses Evening Performance

Produced by Sylvia Zerbini, this exciting equine performance is not one to be missed. It will be live streamed on Friday evening during BreyerFest in real time with the in person event and then will be available for viewing on demand all weekend long. This is included with each BreyerFest Ticket.

That is pretty much all, but you NEVER know what Breyer will add! There will be so many things to click on and things to do that you will not miss out on anything. Many of the BreyerFest Live Streams will be posted for on demand viewing after they have finished airing for the day, so if you missed them, you should be able to go back and see them. Last year, there were some hiccups with the Seminars and the Workshops, but they were fixed and available all weekend long, I do believe.

What will Road To BreyerFest do for the virtual attendees? I have to say that I always do my best to bring you so many photos that you will likely scream at me to stop posting. I try to take videos and upload them as soon as they are finished so that I can take more photos and videos. While going live is hard to do at the Kentucky Horse Park and the Clarion, this year, I have plans to record short interviews with the guest horses and place them on the group and my Tiktok account, maybe the Youtube channel.

I hope that this helps!