An Amherstburg horse has been chosen by Bryer Model Horses to be a Limited Edition model horse for the company’s 75th anniversary.
Halcyonia Night Life, known around the barn by his owner as “Ace,” was selected by the company for the prestigious honour.
“He’ll be a model horse figurine,” explained owner Emilia Quaggiotto.
Quaggiotto, 22, who lives in McGregor, said she was contacted last spring by the company.
“They reached out and were wondering if I would give them the rights to use this horse as a model for their 75th anniversary,” said Quaggiotto. “They want him to attend the Bryer Fest at the Kentucky Horse Park in July.”
That event runs July 11-13.
Quaggiotto said not many Canadian horses get an opportunity to be a model horse with Bryer.
“It’s huge,” she said. “It’s a really big deal. Not many horses get to be a real-life model.”
Quaggiotto indicated she is not entirely sure how her stallion was selected, but she is thrilled that he was. As he is shown a lot in the United States, Quaggiotto believes he may have been spotted there. She has worked with the company extensively over the last several months from castings to photos being shipped back-and-forth.
“They loved everything about him and wanted to paint the cast according to him,” she said.
The actual model will be hand-held and released in July. Quaggiotto said she will see the model for the first time with everyone else at the show.
Halcyonia Night Life will turn five-years-old in July. Quaggiotto said she acquired him when he was a two-year-old.
“He’s still quite young,” she said.
While there are competitions in Canada, right now the primary goal for showing Halcyonia Night Life (or “Ace”) is in the U.S.
“We mainly focus on shows in the States,” she said.
According to the Bryer website www.bryerhorses.com: “This talented five-year-old stallion ‘aced’ everything that was thrown his way. ‘Ace,’ as he is now known in the barn, started off by driving and showing in-hand. Once he was ready, he started dressage training. In his growing career, Ace has won top placings in Welsh breed shows in Canada and the USA for in-hand, driving, and riding. He was the 2023 and 2024 USEF National Champion in Welsh Section C & D English Pleasure. In dressage, he has won multiple blue and red ribbons, scoring above 70%, Reserve Champion in the four-year-old Futurity, and Reserve Champion stallion in the Open Sport Pony Breed show at the 2024 National Dressage Pony Cup.”
Quaggiotto said she got her first horse about a decade ago and “Ace” is her first stallion.
“He’s my special boy,” she said, adding he is also a breeding stallion.
Quaggiotto reiterated how important it is for her horse to be chosen by Bryer.
“They don’t pick just any horse. They want the best of the best,” she said. “It’s incredible they picked him when they could have picked any other more well-known stallion.”
McGregor stallion to be Bryer Model Horse for 75th anniversary
By Ron Giofu