Did you collect Breyer horses as a youngster?

Photo by Appaloosa via Flickr

Maybe you still do? (I purchased some Breyer cows on eBay for my grandgirls.)

Either way, you’re in the company of thousands of collectors worldwide who absolutely adore these lifelike lovelies and their marvelous miniature accessories—saddles, stables, and grooming implements galore.

Photo by Appaloosa via Flickr

Photo by Appaloosa via Flickr

What you may not know, though, is that model-horse enthusiasts make a pilgrimage each July to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington for—oh, yes—the Breyerfest Horse Fair and Model Horse Festival.

Photo by Lisa Andres via Wikimedia Commons

Fans flock to the park for “three fabulous days of horse play” in which the model horse hobby meets the real horses that inspire it.

“BreyerFest is Breyer’s annual flagship event with tons of fun for horse lovers of all ages! The weekend celebration is the intersection of the real horse world and the model horse hobby with spectacular equine entertainment, the largest model horse shows in the country, the horses that inspired our models, and thousands of families and fans for three fabulous days of horse play. A truly unique experience, BreyerFest offers workshops, free seminars, and many Hands-On-Hobby demos that bring together all areas of the model horse world,” explains Breyer Animal Creations. “And don’t forget about the endless shopping in The Marketplace, the Artisans’ Gallery, and the Swap Meet! BreyerFest is the perfect family festival. Spend the day meeting horses, taking pony rides, painting your very own model, and more.”

This year, the theme of Breyerfest is “Vive la France!”, which was inspired by a rare French breed of horse called the Ardennes.

“Each year, we select a very special guest to be our Celebration Horse, much like a homecoming king or queen. This year, BreyerFest guests will meet a rare French breed, including our Celebration Horse, Simba du Pont de Tournay. He is one of only 15 known full-blooded Ardennes Horses in the United States,” boasts Breyer.

Here’s a glimpse of the guest of honor in action:

If you’re bustin’ your britches to get to Breyerfiest this year, it will be held from July 17 to 19, so saddle up and set off for Lexington, or learn more here.

Our fingers, dark with soil, press seeds and pluck fruits.

Our shoulders feel the heat of the sun.

Come tomorrow’s sunrise, our muscles will ache with work done diligently.

And we will begin again.

You see,

no matter where in the world you may be,

we’re not so different,

you and me.

So, to celebrate common ground across the globe,

let’s have a little female farmer geography bee, MaryJane style (all fun, no foul).

What do you say?

It’s easy—just scroll through the photos below and try to guess each farmgal’s geographic location.

Jot down your answers as you go, and check them at the bottom of this post. I’ll provide a map link within each answer so that you can investigate (plan a visit?) if you wish.

Photo by Kate Holt/AusAID, Africa Food Security 17, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo courtesy of Florida Memory via Wikimedia Commons

Photo by David Baldi (user PandaDB) via Wikimedia Commons

Photo by Meena Kadri via Wikimedia Commons

Photo by Swathi Sridharan (ICRISAT) via Wikimedia Commons

Photo by Leonardo Aguiar via Wikimedia Commons

Answers:

1. Cape Town, South Africa (map)
2. Terra Ceia, Florida (map)
3. Viscri, Romania (map)
4. Puducherry, India (map)
5. Mwanza District, Malawi (map)
6. Sao Paulo, Brazil (map)