My name is Samantha Kroese. I recieved my first model horses (the SR Mustangs from Sears) when I was 6 years old, though I had a healthy collection of My Little Ponies before that.
I've always been horse crazy, and ever since seeing The Black Stallion when I was young I've wanted to breed and train the magnificent black Arabians, and dreamed of owning my own pure black Arab Stallion.
Alas, as so many others, my parents couldn't afford to buy me a horse right off, though they wanted to. So I settled into collecting toy horses and making up elaborate stories and scenarios for them. My model horse collection started to grow, but I had no idea the great hobby that was out there for these!
When I was 9, through a slight miracle, my parents finally broke down and bought me a horse. It wasn't my black Arabian stallion, but it was a horse and I was happy nonetheless. An adorable 6 month old dunalino Welsh Mtn Pony/Palomino cross filly, which after much thought I named Priscilla, or Prissy for short. We had no idea what to do with her but I loved her and she loved me and that was enough.
Sadly after about a year circumstances forced us to move and I had to give away my beloved filly (I would very much like to find out what happened to her, I donated her to a Christian summer camp in Silver City, New Mexico I think. She was born in 1991, so she'd be 13 now. She was almost a palomino, but she had dark legs and a star shaped like an odd whirl, if you happen to know anything please email me).
After losing Priscilla I vowed that I wouldn't get another horse until I got my black Arabian Stallion. I continued collecting my model horses, and I happened upon an issue of JAH, Breyer's magazine. An entire new world opened for me and I jumped in head first and haven't looked back.
Vibrant N Victory Stables was born, and I started photo showing my humble collection with a passion, and also got into pedigrees. Over the years I've done just about everything there is to do in the model horse hobby. I've photo shown extensively for years, live shown in NAN qualifiers, ran two clubs (MHABCR and UMHBRA, MHABCR has just started up again), made and sold model horse tack (especially arabian halters/costumes), customized models, and even sculpted my own models.
I have since stopped selling tack, and my custom books are closed except for the rare trade here and there. UMHBRA just couldn't get enough members (it was a model breeder's club, which just couldn't compete with the likes of IPABRA at the time). I still photo show, though I've pretty much given up on live shows because of the expense involved just to enter them. I mainly focus on pedigree assignment now, and running my club, as well as customizing horses for myself and my friends. I've also started offering website design as a way to get a little extra income.
I've also finally gotten my real black Arabian Stallion. Wisper was a miracle straight from God, and I love him dearly and look forward to the many years we will share together.
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This website was created and is maintained by Samantha Kroese. All photos/information contained on these pages are copyright to Samantha Kroese 2004, and cannot be used in any manner without explicit permission from copyright holder. Background and buttons were made specifically for VnV Stables in 2004 and cannot be used anywhere else without prior permission from Samantha Kroese.
