The eyes of the horse world may be focused on the Olympics in Hong Kong, but the pony hunter world is excited about a large Welsh pony appropriately named Newsworthy who is making headlines of his own. For a string of lucky junior riders, Newsworthy has been their ticket to the top. And now, the stellar grey pony is being honored by Breyer Animal Creations® as its newest equine sculpture. Breyer’s Newsworthy model, sculpted by Susan Carlton Sifton, shows the champion equine in a perfect jumping pose—the very pose that made him and all the children who rode him champions!

From the moment Mindy Darst spotted the grey gelding in 1995, she knew he was one in a million. Though young and green, he boasted an extraordinary stride and a bold, correct jump. Soon he was toting her daughter Jennifer to one blue ribbon after another.

Over the next decade, “Cheers” swept every major championship in the country, notching some national titles along the way. From Devon to the Desert Circuit (and everywhere in between), he proved a kind, dependable partner with looks and talent to spare—and a knack for teaching children. Just ask junior riders Andrew Ramsay, Julianne Befeler, Alexandra Skiffington, Christy Russo, Paris Sellon, Jessica Springsteen, Olivia Esse, Brooke Flynn and Zazou Hoffman—all of whom competed him.

In 2006 and 2007, Newsworthy continued his winning ways with Bretton Chad. By the summer of 2007, younger sister Kara had taken the reins, winning a championship at Pebble Beach and a reserve championship at the Capital Challenge Horse Show, among other honors. Last fall, at the prestigious Washington International Horse Show, Kara steered her new mount to victory in the Large Pony Working Hunter Stake. Thanks in part to Newsworthy, she was also named Best Child Rider on a Pony.

As Befeler told The Chronicle of the Horse, “There’s Newsworthy; then there’s all the rest!”

The Breyer portrait model of Newsworthy is now available at Breyer retailers.