About Us

NAMHSA’s Beginnings

NAMHSA was started in 1994, established by a group of hobbyists online. It was pitched as an idea to the hobby in general at Breyerfest and Jamboree that summer, and the first NAN was held in 1995 in Kentucky, in the Holiday Inn ballroom.

Mission Statement

The North American Model Horse Shows Association’s mission is to serve as an inclusive organization to promote the model horse hobby. NAMHSA’s aim is to promote all facets of the model horse hobby and to provide support for the future development of model horse showing, customizing, and collecting, which includes but is not limited to:

• Promoting the model horse hobby to the public to develop interest, support, and recognition.
• Building national and international communication about the model horse hobby.
• Distributing information to enthusiasts.
• Enhancing the prestige of member shows.
• Serving as a unifying organization for cooperation among live shows and as a clearinghouse for information on shows and events.
• Offering new goals to model horse exhibitors by sponsoring a North American Nationals (NAN) model horse show. The philosophical direction of NAMHSA is to be an inclusive, promotional organization rather than to develop rules and regulations for model shows and exhibitors.

Voting members of NAMHSA are those who have agreed to comply with the qualifications for membership and have paid dues to the organization.

Individuals are invited and encouraged to volunteer their talents and services to the many NAMHSA projects and committees.

The North American Nationals Show

The North American Nationals (NAN) is NAMHSA’s annual National Championship Model Horse Show. The NAN is directed by the NAN Show Committee under the authority of the NAMHSA Board.

The NAN show will be held Lexington, Kentucky in even-numbered years and in a variable alternate location, in odd-numbered years.

A model horse earns qualification to compete at the NAN by winning a first or second place in a NAMHSA approved open class at a NAMHSA member show. This qualification enables a horse to enter one of the next two NAN shows. For each qualification earned, a horse receives a ticket which is their proof of the qualification and must be submitted when entering a NAN show.

Up-to-Date Information on NAMHSA

For the most current information about NAMHSA, we encourage you to explore this website to view our contact information, membership applications, NAN entry packets, member show listings, bylaws, etc.

NAMHSA also has an internet mailing list that is open to all, where you can participate in discussions, read NAMHSA board news, and share your ideas with the NAMHSA board and other interested people. You can subscribe directly or read the archives on the web.

To subscribe, fill out this form or click here.

NAMHSA is a 501(c)(4) organization.

The NAMHSA Logo

The NAMHSA Logo was designed by Karen Gerhardt. Meet her in our interview with Karen Gerhardt.