HOTYs

This page is for my original finish Horse of the Year models. They are the toy range that Julip maufacture and will stand up to play, due to them being made of sturdy vinyl rather than latex, like the Originals. The HOTY models do have give in their legs but they are not wired or really bendy, so they cannot be posed. Many are sold in sets with riders and tack. Here are mine.

Arab Champions

The Arab Champion is the oldest of the Julip HOTY moulds. Before they began to be cast in the vinyl of today, they were made in rubber with wired legs. Later, Julip moved on to the vinyl to comply with toy regulations. I am lucky enough to own an original finish arab of each type, although both are the same colour.

Erin

Erin is an older rubber Arab Champion. She has bendy legs with wires, so she can be posed. This is an advantage, as many unposeable Arab Champions have problems standing as their legs have warped with age. Erin has nice eyes, painted in the style of the Originals. She is in good condition and her mane and tail are still sleek and silky.

Shaunee

Shaunee is a newer arab champion, made of the shiny plastic rather that rubber, like Erin. Her eyes are quite different, and not at all like the ones on Originals. Her mane and tail are very frizzy but I've managed to straighten them a little.

Ponies

The ponies are also a discontinued mould, but were never made in rubber, like the Arab Champions. Although they are known by collectors as ponies, they are actually about as large as the other moulds. They are very well muscled and their mouths look quite beaky. Many have problems standing, due to warped legs.

Velvet

Black Velvet, bought from Stacey, is an example of the Pony mould in black. She has quite scary orange eyes but a nice irregular star. Stacey trimmed her mane so it is a little shorter than it would have originally been.

Topaz

In my quest to collect examples of all the dun HOTYs ever made, I managed to get my hands on a Topaz, sent to me by Laura Bond. Topaz is a nice mouse dun with black points.

Moondance/Horse

This mould, known among collectors as the Horse mould, is also called the Moondance mould, after the white example Julip produced. I don't own a Moondance but I do have several others on this mould.

Bob

Bob is a portrait of the real horse ILPH Bob The Cob. A portion of the money raised from Julip's sales of this model went to the ILPH (now World Horse Welfare) to aid their important work helping horses around the world. My Bob was found in the Julip storeroom and boxed up in a random set with rider Nicola and some spare green accessories that were originally teamed with Banner, an appaloosa on this mould.

Toffee

The last dun HOTY I had to acquire was Toffee, and he was sold to me by Stacey at a low price, due to some rubs on his black markings. I gave him a lick of paint and he is good as new.

Cadence

Another most wanted HOTY, Cadence is my Golden Anniversary Horse. She was a gift from Ocky for building her a website and I am so happy to own her. Cadence is quite faded, due to standing in bright sunlight for a long time, and as she was wearing a rug and headcollar at the time she has been faded in an interesting pattern but I don't mind. She is pictured here with the Golden Anniversary Horse rug.

Clydesdale Foal

This mould was originally made to create the model of Ted. It has been produced in other colours and is now available with a haired tail as an original model.

Ted

Ted is another portrait model that Julip produced. Mine was given to me by a school friend. I love the way he has no painted hooves so that it looks like he has lots of feather. In this picture you can see the personalised rug he was sold with.

Cloudy

I got Cloudy second hand in a trade with another collector. He is a pretty dapple grey and was sold with a bright purple rug, which I haven't pictured.

Cob

My favourite HOTY mould by far, the cob is the first adult mould to be cast with a closed mouth, unable to wear a bitted bridle. It also has an odd conformation fault, known amongst collectors as the "bum dimple".

Nutmeg

Nutmeg is my dun cob, I decided to put her on this page even though she has been slightly customized. Due to a frizzy mane, I decided to hog her, and I also plated her tail. The hair she has is her own, so I didn't think she really counted as a custom! Nutmeg was one of my first Julips and my first dun, so she started an incurable obsession my parents are less than happy about. In the giftset Nutmeg comes in, there is also a rug with her name on, which I have shown in the picture.

Montana

Montana, a loud blanket appaloosa, was a purchase from fellow collector Josie. Montana was always a favourite with me and I was delighted to be able to rehome this one. Unfortunately, the white paintwork of her blanket rubs off very easily and has been damaged. She is still a very pretty mare though!

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