To rider and owner, Laura Graves, he’s just ‘Diddy,’ but in the world of dressage, the powerful bay Dutch Warmblood gelding called Verdades is also a USEF International Horse of Honor, US Dressage national champion, Pan American Games Dressage Gold medalist, and was called “the heart of the sport in America” by the Horse Star Hall of Fame.
Model of Verdades - Laura riding Verdades
Laura chose not to give up on her strong-willed partner, and their journey led to Verdades becoming top-ranked American horse on FEI Dressage World Rankings.
© 2018 by Breyer
Now collectors will be able to call him their own when Breyer® releases a model of Verdades this fall.
Laura fell in love with him as foal: “He was really powerful and very sure of where he put his feet, even though he had his tail straight up in the air and this wild look in eyes.”
She was the first person to ever sit on him and predicts, “I will likely be the last.” While their brilliant piaffe- and passage-filled performances in the international spotlight look effortless, theirs is a true story of love and persistence. When Verdades was a four year-old, Laura almost gave up on him: “I was just done. I couldn’t do anything with him. He didn’t trailer. I couldn’t fly spray him. I couldn’t bathe him. He didn’t clip. I was thinking, this is not the journey I wanted to be on.”
But Laura chose not to give up on her strong-willed partner, and the journey they have taken together has led to becoming the top-ranked American horse and rider on the FEI Dressage World Rankings. The beauty and empathy they put into every performance also demonstrates how this horse and rider are each other’s world, too.
Breyer will release a Traditional (1:9 scale) model honoring Verdades this September. Each collectible Breyer figure is both beautiful for display and durable for children to play with! The Verdades model will be available at toy, gift, tack and agricultural stores nationwide as well as at www.BreyerHorses.com.
About Breyer Animal Creations®
Breyer Animal Creations is a division of Reeves International, Inc,, a family-owned, NJ-based toy manufacturer and distributor. Breyer, founded in 1950, celebrates the horse and other animals, dedicating itself to the creation of authentic and realistic model horses for play and collecting. Breyer’s annual model horse festival and horse fair, BreyerFest, is held at the Kentucky Horse Park in July each year. Visit us at www.BreyerHorses.com. For more information contact Stephanie Macejko at smacejko@reevesintl.com or (973) 694-5006 ext 331 or (973) 714-4923.