Biggest model horse collection

My friend who passed away from cancer in May had what I believe is the biggest collection of model horses in the world. It's so hard that she's gone, but sharing how wonderful she was helps a little. I know everyone on this board will appreciate her collection, which was very important to her.
I cannot express how glad I am that a group of us who have been her friends around 30 years went to visit her in end of March. We had one last crazy silly laughing weekend together. I am so grateful.


Karen not only did all the work on the museum herself, she did it while she was undergoing chemotherapy. She was an amazing person. When you see her collection, you'll have some idea of the strength of her personality and her devotion to horses.
There are links at the bottom of each page, to continue the tour. The photo at the bottom of the second page is our visit; Karen is in blue in the middle. I'm next to her in orange with braids.
You'll see she collected all sorts of animals, not just horses. She did not collect very many STS type figures, her focus was on Hagen Renaker, Breyer, Hartland and Beswick. She had not merely quantity, but quality: if you know about Beswicks, when you get to the page of the horse room in the house, pay special attention to photos C10, C18 and C19.

That said, welcome to the Black Horse Ranch model horse collection:
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I am sure many will have questions and I will try to answer what I can, but at this time, I cannot say what will happen to the collection. There is a plan, but I cannot talk about it yet.

I am very familiar with Karen's collection and was sad to hear of her passing. That is one amazing collection.

-Kristie

It is hard to find the words... Even in French it is hard now...

I hope this collection and this museum will stay. I hope it will stay, maybe not for ever, but for a long time. I hope, one day, a little girl or a liitle boy will open that door and think it's heaven. I hope she, or he, will make this museum her or his kingdom... And keep it alive... With love.

What happens after we die...well many people say many different things about types of heaven and hell...but I believe the effect of our lives on Earth is more important than those...our struggle to do something...to give something to the next generation...is the most precious thing!

I hope it stays as a museum too - it's outstanding! All that work put into creating it and collecting all those beautiful figurines, it's incredible, she must have been very patient as some of those beswick are really rare! Thank you for sharing her collection Carolynn, it truly amazing.

What an ENORMOUS collection

I am SO sorry that you lost your dear friend and that the world lost such a great person. Cancer is .....

In the picture you can see how ill she is, and I know from one of my dear friends, who also died oc cancer this spring, how chemotheraphy just empties you of strength, she surely must have had the willpower of a pitbull !

My sincere condolances !

And thankyou for giving us this link !!!!!
I wished I could go and see the museum, and I cross my fingers that somebody will take over.

It's sad to hear that your friend pass away and her museum is great and just hope it will stay for a long time.

What a fantastic horse-collection in the first place, or maybe i should ay what a loss that this collector is not under us living collectors anymore...

I hope this collection stays together for a very long time, and that many people can enjoy it!

Maybe horses are not my thing, but i can appriciate any collection, because i know how much effords it costs to bring everything together!!!

First of all my sincerest condolences on the loss of your friend and to her family.
Unfortunately, I know what it's like to lose some one close to cancer, and as I said I extend my deepest and heartfelt sentiments. I'm glad you got to spend some nice times with her before her passing.
You can truly see her passion for horses and animals. I'm sure she was an amazing woman in her dedication to her friends, family, horses and her museum.
As a collector, I am so overwhelmed by her beautiful and nicely displayed equine collection!!!!! Really something special!
Again, thanks so much for sharing part of her life with me, and the rest of the collectors on this forum.

By the way, Mastiffcat, where is the museum and what part of California are you?

Oh no, she's dead? Such a loss to the hobby, I'm so sorry. I've been an admirer of her collection for years now, it's truly one of a kind.

First scincères my condolences for the loss of your friend and his family in mourning.
I know that what endures, I also lost a loved one a few years ago.
What matters are the memories that you have left its people,
memories, love, passion.
Here you have everything together in a museum and what a great collections.
Your friend for years to collect all these horses are devoted time to time and cherie's new horses, as new Joyeaux what is the greatest proof of love that you have done in creating this museum and to share that love.

thank you all for your kind words.
Karen was a dynamo and it seemed like whatever she put her mind to, she accomplished. She never lost her sense of fairness and generosity and cooperation, all while being a good business woman, and a dedicated and strong competitor. I hadn’t see her in years, as she moved to NV and I dropped out of the model horse hobby around the same time, but through mutual friends and the internet I was able to stay abreast, and I was very flattered and pleased to be included in the “old timers” visit to her. It was a very humbling weekend. I'll never forget that when one of us was handling one of the prize pieces in the collection, almost afraid to hold it, Karen said, 'hey, it's not that important. it's just a piece of clay!'

Kristie, Sumo, she was a legend in the model horse community, so I knew some on this board would already know the collection.

Susanne, actually she had the willpower of a Doberman. Dobies were her breed. She had the first blue Dobermans I ever saw, and she taught me Dobie color genetics. Karen was horses, Dobermans, and cats. I think she had 9 at last count.

Balti Zoo, the collection is in Minden NV, near Reno. I’m in southern California. Karen grew up down here.

I´m speachless! And I´m so sorry she´s gone This museum is absolutelly amazing! What a passion for collecting! Unbelievable!

At the end of this month, i am going up to the memorial for Karen Grimm and will be visiting the models again.

I know the photos on Karen's website are not that good for seeing the actual contents of some of the cases, so if anyone would like to see more detailed photos of portions of the collection, or particular models or animals, please let me know what you'd like to see and i'll try to get pictures.

Mastiffcat wrote:

At the end of this month, i am going up to the memorial for Karen Grimm and will be visiting the models again.

I know the photos on Karen's website are not that good for seeing the actual contents of some of the cases, so if anyone would like to see more detailed photos of portions of the collection, or particular models or animals, please let me know what you'd like to see and i'll try to get pictures.

I'd love to see the North Light and HR collections, if it's not too much trouble Carolynn. Especially the North Lights.

You got it!
I want to get pictures of all her sheep, of course.

Wow, that´s a great collection!

I followed Karen's progress on her website. Such a tragic turn of events. I spent many hours looking at her collection.

I believe she had the biggest collection.

Rio wrote:

I followed Karen's progress on her website. Such a tragic turn of events. I spent many hours looking at her collection.

I believe she had the biggest collection.

It's still hard to believe she's gone. She was a force of nature.
If someone on this planet has a model horse collection that's larger than Karen's, they're keeping quiet about it, since everyone seems to agree it's Karen's.

This last weekend was a gathering at Karen Grimm's in her memory, very low key, just as she would have liked. i didn't take nearly as many photos of the collection as i should have, and i'm afraid i was rather random in what i took photos of, other than getting photos of her North Light collection as requested bt Harriet. And her Royal Worcester bulls, which are magnificent.

I've uploaded them to my Flickr but haven't time to post them here, but if you'd like to look:
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i have no idea why, but the photos didn't upload into Flickr in the order they were taken, so it's even more random than i was...

I´m speachless... This collection is simply AMAZING!! I´m so sorry for your friend!
So many gorgeous longhorns, zebus, bisons, elephants and ofcourse... horses. Oh my...!!!!

Mastiffcat wrote:

This last weekend was a gathering at Karen Grimm's in her memory, very low key, just as she would have liked. i didn't take nearly as many photos of the collection as i should have, and i'm afraid i was rather random in what i took photos of, other than getting photos of her North Light collection as requested bt Harriet. And her Royal Worcester bulls, which are magnificent.

I've uploaded them to my Flickr but haven't time to post them here, but if you'd like to look:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


i have no idea why, but the photos didn't upload into Flickr in the order they were taken, so it's even more random than i was...

Thank you Carolynn, it's such a magnificent collection - I can't get over it!
I couldn't find the North light, I've looked through them all, but never came across NL

HKHollinstone wrote:

I couldn't find the North light, I've looked through them all, but never came across NL

ah-ha! i have exceeded my limit on Flickr so only the most recent 200 photos show and the North Lights were the first i took. I'll have to upgrade my Flickr membership, i see.

i also took lots of photos of the cattle, just for you. ooooo, the Royal Worcester bulls!!!!!!!!!!!!
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They are FABULOUS

Susanne, i thought of you when i took these photos:
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