Midnight Sun – Breyer’s most controversial mold?

A strange and wonderful thing happened for me in late 1987–I discovered Breyer model horses. I’ve already shared the story of my first model, Project Universe in an earlier post. Prior to seeing that model in the Sears Wish Book in the fall of 1987, I had never heard of Breyer horses–indeed, somehow I had lived my entire 10 years of life not knowing that Breyer horses existed.

But, on my 11th birthday, in addition to receiving Project Universe from my Sears catalog wish list, a few days later I was surprised and pleased to receive Breyer models as birthday gifts from a few of my friends, too. Phar Lap, Azteca, Buckshot, and Midnight Sun–suddenly I had five model horses in my brand new collection!

A Tennessee Walker, what’s that? I had no idea but the high-stepping, jet black horse soon became a favorite, even though he struggled to stand in the deep pile of my carpeted pasture.

The Midnight Sun mold may even have been my first conga, now that I think about it. Unintentional of course, I didn’t know what it meant to “conga” a mold back then (collect multiple versions/releases of the same mold) but when, in 1989, they released the Midnight Sun mold in blood bay, I had to have him. Later, he was released in charcoal and then in a lovely grey. Soon I had four. Voila! Conga!

^{L-R Midnight Sun, Blood Bay, Memphis Storm, Blackberry Frost}

Sadly, my beautiful Midnight Sun, the blood bay (who I named “Canyoufeelthebeat”), and Memphis Storm were sold in 2008 when I needed money and parted with some of my collection. I don’t recall how Blackberry Frost survived the cull. Since the collection had been boxed and stored since 2002, it’s possible I just couldn’t find him. But in 2016, when I finally unpacked the remainder of my collection after 14 years in storage, I was thrilled to find him still with me.

I regretted selling pieces from my childhood collection, and have replaced many of them in recent years. The first one was my Midnight Sun. I found him in his original 1987-era box so I knew he was the same age as the one I’d lost.

^{The yellow box with the hollow box floor was used briefly 1987-88 before being replaced with the flat cardboard bottom}

^{This barcode sticker with a silhouette of Midnight Sun is on the bottom of the yellow box}

With the help of the internet, I was able to replace my blood bay and Memphis Storm–the boys were back together. I also found a still sealed late 1970s/early 1980s picture box Midnight Sun!

^{Nope, I won’t open him. I collect sealed in box models}

Who was Midnight Sun?

Midnight Sun was the World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse of 1945 and 1946. He was also a breed-shaping sire, with all but four of the world grand champion horses since 1949 descending from him. A handsome, robust, and kind stallion, Midnight Sun was everything a Tennessee Walker should be.

^{Picture from walkerswest.com}

Midnight Sun’s rivalry with Merry Go Boy was the stuff of legends, the latter having won the world championship title in 1947 and 1948, after placing second in his first attempt in 1946.

Midnight Sun stood nearly 16 hands and weighed approximately 1350 lbs. at maturity but was gentle enough for children to sit on his back. He produced approximately 2600 foals in his 20 years at stud (with help from the then new technique of artificial insemination), and is found in the pedigree of 90% of Tennessee walking horses today.

^{Midnight Sun with Fred Walker around 1946.}

Controversial Plastic Horse?

The controversy and likely the reason we no longer see new releases on the Midnight Sun mold is because many see it as a representation of the “Big Lick” horse–an abomination of an otherwise natural gait achieved through barbaric practices including the use of stacked pads, weighted shoes, caustic chemicals, chains, and foreign objects placed in the hoof.

You may have noticed in the picture above, that Midnight Sun is not as high stepping as his model. Although the picture is of a flat walk (if he were to step out into a running walk, he would be more animated), his gait would never be described as the “Big Lick” gait we see today. Back in Midnight Sun’s day, the horses were shown much more naturally. The hooves were allowed to grow longer but the shoes were plain keg shoes, no chains, no stacks or weights, no chemicals. Just natural talent.

Picture from walkerswest.com

Check out this film clip of Midnight Sun and you can see his natural gait. Some have said it was the amazing natural talent of horses like Midnight Sun and Merry Go Boy that eventually led to the abusive soring techniques that produce “Big Lick” horses as people tried to make less talented horses move like these champions of the late 1940s. Film clips from the mid-1950s show the unnatural changes already taking place.

As with so many other things, once money and notoriety are involved, it went from excessive to horrendous from there–far beyond “enhancing” a natural gait and on to creating something that never should have existed. For more on soring, see this article from the Humane Society.

So, how come Midnight Sun’s model looks like a “Big Lick” horse?

If you look up “Big Lick” horses on YouTube (bring your vomit bucket), you will see the horrors these horses are going through today are far worse than what is represented by this model. Yes, we see built up hooves but not the stacks and chains or insanely hideous gait you see today. But, as we can see from the pictures and videos, it is not an accurate representation of Midnight Sun’s gait, either.

It is interesting to note that Midnight Sun’s owner from 1956 until his death in 1965, Mrs. G.M. Livingston, refused to attend the World Grand Champion “The Celebration” show once the practice of soring became the norm. This according to the grandson of Midnight Sun’s trainer, Fred Walker, who conversed with Mrs. Livingston’s daughter at The Celebration show in the early 1970s.

When researching this blog, I found the picture below labeled as Midnight Sun, although it is actually a picture of Go Boy’s Sundust. I put a picture of the model below it for comparison.

^{Go Boy’s Sundust, 1967 World Grand Champion and great great grandson of Midnight Sun and a grandson of Merry Go Boy}

^{Midnight Sun mold for comparison – what do you think?}

Given the era of the photo, I think it’s possible the same mistake was made back in 1972 and the picture was used by Hess to create the Midnight Sun model. We know from the video that Midnight Sun didn’t move like that. Regardless, if you look at the picture above, you will see that the horse indeed has long hooves, but no stacks. The bands on his pasterns are likely action devices and may have been used with soring chemicals as this was a practice at the time but I can’t say for sure, it’s just speculation.

Will we ever see the Midnight Sun mold used again? I don’t know. It truly is a beautiful piece of art, just like the horse it represents. At what point does the representation of human interference outweigh natural beauty? I’d love to see them alter the mold to more accurately represent Midnight Sun’s hoof length and natural way of going but I doubt that will ever happen–I suspect it would be quite difficult.

Can we, as collectors appreciate the model for what it is, a piece of art, without also glorifying the sadistic practice of soring? I don’t know. Collectively, it seems we can not. Individually, I guess that’s up to each one of us. For me, I will always have this mold in my collection for the warmth of the memories and the artistic beauty, knowing it’s existence doesn’t mean I support the abusive practice of soring. But I’m unsure if it should be used again as a regular run in it’s current state where it could find new generations of collectors, at least not without a historical reference and educational disclaimer. But even then, is it really enough?

Perhaps the compromise is for it to remain mostly unseen. Save it for Breyerfest auction pieces and maybe a Vintage Club release, where people who knew it when we were young and naive, and are able to appreciate it as it was intended, will be happy to see an old friend.

^{All of my Midnight Sun molds}

Midnight Sun Fast Facts

Mold #60
Created: 1972
Midnight Sun run: 1972-1987
Sculptor: Chris Hess
Regular Runs: 4
Special Runs: 14
Breyerfest Live Auction: 8
Last (multi-horse run) Release: 2002
Last Used: 2012 – Breyerfest Live Auction piece
(list as of January 2022)

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To learn more about the real Midnight Sun, click here.

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