What's a horse without a best pal to ride them?! Along with the faithful dog, no animal has carved our history along side us like the horse. To humankind the horse gave speed, strength, and above all, friendship. The bond between a horse and rider can be very special.
The Very First Riders Here's one of the first - and English Rider and her Silky White Stallion. She's a much simpler doll then the later versions, her clothes are simply molded plastic. However, the accessories are neat - there's even a bouquet of roses!
Early Horse and Rider Sets
Riders were a part of the Grand Champion world from the very beginning. Even the very first set of horses were released in riding sets!
| These were amoung the first sets to be released. Each set came with a rider and a horse in detailed tack, and accessories that suited thier activities.
The Palomino stallion is named "Gold Dust". He and his rider where the star of the west!
The English Rider came with a black arabian stallion, "Midnight". He was built on the '92 pose. They came with english tack, a jump, blue winner's ribbon, a bin of horse care products like brushes and soap, and even a tiny riding crop (not that Midnight ever needed it!). | 
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The Wild, Wild West!
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The Cowboy and the Native American set came with special Sound Stallions - when you pressed a small button on thier back, the whinnied and made galloping sound! (You can see more Sound Stallions on their own page.) The Palomino Stallion is "Maverick", and the Indian Pinto is "Scout". If anyone has more info on them, give me a shout! |
This is another Native America set that came with a Sound Stallion, "Half Moon". It was sold in stores in the early 90's, and then again in the mid-nineties through Empire Toy's mailing catalogue. The actual horses looks quite a bit different from his product picture, as you can see! Thanks to Baltoship for a picture of her horse :)
Assorted Riders
With & Without Horses
| These lovely ladies were also apart of the early sets. The Parade Horses were also released without riders, but still had their fancy tack. They're each so pretty!
The grey Lippizaner is "Snowflake", the palomino "Goldenbolt" (also incorrectly labled as "Golden Glory"), and the bay Arabian is "Sultan". |
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Riders were also availble through the mail order catalogue. These are the first of two sets. From left to right they are: Show Girl, Jockey, Cowgirl, Frontier Rider, Native American, and English Rider.
(For those who are curious, the horses in the background are Commotion and Victory!) |
| And here's the second set of riders, released the following year. From left to right they are: Circus, Western, Indian Princess, Cowgirl, Arabian Princess, and English Rider.
(The horses in the background are, of course, Sundancer and Sultan Pepper!) |  |
New Riders for 2005
