Wednesday, March 27, 2024

2024 VIP swag!

 I can't believe I forgot to write about this, but last week, the Breyerfest VIP swag for this year was revealed (via Facebook)! 













From the Facebook post:

Among the perks of being a BreyerFest VIP is our exclusive VIP swag pack! 🌟 Inside this eye-catching holographic tote you'll find:
✨ A VIP wristband
✨ Water bottle with drink sling
✨ Set of collectible enamel pins featuring BreyerFest horses
✨ BreyerFest VIP car sticker
✨ Handheld light up fan
✨ Neon desk light

Well, I don't generally have much use for tote bags, but if this one is holographic, I might just have to find a use for it. I'm intrigued by the desk light, too. It's interesting that VIP ticket holders are getting wristbands - I wonder if other ticket holders will also get wristbands? Maybe they'll hand them out as we're walking into the park. I like the color scheme for this stuff, too. 

I'm pretty meh on the fan, and the water bottle (though the holder could be handy). I'm also hoping/figuring there are more pins? Usually there are four VIP pins, not two. Maybe they're just keeping the other two under wraps for now.  

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Worth It is here!

 Great news, everyone! I found a light chestnut Worth It, this year's Breyer Ambassador model, and she arrived a few days ago! Check her out: 


















She has a textured coat, which is interesting. She's so pretty! 

















I love her shading and the details on her, though it irks me that they didn't paint her horseshoes for this run. Why bother with those details if you're not going to bother with painting them? It's especially egregious when they don't paint the details on this model after they did it on multiple smaller runs. 





















Quality-wise she's pretty nice, aside from the previously-mentioned unpainted horseshoes. For some reason her eyes seem a little too big, but maybe that's just me. Otherwise, she doesn't have any major flaws - I entered my first model horse show happening in May, so maybe I'll add her to my new show string! 

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Featured Model - 3/23/2024, Jan/Feb 1999

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured JAH! We're starting a new year with Jan/Feb 1999, so let's get going! 
















On the front cover, Romanesque pulls a cart through a field. On the back cover, the Paddock Pals Ranch Carrying Case makes its debut! 

















In the Editor's Desk, Stephanie announces the World's Best School Horse contest. On page 3 are the contest details, the winner of which would be a new model for 2000. 

















On page 4 is an article about Breyer portrait horse Copper, a neglected Arabian who was rehabilitated by the HAHS along with two other horses. Copper's portrait model was on Sham (I had one at one time but have since sold him). On page 5 is an article about Breyer portrait horse (and cover model for this issue) Romanesque. 

















On page 6-7 is the New for 1999 product line. Sigh...if only we got this many new releases now! Wait. That means I'd probably be spending a lot more money, so never mind. 

















On page 10-11 we have a list of 1999 Breakfast Tour events, including a photo of Cricket and Willow, the special run set that was available at these events. Oddly, the photo is black-and-white - you'd think they'd use a color photo if they want to sell these things.

















On page 12 we have a Who Am I? featuring a Fury Prancer and a customized CAM, and on page 13 is a Blast from the Past featuring the Pony of the Americas and Just About...Breyer Animals! featuring the St. Bernard. 

















On page 14 is an article about Breyer portrait horse Chief of Fourmile. On page 15 is a Breyerfest update, including a list of hotels with Breyerfest rates. Interesting that the Clarion (known as the Holiday Inn North in those days) isn't first on the list, being the host hotel, but I guess I don't write these things. 

















After skipping an article about model horse showing and an announcement of a Breyer photo show, we come to the centerfold with a selection of the 1999 new releases. 


















After skipping an article about making a model-size bridle, on page 24-25 is an article about a Breyer fan who managed to get onto an episode of Jeopardy. 

















On page 26 we have the Breyer Jeopardy questions, and on page 27 are some illustrations for the model bridle that I couldn't be bothered to crop out. 

















After skipping Horse Trader and Breyer jr., on page 38-39 we come to this issue's Vintage Point article, this time covering the Clydesdale Stallion. 

















On page 40-41 is the rest of the Vintage Point article, and that brings me to the end of this issue! Interestingly, my collection has never been graced by a Clydesdale Stallion, though I did once briefly own the glossy red bay (not yet in existence when this issue was published). It was a handsome color on him, though! That's it for this week - check back next week for Mar/Apr 1999! 

Thursday, March 21, 2024

More dumb names

 Well, I was right - those sneak peeks were of the Best Customs Contest prizes. Not that it was really that hard to guess. Anyway, here's Look What You Made Me Do (trying not to cringe while typing all that out). 





















Well, Kalahkaari in chestnut certainly is pretty! At least I don't have to be too disappointed about this one, since I decided to sell off my Marwari models. 

And here's I Forgot That You Existed (ugh)! 
















Now this one does hurt. I still haven't managed to get my hands on a Roo, and now they come out with this guy! He's a similar color to Fiero from a few years ago, which is interesting because last year's Willamette also had a far more common doppelganger in the mini Nazruddin.  Well, good luck to everyone entering the BCC! 

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Another one?

 So there's another sneak peek on the Breyerfest blog! Check it out: 












These have to be the BCC or live show prizes, right? All of the other reveals except the raffle models have been done, or so we think - but I'll be pretty peeved if they reveal anything else for the Limited Edition offerings that I couldn't reserve with my VIP ticket ahead of time. I'm just going to assume these sneak peeks are contest prizes until we see the reveal. 

Monday, March 18, 2024

New sneak peek and Vintage Club stuff!

 Whoa, I almost forgot to post about this - but there's a new sneak peek on the Breyerfest Blog! Behold: 





















From the blog:

Hint:  It’s something you can only get with All-Access or VIP tickets, so if you don’t have your tickets yet, you can get them here!


Odd...what could it be? Maybe one of the live show or BCC prizes? I feel like they'd be a little more specific if that were the case. Maybe it's another Limited Edition that hasn't been announced yet? Some kind of special Stablemate, perhaps? I guess we'll find out later in the week. 

In other news, Vintage Club welcome letters are arriving in people's mailboxes. I don't have any scans or photos of the letter, but the clues for this year's other releases include "a Marguerite Henry character, a 1980s sculpture in his flashiest color yet, and some tiny treasures that will melt your vintage-loving heart." No idea who the Marguerite Henry character would be, but the 1980s sculpture may be Roy, according to speculation on the Interwebs. I don't know what the "tiny treasures" is referring to either, although I suspect a lot of people won't be happy if it ends up being a Stablemates set or something. And no real word on which of these releases is the optional one, either. Happily, they decided to be up front about this year's Stablemate: it's the G1 Morgan Stallion! Huzzah! 

That's it for today - oh, and today is also the last day to enter for Mumbai, so get your entries in if you haven't. Good luck, everyone!  

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Featured JAH - 3/16/2024, Nov/Dec 1998

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured JAH! This week's issue is Nov/Dec 1998. Hard to believe we're almost done with another year - let's get going! 
















On the front cover, the beautiful Huckleberry Bey poses for a photo. On the back cover, the iconic Huckleberry Bey mold sculpted by Kathleen Moody makes its debut! I was 12 years old when this issue came out and BOY was I excited for this new model! He was totally unlike anything we'd ever seen before! 

















In the (festively-decorated) Editor's Desk, Stephanie talks about creating new portrait models and the new Huckleberry Bey sculpture. On page 3 is the beginning of Sheila Varian's article about Huck. A slightly different version of this story can be found on Varian Arabians' website. 

















On page 4-5 is more of the Huckleberry Bey article and photos of some of Huck's offspring. 

















On page 6 is the rest of the Huck article, and on page 7 we have a Craftsman's Corner article by Harold E. Roberts.


















After skipping some ads, the 1998 discontinued list and an article about repairing broken models, on page 14 we find an article about a live model horse show in the UK, and on page 15 is an article about Breyer portrait horse Cincinnati, part of the Horses in History series. I had Traveller but never got Cincinnati. 

















On page 16-17 are a number of color photos of Breyer events in 1998. 


















In the centerfold of this issue, another iconic Breyer mold makes its debut! Othello was one of many Breyer molds who came out in porcelain first, before being released in plastic later. He's now one of Breyer's most popular molds as well. Hard to believe this mold is already 25 years old! Does that make him vintage? On second thought, don't answer that - I don't think I want to open that can of worms. 





















After skipping a Collector Profile and an article about a non-portrait horse named Christmas, on page 28 we come to Blast From the Past featuring the Appaloosa Performance Horse, and Just About...Breyer Animals featuring the Calf mold. The first page of Horse Trader on page 29 is cropped out. 

















After skipping the rest of Horse Trader (progressively getting shorter as the Internet starts to take over model sales) and some Breyer jr. stuff, we come to the Vintage Point article on page 38-39, this week featuring the Family Arabian Stallion.

















And on page 40-41 we have the rest of the Vintage Point article. In my own collection I only have one FAS (the Ara-Appaloosa Stallion, along with the rest of the family), but part of me wouldn't mind getting my hands on Devil Wind - one of my friends had him and he was a favorite when we played together. 

With that, we come to the end of this issue and 1998! Hard to believe we're already done with another year. Check back next week for Jan/Feb 1999!