Oh boy, here we go again...

One of the new things Breyer did last year was offer several old test run models up for sale through the website, with the drawings only available to collector club members. Actual tests, from the 1990s and such. I guess I had thought they'd put that program on hold for this year since we hadn't seen any tests yet, but now that I think about it, I think the first one (the roan appaloosa Cody) popped up around this time last year.

So, what did Breyer give us for our first test run of the year? This!



From the email:

Introducing a beautiful bay roan Clydesdale Foal! This lovely test is vintage late 1990's, and features tape mask sabino markings, fine splatter roaning and a darker shaded head.

On the one hand, no, it really doesn't look like a OOAK. At least, not the type of OOAKs we're used to. But this is an actual test - meaning it looks like a regular run because it's most likely a test for a regular run. We've been spoiled by the Breyerfest auction models for at least 20 years, if not more. Remember, most if not all of the earliest auction models were true tests. The models we get now are more like Stone's DAH or FCM programs - complicated paint jobs and/or hairdos that would be far too labor-intensive to produce more than a handful of models.

But, on the other hand...the model is kind of blah (especially for $650). This bay roan John Henry is from around the same time period, and I always thought his color was beautiful (I was sad to sell the one I had, because I liked the color, but not the mold; oh well). Maybe that's why this test never became a regular run - because the "roan" execution was less than stellar.

In any case, I'm not going to enter the drawing for it; I don't collect the Clydesdale Foal and I doubt this model's resale value would be very high. Plus, every time I look at any Clydesdale Foal I'm reminded yet again of the giant, gaping hole in Breyer's lineup where newer draft foals should be. Don't let me down with that Eberl set for the Premier Club later in the year, Breyer! We've been waiting too long for a new draft foal!