Rambler!

 Hark, readers! A new Collector Club release is afoot - it's the Classics/Freedom Series gambler's choice! Meet Rambler! 

Wow, a new release on Wahoo King! He doesn't get much use these days, so it's good to see a new release on him. I really like the dapple gray one! I don't collect the mold, but that's the one I'd want if I did. They're also letting people order up to three of them in one order, a good way to acknowledge conga collectors who want every color (the cynical part of me thinks they're trying to sell as many as possible before the tariffs hit). But if you do want three of them, make sure you order all three in one order, because you can only order him once. So if you buy two, and then decide you want a third one, you won't be able to order him again. Price-wise he's $35, which is pretty standard for these releases. Anyways, good luck to the people trying to get all three colors! May the odds be ever in your favor. 

Zayn is now available!

 Well, if you're looking to buy a Zayn, they're now up on the website and available to purchase! 

I put in the picture of the glossy bay one because it's the one I liked the best. As of now, they're still available to purchase, but I'd suggest not wasting any time buying if you want one, because it's anyone's guess how long they'll last. 

Also, what's with the new item numbers lately? B-CS-10011? What does that even mean? I feel like the prior numbering system was better...but what do I know? I'm just a collector. Domingo and a few other recent releases have the same weird item numbers too, so it's not just a one-off. Weird. 

Santino coming August 29!

 Attention, Collector Club members! Check your Club Home for some information on the Classics gambler's choice release, Santino! Here's an official photo! 

From the news post:

 If you stopped by the Collector Club Tent at BreyerFest this year, you might have noticed a sneak peek at this year’s Freedom Series Gambler’s Choice model: Santino! For the first time since 2008, the Polo Pony will be returning to the line in three fabulous, modern colors designed by Lesli Kathman. The Polo Pony first debuted in 1976 and was one of the first Breyer models to use a base to support a dynamic pose!

They'll be available for purchase on 8/29 - no time listed, but maybe we'll get that later. So if you haven't ordered the latest Stablemates Club release yet, it might be worth waiting until this guy is available so you can combine shipping. He's nothing I need, but I hope everyone gets the colors they want! 

Dahlia!

 Well, at least some things aren't delayed! Behold - the 2021 Stablemates Club gambler's choice model, Dahlia, is available to purchase! 

Not sure why the image is so tall...but anyways. If you're a SMC member, check your club home page to purchase. Those are the four colors we can expect to receive! I have to admit I'm partial to the blue one. But I'm not a Croi collector, even in Stablemate form, so this one will be heading down the road. I hope everyone gets the color(s) they want! 

Looks like I only need one Stablemates Club membership!

 Exciting news, readers - we now know the gambler's choice model for next year's Stablemates Club - the Croi! Behold!

Look at those beauties! I don't collect the mold, but those colors are all beautiful, especially the blue one. 

Fortunately, this means I don't need three SMC accounts next year! Huzzah! I'm super-relieved that the Django isn't the gambler's choice. Woohoo! Well, I guess I'm free to rejoin the club now! 

My other Iris is finally here!

Well, I'm not sure what happened with my other Iris model - I got a shipping notification for her after I placed the order, and it had a tracking number, but a week later the tracking had never updated from "Label created." So I emailed Breyer and they sent out another one last week. Maybe the first one fell off the back of the UPS truck or something? Anyway, she finally arrived yesterday, and I'm pleased to report I got...the decorator!



I really, really like this color, so it makes me a bit sad that they put it on a mold I don't collect. Maybe Breyer will use it on something else someday? Pretty please?

I'm in a bit of a hurry to write this post, so I only have the one photo. But she was pretty nice from a quality standpoint. I didn't see any issues with her at all - her eyes might be slightly sloppy, but that's it. (Interesting how they can do such detailed blue eyes on the cremello appaloosa, and this one just has plain black eyes...)

In the four years that the Stablemate Club has existed, the gambler's choice mold has only been on a mold I collect once - the Fylkir, in 2017. On the one hand, I kinda wish they'd use more molds I want, but on the other hand...it's nice not to have to get all of them every year, especially since they sell for so much more than the purchase price. I'm definitely not going to complain about that last part! Maybe next year they'll use a mold I collect again and I'll be shaking my fist at the sky for saying anything!

Lancelot!

Fear not, readers! There's a Classic gambler's choice special run again this year, and this time it's on Man o' War! Meet Lancelot!

Well, I like all of those colors, but they've once again chosen a Classic mold I don't collect. To be fair, that's most Classic molds, so that's going to happen a lot. But imagine if they'd used the new Mason mold instead, since we haven't seen anything new on him yet? Swoon...but anyway.

Truth be told, I'm kind of over all the randomly-shipped stuff anyway - it's just more blind bag garbage by another name. I really like that shade of blue, though - it looks like the Blue Candy color you see on Ford cars.

 My loss is your gain, though - I'm not going to order any of these, so that's more for people who love him! I'm sure he'll sell out fast.

Fine, twist my arm...

Next year's gambler's choice model for the Stablemate Club has been revealed - it's the Highland Pony!



Well, that was unexpected. They showed the silver bay one in this year's JAH, so I figured it wouldn't be the gambler's choice. Boy, is my face red!

I don't collect the Highland Pony, so this isn't a huge priority with me, but I do really like the colors they picked, especially that blue/purple/gold decorator. There seem to be two decorators this time - that's new. Good to see them mixing things up a little bit. And it looks like all four of them are glossy! Fun stuff.

Speaking of glossies, Darley is already arriving at people's houses, and apparently the glossy chestnut Mirado in the club is going to be a gambler's choice glossy and matte. Just when I thought I didn't need to buy an extra club membership...gah! I'm definitely going to have to join on my second account, and maybe my husband's account as well. I'm reasonably confident they'll show us the rest of the releases before the end of the year, so hopefully they don't throw us any curveballs in that regard.

My Darley isn't scheduled to arrive until next Wednesday, but I'll be sure to get pictures of him posted as soon as I can! I'm excited to see him (and the unicorn blind bags I ordered with him!)

Go Ahead; Make My Day

Good news, everyone! My Callahans finally came, and I just had to get them opened up. I was so excited to see this mold appear in the (Breyer) dead pool! But first, I have to torture you a little bit. Here are the three boxes!

By some miracle, only one of them was smashed. Apparently many, if not most, of the boxes for this release have been getting pulverized.

But anyway...What could be inside? What mysteries do the boxes hold? Do I feel lucky? Time to see if Breyer went ahead and made my day.

The plot thickens! I think I can see what they are! Time to get these punks unwrapped. I'd tease you more, but a good woman always knows her limitations, so I'll cut to the chase.

Drat! Breyer must have forgotten my fortune cookie - I'm SOL. I didn't manage to hit the trifecta, but at least I didn't get three of the same color. Here's a pic of one of the silver bays up closer.



I'm having trouble deciding which of these three colors I like the best, but I think the silver bay wins. He's got just a touch of pearly in his mane and tail, though, which puts him in the lead. Here's a picture of the silver bay and palomino with their Trad-size doppelgangers:



I think Breyer did a pretty good job of emulating the original paint colors, although the Callahans don't have any dapples like the original releases do. Nor does the silver bay have mapped markings like Silverado, although I wouldn't have expected that. The original Silverado doesn't have the pearly mane and tail, though, which makes Callahan unique! They almost look like proud dads escorting their kids to a show (or a Vikings game, going by the palomino's ribbon colors), or perhaps experienced police inspectors taking their rookie partners out on patrol. Just as long as the rookies don't get killed, right?



Quality-wise, they run the gamut - one of the silver bays is quite nice, while the other has a number of minor flaws that are making me consider exchanging him if I can't get him traded for a silver filigree. Maybe if I exchange him, I'll get a silver filigree! As for the palomino, he's mostly nice, but his eyes are very sloppily painted. I'll hang onto him though - with my luck, if I exchanged both of them I'd get two silver bays back and be even more SOL.

All in all, I think this was a great special run - the Shire B mold is sadly underused, and this special run was a totally unexpected sudden impact! Maybe Breyer saw my Featured Model post about the Shire B back in October, eh? Probably not, but it's nice to dream. Maybe we'll see the mold pop up somewhere else, since they put it back into production for this special run? I hope so!

Haha! Joke's on you! Oh wait...it is on us.

Breyer uploaded a funny "joke" on the blog over the weekend - a photo they'd seemingly already used to tease Dead Heat, except a slightly lighter shade. "Ha ha, joke's on them," I thought. "Somebody screwed up and used the wrong picture." Except it wasn't the wrong picture! It was Dead Heat in an entirely different color! We've got ourselves another gambler's choice in the lineup!

Palomino? Pearly palomino? I'm sold! But it turns out the joke really is on us, because now all the Ruffian fans like me have to buy two (and probably more) of these in the special run line in order to get both colors. I suppose it was only a matter of time before Breyer figured out the whole "blind bag packaging = everything sells out" could be applied to...well, everything.

Does this mean eventually everything at Breyerfest will go the blind bag route? Probably not, since it would just frustrate everyone more (see the recent Spirit Series 2 blind bag fiasco for more on that; I'll write about that later). But what if they also decide to do a matte/glossy split on these? That would mean I'd have to track down four of these danged things! And I'd do it, too...although I'd be grumpy about it, especially if the surprise is something I have to have. We don't all have money trees growing in our backyards, Breyer...

Bwuh? Calvin? That's unexpected

Another day, another surprise Classic special run, eh? Except this time it's another Gambler's Choice! Meet Calvin in blue:

Calvin in bay:

And Calvin in chestnut!



Which color will you receive? You'll only know when you open the box!

Unfortunately, I'm missing out on the gambler's choice fun again, because they've again chosen a mold I don't collect. That's ultimately a good thing, since I've been trying to cut back on model horse purchases lately, but still a little disappointing. But, I suppose they'll eventually use a mold I collect if the gambler's choice scheme keeps on being popular. It's only a matter of time!

Of these three models, I do like the blue one the best, and I'd definitely want him if it was a mold I collect. I'd definitely name the chestnut one Hobbes, though. Anyway... there are 500 of each color, so definitely enough to go around. Like Goblin, they're only available to Collector Club members, though I kind of doubt they'll sell out, so I'm guessing any remaining will be offered to the general public. Good luck to everyone who buys!

My Fylkir replacement is here!

So I did decide to ask for a replacement for my flawed dunalino Fylkir last week. Well, that replacement has arrived and I couldn't be happier! Behold!

 

I got the roan appaloosa! My favorite of the four colors! I love the Burbank colorway - if only I could get my hands on a Burbank! But this guy will do in the meantime.

 

And aside from a teensy-tiny white speck next to his left eye, I don't see a thing wrong with him!

 

Now, I do want to stress that this isn't something that should be abused. I feel I was justified in asking for a replacement for the dunalino due to his flaws (only the second time I've ever asked for a replacement for anything), and if Breyer had asked I would have shipped it back. Since it's probably not cost-effective to ship something so small back to them, that's probably why they don't ask for them back - but if we abuse this privilege, they might just stop offering replacements and only give refunds instead. So let's keep that in mind before we all start deciding we can use this to get additional gambler's choice models for free.

I'm also factoring this into my records of how many of these models were made - we know there are around 1500 members in the Stablemate Club, which works out to 375 of each color. However, since flawed models aren't being exchanged, I'm guessing there are at least 400 of each color, maybe more. So keep that in mind for your own records.

So, that just leaves the black silver Fylkir for me to find - though I'll wait for the secondary prices to go down a bit before I start trying to find one. They're kind of insane right now, especially on eBay! Hopefully I can find one for a good price later and keep the Icelandic collection complete!

Fylkir is now available!

The fourth Stablemate Club release is now available for purchase, and it's the Gambler's Choice! Surprising! Here they are!

 

I love them! And I'm relieved that they're on a mold I collect. Breyer's firing on all cylinders here - I haven't seen a release I didn't like other than Coco! I love that they used the Burbank color, although I guess Icelandics don't come in appaloosa. Oh well - it's still my favorite one of the bunch and I hope I get it! We have two accounts, so I'll be crossing my fingers that I at least get two different colors. I like the other colors too, especially the smoky black. If I had to rank them, it would probably go like this:

Burbank appaloosa
Silver black
Dunalino
Splash white

Nothing against splash, but I think they should have made him glossy here so we'd have two matte and two glossies. But I'll still be happy if I get one!

It's interesting that the gambler's choice is the fourth release this year. Last year the decorator was the fourth release. Maybe they're trying to give themselves some more time between this release and the end of the year? I wonder if the end-of-year raffle (if they're doing one again) will be of a full set of these again. If it is, I hope I win!