Iquitos selections are out!

 Greetings, readers! Just a quick update today - the selections for Iquitos went out today! If you entered, check your email (or the website) to see if you were drawn. I didn't enter for this one, but congrats to all the winners! 

The latest web special revealed!

 Greetings, readers! Hey, I was only off by one day with my wish for last week's sneak peek to be revealed soon - we got the reveal today! Say hello to Iquitos! 

They're sure getting a lot of use out of the Bristol mold this year, aren't they? Matte and glossy Hoopla, the presumed event model for Hoofbeats and Maple Treats, now this guy. Plus he was a web special relatively recently (2022). I'm not sure that color is really doing him any favors, either - I think it's the stripes going over the eyes. Looks a little weird to me. Fortunately, I sold most of my Bristols during Breyerfest this year, so I don't have to feel bad about not wanting this one! I need to save my money for Hoofbeats and Maple Treats, anyway. Good luck to everyone entering! 

Salzburg and July Collector Club Newsletter!

 Great news, everyone! The Salzburg winners list has been drawn! If you entered, check your email to see if you were drawn. I didn't enter for this one, but congrats to all the winners! 

In other news, the July Collector Club newsletter was released today! If you're a Collector Club member, check your email to read it.  There's a feature article about Chincoteague Pony portrait models, a Surfer's Riptide giveaway and this sneak peek:

Are we getting a Tootsie Roll Pop-themed model? I'd be okay with that, especially if it came with some Tootsie Roll Pops in the box. Mmm. 

On a more serious note...is it something holiday-related? Or space, given the "stellar" clue? I hope we find out soon! 

Seize the Day Surprise numbers and Salzburg!

 Good news, readers! The Seize the Day Surprise run numbers were released today- read them and weep! Or not, I guess. 

-            Matte Silver Bay – 1150 pieces
-            Matte Blue Roan – 1625 pieces
-            Matte Dapple Grey - 965 pieces
-            Matte Flaxen Liver Chestnut – 1020 pieces
-            Matte Palomino Tobiano – 870 pieces
-            Glossy Silver Bay – 384 pieces
-            Glossy Dapple Grey – 384 pieces
-            Glossy Flaxen Liver Chestnut - 384 pieces
-            Glossy Palomino Tobiano - 384 pieces
-            Glossy Decorator - 634 pieces

My impressions? I was definitely not expecting the blue roan to be the most plentiful of the matte ones. Nor was I expecting the dapple gray to be the second rarest - nobody wants him! Mine has been sitting for sale for $110 for at least a week with no takers. Anybody want him? Let me know if so. I guess that does explain why it took so long for me to get a matte gray, and why I got two blue roans. There's also a note that the decorator's paint job was based on Carpe Diem, which...huh? They don't look alike at all. He looks somewhat more like Carpe Noctis, but there really aren't a lot of similarities there, either. Weird. 

In other news, the sneak peek from last month's Collector Club newsletter has been revealed! Say hello to Salzburg, the last Exotic Destinations web special for this year! 

He's pretty, but nothing I need to buy. Good luck to everyone entering! I'll be over here waiting for the second chance sale to be announced. Speaking of sales, there's also a Christmas in July sale happening tomorrow at 10am EST, and there was mention of "rarities" that may be available, so definitely be sure to check that out! 

Machu Picchu selections!

 Just a quick update for today, folks - the selections for Machu Picchu have been made! If you entered for him, check your email and/or the website to see if you were drawn! I didn't enter for this one, but congrats to all the winners! 

Machu Picchu!

 Well, that was unexpected - a new web special was revealed today! This must be the reveal for the teaser we saw in last month’s Collector Club newsletter. Anyway, meet Machu Picchu, the latest entry in the Exotic Destinations series:

What a beauty! The Peruvian Paso looks great in black. Looks like his markings are even masked. He almost makes me sad I sold off all my Pasos. Good luck to everyone entering!

I haven’t had a whole lot to post about lately, but hopefully that changes soon. We did get grab bags for the various Clubs last week, but my luck with grab bags tends to be Not Great, so I didn’t buy any. I’ve  seen a lot of cool stuff being posted, though! At least two people got In-Between Mares in their Vintage Club grab bags, and someone else got a Thunderbird with Anton. So maybe it’s worth the risk after all? The jury’s still out on that one, I think. 

Mallorca is here!

 Good news, everyone! My Mallorca arrived today - a whole day early! I wasn't expecting him until tomorrow. He makes a great birthday present. Behold! 

What a beauty! I love his blue eye. He isn't as yellow in person as he appears in these photos, though - must be the lighting. 

I like his subtle frosting, too. 

Did I mention I love his blue eye? 

Like the writeup said, he does have a slight shimmer to his coat, but it's VERY subtle. He's pretty good-quality too - I noticed some minor flaws, but nothing too nasty. I'll have to bring him to a show soon! Not sure if I'll bring him to Saturday's show, but my next show for sure. 

Definitely not a typo!

 Greetings, readers! Well, my speculation about yesterday didn't take long to be clarified, because today we have a new web special! Say hello to Mallorca! 

Was there a special on Duende bodies? I'm guessing they made the whiteware for this guy plus the Ambassador models at the same time as the TB Trueno run - maybe they were running out of warehouse space and decided to paint up all their Duende bodies to clear some space. Or maybe this was the plan all along - who knows. Anyway, this guy is really pretty! Also, I was right about his color being a reference to sand! Woohoo! I'll take any small victory I can get. See, this is the type of buckskin I like better, with the darker legs. He looks like he has a little bit of "frosting" on his mane and tail, too. The writeup says he'll have a bit of shimmer as well, so I'm excited to (hopefully) see that! Good luck to everyone entering! Don't wait too long to enter, because the deadline is Thursday (eep!). 

Last special run reveal and Exotic Destinations!

 Greetings, readers! Well, the last Breyerfest special run for 2025 has been revealed - behold!

It’s a collie! Nice color, but nothing I need. The bandana is a nice touch. I thought I’d read that the Collie mold was damaged beyond repair, so they must have fixed it for this release. Maybe it’ll get another one in the near future. Holiday animal micro run, maybe?

As for Breyerfest, this may be the last special run, but there should still be a few more Limited Editions coming. The blog says to check back on Monday, so I wonder what we’ll see?

In other news, the Exotic Destinations web specials will continue for another year! We got the first web special reveal of the year today: Prague!

Nothing I need, but he sure is pretty. He’s a run of 600, so they must be adjusting the numbers back downward after going a little too high with some of them last year. Good luck to everyone entering!

Courchevel and another Premier Club sneak peek!

 Good news, everyone! My Courchevel model arrived today! Behold:

He's definitely more purplish than the promo photos, but still not really that purplish, if that makes sense. They should have used color-shift paint on this one, honestly. 

Like many others, I didn't get the shipping notice for this guy until after he'd been delivered, but UPS MyChoice was still up-to-date, so I knew he was coming. Christmastime is always a busy time for Breyer, but lots of people have had issues with being shipped the wrong items or their orders taking a long time to ship - I don't remember it ever being this bad before. Maybe Breyer will finally give CCG the boot? I hope so. 

Quality-wise he's pretty nice, despite being wrapped in un-accordioned paper. Like come on, guys. How are they not getting that they have to stretch out the paper first? It's like popping bubbles on the bubble wrap. Get with the program already! 

The only flaw I noticed was a mangled back edge of his right ear, which must have happened during the production process as it's under the paint. Oh well. 

In other news, Breyer defied tradition and posted a preview sketch of the third Premier Club release for next year!

Looks like something Spanish? I generally like the Spanish horses, and/or a nice Roman nose, so I'm sure I'll like whatever this turns out to be. Dare I hope they show him to us? 

I'm sure I'll post again before or on Christmas, what with the inevitable Christmas Day surprise model (they must have decided to go back to revealing it on the actual day), but in case I don't - I hope everyone has a good Christmas! 

Courchevel! And other things

 Well, readers, I was busy at work last night and didn't have time to get this posted yesterday, but Breyer's winter decorator model has been revealed! Meet Courchevel! 

From the website:

Nestled in the French Alps, Courchevel is one of the premier ski destinations in Europe. Awash in luxury, Courchevel is no stranger to those seeking a winter paradise, attracting everyone including professional athletes and royalty. This mountain oasis has even hosted the Winter Olympics!

Our breathtaking stallion Courchevel, named for this beautiful resort, has a unique metallic coat, which was inspired by the glow of the resort and mountains when viewed at twilight. Pastel shades of blue, gold, pink, and purple flow over his body, and are accented with flecks of gold. Courchevel’s enchanting look is completed by a high gloss finish, and a "Courchevel 2024" gold stamp on his belly.

I'm not seeing a whole lot of purple in that paint job, but maybe it's more evident in person. I think he's pretty! It's always great to see a new release on the Moody Andalusian. I'm wondering if he's also clearware (although I think they would have mentioned it if he was). There's a matching pin as well! The Collector Club discount can be used on the pin, by the by, but not the model, who ships for free (yay!). Interesting that they're saying up front that the pin is a limited edition of 500, but nothing on the run number for the actual model. 

Apparently Breyer is trying a new method for distributing these, rather than as a random-draw web special. Instead, they're being offered to Collector Club members on a first-come, first-served basis until Tuesday, and then they'll go up for sale to the masses. So does this mean the "Web Special" as we know it (limited to some number between 350-1,000, offered by random draw) is now a thing of the past? I'm not sure how to feel about that. Disappointed, I guess? I mean, it is fun to be able to get something that's relatively rare for your collection. I guess we'll see how this release goes - they haven't sold out yet, nor has Breyer told us exactly how many were made. There's speculation online that there could be as many as 2,500-3,000, but that number seems high to be based on the price of the model. I'm thinking the number is probably closer to 1,000. Hopefully Breyer tells us at some point. 

In other news, there was a new reveal for the 2025 Stablemates Club today! Huzzah! Say hello to Javier:

 

Yes! I've been waiting for them to use the Peruvian Paso in the club! Unfortunately, it's another 50/50 gloss/matte split, so I guess I'm going to have to buy two of them. Oh well. 

In other, other news, the latest Young Rider magazine has a couple of 2025 Breyer reveals! 

Presumably that Lonesome Glory is one of the 75th Anniversary releases hinted at previously. See the little horses in his blanket? Cute design! Nothing I need (anymore, sadly), but hopefully the rest of the 75th Anniversary releases are just as clever! 

Sorry the image is so small, but those models are the G3 Highland Pony and the mini Emma as unicorns! Woohoo! Well, if I get that set, my daughter will probably claim the truck and trailer pretty quickly. 

That's all I have for today! Let's hope we get more exciting reveals next week. And stay tuned for Featured JAH later today! 

Earl selections and another Black Friday sale!

 Greetings, readers! Well, if you entered the Earl drawing, check your email - the selections went out today! I didn't enter for him, but congrats to all the winners! If you weren't drawn, fear not - it probably won't be hard to find one for around his issue price later on. 

In more exciting news, Breyer announced another Black "Friday" sale tomorrow! I put Friday in quotes because, well, tomorrow is Wednesday, not Friday. But anyway...

Supposedly there will be even more special stuff going on sale! I'm excited to see what they have. I set an alarm on my phone this time so I wouldn't forget about it at work. The sale is happening at the same time as last week: 12pm EST. Good luck, everyone! 

Well, that was unexpected

 Wow, I guess it's time for this year's Wild Animal series release! Say hello to Mangoky! 

Ring-tailed lemurs are pretty fun to watch at the zoo, but I wasn't expecting one to become a Breyer model. This guy is pretty cool, though - he almost, almost could pass for a splash pinto if it weren't for his stripey tail. I'm not crazy about the tail, but I'd be happy to be able to add this guy to my collection regardless. Speaking of which, there are 750 of this guy, so maybe I'll get drawn for him (still stinging over not being drawn for Petra). The deadline to enter is 10/23, so don't waste any time entering if you want him! Hah, remember when they'd do a teaser photo first, make us wait a week for the reveal, then the entry period was another week long, then it would take up to a week after that for models to arrive at people's houses? I don't miss that at all. Good luck to everyone entering! 

Also, it was announced today that Breyerwest is moving - and changing its name! Breyerwest will now be known as BreyerMidwest. Doesn’t…quite roll off the tongue the same way, does it?

I don’t know anyone in Salina, KS, so I guess I’ll have to go back to hoping they don’t gloss anything I want for the BreyerMidwest special run. Maybe they’ll think of a better name later? 

Petra!

 Whoa, that was unexpected - we have a new web special to enter for! Say hello to Petra! 

From the website: 

We have one last Exotic Destination to visit for the year, and it’s a beauty! The ancient city of Petra in Jordan is rich in archaeological history. Famed for its rock-cut architecture and cultural heritage, it is now protected as a World Heritage Site.

Designed by artist Sommer Prosser, Petra's red dun color is meant to reflect the unique stone hues of this ancient city, which is often called the "Rose City" for its color. His splendid coat is complete with a dorsal stripe and leg barring. This stallion features “Petra 2024” in gold on his belly.

 

What a beauty! Sommer Prosser has done it again. 

 

I definitely need to get one of these guys! Good luck to everyone entering. The entry deadline is Monday night, so don't dawdle! 

Introducing Rio!

 Well, the announcement has been made - the latest web special (which was revealed at Spokes and Spurs) is now on the website! Meet Rio, again!

His color is really nice, especially if they can pull off those dapples, but the Mangled-larga mold is just too squashed for me. Plus he’s tiny! No thanks. But good luck to everyone entering!

Just when I thought my money was safe...

 Greetings, readers! Well, while I wasn't present at the Spokes and Spurs collector event over the weekend, I did receive some photos from Blabbers regarding it. Firstly, the reveal of the next Exotic Destinations model (and the last Stablemates Club model for this year):

His name is Rio. A web special on the Marchador? Nice color, but I don't think it's going to sell very well. Count me out! The sculpt got horribly mangled during the molding process and those toothpick front legs aren't doing it any favors either. 

Next, here's the centerpiece model! 

They usually use older, unpopular molds for the centerpieces, so I wasn't too surprised to see the Western Prancing Horse. He fits in with the western theme pretty well, I'd say. 26 of these guys were given away to Spokes and Spurs attendees! I do like the color scheme, though. Maybe we'll see it on something more attainable in the future. 

Edit: I forgot to mention the silent auction. Although I don't know exactly how many lots there were, I saw photos of the following: a complete set of the Vintage Club Cantering Welsh Ponies, what appeared to be a full set of the Ponies and Palm Trees special runs (!) and the usual Design Your Own Breyer. I don't know what any of them sold for, though. 

Lastly for today...it's time for the Collector Club Appreciation event! Seems like it gets earlier every year...anyways, here are the possible glossy models: 

Buy $150 worth of merchandise, glossies are randomly-shipped, yadda yadda yadda. I need all of them except the Appaloosa, so I'm going to have to decide if I want to order that much stuff or just buy the glossy models outright (if that's still an option). Darn it, I just sold a model and wanted to use that money for the first Premier Club horse! 

Glossy Ezra is pretty, though. And Mojave! And Get Rowdy! Let's hope I get at least one of those, and not the Appaloosa. Hmm, I think I still have a matte Get Rowdy that I haven't been able to get rid of - maybe this will get someone to buy him from me to have a matching pair. Let's look on the bright side here! The sale begins at or around 1pm EST tomorrow, so have fun buying! 

February Collector Club newsletter and new photos of Horatio!

 Greetings, readers! Well, February is almost over and we have our Collector Club newsletter! If you're a Collector Club member, check your email for more. I'm surprised they didn't wait until tomorrow to send it out, but anyways...there's an article about the popular Bristol mold, featuring some droolworthy photos of Jackpot, Leap of Faith and other Bristols I haven't managed to get my grubby mitts on. There's also a link to Andrea Gurdon's "Horses of a Different Color" seminar in honor of her passing, a Clooney 51 giveaway and this inconclusive sneak peek:

From the description, it's the next entry in the Exotic Destinations web special series, but nobody's going to be able to figure out what it is. For randomness's sake, I'm going to guess Dundee, simply because he hasn't been a web special yet. 

In other news, we have some new photos of the Deluxe Collector Club Stablemate, Horatio! Check Breyer's Facebook page for more. 

Looks nice! But his tail is a bit different from the Trad-size one. It looks like they altered it to look wind-ruffled or something? I don't hate it, but I don't like it that much either. They probably wanted an easy way to tell it apart from the Traditional-size one in photos. The mini Brishen also has some minor hair differences from the Traditional one, so there's precedent. Anyway, the deadline for joining the Deluxe Collector Club is March 3, so if you're waffling about joining, you only have a few more days to decide! 

Sneak peeks and Reykjavic!

 Well, there's another sneak peek on the blog today - check it out! 

The prevailing thought on the Interwebs is that this is some kind of Goffert, but I have no idea either way. Let's hope we don't have to wait too long to find out! 

There's also an announcement for this year's Best Customs Contest, with some much-needed updates to the rules (yay!). Unfortunately, there are also more dumb song titles as names for the prize models, so the less said about that, the better. 

In other exciting news, my Reykjavic model came today! Huzzah! 

What a beauty! He's not as yellow as he looks in the photos. 

He's basically flaw-free, too, which is great. A couple of minor issues, but nothing really bad.

I love his blue eyes, too! He's beautiful. 

On a small side note, it was announced today that all the tickets for Spokes and Spurs have been sold, so we can all stop obsessively checking our emails. Better luck next time, I guess.

Another SR reveal, and the first web special of the year!

 Well, we have our reveal of yesterday's mysterious eye - say hello to Survivor and Fighter! 

Ooh, what a pretty pair! And technically they still have pop songs for names, but at least they're shorter and not pulled directly from song lyrics. 

More importantly, I love the rich bay color on the mare! The foal actually looks like she started out darker and will gray out over time, which isn't always the case with Breyer's foal colors. They're great! Hope I can get my hands on them. 

In other exciting news, we have a new theme for web specials! Our new theme is Exotic Destinations, and here's the first entry in the series! 

Hubba hubba! What a handsome boy. I gotta have him! They made 600 of these guys, so let's hope my luck is in and I get drawn, since I lost out on Spokes and Spurs. Good luck to everyone entering! 

Vail is here!

 Good news, readers - my Vail model has arrived! Behold! 

What a beauty! 

If I'd been thinking, I'd have gotten a photo of him with my La Molina and Masella models, but just didn't think of it. He's a beautiful model, though! I like the purple interference. 

Quality-wise he's really nice - some tiny bits of lint in the gloss, but otherwise flawless. I love him! Another great addition to the collection. I can't wait to see what web specials are coming up next.