Featured JAH - 2/10/2024, Jan/Feb 1998

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured Model! This week's issue is Jan/Feb 1998 - I can't believe we're starting another year! Also fitting that we're covering a Jan/Feb issue during February! Well, let's get going! 

On the front cover, Scamper and Charmayne James do their thing. On the back cover, the new Scamper model makes his debut in a nearly-identical pose! 

On page 2, Stephanie introduces various new releases for 1998 and poses with a fan at the 1998 Breyer Roundup in Puyallup. It's also confirmed that the hint from last issue was referring to Scamper (not that there was any doubt). On page 3 is the beginning of the feature article about Scamper, featuring another thrilling photo of Scamper and Charmayne. 

On page 4-5 we have the article about Scamper. 

On page 6 is the rest of the article about Scamper, and on page 7 is a list of 1998 Breyer Tour stops. 

After skipping the new products for 1998, an article about etching and some other stuff, on page 14 we find a small writeup on the Nancy Young Breyer Molds & Models book, as well as a Who Am I? featuring what looks like Sea Star. On page 15 is the beginning of an article about Breyer portrait horse Go Man Go. 

The article about Go Man Go continues on page 16-17. I had the Go Man Go model and for whatever reason, he was always special to me because the real horse was born the same year as my dad. 

On page 18-19 is the rest of the Go Man Go article. 

After skipping the centerfold (1998 Breyer event calendar) and an article about pedigree assignment, on page 24 we find a barrel racing drawing and a death notice for Marguerite Henry, who died in 1997 at age 95. On page 25 is an article about Breyer saddles by Andrea Gurdon (Breyer History Diva). 

After skipping an article about judging performance, Horse Trader and some Breyer jr. stuff, we come to a Brushstrokes feature about the making of Marabella, another new mold for 1998. On page 39 is the beginning of the Vintage Point, featuring the Classic Bucking Bronco this week. 

On page 38-39 is the rest of the Bucking Bronco article, and that brings us to the end of this week's article. Check back next week for Mar/Apr 1998! 

Just a small Breyerfest announcement

 Greetings, readers! I only have a small update today - there was a Breyerfest Blog post about the Artisan's Gallery today, and the post noted that Breyerfest tickets will go on sale next week! Huzzah! 

Actually, I have two small updates - my Heath seems to have shipped today, or is preparing to ship, so I'm hoping to see him soon! Yay! 

Heath-anigans

 Well, after a bit of a delay, Heath came available for sale today! 

Barely a blip in the grand scheme of things, really - at least the sale still happened today. Last time there were technical issues, it took a little while for the sale to actually happen. Hopefully Breyer will get those glitches figured out at some point? It's only been 5.5 years since they switched to this new website...

But anyway. I'm excited to see my Heath! His mane and tail almost do look pearly in these promo photos. I'm looking forward to seeing him in person! It doesn't look like he's sold out yet (as of 7:48PM EST), so they must have made plenty of them (again). Still, Othello is a pretty popular mold, so I wouldn't suggest waiting too long before you order yours, if you want one. 

Grab yourself a Heath tomorrow!

 More good news, everyone! This year's first, hotly-anticipated Collector Club model, Heath, will be released tomorrow! 

Othello is pretty much my favorite mold, so I may be biased, but he sure is a pretty boy. I wonder if his mane/tail will be pearly? I'm kinda wishing he were glossy. 

Anyways, he'll go live at 1PM EST tomorrow, so be ready to buy if you want one! He'll cost $75 plus shipping (and taxes, bleh), which isn't too terrible of a price. I suspect he won't last overly long, since Othello is such a popular mold. Happy buying! 

Lanin is here!

 Good news, everyone! My Lanin model has arrived - behold! 

He's way more purple than I thought he'd be! 

In-hand, he doesn't look as weird with no mane as he did in the promo photos (typical). 

Quality-wise he's pretty good, other than a purplish smear on his butt, and a warped left hind leg (visible in the above photo). While I didn't take any photos, I did compare him to my other models on this mold, and the ones molded from cellulose acetate (prior SMC releases like Mirado and Fiero) are definitely skinnier through the shoulders than the ABS ones (all other colors). The speculation is that the factory workers aren't giving the models enough time to cool before removing them from the molds, leading to some "collapsing" in the shoulder area. All Stablemate models have a void or air bubble inside (just take a look at the clearware ones), which could lead to some collapsing of the plastic around the shoulder area, so the theory seems solid. Is Breyer ever going to address this? Has it even been brought up to them? Who knows. 

Interestingly enough, it looks like the process to eliminate Mirado's mane (presumably by Dremeling it off) also eliminated most of the detail on his neck. Let's hope this doesn't happen on any future roached releases of this mold, I guess. 

On a small side note, the First Timer's Guides to Breyerfest (in-person and virtual) have been released on the Breyer website, and they do mention a plush as one of the store items (but no photos of said plush). So the plush is presumably still coming? Who knows. 

Featured JAH - 2/3/2024, Nov/Dec 1997

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured JAH! This week's issue is Nov/Dec 1997 - back to wintry imagery go to with the somewhat-wintry weather outside (though it's 54 and sunny here, so your mileage may vary). Anyway, let's get rolling! 

On the front cover we have a nicely-put-together holiday-themed horse scene, with the horse in snowy settings wearing a green halter/lead, with a red ribbon and the red masthead and cover elements. Very attractive for the season! On the back cover, General Lee's Traveller makes his debut as the first (I think) Horses in History release. He was a well-loved member of my collection, and I also wanted the McClellan cavalry tack set that matched him, but never got it. 

I usually skip the inside cover because the stuff on it usually isn't that important, but 1997 was the debut of the Holiday Horse series, which is still going strong! One of my friends had Snowball, and I think I wanted him but never got him. Guess I must not have wanted him that bad. 

In the Editor's Desk, Stephanie wraps up 1997 with a hint about the newest Breyer release (spoiler alert: it's Scamper), and at the bottom we have a photo of what looks like a holiday party with a really creepy-looking Santa. On page 3 is a giveaway for a really nicely-customized Lady Phase by Tom Bainbridge. I wonder where she is now? 

On page 4-5 we have a collection of nice color photos from various Breyer Tour events in 1997, including an immaculately-groomed Rugged Lark on his farewell tour. 

After skipping the Discontinued for 1998 list and a full-color gallery of Appaloosa photos, on page 10-11 we have the story of Ruby, portrait model from this set, along with an essay from a girl who wanted to win the giveaway of Fireball, grandson of Ruby. She won a half-sister to Fireball instead. 

On page 12 is the Fireball-winning essay, and on page 13 we have a Blast from the Past featuring the Lying Down Foal, and Just About...Breyer Animals! featuring the Basset Hound. 

On page 14-15 we have a Brushstrokes article by Kathleen Moody detailing the creation of the  Si-Ce-Ca Shong'ge porcelain. 

After skipping an article about painting Appaloosas and some Breyer jr. stuff, as well as the centerfold featuring the completed Si-Ce-Ca Shon'ge, on page 22 we see a blurb about the Breyer Animal Collector's Guide and a comic about John Henry. On page 23 we have article about Traveller! 

On page 26 (after skipping an article about fixing broken legs), we have some Appaloosa art and a Who Am I? featuring what looks like a buckskin Adios, and on page 27 we have a Breyerfest '98 announcement! The Clarion was still the Holiday Inn North at the time, but the "Welcome Breyerfest" part of the sign hasn't changed. 

After skipping Horse Trader, some more Breyer jr. stuff and a Know Your Breed article about Appaloosas (I'm sensing a theme for this issue), we come to the Vintage Point featuring the Action Stock Horse Foal. I had Cricket and eventually Skipper (not yet produced in 1997) in my carpet herd as a kid. 

And that brings us to the end of this week's article! With that, we're done with another year of JAH. Tune in next week for Jan/Feb 1998! 

Glossy Neon Rainbow Zebra

 Greetings, readers! Well, the last Breyerfest model reveal is upon us - we got to see the reveal that was teased yesterday! I had to use Breyer's descriptor for the title of today's post because I just like it so much. So, say hello to Better than Revenge! 

Wow, I love this one! It's the debut of the mythical loose, short mane we saw in the live auction last year! 

Some of the online commentary from yesterday was that the sneak peek looked Fruit Stripe-themed, and lo and behold, Fruit Stripe got a shoutout in today's blog post. Kinda wishing I'd bought it more often over the years, but the flavor just never lasted long enough. Oh well. 

Anyway, I was definitely a '90s kid (the theme song from Saved By the Bell definitely started running through my head while reading the blog post), so I have to get this one. 

Looks like this may be an expensive year for me after all, especially if we get the micro-runs of 35 in every special run, as has been speculated. Guess I'll worry about that when tickets go on sale! Not sure what sort of alternate color you'd do for Better than Revenge (coral? jade? both?), but I can already tell it's going to be another interesting Breyerfest!