Collector Club Appreciation returns!

 Good news, readers! If you joined the Collector Club after this year’s first Collector Club Appreciation event, you’re in luck! The CCA is back!

I already got the glossies I wanted earlier this year, but if there’s still one you want, don’t miss out! It’s happening tomorrow at 1pm EST! We’ve certainly come a long way from the glossies selling out within minutes of the event opening, huh? They say inventory is limited, but they always say that, so who knows how limited it really is. Guess we’ll find out tomorrow!

Let the 2025 reveals begin!

 Exciting news, readers! The Collector and Deluxe Collector Clubs are now open for 2025 membership! Check out the first Collector Club special run for next year, Maddox! 

Wow! That guy is a MUST HAVE! I'm getting the grabby hands just looking at him! I still haven't gotten my hands on a Petra, either. I gotta have Maddox for my collection! 

More (or less) excitingly, the Stablemate for the 2025 Deluxe Collector Club has also been revealed! They shrunk the Semi-Rearing Mustang! 

Deluxe Collector Club members will receive the bay blanket Appaloosa one (Darius) on the right, and will also receive one randomly-shipped color of the four original decorator colors (plus the Deluxe Collector Club pin). I'm not a Semi-Rearing Mustang fan, but I gotta admit it's pretty cool getting TWO Stablemates for your membership. Not so cool that they’re bringing back the gambler’s choice garbage - it’s fun when it’s once in a while, but when it’s everywhere all the time, the novelty wears off really fast. The deluxe club is also $20 more than usual because of the extra Stablemate, so if they’d chosen a mold I do collect for the gambler’s choice, I’d be pissed about having to buy four memberships. But maybe that’s just my blind bag/gamber’s choice dislike showing. 

Interestingly, there's also going to be a Collector Club Store on the website, featuring Collector Club-only merchandise and models. I’m guessing this will just be used for whatever current Collector Club special run is available, and maybe a few T-shirts or something. Slightly more exciting would be if they used it to sell older collector club stuff kicking around the warehouse, but that remains to be seen. But wow, I am super excited for Maddox! And, of course, if the Collector Clubs are open for enrollment, the Vintage, Premier and Stablemate Clubs can't be far behind! Bring on the new reveals! 

Breyer Halloween Sweepstakes, and other stuff

 All right, this one is kind of old news, but I had some technical difficulties writing it and then forgot about it, so here it is anyway. Anyway, Breyer is doing a sweepstakes for Halloween! From the email: 

It’s almost time for trick or treating, so we've decided to get in on the action! Except we have no tricks… only treats for three lucky winners!

We are offering the chance to win one of three exciting Halloween-themed prize packs that include Maelstrom, Apparition, Ratsputin, and a full set of Spooky Surprise Blind Bags!*

I'm not going to enter since most of that is stuff I don't want, but Maelstrom looks cool with water drops all over him. 

 

In other news, more new stuff is showing up on the Breyer website, including 75th anniversary merch! Behold the enamel pin! 

Naturally, they're using the Western Horse silhouette for the pin. I wonder if they'll do another anniversary release on him? Guess we'll find out in a few months. I've seen some criticism of the 75th anniversary logo and the weird cut-off 5, but other astute people have pointed out that the cuts on the letters make the logo look more like a diamond, so I'm cool with it. There are also horse blankets, jackets, mugs, other new pins, etc. Definitely a few things I'll throw in my cart if they do another CCA event with glossies I need. 

Lastly, we may have a reveal of the next (last?) Orren Mixer model. Behold! 

It's Geronimo in a handsome buckskin color! Apparently dealers were told the last release would be a buckskin, so it's likely that this is the next Orren Mixer. It could just be a test modeling a saddle/bridle though - Breyer has been known to do that before. This is from this year's holiday catalog, or so I've heard, so keep an eye out for that in your mailbox!

Lastly, the 2024 Breyer Retired List is out! Read it here and breathe a sigh of relief that Marc of Charm was never used as a glossy prize model at Breyerfest. I’m excited to see what new products we’re getting next year! 

Calista is in the house!

 Good news, everyone! My kids and I were at the KHP on Saturday when a friend messaged me that the new brick-and-mortar special run, Calista, was in stock! So I got one! Behold: 

These photos were taken in my photo tent, because I photographed all my new arrivals yesterday so I could get them onto the shelves. Normally they hang out in our kitchen window for a while before they go onto the shelves.

She's certainly a pretty girl! I had two to choose from, but the other one had either a scrape or a large piece of dust/lint on her face, so I took a chance with this one, which also had possible scrapes/dust on her hindquarters. And it was just dust! Huzzah! Quality-wise she's pretty nice, so I'll have to think up a breed assignment for my next show! 

Featured JAH - 10/13/2024, Sept/Oct 2003

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured JAH! This week's issue is Sept/Oct 2003. Let's get started! 

On the front cover, Like a Diamond shows off his athleticism. His mane even looks pearly! 

On page 2, Natasha writes about Breyerfest and Galway Warrior is his handsome self. 

On page 3 is a small news roundup and Letters to the Editor, featuring some fun mail artwork. The first letter to the editor may be the first time Breyer has acknowledged using test models in promo photos to tease us. Although I'm not sure they really do that anymore? I think a new release of Gilen showed up in promo photos a while before it was released, but otherwise I can't think of any recent examples. 

Having already showed off his moves on the front cover, on page 4 Like a Diamond gets to show off his handsomeness. I wonder how much Show Sheen it took to get him to look like that? Not that he isn't beautiful on his own, of course. 

On page 5 is the article about Like a Diamond, along with the reveal of his Breyer model. I had this model back when I had an extensive Adios conga. Still a little sad about selling them, but the shelves needed the space. Anyway, Like a Diamond was one of my favorite Adios releases. A quick Google showed that the real Like a Diamond died in 2017 (RIP). 

On page 6 is the first page of an article about Maynards Miss Sheba, America's Winningest Mule! She sure is/was pretty! 

On page 7 we find the rest of the Maynards Miss Sheba article. I haven't been able to find any recent information about Maynards Miss Sheba, but she was 15 years old in 2003, so presumably she's passed on by now. 

On page 8 is the first page of the Breyerfest 2003 recap, including another photo of Galway Warrior looking handsome, along with Gladwin Lucky Grey Lady (Celebration Horse and daughter of another Celebration Horse, Laddie II). 

The Breyerfest recap continues on page 9, with photos of many happy collectors fulfilling their Breyerfest dreams. 

The Breyerfest recap wraps up on page 10 with some raffle winners (that Gunsmoke...I want one!). 

After skipping the Breyerfest Live show results and Breyer jr., on page 18 is the JAH special run Double Exposure! I always thought this was a really nice color on Big Ben, but if I remember correctly this special run took multiple years to sell out. Too bad - I had one, but sold it off later for shelf space. I still have the G2 Warmblood ornament, though. 

After skipping a couple of how-to articles, on page 22 we have an article about storing your Breyer models - always a timely subject. 

On page 23 is the rest of the model storage article, including a photo of a really unfortunate woodgrain Fighting Stallion who suffered a bad bloating incident. 

After skipping Horse Trader and a poem, on page 26 is the first part of this week's Vintage Point featuring the Appaloosa Performance Horse.

On page 27 is the rest of Vintage Point. 

After skipping Collector's Corner and the events calendar, on the back cover we see the reveal of Merry Widow, the Halloween model for 2003. And that brings us to the end of this week's issue! Check back next week for Nov/Dec 2003! 

Tigerlily and Firestorm and Hot Cocoa and Freya and Annika!

That's a long title. Good news, everyone! I had three new models arrive today. I'll start with the second Premier Club release, Tigerlily and Firestorm - behold! 

Yay! I really like them. Tigerlily really is basically an updated Running Mare. Firestorm is his own feisty self, though. 

They're both pretty much flawless, except for...

...this groanworthy arrangement of reverse dapples. Do they all look like this? It's pretty minor in the grand scheme of things, but still irritating. They look like a grid, or a honeycomb or something. It's probably something to do with how they're painted, but like...try to make them a little more random or something, you know? 

Otherwise I have no complaints with the quality. I'll probably take them both to my next show. 

Next, here's Hot Cocoa! 

I love her pearly tail! 

I just love her tail in general. And the rest of her. It's a really attractive color! 

She has some minor flaws, but nothing major. If I can figure out a breed for her, I'll take her to my next show too! 

Also, the holiday mare and foal set was revealed today, along with a bunch of other stuff! Say hello to Freya and Annika! 

They're currently on backorder and expected to ship the week of 10/28. They're cute, and I like Freya's color, but neither one is anything I need. They even come with an ornament and a satin bag! 

Along with them, we have this year’s holiday Classic! Meet Nor’easter!

He’s also nothing I need - I wish they’d used a different mold. 

Lastly, the Kid’s Club has been updated with a new Classics model!

Also nothing I need, but that’s a handsome color. 

That’s it for today - whew, that was kind of a lot. I wonder if anything will be revealed tomorrow?

Featured JAH - 10/5/2024, July/Aug 2003

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured JAH! This week we're covering July/Aug 2003, so let's get started! 

On the front cover we have a still from the Seabiscuit movie starring Tobey Maguire. Breyer went all-in on the Seabiscuit merchandise and produced a lot of tie-in products (though not as many as for Spirit). 

I usually skip the inside cover because the contents aren't that important, but I couldn't this time, because we have the debut of the Show Jumping Warmblood! Feast your eyes on the initial chestnut release and the super-detailed base he came on, which went away after only three releases (the original, the JCP liver chestnut and Royal Kaliber). 

In the Editor's Desk, Natasha writes about unlikely heroes (including a note about being sad that fans couldn't meet Funny Cide at the KHP during Breyerfest, as he was still racing at the time - fittingly, he went to the KHP in 2008 after his retirement). 

On page 3 is Letters to the Editor. Again with the AVIS car rentals stuff - can they bring that back? Not that I rent vehicles very often, but it could come in handy for the occasional rental we do partake in. Also, RIP to ToysRUs. 

On page 4 is the first page of the Seabiscuit article and the reveal of the Traditional-size Seabiscuit and War Admiral models. 

On page 5 we find the second page of the Seabiscuit article and the Stablemates Three-Piece Gift Set. 

On page 6 is the first page of the Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls (shouldn't that be Cowgirls?), and the tie-in Trick Riding gift set featuring an adventurous Brenda Breyer and the Traditional Black Beauty. 

The Riata Ranch Cowgirls article (they keep calling them Cowboy Girls, but I'm going to keep on saying Cowgirls) concludes on page 7. 

On page 8 is the first part of the article about equine photographer Robert Vavra, featuring a photo that I'm pretty sure is still hanging in the KHP visitor center. I desperately wanted to buy some of his photography books when I was younger and getting Back in the Saddle catalogs regularly, but they were just too expensive.

That reminds me of something. Does anyone else remember getting catalogs for Breyer-sized horse barns, fences, accessories, etc? I can't remember if they were from Back in the Saddle or another manufacturer (definitely not Breyer), but they were very detailed, but laughably expensive for the time. They'd probably be stupidly expensive now. They may also have had horse-themed gifts, etc. Anyone else remember that? They probably went out of business pretty quickly but I've been wondering about those for years. Did anyone actually buy any of those? 

The Vavra article starts/continues on page 9. I wanted the Majestad model at one point, but never got one. 

After skipping a how-to article (carving out hooves), on page 12 is the debut of Causin' a Commotion, the JAH Collector Club special run! Rumor has it at least part of this run was produced from painted-over RSV Inolvidable Celebration models from Breyerfest 2002, but I don't think it's ever been confirmed. The Peruvian Paso has never been very popular for some reason (I had a small conga of them a few years ago, but had to clear them out for shelf space). 

After skipping Breyer jr., on page 18 is another Breyerfest 2003 preview, with an appearance by Little Debbie for some reason! I know, it was because of the tie-in doll and horse set, but I can't help but wonder what the Little Debbie Snack Cake Break was like in the middle of the Kentucky heat. 

The Breyerfest preview continues on page 19. We're in the middle of the overuse-of-Silver era, so the live show that year got a Silver model as the grand prize and the reserve prize. Strawberry Fields was also a special run for this Breyerfest, so the mold definitely got plenty of use in 2003. I guess they had to make an obtainable one for the teeming masses howling for more Silver models. Also, I love that blue-with-silver-mapping Lonesome Glory - bring that color back! We need more of it. 

After skipping a couple of how-to articles and most of Horse Trader (addresses badly edited out by me), on page 25 is the conclusion to the Vavra article. 

On page 26 we have the first part of this week's Vintage Point article featuring the G1 Thoroughbred mare. Take REALLY good note of that model sneak peek in the corner, because it will be quite some time before we get a follow-up to that. 

On page 27 is the rest of the Vintage Point article. 

On page 28 is the rest of the Seabiscuit article and a blurb about the Little Debbie model, hooray! I got one of those sets in a box lot on eBay once, but that was before my kids came along, so it got sold along with the rest of the extras from that lot. 

On the back cover is another view of the Riata Ranch Cowgirls (seriously, why not just call them that?). That brings us to the end of this week's issue. Check back next week for Sept/Oct 2003!