September Collector Club Newsletter and Tractor Supply news!

Well, it's the end of the month again, and you know what that means - a new Collector Club newsletter! If you're in the club, check your email to read more. There's an Avatar's Jazzman giveaway (and the Morgan article says Troubadour will be a RR for 2022!), an update on Lafayette backorders and Astrid (stuck in shipping - no surprise, but thanks for the update), and this tantalizing sneak peek...

That's definitely a Susecion, and it looks pearly and white or blue, to boot? Could we finally be getting the holiday (unicorn?) Susecion and Le Fire set I've been asking for for the last few years? I'm going to have to watch the website like a hawk this month so I don't miss out! 

In other news, some of the Tractor Supply stuff is starting to come in stock in various places. The Indian Pony Sayan can now be ordered on the website, but there's a discrepancy there - the website shows Sayan as Sayen, a chestnut - but the ones we've seen on the planograms and the few that have been found in stores are bays named Sayan. So are there two, and the IP collectors will have to track down both? Maybe orders done over the internet will only be the chestnut Sayen models? Interesting stuff.

Also, if you search for Breyer on the TSC website, this banner comes up when scrolling down the page of results:

That's the Ethereal, Wilder! Wow, he looks really nice in that color. I hope our local TSC gets them in stock soon. The Toy Shop is accessible now (most of the links were dead yesterday when I looked at it), but none of the TSC exclusives have listings yet except for Sayan/Sayen. I hope they come up soon so I can order a Wilder! 

2022 Collector Club and Deluxe Collector Club signups are open!

 Well well, I guess it's that time of the year again...club renewals! 

Looks like next year's Collector Club special run is this beauty, Honeybear! 

What a handsome guy! I almost wish he was glossy, but that might set the hobby on fire even worse than the Lafayette situation, so I'll hold back and just hope I can buy one next year. Gotta keep that Georg conga complete! 

And check out the Stablemate for the 2022 Deluxe Collector Club, Ellington:

I may have uttered a few expletives when I saw this one, because I was hoping next year's Deluxe Club would have a Stablemate I wouldn't need to buy. Nope, guess not. It's funny that the Django mold was released 5 years ago and we still don't have him in solid black. Maybe someday! 

Anyways, I'll be joining the Deluxe club again next year - let's hope the shipping snafus resolve themselves eventually. Can't wait to see both of these models in person! 

Breyerfest VIP Second Chance Sale!

 Well, the VIP Second Chance sale is going on now, so if you're a VIP ticketholder, hop on over to the sale page to make your purchase(s)! 

As the previous promo photo indicated, there weren't any Pollock, Uffington or Knossos models available in the SR selection. Seurat has since sold out, but as of now everything else is still available. Some of the swag items have sold out as well. Once you purchase a SR, all the others will disappear if you go back to the sale page. I bought an Ansel in hopes of getting a blue one - I hope that works out, since I probably should have just bought a Seurat - much higher chance of getting a glossy than the blue Ansel. I'm a little irked that I had to pay for shipping on this since this sale is supposed to be making up for the VIP shipping debacle, though. Oh well! The sale goes until Friday, so who knows what (if anything) will sell out by then. I guess we'll see when the remainder gets opened up to All-Access ticket holders! 

Featured Model - 9/25/2021, Buckskin Pinto Auction Hermosa

 Hello and welcome to Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model I don't own but would like to, give some stats on it and provide commentary about it. This week's model is...the 2016 Breyerfest Live Auction Hermosa in buckskin pinto! 

This pretty girl was a OOAK on the Hermosa mold sculpted by Brigitte Eberl. 

I really liked this model back when she was first revealed, because her color is very reminiscent of Scallywag's. They'd make a great pair! Her color is so soft, and but also has a lot of depth. Now if Breyer would just make a foal to match her...wait, scratch that idea as I probably wouldn't be able to get my hands on it. But anyway...

Hermosa isn't the most popular mold out there, but she did get a couple of new releases last year - she was the Breyerfest special run Boudicca and then appeared as the web special La Molina at the end of the year. She also appeared as the unicorn Mira in 2019, the same year her regular run appearance as Fantasia del C ended. It's anyone's guess as to where we'll see her pop up next - maybe as a Collector Club special run? Or a mid-year or brick-and-mortar release? Anything that's obtainable is okay by me! 

New arrivals and Breyerfest VIP Second Chance Sale!

 Greetings, readers! I know, I know, I haven't posted much lately, but there really hasn't been all that much to post about, other than my Thriller still hasn't shipped, nor has my Equidae, which irks me because I ordered them both from dealers, whereas people who ordered direct from Breyer have them in hand already. But there are a lot worse things I could be (and am) dealing with in the non-model world, so I'll leave my griping to a minimum. With all the shipping delays we've been seeing, and notices that it isn't going to let up anytime soon, I decided to order all the remaining RR items I hadn't yet purchased, because who knows when they could go out of stock and how long it'll take to get them back in stock. And who knows if they'll even do a Collector Club Appreciation sale this year with how long it's taken to get things in stock. Of those items, nothing has arrived yet except for this little beauty! 

That's right, it's the mid-year mulberry gray mini Alborozo! I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box and saw him, because I thought he was going to be a flat mulberry gray - I wasn't expecting him to be so pearly! That makes me way more excited about him than I was before. 

What a beauty, and his mane is almost painted correctly! 

And no, your eyesight isn't deceiving you - that model in the background is in fact...

...the Gold Pollock, which I obtained for a price I'll probably still cringe at later - but less cringeworthy than any others I've seen since this whole thing started. He's a beauty too, though I think I prefer the original, honestly - the rainbow spots are too subtle, and when you get him up close they're slightly transparent! It would be interesting to see how this one was painted. 

Yes, those are a Caliente and a glossy leopard Slainte Surprise also in the background, but this post is getting too long already, so suffice it to say I went on a Best Offer spree on eBay and came out the other side a victor...well, sort of. Those new sales taxes hit hard! 

And finally, I also have a photo of my Old Glory, which came a few weeks ago: 

I'd ordered one from a dealer back in April, only to have my order pushed back to September because I didn't get it in fast enough. So I twiddled my thumbs for months waiting, only to see them come in stock on Amazon and with free shipping to boot. So finally I canceled my dealer order and got one from Amazon two days later. Interestingly enough, his silver markings are decals laid over the glossy clearware, as I discovered when I noticed a little piece of masking still on the edge of one of the stars and it peeled right off. Which...leaves me with an insatiable temptation to just peel them all off. NO! Must resist! 

So anyway, Old Glory did finally join my herd - a few weeks later than I'd hoped. 

Lastly for this post, the Breyerfest VIP Second Chance sale has finally been announced! From the email:

We’re excited to be able to offer our BreyerFest VIP guests the first chance to get some more of the exciting Special Runs, Limited Editions, and merchandise from BreyerFest: Horse of a Different Color! Mark your calendar for Tuesday, September 28th! The 2nd Chance Sale is scheduled to open on or around 11:00 am EDT.

Here’s your chance to add that model you wish you grabbed during BreyerFest weekend! You can purchase one Special Run model from the available ones shown on the collection page. Additionally, there are Limited Edition models as well as Horse of a Different Color merchandise available for purchase.

I'm resisting the urge to complain a lot here, but...one whole model? Really? Usually they let us get two when in-person and in the previous leftover sales...so, bleh. So much for getting one of the runs of 200 I still need. Taking the photo in the email at face value, there aren't any Pollock, Uffington or Knossos models left, so I'll have to decide what's the better gamble - Ansel, to try to get a blue one, or Seurat for a glossy? I won't even bother with a Seven Arts since I only need two of those from 10 possibilities. I wish we could at least get two models. 

But I'll stop my complaining for now and hope I can at least log on at 11am EST on Tuesday to get something.  Let's hope my other orders and Halloween items get here soon! 

Featured Model - 9/19/2021, Buckskin Test Shire B

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model I don't own but would like to, give some stats on it and provide commentary about it. This week's model is...the Buckskin Test/Auction Shire B! 

This model was a OOAK produced for the Breyerfest live auction in 2003. He was produced on the Shire B mold sculpted by Kathleen Moody. 

I remember seeing this model up for sale a few years ago, but I don't remember what the sale price was. Probably more than I wanted to pay at the time, but still less than it would be in today's crazy market. Or maybe not, since Classics aren't as popular as Traditionals. Anyway, I like the Shire B in this color - he has a lot of shading and it looks like his ribbons are fairly detailed. This guy is a bit of a rarity anyway since you don't really see Classic auction models anymore. I wonder if anyone has ever used their Design Your Own Breyer lot on a Classic mold? That would be interesting to see, if probably a waste of money (especially now that it costs upward of $5,000 to buy). 

I feel like I've posted about the Shire B (and/or A)a lot in recent times, so I'm not sure there's much I can say - I doubt he'll have any special run appearances since he was Callahan in 2018, but you never know. Maybe he'll get a new RR release next year? Both molds are sadly neglected, so it would be good to see a new release on one of them. Ooh, I have an idea - they could do a set for Halloween in some type of realistic color, with orange/black ribbons! Buttermilk buckskin, maybe? Orange and black ribbons for one, and purple/green for the other? I'd buy that! 

The Halloween Collection is revealed!

 Good news, everyone! Breyer's Halloween Collection for this year is now on the website! There doesn't seem to be a page for everything (unless I'm missing something) but if you search for Halloween, they'll show up a little ways down the page. Nothing can be ordered yet - it's all Coming Soon - but at least we can look at the items ahead of time!  Firstly, let's take a look at the Classic! 

Edit: Breyer posted on Facebook that the Halloween collection will be available to purchase at 10am EST this Friday, so set your alarms! There'll be a restock of Thriller as well. 

His name is Eek! Rather fitting for that spidery design, eh? I suppose I'll have to add this one to the herd, since I have all the others. 

Next, here's an official photo of the blind bag Stablemates! 

I'll probably just order one, since I only want the Clydesdale, thus I'd only order one of them if they weren't blind bags. Boo, hiss, etc.

Lastly, here's the plush! 

He's definitely a cutie, but I don't do plushies, so he won't be coming to my house. 

Let's hope we don't have to wait too long to order these spooky offerings! Though the way things are going, they may not show up until Halloween anyway...

Baruti selections are out!

 Well, the selections for Baruti went out, and it doesn't look like I was a winner this time. Be sure to check your spam email folder, and/or log into your Breyer account and see if the option to purchase is there! I'll be keeping my eye out for the waitlist next week! 

Fall releases!

 Exciting news, everyone - Breyer's Fall Releases have been revealed! Say hello to Steele, this year's brick-and-mortar special run: 

Ooh, a new Wyatt! Nothing I need, fortunately. This is the brick-and-mortar release, which means dealers aren't allowed to sell it online. So...good luck finding one in the wild, I guess! I'm just glad I don't want it, so I don't have to scramble to try to find one somewhere that's somewhat local to me. 

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of this next release...

A glossy rainbow Othello?! Be still, my heart...my almost-complete conga must remain almost-complete! Someone on Blab pointed out how they reversed the colors on him this time, and I really like it! What a beauty. I love the shade of purple, blue and red/pink they used. I've reserved one from the "somewhat" local dealer I found last year, so I should have one joining the herd sometime next month...or whenever they arrive from Breyer. No sign of my Thriller yet, by the by...but anyways. 

There's also a new series of Mini Whinnies blind bags! 

Interesting to note that these are all the "old" Mini Whinnies - none of the new molds from recent years are pictured here, unless this is an old picture? Not sure. 

And now for something (almost) completely different...a puzzle? 

I had to scrutinize the picture to make sure those were all releases we've seen so far, and I think they are - they all look familiar, anyway. I have to admit I'm not the biggest puzzle person, but I'm considering getting this. Hmm...maybe once Collector Club Appreciation time arrives and I'm looking to pad out my order? 

Featured Model - 9/11/2021, Avalon

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model I don't own but would like to, give some stats on it and provide commentary about it. This week's model is...Avalon! 

This handsome guy, technically a resin, was an edition of 125. He's item #711138 and was a new sculpture, used for the first and (so far) only time at Breyerfest 2011. IDYB doesn't have a record of who sculpted him, but to my untrained eye he sort of looks like a Sifton piece. 

While I wasn't terribly crazy about any of the three new resins introduced at that year's Breyerfest, Avalon is probably the only one of the three I'd add to my collection if he were released in plastic. Prince Charming's proportions just look goofy to me and Sorceror's Apprentice is just...nah. That's a handsome shade of chestnut on Avalon too, and I like that his tail isn't banged. That's one sporthorse trend I wish would just go away already. 

So, since Prince Charming has made his debut as a Stablemate, will Avalon and Sorceror's Apprentice follow along soon? And why haven't any of them been produced in a larger scale? Did Breyer have some kind of agreement with those artists as well? Seems a bit odd to go to the trouble of making those molds to only use them once. I wouldn't mind getting Avalon in any scale, though I suppose I'd prefer him as a Traditional. But if Breyer wants to shrink him into a Stablemate, I wouldn't complain about that either! Just don't make him a bunch of rare and super-rare chase models right off the bat, like they did with Prince Charming! 

We finally have our new Wild Animal!

 Exciting news, everyone - we finally have our newest Wild Animals model - Baruti! 

Ah, so it was Carrick! Somehow I forgot about him when I was looking at "ribby" molds as possibilities. Looks like this is another one I'll have to buy! That's a rather intricate paint job, so it'll be interesting to see how they pull it off in the production run. 

His price did make a bit of a jump to $195 (gulp), but I can understand why. We have until 11:59pm (EST) on 9/13 to enter, and fortunately we only need to enter once, so no need to come back every day and enter again. Good luck to everyone entering! 

Featured Model - 9/4/2021, Fields of Heather

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model I don't own but would like to, give some stats on it and provide commentary about it. This week's model is...Fields of Heather! 

This model was a run of 26. He's item #711386 and was produced on the Altynai mold sculpted by Heather Puleo. He was a raffle model for Breyerfest 2020. 

Altynai has been having a good year, huh? Not only did he get that beautiful Uffington release, he got the mini-release of 200 holographic black Uffingtons mixed into the run, and he still seems in high demand - looks like the sale prices now are hovering around the $1300 mark. Let's hope they keep going down, because there's no way I'm paying that much for a run of 200, no matter how much I like him! Must have that holographic...But anyway. I saw a post from Karen Gerhardt (sculptor and former Breyer employee who designed many paintjobs for the company) saying that the reason they never did more holographic models was because the paint was too expensive. Presumably the price has come down enough now for them to do that 200-piece run - and maybe there'll be more in the future? I guess we'll see. 

Anyway, I'd dearly love to add this spotted longboi and the holographic one to my collection someday, but with the prices being as crazy as they currently are, I don't see that happening anytime soon. So where will we see the mold next? He's now had the obligatory Premier Club-Raffle model-Breyerfest special run release schedule, so maybe we'll get a regular run next year? I wouldn't mind seeing that just to see the spectacularly long boxes they'll have to put them in. And maybe they'll release him with a roached mane? The auction model from this past Breyerfest looked pretty cool, so I think it's reasonably likely we'll see a wider release of that in the future. I don't see him being a web special anytime soon, since they tend to use slightly older molds for that, but you never know. Maybe they'll do something crazy and make him next year's Holiday Horse? They might be able to come up with something Turkish-inspired for a costume. Hey, it's an idea, anyway! 

Stablemates Club blind bags!

Well, we may not have any new releases to talk about, but at least there are Stablemates Club blind bags! 

No word on which years, specifically, are included in this - each grab bag has two randomly selected Stablemates, so I suppose you could get pretty much anything from previous years. Nothing I'm interested in buying, but it'll be interesting to see what people get! This offer is only open to current Stablemates Club members. If it's only your first or second year in the club, it would probably be worth it to pick one of these up!