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!