So...a couple of days ago Breyer posted a new Test Run on their website. A vintage-inspired appaloosa Ruffian...
Sculpted by Susan Carlton Sifton, Ruffian (mold #597) is certainly one of our fan favorites. Originally created as a portrait model of the legendary racing filly of the same name, Ruffian has worn a variety of coat colors since her debut in 2006. This model's vintage-inspired appaloosa coat bears a bit of a resemblance to another model - our BreyerFest 2011 Early Bird model, Perrault! With her combination of splatter spots and modern shading techniques, this lovely lady is the definition of "something old, something new"
Although in great condition overall, as a true test model, the Vintage-Inspired Appaloosa Ruffian is not 100% perfect. She does have a handful of shiny marks in her coat from being moved around over the years. This mare is a fun and unique piece of Breyer history.
That's annoying. I guess by putting the wording in between the two photos after uploading the photos, it's caused the margins to mess up and I apologize. I'm sure it probably doesn't bother anyone but me. hahaha..
So anyway...what do I say about this model? I'm surprised by the rather significant price jump from all the other test runs in the past, but apparently that isn't deterring many people because I have seen several say they are entering for her and others asking for extra entries. I don't collect the mold so, higher cost aside, it's not something I'm interested in entering for a chance to win. Hey. At least they're including shipping and handling with it, though. hahahah. I don't think there have been any Test Runs that I have really liked enough to spend the money to enter, but I don't know if they'd be able to come out with one. There's several molds I do conga, but it would have to be a pretty amazing color or something for me to want to part with such a big chunk of change, especially when I don't even like spending $200 on a model. I'm a bit cheap, I guess. Anyway, I wish luck to those who enter for her and I hope she goes to someone I know.
Recently Breyer posted some pictures of the mid-year releases. Not all of them, I don't think. Most of the photos were of CollectA models and I don't collect those so I'm not going to bother with putting them here. hahaha. Let me start with the non-model item. They're called Mane Beauty Styling Heads. They are...interesting, to say the least. When I was much younger, I always wanted one of those Barbie styling heads. I *may have* gotten one at some point, but I want to say it was second hand and all the stuff wasn't with it. I don't remember. But I think I probably got tired of it pretty quickly.
Of course, I can have a pretty short attention span so even if I had all the supplies that went with the Barbie head, I probably would've gotten bored with it just as quickly. The Horse heads would fall to boredom, too. I mean, there's only so many ways you can style the mane before you'd be like "now what?" you know? But for little kids, I don't know. Maybe really young girls might like it. I know I saw on Blab some people saying they would've loved it as a kid and some even would now. I think one or two said they even planned on getting one for their kids.
Next up are a couple of the models. I will only be sharing the ones I like. Why? Because it's my blog. hahahaha. Should I show my favorite or 2nd favorite? I don't want to call it least favorite because it really isn't "least" just not my first choice. Yeah. I'll share that one first. I don't know if I'll get either one and I will explain why, but it should be pretty obvious.
First up is Checkers. The exciting sport of Mountain Trail combines the thrill of natural obstacles fond on wilderness trails with top-notch horsemanship skills. Owned by Mountain Trail pioneer Mark Bolender, Checkers has won the overall high point and National Champion titles in 2008, 2009, and 2010 - all while being ridden without a bridle! Checkers is an American Quarter Horse gelding, with a registered name of Sir Rugged Chex. His grandsire is the famous Rugged Lark!
He's a nice enough-looking model, but he looks too much like Harley D Zip...
He's not a bay like Harley and doesn't have the same facial markings and lacks one of the hind socks, but he looks enough like Harley that I probably won't get him. I think I have mentioned before that I don't have an Idocus because I got the Ravel model first and the two were too similar-looking.
Next up is Adiah HP. Adiah is a dressage champion with a colorful coat and is 3/4 Friesian and 1/4 Dutch Warmblood. She is owned and bred by Hidden Promise Sport Horses and trained by Jim Koford. In 2017, Adiah and Koford won the US Dressage Finals Grand Prix Freestyle and in 2018 they came back and won it again, in addition to the Grand Prix. While she may be an unconventional Grand Prix dressage mount, Adiah's collection, work ethic and happy attitude have helped make her a star.
Adiah hits my interest points for models in that shes a paint and she's on the Totilas mold. It always tickles me when they change the gender on a model. Totilas is a stallion and Adiah is a mare so the mold had to be changed...recast maybe...to take those parts away. hahaha. But the problem with this model is this...
Change a few of the paint markings on Adiah and you have Enchante. Not very original. I haven't decided 100% that I WON'T get Adiah, but they really look a lot alike so we will have to see.
And finally, there's the new Stablemate Surprise 70th Anniversary series.
I don't know where these will be available. My WalMarts don't seem to like to carry the current ones anymore. I would prefer to have access to feel up the bags, but if I can't find them in person, I may have to go the Ebay route since I really only want the Indian Pony. *maybe* the Croi Damsha, but probably only the Indian Pony. What makes this set even more extra special is that there's a Chase horse, which is in 25% of the displays and a Super Chase horse, which will be found in only 12%. The Chase horse is an Alborozo, judging by the silhouette, but we don't know what the two chase pieces will look like.
My blog has been getting spammed lately. An anonymous poster has been leaving the same comment every time. Saying the post is amazing then asking if I know my true name meaning or some such thing. I get notifications whenever a comment is left so I delete them when they show up, but it's annoying. I don't want to block other potential legitimate commenters by requiring a registered account, but it's starting to get annoying.
Breyerfest is just around the corner. What, 3 weeks now? Or is it still 4 weeks off? I don't know. I haven't done the math. I submitted my lists for what models I am interested in. If you bought multiple tickets you were allowed to either submit a master list or do individual selections. I chose the individual models to lessen the chance of duplicates, which would be a possibility with the master list method, even with them saying they'll do their best to prevent that from happening. I only want 4 models and only really 2 of those 4 and so thought doing the individual lists to be the better way to go. I haven't decided if I'm going to get any of the Store Specials. I will make that decision probably the day of.
Well, I guess that is it for now. Something I want to ask real quick first. If anyone is still reading this, is there any sort of topic you would like me to post about? I try not to duplicate what other bloggers are doing, but...is there certain content you'd like to see? I kind of like what one person does and that's to highlight one model from her collection each week. I don't know. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well. Until next time...
shan, here. First, to answer you question, i would LOVE to hear about a horse of yours every week you post a blog! This in addition to your usual Breyer release updates...i think i may be more of a "follower" rather than a leader so i am not really good at making suggestions, haha.
ReplyDeletei see what you are saying about the similarities in releases. My adopted ma is like you to some extent. If the horses are too much alike, (in color and or markings) she won't "pony up" to the price of a new release if it is too similar to what she has. But me? If it is a mold i seriously conga, then i will have to have it regardless of similarities. Heck, i even have all the same colored red bay PAMs from QVC with the horses' only difference being a sock placement. But, again, she (PAM) is a mold i seriously conga. Totilas, though, i only "casually" conga. So i only have one version of Kohinor. However, Adiah is different enough for me to have to have even though i have Enchante!
As far as the Ruffian Appaloosa Test, i am entering and i begged extra entries, but i am kinda bummed at the price increase. If i just wasn't such an Appy freak! i hope that is only because Ruffian is a modern mold. Like if Breyer releases, say a Stock Horse Stallion Test, then i would sincerely hope they'd put him back to the eight fifty. But i am like you, i'd really love to see someone i know get her! (if i don't, haha) i actually hope another Shannon gets her! ;)
On the new mini-me-mold SMs, i will likely love to have ALL of them! So i am hoping i can find a dealer that will let me buy a couple of boxes, haha!
I don't know how many more releases there'll be from Breyer. We know everything about Breyerfest models except, maybe, the auction models and I'm surprised they haven't said anything about those yet.
DeleteI only have one version of Kohinor, too. I was happy with the version I got and felt no need to collect all 4. I haven't decided for definite that I won't get Adiah, although I probably won't get Checkers since I only casually conga that one. But you know what? Everyone has their own collection desires and goals. And that's what's so great about the hobby. Everyone doesn't have to collect the same thing. Even the models I seriously conga, I don't have to have all the variations. I imagine it's thrilling trying to hunt down all of them and how it must feel when you finally find that special one.
I don't know when they were supposed to draw for the test Ruffian. I entered for you so...