New Stablemate Sets for 2020...

For 2020?  It's the end of October, which means 2020 is almost over.  I guess there's still time to release them before the year is over.  hahaha.  Anyway, let's get started.

There's a couple of small SM barn playsets.  One is regular horses...

 and the other is for unicorns...

The Unicorn Magic Wooden Carry Stable comes complete with 6 Stablemates unicorns.  Designed to be easy for small hands to carry, the wooden carry case makes the perfect take-along toy!   What I don't like about these sets is that while technically you're getting 6 models, you're only getting 3 different molds because you're getting two of each, just in different colors, except for the pink unicorns.  But I guess little kids don't care about stuff like that.

Next is a new deluxe wood stable...

With unique liftable roof panels, working doors and windows, and 7 stalls, the Breyer Farms Stable allows for engaging play from every angle.  Whether you'r dreaming of a lesson stable or backyard barn, this set comes with everything needed: 2 Stabelmates scale horses, 12 pieces of fencing, feed bag, water trough, hay bale and sticker sheet to personalize the stable.  It's pretty neat, but I don't like the color scheme.  Blue and purple?  hahaha.  Good thing the two models aren't anything I collect.  I like the original barn better and if I had room I'd get the other one.  There's also a bundle that includes the Horse Crazy Gift Set, but I already have the two horses in that set that I like.

Also new is the Land Rover and Tag-A-Long Horse Trailer

The Land Rover and Tag-A-Long Trailer features die-cast metal vehicle with working doors and rolling wheels.  You'll travel in style with the two-horse trailer featuring a drop-down loading ramp.  Comes with 2 ponies: a bay and a palomino!  I don't have the truck and gooseneck trailer and I'm not sure which I would buy over the other.  If this was a Range Rover instead of a Land Rover, I would probably consider buying this one, which is kind of ironic since Land Rover makes the Range Rover, but they look very different and I don't really care for Land Rovers.  hahaha.

And finally, we have the Stablemates Wood Shadowbox Barn Display...

Perfect to hang on a bedroom wall or sit on a dresser, Breyer's quality wood display shadowbox fits a whole collection of Stablemates 3" horses!  Comes with 4 horses (6036 Dapples and Dots) and features two hooks on the back for hanging.  There's no price tag showing for this, but I imagine it's going to be a bit high.  And I laugh at the "fits a whole collection"...not MY collection.  hahahaha.  It is a pretty neat-looking display, though.  I like the grey and white colors.  Very visually appealing.

So, I guess that's it.  I went to the Breyer website to get pictures and information on the two SM barns and ended up finding a lot more!  Well, maybe not "a lot", but more.  hahaha.  I initially found out about the two new barns on Instagram and I saw some discussion about the new Land Rover and Trailer on Blab, but I haven't seen anything about the display box or deluxe barn.  What do you guys thing?  Anything that catches your fancy that you might be interested in getting?  Breyer sure has been hitting us hard with new releases the past week or so, haven't they?  At least this stuff isn't available for sale yet.  hahaha.

Well, til next time!

2021 Premier Club Sneak Peek!

Well, Breyer has released a Sneak Peek of one of the Premier Club horses. I'm not in the club so I don't get early emails and don't know all the details. I don't know if this is the first release or if it's one sometime during the year. I do know it's sculpted by Rayvin Maddock. I don't know much about Rayvin, but I've seen her name in the hobby. I can't say that for every sculptor. Anyway...here is what the model looks like...

It's name is Fireheart and it is definitely in an "explosive" position. From the chatter I've seen, "he's" already quite popular and people are saying they will be joining the club just for this model. Me? No. It's nicely done, but the mold does nothing for me. Certainly not enough to spend the money on and risk liking or not liking the other 3 models. I was in the Premier Club for 1 or 2 years and only kept maybe one of the horses. I don't even remember now. I would have to see what the models were over the years. I know I have Emerson, but he was gifted to me.

 Well, I know this was short, but nothing else is going on worth talking about. Anyway, till next time...

PS--- apparently I was in the wrong view while typing posts and that is why I was having an issue with it running paragraphs together if there was no photo or something to separate.  Yay!

MORE new horses...Update at end...

Oh boy. Three posts in two days! One of the reveals is from yesterday but I didn't feel like adding to the Honeybunch post. hahaha. So, Breyer revealed what the Breyerfest 2021 model will be. His name is Intuit and he belongs to Terry Bradshaw, who is a Quarter Horse Breeder now, I guess. I think he tried selling the business a few years ago, but I guess is sticking with it for now. Maybe it's helping that he's got a reality show. hahaha. Anyway, the celebration model is a portrait of one of his stallions named Intuit. The horse has quite an attractive appaloosa pattern, but the horse itself is a bit of a mess. Not exactly what I would call an "ideal" representative of the breed...

The model, fortunately, is much more attractive. It's on the Geronimo mold with a very similar pattern to what they'd used on Ambrose earlier in the year, which kind of has a few people upset over...

And here is Ambrose as a comparison...

VERY similar, but not identical. I didn't get an Ambrose so having an Intuit will be kind of neat. I wish the tail on the Intuit model was silver like it is on Ambrose, but then that would be making it look too much like Ambrose. I hope to be able to add an Intuit to my small Geronimo conga. I think I only have Geronimo right now, but I'm not certain. Whether I will be adding him will likely be dependent on whether or not there is an actual regular Breyerfest in 2021. At this point right now, in all honesty, I don't think it's going to happen. I realize it is still a good time away from now, but the way things are looking and the way people are talking in general, it's not going to happen and I don't anticipate me participating in another Breyermess. That was just too painful for words. hahahaha. But I guess time will tell, won't it? So, back to the new horses. Today, Breyer released a winter decorator model named Christoff...

Created with special "clearware" translucent plastic that gives him the appearance of an ice sculpture, Christoff conjures images of the frigid Swiss ALps with the swirling winds and delicate snowflakes that decorate his frosty blue coat. Even with the low price point, I won't be buying him. I don't really care for the mold and it's not a type of decorator I collect. I do, though, like his translucent hooves. Those are pretty neat. I have no doubt there'll be plenty of people wanting to buy him, though. 

 Okay, so, I'm going to go "off script" again today with a complaint about Blogger. First, they forced us to switch to a style where you have to verify you want to view the page for the hyperlink you clicked on before it takes you to that page. Uhm...if I clicked on the link, it's because I wanted to view that blog...don't ask me if I'm sure since I clicked on it to begin with. Now it's how it looks when you are typing a post. You used to have a choice between HTML and some other type and now it's all HTML and so the pictures show up as gobbledy-gook instead of the actual photo until you post it. At first I thought it was just my cmoputer or the browser I was using, but I tried another browser and it's the same way. I haven't seen anyone else complain about it, though, so manybe it IS something I'm "doing". Good grief. Now it's putting paragraphs together that shouldn't be. Unless there's something to figure out on how to fix it...yeah...this isn't going to last much longer. This blog, I mean. Anyway, I guess that's it for now. I know. This blog was real exciting, wasn't it? hahaha. Til next time...

**Update**. Apparently Terry Bradshaw and Terry Bradshaw Quarter Horses have pulled Intuit from being the celebration horse for 2021 Breyerfest.  There was mention of concern for the safety of the horse and some people mentioned death threats or harm towards the Bradshaws and/or Intuit.  I didn’t see any comments like that, just a lot of comments about the poor breeding practices.  It’s unfortunate that this happened.  Someone on Blab mentioned concern over future horse owners being reluctant over allowing their horse to be used as a celebration horse as a result and I think that is a justifiable concern.  Even if there were no actual threats towards the Bradshaws or Intuit, the fact that there are rumors that there had been might be all it would take.  The whole thing kind of puts collectors in a bad light either way.  I guess we will have to wait and see what will happen now.  How quickly Breyer will be able to get another Celebration Horse.  I wonder, though, how many models were produced.  All of them?  Or just a prototype?

Meet Honeybunch -- Palomino for Christmas

Oh no! Two blog posts in one day! Yes, I could've added to the other one I posted, but it was pretty lengthy to begin with so I decided not to add to that length and just do a new post for this model. Make holiday wishes come true for yourself or someone special with Honeybunch - the 2020 Palimino for Christmas. She comes with a striking palomino coat, complete with a lightly pearled mane, tail and leg feathering that make her appear to carry the sfot shimmer of a winter's frost. Wrap her in her very own pastel plaid and pink-trimmed blanket. Complete with her own gift box, this year's Pony for Christmas makes a very special gift.

I like the gift box. Have they always done a "Pony for Christmas"? I don't remember seeing them before. She's cute and a decent price, but I won't get her. I don't collect this mold and with space at a premium, I can't really buy a one-off I'm not totally in love with. How about you? Will you be buying Honeybunch?

New Horses Coming Up...

 Yeah, I know.  I'm a bit behind the times on these.  But if you have been reading my blog for any amount of time you will know I don't just "announce" new models, but give my impressions as well and that's what I'll do here.  I would have blogged about them sooner, but someone once suggested to establish a posting schedule and stick with it and I had decided Wednesday was the day.  Yeah, I know I have posted on other days since deciding that, but...well...I get lazy.  hahahaha.

So, let's see...I got an email from Breyer about renewing my Collector Club membership.  Well, not just mine, but everyone's since they changed it to having to have an active membership during a certain time frame in order to be eligible for special models.  There are now two levels of CC membership.  Regular and Deluxe with a pretty good-sized gap in price points.  Regular is $25 and Deluxe is $55.  With the Deluxe, you get an exclusive Stablemate model and the one for 2021 is a glossy mini Alborozo:

Alby is a popular mold both in Traditional and SM size so people are going nuts over this one.  It's a duplicate of the record-breaking Breyerfest Auction piece from 2019.  He's pretty, but I don't know if he's worth the extra $30 for the Deluxe club when that is the only extra you get.  I don't know what else I would like for that $30, but... Regardless if which level you choose to join, you will have a chance to buy two traditional sized models at two different times of the year.  The first one has already been revealed and it's a glossy black NSH...

I don't collect the mold and he doesn't really do anything for me so I won't be buying him, but I've seen a lot of people saying how much they're looking forward to getting him.

Also revealed is the last Stablemate Club model for 2020 and one for 2021.  I don't know if it's the first one that will be released or if it will be released sometime during the year, but I am going to have to get both of them.  Cassidy is the one that will be released in December and hopefully I'll be able to find one for sale on the secondary...

She's cute.  I *think* she's a new mold?  I am not sure.  Then the one they revealed for 2021 is a neat-looking loose-mane clydesdale that may have sucked me into joining the SMC again...

Someone mentioned it looks like "he's" missing the left eye and I have to kind of agree.  It looks quite empty.  Hopefully it looks better in person.  I haven't been in the club for two years, I think it is, and have just been buying the ones I wanted on Ebay or MH$P.  It's a neat photo background they used here, but I think the barn probably isn't Stablemate scale, though.

Over the weekend there was supposed to be a Breyer Fun Day at participating dealers, but, of course, they changed it to a virtual event (*grumble grumble*) even though some places were going to actually have in-store events.  Breyer posted tutorials for things on YouTube and a couple of them looked neat.  I didn't do any of them, but they still looked neat.  One was a Stablemate Desktop Diorama.   You use a lamp them build the base around it and I don't have room for it, plus it wouldn't look anywhere near as good.  I don't have the patience for trying to make it look that good...

The models they used are obviously customs, possibly because one of the tutorials was for painting dapples and that grey horse kind of looks like the one they did, but I could be wrong.  It could just be similar.  But anyway, if I tried to do the diorama, it would probably be condemned.  By who, I don't know.  Hahahaha.  Another tutorial they did was on painting a Sabino pattern on a horse and the example used looks incredible.  I have a hard time believing it's not an OF, but I know there's talented people out there who are capable of this sort of paint job.  It is done by Kristen Taylor and while I don't collect customs, I would have no problem owning this one...

Just look at it!  Gorgeous!

I think that is all I had to share about models.  I feel like I am forgetting something, though, but I don't know what.  So I guess I'll move on.

A few blogs back I mentioned my disappointment in that they won't be releasing a Martin Brody doll from Jaws.  Something about issues with licensing.  Amazon still had it on their website with a March release, but now it's saying they don't know if or when it will be in stock, which is another disappointment.  The Quint doll and other Jaws related stuff are still being released so the licensing is obviously doesn't have to do with the move as a whole.  I asked my brother what he thought it could be and before I could even finish my sentence he said it it because the person, or in this case their estate, said No.  I can appreciate that, but I don't understand why, unless they decided they wanted more money.  The doll was tastefully done and looks a lot like Roy Scheider.  Hopefully they'll get it figured out and the doll will be released sometime in the near future.  Obviously his estate had agreed to it initially or NECO wouldn't have produced the doll, or the proto-type at least, and offered it for sale.  Makes me wonder, now, if maybe the Richard Simmons doll isn't going to happen either.  It was supposed to be released in October and there's been no updates and October is almost over.  I wasn't going to buy one anyway, but that's besides the point.

So, last month I went to Las Vegas for a quick overnight.  I drove up on Sunday and came back Monday.  It's only the second time I've driven there and the drive made me nervous.  Well, the THOUGHT of the drive did, but the drive itself wasn't too bad and I feel it's something I could do more often, but I'm not able to get away from home to go more often so there is that.  I hadn't been to Las Vegas since 2015 and it's obviously a little different right now.  It felt different, too.  I can't quite put my finger on what it was.  Not the masks and lack of people because there were plenty of people.  I stayed at the Mirage and ended up with a suite.  I asked if the "Nick Pappageorgio Suite" was available and the desk agent chuckled.  He said it wasn't and I asked if they got a lot of people asking for it and he said there's been a few.  Anyway, the suite was HUGE.  1,200 some odd square feet.  I was on the 26th floor, so only 2 floors from the very top and I had to use a certain elevator to get to the top floors and my card key to access them so I felt special in that way.  Anyway, I had asked if it had a view of the volcano because I didn't want to pay for the upgrade if I didn't have a view of the volcano.  The first one he offered didn't and I said then I wanted a room with a view of the volcano and he said let him see what he could do.  The *2nd room* he offered, he assured me had a view of the volcano, so I paid the upgrade fee, which really wasn't that much.  I was in the mood to spoil myself a little.  So, I got my key and went up to my room and decided to take a nap.  I had already been up and down the strip and combined with the 5 hour drive, I was a little tired.  I should have looked out the window to make sure I had the view I wanted, but I didn't.  I slept for a couple of hours then went across the street to Denny's to get dinner.  At 8pm the first volcano show was set to start so I went to the window and saw...the Rio.  Uhm...huh?  That's not on the strip side.  Out another window, I saw Caesar's Palace.  But no volcano.  I was very disappointed.  My original room assignment was for a volcano view.  I should have stuck with that, but the suite really was nice.  Biiiiiiiig.  And I wanted to treat myself.  But I felt mislead.  If I had known I wouldn't have a view of the volcano, I wouldn't have spent the extra money for the upgrade.  In the end, I submitted a complaint to the Mirage and they refunded my Resort Fee charge, which was almost half of the upgrade fee.  Because I didn't look at the view right away and rectify the problem, I felt that was an acceptable resolution.  I never did get to see the volcano erupt, though.  Another complaint about my room view was that because I was near the top of the building, there was the "signage" for the Beatles' Cirque show Love and so instead of a "clear" view, all I saw were little tiny circles.  Not exactly conducive to taking pictures or even just looking out the windows and enjoying the view...

I will be going back in April, for my birthday.  Even though the September trip was supposed to be my birthday trip for my 50th, I want to go back for a "re-do".  As I was leaving on Monday to go back home, there were things I realized I hadn't done or taken pictures of that I wanted to.  I never made it to an ABC Shop.  That was mostly because of broken elevators.  Because I have arthritis in my right hip and my left knee has no cartilage in it, I had rented an electric scooter to tool around the strip on.  Thank goodness for those things!  I was able to get from the Mirage down to New York New York, across the street to MGM and back up to the Mirage.  I wouldn't have been able to do that on foot.  Anyway, a couple of broken elevators kept me from being able to do everything I wanted because it would've meant having to go to the next pedestrian bridge up, cross LV Blvd then backtrack.  I had wanted to ride the High Roller Observation Wheel, but wasn't able to because it was on the side of the road with the broken elevators.  So I will go back in April.  I did get to have a couple of adult beverages at Fat Tuesday, though.  The bars weren't open yet, unless they served food, so this particular location got around it by making it required to buy a bag of chips for $1.00, which I was fine with.  I got a Pina Colada and a Strawberry Daiquiri.  Yum.  I want to say that the majority of the people I encountered while out on the strip in the scooter were super nice and helpful.  When I encountered a broken elevator at Aria, a couple told me I could get down to the street level by using the elevator inside the Crystals Shops then proceeded to show me where to go.  Others held open elevator doors for me.  The only "issue" I encountered was outside M&Ms World.  They only allow so many people inside the store at a time so there's often a line outside and people gathered, waiting to get in.  Well, the line isn't always very well-defined and people can be a bit scattered, just kind of hanging around.  There were a bunch of people there when I was trying to get through and I just kept repeating "Just trying to get through.  Just trying to get through." so they didn't think I was trying to cut in line or anything.  There's been a lot of bad publicity about people on scooters on the Strip lately and I was trying very hard to be polite and not be associated with that type.  I always am when I'm on a scooter.  I don't try to force my way through or anything.  But like I said, there's people who rent scooters and go zipping all over the place and have been known to run into people.

On Monday, I slept in.  Showered.  Then headed back home.  Overall, it was a good trip.  I did get to see two fountain shows at the Bellagio, though.  And I am thinking of staying at the Bellagio on my next trip.  I have stayed there before and the bed was super comfortable.  The one at the Mirage was kind of hard and I didn't sleep well.  Anyway, here's a couple of photos from the fountain show.  I just love the first photo.  I've had this bear for 42 years and take him on all trips with me.  I am actually using this photo as the background imagine on my work computer because it just makes me so happy to see it.

The fountain show at Bellagio has long been one of my favorite things to see when in Las Vegas.  I just love the power of it.  I got to see two shows because I was there at 12pm when the first one started, which is always a patriotic song, and then they did another one right afterwards.  The sound of the water jets is really cool, in my opinion.  The last couple of times I was in Las Vegas I wasn't able to see the fountain show so it was great to see it again!

Okay.  Well, if you are still reading...thank you!  lol.  I hope you are all doing well and til next time!

Sassy ---- Breyer Collector Club Exclusive

A feisty gal who lives up to her name, Sassy is the perfect mare to add to your herd this fall!  This appaloosa Sport Horse has a fantastic varnish chestnut appaloosa coat that is reminiscent of the red and brown hues of the autumn leaves.  To finish off her look, this lively is topped with a high gloss finish.

 Hmmm...what do I have to say about her?  It's not a mold I actively conga, although I do have a couple (3 or 4?) in my collection.  I do like the semi-leopard appaloosa pattern, but the dark front that morphs into the lighter body kind of looks a bit off to me.  The price is nice, that's for sure.  Am I going to buy one?  Maybe.  I think I will take a couple of days to think about it. What do you think about her?

She seems to be pretty popular from what I've seen on Blab.  Nobody is saying they aren't ordering it because they don't like her, but rather because they don't have the money at the moment.  Only a couple of people have said they like that she's glossy.  That part has no bearing on whether or not I'd buy her, although I know it does influence others.

For the last couple of months I've been thinking of having a photo show.  Just one for fun, no big pressure.  But it seems like the "market" is being saturated with photo shows and some with some fancy prizes so I think I'm going to shelve the idea.  I remember having photo shows back in the 1990s where people would mail in their photos.  Those were fun.  I would like to have a mail-in show so I could be drowning in photos of model horses, but when the show was over I would have to get to the post office to mail all the photos back to their respective owners.  Online would probably be easier, but I can't compete with Anne Fields, Mares In Black, MEPSA.  They're all getting great prizes donated.  Who would want to waste time with a fun show with okay prizes?  I know I'm sounding whiney and I don't mean to, but it's a bit disheartening, for lack of a better word, when you have no place in the hobby.  Nobody knows who you are.  I started a thread on Blab asking for ideas on how to advertise and also to feel out the interest and I got ONE response.  <sigh>

Okay.  I'm done feeling sorry for myself.  hahahaha.  I hope everyone is doing well.  I know I said I was going to be better about blogging, but there hasn't been much going on and there's only so many times I can post about Jake the Farrier and Family.  Til next time!