Circus Pony Score!

If you've seen the movie, Minions, you may remember the quote, "That unicorn is so fluffy, I am gonna die!" Well, I am feeling that way right now. I love to collect circus ponies, and I just found one on eBay that I did not know existed.

When I was in elementary school waaaay back in the 1960s, my friend Bobbie Vance and I used to pack up our carpet herds and go to each other's houses for horse shows. We'd set up an arena, make paper ribbons scaled to our models, and play away the day cantering our horses around the homemade jumps in the arena, barrel racing around paper cups (we actually timed each other as we raced them), and other horse show events.

Very, very happy memories. (I am smiling as I type.)

Bobbie had a beautiful flocked horse with a rhinestone bridle and tack. Named Ross, he had a hair mane and tail and was on wheels so he moved easily around the "arena." I thought he was gorgeous, and have looked on eBay and at BreyerFest ever since, hoping to find one just like him.

This picture from Google Images shows a very yellowed Ross. Bobbie's was snowy white.

I discovered that Ross was a Steha piece and manufactured in West Germany. He was also much more expensive than our Breyers and Hartlands were.

Last week, I was doing a search for Stehas on eBay, hoping to find a duplicate Ross, and this piece popped up. (Photo from eBay ad.)

A Steha circus pony!! It was not advertised as a circus pony so he had not shown up when I did that search. I checked the price, and he was at the very top limit of what I was willing to spend on a piece for my collection, even a circus pony. I bid on him, and I won. He was waiting for me when we arrived home last night from our trip to Florida.

The seller had said that he had some lint, a few pinpoint rub-offs of the flocking, and a missing wheel. I think she must've cleaned that lint off him before packing him as it is non existent. He is in far better shape than she described. He also has his original "Steha Made in Western Germany" label on his belly.

I can hardly contain my happiness this morning. He's sitting here on my desk in the horse room, and I just don't want to put him on a shelf! He's not a unicorn, and he's not really fluffy, but I feel like I am "gonna die" of excitement!