Bring Out the BreyerFest Loot!

Thanks to those who wrote to me about yesterday's blog post and missing VIN numbers on some models. Reader Carrie found that missing VIN number on Via Lattea - it's under the peg slot in her base. I can barely see it - the base is clear and the numbers are silver and miniscule. But they're there!

As for why some models have VINs and others do not, Carrie suspects it has to do with short runs that are produced in-house and therefore do not have a VIN like those that are produced abroad. That dovetails nicely with my guess from yesterday. 

I finally got all my BreyerFest models unwrapped and catalogued. Here they are:

Nemea is my favorite of them all.

I do not care for the mold, but the BreyerFest model is unique and eye-catching. I taught Greek and Latin for twelve years and connected with Nemea as soon as Breyer released its photos.

It also pairs nicely with Pharaoh, a BreyerFest special run from 2008.

I was delighted to discover that the Stagecoach Surprise was Hamilton.

I received the matte dapple grey version. In my opinion, this is one of the best molds to come out of the Premiere Club.

I also splurged and got a single day ticket so I could get a Stablemate.

Navigator is very pretty

and I may show it. (I've been contemplating putting together a show string of minis and seeing how they do.)

I was very excited about the coasters - as much Vanilla Coke Zero as I drink, I am always in need of coasters!

But these were a disappointment. They were just very thin, single pieces of cardboard.

The Gone Riding picture I post occasionally is a BreyerFest coaster from some years back, and it is about 3/8" thick layered cardboard with a bottom layer of cork. I was expecting that, not a single flimsy piece of cardboard.

Of course, Bravour 54, the Celebration Horse, was in my BreyerFest loot. (I may give this piece to one of the Pony Pals for Christmas.)

I ordered the Via Lattea tee shirt and I really like it,

except that the hems began unravelling after the very first wearing. That's not the first time this has happened to me with a Breyer tee, but this is the first one I ever contacted Breyer about and reported. The issue is in the bobbin thread - the manufacturer is not securing the bobbin thread after stitching the hem so of course it unravels. 

Finally, I ordered a Neapolitan. I really like Breyer's "cake" line of Classics and have all the previous ones (Red Velvet, Cupcake, and Black Forest), so I was happy to add Neapolitan to the herd. 

That wraps up BreyerFest 2023 for me! I feel that overall it was a good one, and I really enjoyed the virtual component and am glad that Breyer continues to offer it.

Now I'm staying 'tooned for news about next year!

A VIN-less Via Lattea Leads to More Questions

It's been the busiest summer we have had in years. We visited with all six of our kids and their families, some of them several times. (Beach Son Kyle and his family just went home Sunday after their second visit.) And we had a memorable trip to Utah and were gone from home ten days.

It has been enjoyable but it has also thrown our routine off, and I am way behind on social media news. Aside from blogging, I have spent very little time on the computer and as a result am way behind on the post-BreyerFest news.

So... I have a question that I am hoping one of you can answer for me.

Has there been any talk about Via Lattea having no VIN? Mine does not have one. Anywhere. 

There should be one on the bottom of a hoof.

Off front hoof.

Near hind hoof (with peg.)

Off hind hoof.

Near front hoof.

I've checked her belly for a VIN, under her jaw, and all over, but there is no VIN on this horse.

I decided to check a few more models and see if perhaps Breyer was no longer adding the VIN.

 Chevaliere 

and Zeitgeist, two of my three Volunteer models, have no VIN

but Ben Nevis does.

In a check of the BreyerFest models I have unpacked (I'm behind on that, too)

the Stagecoach Surprise

and Nemea both have VINs,

as does newly released regular run model, Neapolitan.

I'm not seeing any kind of pattern here. I suspect it may have to do with whether or not the model was produced in or out of the country but at this point that's just a guess on my part.

Can anyone clarify this for me? I'm really curious now.

Barn Buddy Kelsey's Sheepish Side

Last week was the Indiana State Fair. As usual, Barn Buddy Kelsey attended. But she wasn't there as spectator, she was there as an exhibitor!

Her family lives in southern Indiana and raises North Country Cheviots, a breed that originated in Scotland. (All photos are from Kelsey.)

Aren't they pretty? Kelsey goes home when it's fair week and helps her parents and brothers get the sheep ready for the fair. She then heads to Indianapolis and helps out while they are at the fairgrounds. 

She told me that to show a sheep, you hold a hand under their jaw and one over their neck behind the ears while you walk them around the show ring.

Sheep are spooky and more accident prone than horses. She called this yearling ram naughty,

but the judge didn't seem to mind that display of spirit. The Kramers won Grand Champion North Country Cheviot Ram! (Those are her brothers with the judge and ram.)

Congratulations, Kelsey and Kramer family!

The Last of the Closet Horses

 At least, I think it's the last of them all!

I don't collect Classic/Freedom scale models, but I do have a bit of a conga of the Lippizaner.

There are eleven in my collection, including two unicorns (yep, you read that right!) and three Pegasi. I love the artwork on this box.

At one point in time, I was trying to purchase all of Breyer's large porcelains regardless of whether or not I liked them. I don't care for this piece and it has never been displayed. I will probably sell it in the near future.

This is a very sentimental piece for me. My father's name is Jack and because he owned an apple orchard, many people (including his grandchildren and great grandchildren) called him Apple Jack. 

I kept the model in the box because Apple Jack is the name of the model and on the box. (It's also an alcoholic drink made from apple cider as well as a popular breakfast cereal.) I look at this piece, think of my Dad, and smile.

My one and only Christmas Horse. Bought at an after-Christmas sale and left in the box to keep it clean. 

Bought as an investment piece and with plans to sell it in the future, this Esprit is from the 2010 World Equestrian Games. 

This next model always makes me sigh and feel very sad whenever I pull it out. Royal Kaliber competed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens where he won two medals. (Gold in Team Show Jumping and Silver in Individual Show Jumping.)

He was ridden by Chris Kappler whose cousin happened to be a student in my classroom during the 2004 Olympics. What a thrill it was to follow Royal Kaliber's career with the family during that time, and how painful when he unexpectedly died of colic. Nearly 20 years after his death, I still cannot bear to put the model out on my shelves.

An investment piece plus it was on sale. This model most likely will be for sale in the near future. I am no longer interested in investing for future profit; now I simply collect what appeals to me.

Another model whose box has terrific artwork. Most of these models were the pretty bay shown on the box, but a few boxes contained a gold decorator.

I was hoping to get the gold one (only 50 were produced), but I knew that my chances were extremely low that that would happen. I got very lucky, and it still makes me happy to look at this piece.

Also in the boxes was this Breyer parade saddle. I have a lot of Breyer blankets, but only this one piece of tack. While not nearly as accurate, in scale, and well made as that which our hobby tack makers produce, it still makes me happy. No regrets on this purchase!

When I bought this, I was setting up seasonal shelf dioramas with Little Lynn and Circus Girl and planned to use this camping set for a summer display. It's never been removed from its box but I still may get around to it some day.

I have two Breyer tack trunks, one out of its box and used in shelf dioramas and then this one which is still in box. Another piece I might sell, but then again I may keep it and use it as a small jewelry box.

We have more family coming into town later today and so blog posts may be erratic for a day or two. My office will be housing pony pals and while I do have a laptop, I still cannot access my blog draft pages on it. I'll try to write while they are here (through Sunday) but no guarantees!

Matilda: Having Fun Playing Multiple Roles

Some people think that if you don't have a major role in a production, it is not quite as fun to participate in the show. Those folks clearly have never had the experience of playing multiple minor roles because it is actually a lot of fun.

Andrew, Jessica's husband, was in that position for Matilda.

He was in the first scene playing a doting dad (blue jacket) with an overinflated sense of his children's capabilities.

A quick change of costume and he became an audience member/judge in the dance competition that Mrs. Wormwood (Matilda's mom) and her dance partner, Rodolpho, participated in. (Andrew is in the white shirt and tie.)

During the playground scene, while Jessie was supervising the kids on the merry go round, Andrew got to have some extra fun and skateboarded right across the stage. (My favorite  scene of his, but my fingers were crossed that he didn't skate right off the edge of the stage.)

Next up? He played a school professor (in cap and gown) and sang and danced in Revolting Children.

And finally, he played a Russian Mafia henchman (on the right) working for Sergie 

and helped arrest Mr. Wormwood for selling Sergie defective cars.

 Curtain call!

Andrew with his parents, grandmother, and family after the performance.