The Last of the Loot, and a Little More

At last! My missing BreyerFest items arrived late yesterday, and I took some time after dinner to open and enjoy what was inside. 

This is the Neighsayers tee, and it is a disappointment. It was marketed as "slouchy," and it is, but it is SO slouchy that the neckline should be termed as "plunging." I wouldn't go out of the house in it and will have to wear a tank under it for modesty. 

 Another problem is that the finished back length is very short and the tee barely goes over the waistband of my jeans. I find this really odd since Breyer's King the Fighting Stallion tee for their 70th anniversary is so long it covers my entire backside and then some! (I sure hope Breyer finds a happy medium on their next set of tees.)

Also inside the box was the long awaited Deluxe Horse Collection Stablemates Set.

I don't collect Stablemates, so why did I order this? Well, one of my favorite breeds is the Lippizaner, my favorite horse color is black (Shhhh! Don't tell Abby!), and this set includes a black Lippizaner. And I fell in love with the Warmblood Jumper in that pretty palomino. A couple of the others are extra nice, too, so...

But truly, I am not collecting Stablemates. Although I just had to get the vintage Traditionals that had been reduced  to Stablemate size and painted like their bigger vintage siblings. After all, I AM a vintage collector, and these are retro vintages, right? (Sorry for the poor photos - it was early when I took them.)

And I snagged a couple of others, thinking that they will make nice show prizes or donations. Might as well toss them into the order since they are so cheap to ship, right?

But really, even though I have some Stablemate-sized hanging shelves on order, I am NOT starting to collect Stablemates.

At least, that's what I tell myself.

My New RubberNedz!

Donna Chaney of Animal Artistry  has been making lovely china and resin pieces since 1983. I especially love her circus horses and have several of them:

 A small Striking Arabian Circus Horse in resin,

a Limited Edition Rearing Circus Horse in bone china,

and Tagus done as a RubberNedz Circus Horse. This was my first RubberNedz. But it wasn't my last.

I stopped by Donna's booth at BreyerFest last year and chatted with her. She told me that she had begun making her Rearing Andalusian Stallion as RubberNedz Circus Horses and showed me the one she had brought as a sample. (Sadly, I did not take a photo of it.) It was beautiful, and sure gave me something to think about.

Later that summer, I wrote Donna and asked if I could purchase one. She was willing to take my order, and agreed to paint it bay with orange and gold tack to match my other piece. I knew it would be a while before I got it; Donna once wrote that the RubberNedz were time consuming to make, but I knew it would be worth the wait.

Last month Donna wrote me and said he was nearly done and that she would be mailing him soon. A week or so later I received a tracking number and began watching its slow progress from Herefordshire, England to Indiana.

It took almost three weeks to arrive, and went from New York to Miami before coming to Indiana.

But at last that box arrived.

 And I am thrilled to have him!

Big plans are in the work for this one. More about that in a future post.

Customer Service & Shipping Woes

I love Breyer. I love their products, their events, their clubs... just about everything. But I don't care for their customer service. Why? Because never, ever have I received a return phone call or email. EVER. 

Until yesterday.

A week ago I had called to ask about two missing items from my BreyerFest purchases. When I checked online, my account details had listed everything as fulfilled, complete with tracking numbers. Knowing Breyer was in the middle of a mammoth job of shipping things, I waited a few days for a return call, hoping that in the meantime my missing items would show up.

Crickets. 

And no new boxes.

Three days later, with the order's status still showing as fulfilled, I emailed Breyer, explaining the problem, and including the order number and what I had not gotten.

More crickets. And still no boxes.

I waited four more days, growing more and more frustrated, especially as I saw posts on social media where people reported that they'd called Breyer, spoken to someone, and gotten results. That bothered me. Why did I never get return calls or emails? 

Wondering if the problem might be on my end, I went back to Breyer's web site and checked their contact info, then compared it to my phone log and sent emails. Everything was correct - the problem was not me.

Finally, I decided to call Breyer again and, as in the past, got the answering machine. I explained the situation, although this time I added that I had already phoned and emailed them with no response, and asked if someone would please get back to me. For whatever reason, that did the trick and I got a call from Breyer's Customer Service an hour later.

She apologized for the delay and checked my order. I was told that it was on the way and given a tracking number. I hung up happy to have finally gotten through to Breyer's Customer Service and to know that my tee and Stablemates were on the way.

Until I clicked on that tracking number and got this message.

As I looked at it trying to figure out what was wrong, I suddenly realized that she had given me the same tracking number as the one on the original box, not a new one. Now what should I do?

I tried again, hand typing the number into the search box instead of clicking on Breyer's link.

This time I got some better information. As I compared the two messages, I also noticed that the first box came UPS, while this shipment (with that identical tracking number) is coming USPS.

Call me confused about that for sure, but at least I know that my missing merchandise is on its way . And, at last I can say that, for the first time ever, I got through to Breyer's Customer Service.

That's a win on both fronts!

Happy 75th, Hagen Renaker!

Breyer isn't the only one celebrating a big anniversary this year - 2020 is Hagen Renaker's 75th anniversary! 

Sue Nikas was kind enough to send Kristina Lucas Francis a bunch of things from the factory to give out at the annual Hagen Renaker Tennessee Fellowship. That is held a few days before BreyerFest every year, but it, like so many other things, had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

So, Kristina and her crew have been sending them out to club members. Mine arrived Monday afternoon.

Inside the box was a gift wrapped package containing the goodies I'd been sent. (They are randomly shipped which was fine with me - I like surprises!)

Inside was a sticker, a lovely bar of soap with a Hagen Renaker portrait on it, and my factory surprise.

 I got Caterpillar Pa!

I looked him up in my Hagen Renaker book and he is the first version, so he's Monrovia and old.

What a nice thing for Susan Nikas and Kristina Lucas Francis to do for collectors! Thank you, and Happy Anniversary, Hagen Renaker!

Saddle Up!

Tim sent me some photos of Sultanna tacked up in her new saddle.

 The light's not the best in the indoor arena, but you can still get an idea of how it looks.

Leslie never stored it in her barn; she kept in her house, so it is in excellent shape, especially considering that it is about thirty-five years old.

I am planning on getting back in the saddle again when I my post-op restrictions are lifted in September. I sure hope Tim lets me try it out!

A Saddle and a Bridle

Saturday was one of those beautiful summer days that make you remember that, despite a pandemic raging, life can be wonderful. 

 I had to run up north to my sister's farm outside of Brookston,

 and I went the slower, more scenic route. I drove past Charlie Vaughn's Quarter Horse farm,

 and through the wind farm that spans most of the next county.

 The wind turbines are so tall, we can see them from the barn even though they are miles and miles away.

Leslie is slowly getting rid of her tack and horse supplies as she has no plans to own horses again. She  has a really nice Texas Longhorn saddle and asked me if I knew anyone who would like to buy it. I thought about it, but since I'm not riding (yet), I passed.  

Tim, however, was a different story. He wanted a new saddle for Sultanna, and bought it. I picked it up at Leslie's farm yesterday morning along with a bridle and two blankets and brought it back to the barn for him. Tim set it up on a sawhorse in the lounge of the new barn to take a look at it.

He was really excited to have that saddle, and I don't  blame him - it's  a good one.

I came back with something for me, too, something that I had wanted for years. 

 It doesn't look like much just hanging from the door to my office,

but it's a beautiful custom made bridle that my sister commissioned years ago. A saddle maker in Wyoming made it for my first horse, Amy.

After Amy passed away in 1991, Leslie used it on her other horses. And, since she had it made, I always considered it her bridle even though it was made for my horse. I didn't think she'd ever part with it, but today after she loaded the saddle, the other bridle, and the blankets into my car, Les turned to me and asked if I wanted to have it.

That was a surprise, but you can bet I said YES. I offered to pay for it, but Les wouldn't take any money. 

I am so excited to have it, I brought it home instead of leaving it out at the barn in the tack room with my other saddles and bridles. And now it is hanging here in my office, where I can see it and enjoy it.  

It makes me feel as though Amy is very close.

Amy and me, Thanksgiving Day, 1970.

A Pony Named Cupcake and a Blanket without a Horse

After Cambria competed in the mutton busting competition, I discovered that she and Titan had sent me a couple of things to thank me for making their shirts and buying their boots. "Look for a package in the mail tomorrow," Mountain Mama Jessica texted, "and another one in a few days. When you get them, text me and I will send a message that the kids have for you."

The very next day, Brookside Pink Magnum arrived. (I could not believe that they bought me a Breyer that I did not already have - that's tough to do!) I texted Mountain Mama and let her know I'd received the first package and was thrilled. She texted back with Titan's message and an explanation.

I took her up on that challenge to Google pink Breyer horses. Yeesh! She was right! Then I invited Titan to help me name my new horse. I wanted to incorporate something about him in the name, so I suggested Cowboy Titan, Rodeo Titan, and Cowpoke Titan.

Titan's suggestion? Cupcake!! All righty then, Cupcake it is! (Although I think I will tag Cowboy or Cowpoke onto it, too.) 

Two days later, Cambria's gift was delivered. A Breyer blanket set! I collect Breyer blankets but I did not have this one yet. Score again for the rodeo kids in buying me something from Breyer that I didn't already have!

Once again I texted Mountain Mama to let her know that Cambria's gift had come. But her response gave me pause. Cambria said that she'd chosen a horse, but I got a blanket, not a horse.

More texts flew back and forth, and it turned out that Cambria thought she had bought me the horse modeling the blanket, not just the blanket.

Quickly at Jessie's request, I put the blanket on Bouncer (it swallowed him whole!), took a photo of it, and sent it for the kids to see. Then I started looking online to see if I could find the grey Stock Horse Mare that was wearing the blanket on the box.

Fortunately, I found and purchased one for only $13 right away. It should get here early next week and then I will put the blanket and shipping boots on it, take that photo, and send it off for Cambria to see. 

In the meantime, it sounds like a little interest in collecting has begun percolating around the rodeo kids' home. Now that's a score for Grammy!

New Clinkies

It was a good mail day yesterday - I received another box from Nancy Falzone! After I'd purchased the Metlox Clydesdale, she'd asked if I were looking for anything else. I mentioned a few things, and soon new models were on their way to my home. 

 When I opened the box and cleared the top layer of packing peanuts,

I found four individually wrapped packages. It felt like I was opening another BreyerFest surprise horse or grab bag!

Nancy's packing jobs are always first rate. Each piece is carefully wrapped in several layers of paper and bubble wrap.

Inside the first package was a Hagen Renaker Scamper in matte palomino. (Photo by Nancy.)

 A Zebra of an unknown manufacturer was in the next one. (I have a guess, but want to confirm that after doing some research.)

An old Lefton Donkey (with the original label under his belly) was in the third. (Photo by Nancy.)

And last was this matte palomino Monrovia Roughneck.

Nancy included the card she used to document him - I am thrilled to have this piece of ephemera and to learn the history of the model. 

But there was one more surprise in that box.

Nancy had popped in a little gift - a Christmas ornament!

I always enjoy getting new models. But when they come from a friend, especially a dear friend like Nancy, they are sweet reminders of that friendship. And when I look at them on my shelves, not only do I see the horse, but I see my friend, too.

The Mutton Busting Champion

Cambria wasn't kidding when she said, "We do rodeos" a few weeks ago. She ended up being the Spanish Fork Fiesta Days Mutton Busting Champion!

All geared up and ready to rodeo.

While waiting in the stands, Cambria recorded a message for me. (I am glad that she "likes" me. That made me laugh.)

As her event got closer, she was called down to put on her helmet and other protective gear. You can just see the excitement on her face. 

 And then more waiting in the stands for her turn to ride.

She had a fantastic ride and earned 82 points! That ended up being the best ride of the day.

Cambria was presented a championship belt buckle...

... and had her photo taken with all the rodeo queens and her dad.

Mountain Mama Jessica (the one you hear cheering so loudly during Cambria's ride), Andrew,  Titan, and Cambria.

I am so proud of my little mutton buster.