August 25, 2021

The long awaited arrival of BreyerFest, the stress of getting your favorite ponies, arrival of my big box of ponies and time to reflect on my incredibly poor spending habits has officially started!

I'm so happy and thankful to participate in my second BreyerFest, I did get financial help from my boyfriend again this year and graduation money as I unfortunately *still* don't have a job as of yet - I'm close though! I am including prices of everything I bought this year again *NOT* to be seen as bragging or snotty, only as a friendly comparison to how much I spent last BreyerFest since I included prices on those updates too.

Some final surprises Breyer hid up their sleeves were Special Run variations in this year's models...

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Now without further rambling avoiding the models that came in the mail... I present to you, my 2021 Breyerfest haul!

Name: Danash's Northern Tempest (Dani)

Breed: Friesian Sport Horse

Color: Black Leopard

Special Run: 2021 Celebration Horse

Significance: Second time "attending" BF

Purchased for: Included with ticket ($75)

The wait is finally over and there are sooo many cool things going on with this gorgeous model! Usually I'm not crazy over Warmblood horses but this mold is so gorgeous! I've never held a horse on this mold before now and holding her in person looking over all of her incredible details is just mind blowing to me, the craftsmanship definitely took a step up with her in my opinion. She has such a sweet face and I love the mid-canter pose she's caught in, on top of that her coloring is just as wonderful in person comparedto her promos. She has a nice bronzy tone, muting the black slightly from the LP gene, and a starry sky full of speckles all over her base color! I don't remember off the top of my head any other widely available Appaloosa models Breyer has done this specific speckling technique on and it came out looking this good, I would love to see this technique used on a buckskin roan! She does have some smudged spots here and there and one spot with a paint chunk on her show side so while unfortunately not going to be in my (one day) show string, she is a very stunning and special horse in my collection.

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Name: Seven Arts Surprise

Breed: American Paint x Appaloosa

Color: Palomino Pintaloosa

Special Run: Breyerfest Special Run

Significance:

Purchased for: $85

The five possible colors for the Surprise Horse this year, split between Matte and Glossy finishes of course, are a Bay Maximum Sabino - 1000M 325G, Sable Champagne Splash - 800M 325G, Palomino Pintaloosa - 975M 325G, Flaxen Liver Chestnut Roan - 900M 325G, and finally a rainbow Leopard appy - 700M 325G!! On top of such dreamy color option, I (with inspiration) correctly guessed it would be the Dundee mold! I didn't care to make some big and in depth guess like some other people do, I just really love the mold and after watching StormyStrikes speculation video and how high she placed him on her list I have been screaming it's been Dundee and I'm so so so glad it is! My color preferences went Paintaloosa, Splash, Sabino, Roan, then the deco appy and I ended up with... my first pick, the gorgeous creamy palomino pintaloosa! He is so stunning in person, I started crying a little opening the one I wanted! I don't care matte vs glossy so as long as I got this guy I was happy! He's the closest thing to my Breyer dream horse so he will be staying with me forever, he is absolutely incredibly and I don't think I'll ever get over him. The speckling on his base coat like Dani and the tri colored eyes really pull him all together, nothing could make such a dreamy model more beautiful!

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Name: Queen of Hearts (Josie)

Breed: KWPN (Dutch Warmblood)

Color: Bay with somatic mutation

Special Run: Breyerfest Store Special

Significance: Somatic Mutation and first on the mold

Purchased for: $75

The model I've awaited the most more, aside from the Surprise, miss Josie the beautiful KWPN with a somatic mutation to die for... she is just so perfect and exquisite! Josie is so well done and her markings are surprisingly very crisp and cleanly painted for a larger produced model. She doesn't seem sloppy at all and I couldn't be happier to finally have a model to commemorate such a striking real life horse. She couldn't have turned out any better and she was well worth the wait, so much so I was tempted to pre-order her in glossy but I didn't want a repeat of Cheesecake - buying both versions then deciding I don't. I really hope this means that since Breyer has pulled up such intricate markings on a model more available to the public, they start using it a little more on Club horses... especially on a Stablemate! I would love to see this "brindling" pattern on the Darwin or Reining mold!

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Name: Rheverence+ (Rhev+)

Breed: Arabian X Paint

Color: Buckskin overo

Special Run: Breyerfest Store Special

Significance: First on the mold

Purchased for: $70

The enchanting Rheverence+ has found his way into my herd as well! I first started following Rheverence+ after finding out about his sire, Rhocky Rhoad, due to someone sharing Rhockys pictures as reference for Darleys markings from the Stablemates Club. I was super sad to hear of Rhocky Rhoads passing so when one of his sons was revealed to be a model for this years events I knew I had to jump on him and I'm so glad I did. I've never seen this mold in person before and I really like it after holding him and looking it over, the plastic mold itself is already so incredibly detailed in the sculpt work so having paint layered over it adding deeper depth really makes him stand out. As if this model needed any more pizazz the creamy buckskin coat and black points really catches my eye against others on my shelves. He is very handsome and well put together, he really did come to life with this model.

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Name: Grimm aka Don't Fear The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult

Breed: Spanish Jennet

Color: Palomino spotted blanket

Special Run: BoBF Edition 2

Significance:

Purchased for: $65 for the set

One of my least favorites from this set, Grimm is a decently shaded sooty Palomino spotted blanket. I like the mold but her bronzy toned base coat and splattered spots just throw me for a loop. I'm not a fan of her shade and the very clear paint splatter Appy markings make her seem rushed to me and not anything super special. She has a slight pearly finish to her mane and tail but thankfully not enough for me to hate her. She's pretty in her own way but she doesn't fit in with my main taste anymore. I'm still keeping her to keep the set complete.

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Name: Locksley aka Don't Tread On Me cover by VolBeat

Breed: Azteca

Color: Bay Roan

Special Run: BoBF Edition 2

Significance:

My second favorite of the set, Locksley is another great horse on the adored Darwin mold. What color doesn't look good on this horse, because so far nothing! He's so handsome and a really nicely shaded roan, uniform spots/ticking, adorable socks, and those famous expressive eyes. I love him so much, he's such a cutie.

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Name: Thumbelina aka Ma Cherie by Palaye Royale

Breed: Highland Pony

Color: Buckskin

Special Run: BoBF Edition 2

Significance:

Poor Thumbelina seems to be my most flawed model this year, some paint rubs on her off side but thankful no breaks. I wish Grimm had the flaws because Thumbelina was one I was most excited for out of this set. It could definitely be worse and I'm probably being nit picky but still a little bummed, they're still a lovely model and such a cute updated modern buckskin on this mold.

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Name: Pendragon aka Escape The Fate after the band

Breed: American Paint Horse

Color: Bay Tobiano

Special Run: BoBF Edition 2

Significance:

Another one of my favorites from this set, Pendragon has such unique shaped pinto markings that make her stand out against the other Tobiano horses on my shelves. She's also very well done and even clean masking throughout. I forgot how attractive this mold is, I really do have a soft spot for stock type horses. Her alert stance and curious eyes make me think of a lesson horse I used to know who was the sweetest pony ever.

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Name: Into The Woods aka Of Mice And Men by Megadeth

Breed: Morgan

Color: Grey

Special Run: BoBF Edition 2

Significance:

Although slightly pearly/metallic, this model has such a nicely shaded grey coat with fantastic highlights and lowlights throughout the body. I love the white tip of her tail and the rest dark grey/black color. Unfortunately she has some marks on her off-side shoulder but at least she's not just one color all throughout like some other grey Stablemates. Again, I really do think Breyer had upped their painting qualities because their new methods stand out against other horses in similar coloring. Whatever it is I hope they keep it up and continue exploring new techniques.

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Name: Pals Pallet

Color: Chestnut deco appy

Special Run: BF 2021, of made

Significance: First BF plushie

Purchased for: $15

The second to last thing I bought that weekend was Pals Pallette, the adorable little plushy! I also collect plushies, not nearly as much as I do model horses, and I've never bought one from Breyer before (mostly because I haven't liked them much) but I really liked this one and kept regretting not getting it every time I checked the website and saw it was still in stock do on the last day I caved and he wondered his cute little self on over haha. He's super soft and one of the cutest horse plushie toys I've seen.

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Purchased for: $30

The last thing I got from the actual BreyerFest store is actually... a hoodie! I love hoodies and wear them all year basically so I got really excited when I saw these online, though I didn't see them in enough time to see the darker charcoal grey unisex hoodie so I got the lighter grey youth one. It's the perfect light weight material, breathable in warmer weather, and not "chunky" feeling, very comfortable and I like that it's on the more subtle side design wise. I also appreciate it's not super girly as I do lean more towards black/grey shades with slight pops of color in gender neutral style clothes and band shirts lol.

●○●○ "Clarion" Finds ○●○●

More horses I bought for BreyerFest that are not BreyerFest related (from this year) from Facebook or other sources.

Name: Pierrot

Breed: Missouri Fox Trotter

Color: Dun Splash

Special Run: Breyerfest 2006, 1200 made

Significance: Actually grail!

This is a grail I haven't talk about as much as some others because he was quite as rare as the others but this handsome dude has been a grail since I knew he existed! He is so gorgeous and on top of having one of my favorite white patterns, base color, but he also has beautiful slightly metallic ribbons with the most gorgeous shade of teal. I've wanted this guy for so long and I traded my Roo Stablemate for him. I got Roo to plan on trading for Puget but no takers so luckily I found a Pierrot! I'm so thankful to have this gorgeous guy on my shelves now with so many others, he looks beautiful with everyone else! This guy delayed my update a little because I actually traded with a person close to me in my state so we met in person to save on shipping costs which was amazing!

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Name: Fylikr aka A Moment Forever by VolBeat

Breed: Icelandic

Color: Dunalino

Special Run: SM Club 2017

Significance: Achieved Grail!!

Purchased for: $100