May 2024 Odds n’ Ends Part 2

 

Starting off this second round of miscellaneous Breyer information will be the exclusive models that were available for the Spokes and Spurs event. In addition to both of the event models, there were six Special Run models made for Spokes and Spurs, along with 25 centerpiece models that were raffled off. As a recap, the traditional event model was Wimpys Little Step, a portrait model and a run of 200 pieces:

The event Stablemate Ned was also a portrait model and a run of 200 pieces as well:

Onward to the rest of the models offered at the Spokes and Spurs event! First up is Oklahoma Rose, a run of 104 pieces:

Faded Love, 96 pieces:

Guthrie, 60 pieces:

Ozark, 52 pieces:

Redbud, 45 pieces:

 

Biscuits and Gravy, 40 pieces:

And last but not least is the centerpiece raffle model, Route 66, a run of 25 pieces:

I found it very interesting that the newest mold chosen for the Spokes and Spurs lineup was the Bobby Jo/Working Cow Horse mold which debuted in 2015 (9 years ago). I am excluding the Clydesdale SM mold as he is a miniaturized version of an already existing mold and not a new sculpt. Good to see some of the older molds being used for a special event! I do need to comment on the names of the Misty and Sea Star set. Biscuits is okay, but Gravy? Um, no thank you. I think Biscuits and Jam would have been cuter. But then I have no control over such things so I have my opinion, lol. Names aside, I would love to add that set to my collection. They are gorgeous! 

The May 2024 Collectors Club newsletter has been released. The feature story gives a rundown of the Spokes and Spurs event, plus quick mentions of Breyerfest virtual workshops, the Collector Club workshop on casting medallions,  and Rio (Exotic Destination series). The model giveaway for May is Gilded, one of the Spring 2024 releases:

And naturally we got a Sneak Peek square of an upcoming model:

I know what it is! It is a chocolate bar, lol! It looks like there are tiny white speckles, so maybe it is supposed to be roaning? Time to go and hunt down some chocolate while we wait for the reveal (so chocolate is necessary every day until we know what it is).

Breyer made an announcement regarding Blue Zeus, one of the Limited Edition models for Breyerfest:

Blue Zeus is available to all Breyerfest ticket holders, but he can only be ordered online. Initially he was supposed to be a run of 3,000 pieces… and we all know that the Fireheart mold would create a firestorm once sold out. Breyer smartly made the decision to give ticket holders the option to backorder Blue Zeus, with the backordered models shipping in December. I hope hope hope hope hope that Breyer gives the option of ordering a matte or glossy finish. If they do, I will need one of each. I am generally a matte finish person, but I think Blue Zeus would look stunning in gloss. I think that’s about it for now…

*Photos are from Breyer’s website and email.

Exotic Destinations Series Third Release: Rio

 

The third model in the Exotic Destinations series has been revealed! We’ve landed on the continent of South America, and are visiting Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Meet Rio (# 712531), a Mangalarga Marchador stallion. This sooty buckskin is representing Brazil’s national horse breed. He is available to members of the Collector Club through a lottery draw. Members can enter for a chance to purchase Rio from May 22 through May 27, 2024. His cost is $185 plus shipping and handling and is a run of 600 pieces.

I absolutely love the paint job on this model, but unfortunately I don’t love the mold. Therefore I won’t be entering the lottery draw. I do hope to see Breyer use this color again. Good luck to all who enter for him!

And of course, here is our destination on the globe:

And a bonus close up since Rio de Janeiro is hard to see in the above photo:

Be on the lookout for our next stop!

*Photos of Rio are from Breyer’s website.

2024 Americana Plush: Maverick

 

This year’s Americana plush was designed to resemble the flag of the United States. Available just in time for Memorial Day, Maverick can do triple duty for Memorial Day, Flag Day, and the Fourth of July. Memorial Day is considered the unofficial start of summer; folks gather together for an assortment of activities. One of those activities is the ever popular cookout. Now, this blog is subject to random weirdness, and I believe I have something worthy of that weirdness. Look what I came across:

Yep, for real. Corn on the cob and BBQ scented candles. Hahahahahahahaha, this is just too funny. Of course there were also some fruity scented candles in the collection to round it out. Honestly, I do want to buy them because I am curious about the scents. If they go on sale I just may purchase them. Although I haven’t purchased any Slatkin candles in awhile, I will say that Slatkin’s candles are pretty good. I guess if your barbecue gets rained out, everyone can sit inside, light these candles and enjoy the smells of a cookout while indoors, lol! 

*Photo of Maverick is from Breyer’s website.

*Photos of candles are from Slatkin’s website.

Late to the Gate Post: The Second Test Run of 2024, Glossy Bisbee

 

I forgot to finish the draft for this post and get it up in a timely manner. I have various unfinished drafts sitting around which I intend to finish and post, but time flees away from me as daily. On with the post then!

A glossy Bisbee was the second test run of the year:

Bisbee (# 1815) was a 3,000 piece 2019 Limited Edition in a matte finish. Breyer offered Collector Club members the opportunity to purchase the glossy test run Bisbee via lottery with entries accepted from April 17-21, 2024. Glossy Bisbee was priced at $1000 and a certificate of authenticity was included. Here are some photos of glossy Bisbee:

Naturally it is hard to tell from the pictures, but the gloss on the left side of Glossy Bisbee’s face doesn’t appear very thick. My Olaf, a 2016 Web Special on the Texas Longhorn Bull, has areas of skimpy gloss and actually has patches of no gloss. I hope this isn’t the case with Glossy Bisbee. I hope that her new owner loves her!

*Photos are from Breyer’s website and email.

Breyer: Fashion Forward

 

Who would have guessed that one of Breyer’s most unconventional paint jobs would be mimicked and sold as footwear? Not I. Imagine my astonishment when I spied this while shopping last summer:

Remind you of someone? And someone else?

Yup, our friends Montana the Bighorn Ram, and Discoheart, Breyer’s 2022 April Fool’s Day joke model (who, I will add, was never put into production, unlike this year’s AFD SM models). I stared at those shoes, and stared at them. I had no intention of purchasing them, but was so struck by the notion that I could wear Breyer’s weird black filigree pattern I lingered there, still staring of course. One of my kids came up and commented, “Those shoes look like that weird goat thing or whatever it is you have.” Proof that even a non-Breyer collector recognized the unusual decorator color pattern, lol. No, I didn’t break down and buy the shoes- I have Montana as my official black and gold filigree representative.

*Photo of Montana and Discoheart are from Breyer’s website.

2024 Collector Club Appreciation Event

 

The email from Breyer went out announcing the 2024 Collector Club Appreciation Event and the models which have been glossed for it. 

This year’s lineup consists of glossy versions of Battlefield Angel, Mojave, the Ideal Series Appaloosa, and Get Rowdy:

To get your free glossy (which ships randomly), Collector Club members need to spend $150 or more on products in the regular Breyer line. It is imperative to follow Breyer’s directions in order to receive the glossy model. You need to add the CC Appreciation model (#9317) to the cart along with the $150 of regular line merchandise, AND the code CLUBAPP24 needs to be added at checkout. If any of these items are missing, Breyer will not make any corrections to your order. Double check that all requirements are met before you actually order! The Collector Club Appreciation Event is slated to run starting April 8th from about 1:00 pm through 10:00 am on April 15, 2024 while supplies last. 

I have skipped the Collector Club Appreciation Event other years when the glossies offered weren’t of interest to me. As I like three out of the four glossies offered, I will most likely be participating in this year’s CC Appreciation event. The glossy I am not fond of is Battlefield Angel as I never warmed up to the mold. Glossy Mojave is my top favorite, followed by the Ideal Series Appaloosa and then Get Rowdy. I am surprised at how much I like the Appaloosa as I initially did not care for the Geronimo mold…and now I have five or six of them, lol. Let’s hope I can break away from work for a few minutes so that I can order!

*Photos are from Breyer’s website.

May 2024 Odds n’ Ends

 

The April Collector Club newsletter is out and about. The newsletters always come out at the end of the month and I was unable to get this post up before April ended. I was happy to see that the feature story this month focused on Bloaties! I have a few of them, some of which are natural bloaters and some which have been purposefully bloated. Need to do a post on those models soon. Quick mentions were made in the newsletter for the Spring releases, Gilded and Picante, and for Zayn, the Collector Club Classic/Freedom series gambler’s choice. 

April’s monthly giveaway model is Chadwick, a glossy palomino on the Emerson/standing thoroughbred mold. Chadwick was a Collector Club special run in 2022:

Of course we were shown a Sneak Peek square of a soon to be released model:

 Hmmmm…notice the black is slightly lighter in color on the left side, leading one to believe it may be a glossy model. Guess we shall simply have to wait and see! 

The Collector Club event, Spokes and Spurs, is being held in Oklahoma City, OK this weekend (May 3-5). Speaking of waiting and seeing, I am looking forward to viewing the photos of the special run models. 

Also occurring on Saturday (May 4th) is the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby. I have not followed racing in forever, and am hoping everyone stays safe and sound. I do like to look at the photo galleries of the women’s Derby hats, and this year we may see some exceptionally outlandish ones due to the anniversary. 

 

Breyer’s Marketing and Ecommerce team has a part time paid summer internship available. Details can be found here.

Breyer has also extended their VIP ticket purchases through May 12th. So if you were on the fence about purchasing VIP tickets, you have a little more time to decide. I suppose the VIP ticket sales were lagging.

I think that is all for now… if more tidbits crop up, we’ll see a part two for May!

*Photos are from Breyer’s email.

*Kentucky Derby logo from Churchill Downs.