It started small with a single Toys R Us special run in 2000.
#730300 TRU Reflections (2000) consisted of a buckskin tobiano Traditional El Pastor and a matching G2 Paso Fino keychain.
The pattern originally appeared on #116 Precipitado Sin Par (Cips) in 1984 and was one of the most detailed patterns of its time. It was later used on the 1997 Show Special #700297 Desperado before appearing with a buckskin base colour in the Toys R Us set.
Though the name was the same #740701 TRU Reflections (2001) had a different number and different horses, this time a dark dapple grey Traditional Cigar and a matching G2 Thoroughbred keychain.
The response must have been good because Breyer went on to create more Mini Me sets including a Just About Horses special run.
The #701706 Special Edition Connoisseur Set in 2006 featured five miniature versions of the first Traditional-scale Connoisseur special runs: buckskin blanket appaloosa Mini Appropos, dappled chestnut Mini Third Time's a Charm, bay dun blanket appaloosa Mini Quarterflash, bay frame overo Mini Mosaic, and black pinto Mini Masquerade.
The Traditional models were all released in 2001, Mosaic on the Lonesome Glory mold in the Jan/Feb issue of Just About Horses, Appropos on the Big Ben mold in Mar/Apr, Third Time's a Charm on the Saddlebred in May/Jun, Quarterflash on the Zippo Pine Bar mold in Jul/Aug, and Masquerade on the Iron Metal Chief mold in Sep/Oct.
Like the previous Just About Horses Stablemates special runs, this set came in a blue presentation box with a black "velvet" insert. Disappointingly, this was the only mini Connoisseur set to be released. Perhaps the detailed colours and patterns were too expensive to produce for this price point.
Many thanks to Sharon Walbridge for providing pictures for this post!
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