Gift Sets: Mare and Foals - Something Special

Those who ventured into Tractor Supply Co in January of 2008 might have found an exciting surprise - four new, unannounced mare and foal sets! These sets later appeared in a variety of retail stores and were only produced for a year.

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Gift Sets: Mare and Foals - The Morphing Mares

* The 'Blab' mentioned below refers to The Model Horse Blab, a popular model horse community. *

On August 03, 2006, I spotted four mysterious mare and foal sets at my local Target in the Southwestern US. I didn't know if they were special runs, regular runs, or some sort of fluke release (a girl can dream, right?), but I did know I would be buying them all that day.

I have since found a Blab post on July 27, 2006 from an East Coast member mentioning these sets, so people were finding them on the shelves at least a week earlier than I did.

It is well that I purchased the models when I did because two of the four sets saw some fairly major changes very soon after their release.

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Gift Sets: Stablemate Collections - So Happy Together

The Stablemate Collections continued after the introduction of the G3 Molds with regular and special run sets.

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Gift Sets: The One Everyone Wants - The German Special Run

Generally, the more recently and item has been released, the easier it is to acquire. The G2 models tend to follow this rule, even the rarer of the releases can be easier to find than more common, but much older G1 models. One of the exceptions to this rule is the German special run set, which was almost impossible to obtain from the start.

Gift Sets: Horses in Unfamiliar Places - Retailer Special Runs I

Breyer certainly keeps collectors on their toes. There are certain stores where we've learned to expect a yearly batch of special runs such as Target, Walmart, Tractor Supply Co, etc., but there are times when we're thrown a curve ball.

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Now, there was a period in the 1990s and early 2000s when QVC, the television home shopping channel, would have Breyer segment. Collectors with cable would eagerly tune in for their chance to snatch up one or more of these limited special runs. In 2002, the first Stablemate scale specials were offered, a set called the Silver Cup Series.

Singles: More BreyerFest Goodies - Keychains

The BreyerFest Special Run keychain trend continued to be offered, this time with the new G2 molds.

Birthday Week - Footnotes: Special Run Releases Timeline and Distributor Chart

The timeline for the special run releases had to be split into two parts to make it a bit easier to display. Each image is linked to the file to make detailed viewing easier.

Gift Set: What's With All the Fanfare?

In 2000 Just About Horses subscribers were offered the opportunity to purchase an exclusive special run on the Traditional sized Iron Metal Chief. The run consisted of the big four decorator colours (Wedgwood, Florentine, Copenhagen, & Gold Charm) which would be distributed as a gambler's choice - you wouldn't know which one you had until you opened the box. All four models went by the name of Fanfare and were in celebration of Breyer's 50th anniversary.

Play Set: Virtual Ponies - Multi-Media Swaps

From time to time models pop up in some unexpected places, sometimes as a result of Breyer specifically producing models for a collaborative product release, at others a company may utilize standard issue models for use with their products. Our model today is an example of the former.

In late 1996 Breyer teamed up with Inroads Interactive to produce a CD ROM and model horse set.

Model and picture owned by Deb Walsmith and used here by permission.

Singles: BreyerFest Goodies - Keychains!

The first four BreyerFest events (1990-1993) only featured the celebration model, a raffle model, and some test runs which were auctioned for charity; the volunteers at the 1993 BreyerFest were given special models for the first time. In 1994 collectors were treated to something new - BreyerFest special runs!³⁷

At a time when the Stablemate line was being produced in China in new plastic, these special models were made of old plastic in New Jersey³⁶. Gold-coloured key-chains with little metal Breyer logo fobs were added to G1 Standing and Lying Thoroughbred Foals, creating the first Breyer key-chains.

Models and pictures owned by Deb Walsmith and used here by permission.
Some collectors prefer to remove the key-chain hardware for aesthetic reasons or for easier display

Singles: The Stablemate Grails - Early Special Runs

Though collectors have been drooling over hard to find models such as the Riegsecker G1 Draft Horses for longer, the three special runs in today's post are older and even harder to find - we just didn't know about them until relatively recently.

Before the dawn of the internets, collectors only found out about the smaller, more obscure special runs through word of mouth or by being fortunate enough to read the right magazines and newsletters. Breyer did, and still does, release small numbers of special runs for an audience other than the greater collecting community, so if you aren't in the know, it can be hard to keep up.

Some examples of the early runs began coming to light as the Breyer events got bigger and more popular, and information became more widely disseminated as Breyer collectors got online and started comparing notes. Now it's possible to get the latest model news as it breaks via Facebook and the assorted forums which have sprung up.

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Model and picture owned by PolarVrtX and used here by permission.

A metal G1 Saddlebred? Is this a knock off, a custom, or could it be original finish?! It turns out that in 1975 Breyer commissioned an outside company to create 1,000 of electroplated G1 Saddlebreds to celebrate their silver anniversary ³⁴ and probably to announce the introduction of the stablemate line. These were given away as promotional items in silver boxes with purple inserts.³⁴

The first BreyerFest auction in 1990 featured one of these silver models; the auction card confirmed the production numbers and the 1990 Nov./Dec. Just About Horses described the distribution method.³⁴ It is probable the existence of these models wasn't widely known until the 1990 auction and JAH mention.

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Model and picture owned by Deb Walsmith and used here by permission.

Almost as difficult to find, especially complete with his base, is this little conversation starter - Emperor Gold Bar and his 'Genuine horse-hockey'. Yes, you've got that right, he originally came with real horse poo!

Production quantity is unknown and dates for this release are uncertain - they're generally listed as 1975-85. A collector bought one example from a seller who stated they had purchased the model some time in 1975 and another collector found an ad in a 1980 issue of Horse of Course! magazine in 1994, at which time it was brought to Nancy Young's attention.¹⁷

No one seems to have any idea why the owner of Emperor Gold Bar or Breyer would choose the G1 Arabian Stallion for this run as the horse it was representing was actually a Quarter Horse. The palomino stallion came mounted on top of a clear resin base containing a small piece of horse poo. He came with a hang-tag reading:

Front: Genuine 'Horse-Hockey' By 'Emperor's Gold Bar' A.Q.H.A. Reg. No. 786615

Inside: Great grandson of world-famous 'Three Bars,' and one of the most beautiful racing bred stallions in the world. Declared undisputed world equine tetherball champion in 1971 and still holds claim to that title today. Emperor is sometimes referred to as the 'million dollar lover' since his advertised breeding fee is a whopping $1,000,000,000 [sic].
Space-Age Products
Tolleson, AZ ¹⁷

The ad found in Horse of Course! read:

Emperor's Gold Bar is the beautiful racing bred stallion who's[sic] advertised breeding fee soared to an incredible one-million dollars!!!! Now you can own a piece of this Gorgeous Palomino stallion. Genuine 'horse-hockey' from Emperor's stall artistically entombed in transparent plastic. Atop is a solid detailed statue of Emperor.
The Conversation piece of the century, and the perfect gift. Order Now While Supply Lasts.
$8.50
The Clements Co.
Guntersville, AL ¹⁷

As famous as this horse seems to have been, I haven't been able to find anything on him with a Google search or through AllBreed. I'm sure the AQHA pedigree database would bring up his record, but I'm not curious enough to purchase a membership.

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Pancho in matte and satin finish
Model & picture owned by Deb Walsmith & used by permission. Model & picture owned by Elizabeth Emswiler & used by permission.
Even later to the party was the special run G1 Quarter Horse Stallion sold by the Chincoteague Miniature Pony Farm, home of the descendants of Misty of Chincoteague. This little black horse was commissioned to represent Pancho, one of the farm's performing Miniature Horses. In the act, these Minis were billed as different breeds, Pancho was their star "Quarter Horse".

These models are reputed to have been in production since the 70s, based on the release dates of the mold, 1976 is probably the earliest date they could have appeared. According to the owner of the shop, less than 1,000 models were produced.³⁵

In the late 80s or early 90s two collectors purchased a quantity of these models from the shop at the pony farm during their holiday on the island. Some of these were offered for sale at the 1997 BreyerFest at which time the hobby at large became aware of the run. The rest were offered later in 1998. Other collectors then came forward with examples which had been purchased in 1982/83.³⁵

It is uncertain how long these models were produced, but with their relatively small production number, it is likely that they were purchased from Breyer in one batch and were sold from the shop for a period of years before the supply ran out.

Model, items & picture owned by Amy Widman & used here by permission.

How exactly these models were packaged is unknown, but some examples are accompanied by a few other souvenirs from the shop, namely a sheet of puffy stickers representing ponies from the farm and a postcard featuring Pancho in front of the iconic Chincoteague Pony Farm barn surrounded by adoring fans.


Chincoteague Miniature Pony Farm postcards
Many, many postcards have been printed by the farm with pictures of Misty and her family and friends. A surprising number of different Pancho cards can be found.

Pancho retiring to his barn in 1985 after a performance.
Picture taken by Eleda and used here by permission.

A history of the Chincoteague Miniature Pony Farm and pictures of the ponies can be found at Misty's Heaven.

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Many thanks to PolarVrtX, Deb Walsmith, Elizabeth Emswiler, Amy Widman, and Eleda at Triple Mountain for providing pictures of these rarities from their collections!

Play Sets and Singles: Got to Be a Götz - Ponies and Dolls

Götz (or Goetz in the US) started as a small, family owned, German doll company in the 1950s. Originally made with paper mache, in 1957 the company began using rotational molding to produce vinyl dolls. They pioneered the mass-production of "designer" dolls with their product line by artist, Sasha Morgenthaler, in 1964. After establishing a factory in the US in the late 1980s, Götz became involved with the Pleasant Company, the producers of the American Girl Dolls.³³ The company continues to be a major player in the designer doll world to this day.

Breyer produced models for both the Pleasant Company and Götz, but the runs produced for the former company were only of the larger scales, and thus of little interest to us here.

Birthday Week - Gift Set: Special Run Stablemate Assortments - Ads and Stats

After our romp through the 90s with the Sears and JCPenney Special Run assortments I thought it might be fun to see the catalogue pages which inspired collectors back in the day. I've also included some fun statistics for each year's collection. I was surprised by how expensive the sets in the early 90s were.

Gift Set: Reigseckers G1 Draft Horses: Look-Alikes, Profiles, & Mini Variation Gallery

One of the major grails of a serious Stablemates collector is undoubtedly the special run set of seven G1 Draft Horses sold by Reigseckers of Indiana. The Reigsecker family of Middlebury, Indiana were responsible for some of the most highly sought special runs of the 1980s, though this set was their only special run in this scale.¹⁵ As legendary as this set is, it seems odd that it doesn't have an official name, collectors just refer to it as the Reigseckers set or the Reigseckers draft horses.

Gift Set: Special Run Stablemate Assortments, Part IV - Sears' Last Hurrah

After years of silence on the Breyer-front from Sears, collectors were pleasantly shocked by a loaded Christmas Wishbook in 1998. They had it all, Traditionals, Classics, and yes, Stablemates! Not only did the set include favourites like the G1 Draft Horse and G1 Saddlebred, but for the first time a SR Assortment included foals!

Gift Set: Special Run Stablemate Assortments - Many Minis from JCPenney

Collectors held their collective breaths when the 1995 JCPenney Christmas catalogue came out; would there be another Stablemates Assortment this year? Why, yes, yes there was! There, nestled in amongst the other Breyer holiday offerings was the Set of 12 Miniatures, and weren't they lovely?

1995 Set of 12 Miniatures

Gift Set: Special Run Stablemate Assortments - Passing the Torch

Unbeknownst to collectors, 1992 would mark the end of the Stablemate Assortments issued through the Sears Wish Book. The assortment this year would be one of many firsts: it was the first special run assortment issued in the new plastic, it featured the first unequivocally appaloosa stablemates, and it also contained the first non-grey dappled stablemate. The colour palette for this group was a bit drab compared to past years, but the models were still lovely.

1992 Stablemate Assortment IV
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1994 JCPenney 12-Piece Stablemates Set

Gift Set: Special Run Stablemate Assortments - the Sears Years

Mail order special runs were a long-established institution, but in 1989, Breyer and Sears teamed up to bring collectors a little something new. This was the year a gift set of twelve Stablemates was included amongst the special run offerings in the Sears Wish Book. Granted only five of the twelve were models exclusive to the set, but still, twelve models all at once!

Later sets would bear the title "Parade of Breeds", but for now they were just the Stablemate Assortment with a roman numeral indicating release order.

1989 Stablemate Assortment
Missing: black Saddlebred

Play Set: The Little Red Stable - Paper or Plastic?

In 1976 Breyer expanded the Stablemate line to include a pair of barns and a play set. The most elusive of these items was the #7100 Wooden Stable. This rustic barn and corral was only shown in the 1976 catalogue and its exact production dates are uncertain.



Though this set looks quite sturdy and detailed, the Breyer History Diva reports a disappointing lack in quality. Maybe it's fortunate they're rare.