Random BreyerFest Stuff, and a Test Color

I think I might have solved my little engineering problem; now to see if I can finish that project before I leave on Tuesday (for reasons I won’t go into here, it would not be practical to finish it in the hotel.)

I’ve been looking over the BreyerFest program just like everyone else, trying to "finalize" my selections. I’m really warming up to the Once Upon a Time, the bay appaloosa Show Jumping Warmblood; I liked him before, but the additional incentive of his relatively low piece count is definitely upping my interest. I have three line tickets this year, so I just might be able to slot him in somewhere.

I may still need to get a Store Special Dusty for a friend of mine, but I doubt I’ll be getting one for myself. I’m still not feeling it for him, which considering my current space issues, is probably for the best. I can’t participate in the Sunday Raffle this year, which is fine by me, since I seem to be in the minority when it comes to the Cleveland Bay King Arthur model. He’s pretty, but not a heartbreaker.

I would love, love, love to get a Perrault - I think I’ve become just a little obsessed with that crazy silver splash spot appaloosa El Pastor. He’s just so … out there. His color scheme reminds me a little of a piece I picked up recently, a possible Test Color for the Shetland Pony Pine:


(Yes, it’s a newtoymens piece, hence my pointed use of the word "possible.")

The only significant difference between this guy and a regular run Pine? A very lightly grayed mane and tail. It’s not noticeable on its own, but side by side with a standard issue Pine, it’s fairly obvious:


I know most folks love those fancy auction Tests, but these more subtle ones are more fascinating to me: it’s as if you can see the design process in action. More shading - or less? Light mane, or dark? What if we switch the markings around a bit?

Speaking of auction Tests, it’s shaping up to be an especially fine crop this year, isn’t it? It’s nice to see that they’re trying to come up with some new ideas for the Zebra mold, and that Esprit is a clever "update" on the old Gray Appaloosa Mustang’s color.

It’s the glossy dappled sooty palomino pinto Stretched Morgan in the Fest program that stopped me cold, though: I submitted a dappled sooty palomino Morgan as a Collector’s Choice piece at least once or twice before. Nuts!

Was it last year, or the year before, that someone on Blab (or elsewhere?) thought that some of the auction pieces were coming out of rejected Collector’s Choice submissions? They might have been on to something there. It would make sense, too, especially if they noticed a lot of suggestions for a certain mold or color: they must figure if the interest is there, so will the money.

I have no idea what the Volunteer model will be; doesn’t matter to me, really, since I’m not the kind of person who sells such things. A Peruvian Paso or Flash would be spiffy, but I’d be happy with a FAM or Lady Roxana.

Back to work!