Astru

Not sure how I managed to win an Astru:

I think I entered once on Friday; because of work and hobby-related matters, last week was a blur. That e-mail was a very pleasant sight yesterday, regardless!

The color selection on this Web Special was a little peculiar, I thought. In the Cleveland Bay mold’s short career (introduced Mid-Year 2006, as Tregoyd Journeyman) he’s already appeared in four other Gray releases. There’s Limerick, the 2008 BreyerFest SR in Gloss Dark Dappled Gray; the 2010 WEG Autograph Horse in an Aged Gray/Alabaster; and the O’Leary’s Irish Diamond, in both Matte (Regular Run) and Gloss (2010 BreyerFest Show Prize).

And later this year, we’ll be getting a fifth with Murphy, a Vintage Club Exclusive release in Vintage-style (Gloss) Dark Dapple Gray.

I kept checking the photograph to see if I could determine something special about Astru. Is he Chalky? Iridescent? In possession of the "Tinkerbell" glitter? Does he glow in the dark? The text of the e-mails makes me wonder if there's more than meets the eye here:

Like the faithful stars that shine so bright at night,

Astru is ready to trot his way into your home!

 

His bright and beautifully dappled grey coat is reminiscent of the bright stars that twinkle down from the midnight sky.

Even if none of those possibilities comes to pass, there is one feature that does distinguish Astru from the other Gray Cleveland Bays: his mane. All of the other Grays so far have come with the loose mane, not braided like Astru. So even if he's an "ordinary" Dapple Gray, there’s that, at least.

His name struck me as a bit peculiar too; although I consider myself a bit of an astronomy buff (I collect old astronomy textbooks!) the term "astru" was one I had either not seen or noted before. Apparently it’s a Romanian word that means "heavenly body", as in an asteroid or a comet.

It is also the name of a Hungarian Black Metal band, but I’m pretty sure that’s not what Reeves was going for. Unless someone in the office has, ahem, unusual dark tastes in music...