Thursday, January 12, 2017

In Glorious Black and White

On the heels of last year’s Diorama Contest Prize Pele, we now have Live Show Benefit Horse Reno, on the Buckshot mold. In an intricate Gloss Black Frame Overo Pinto:


I wouldn’t mind taking one of those home! It doesn’t look likely that I’ll be able to attend any live shows this year either, so he’s another Rare Shiny (partially) Black horsey that I’ll just have to admire from afar.

Here’s a little factoid worth pointing out regarding Pele: while the greatest number of entries in the BreyerFest Diorama Contest is usually in the Over-20 Age Bracket, that wasn’t the case last year. I believe it was in the 10-14 Age Bracket!

If the number of entries indicates the general level of interest in the prize itself, it was a younger group of hobbyists who were the most interested in a Buckshot, for once!

A notoriously tipsy, thirty-year-old mold with “artistic” conformation?

It does seems curious, until you realize that there was a Palomino Buckshot release named Rascal a few years back – in 2009 and 2010, to be specific. He was a part of the “My Favorite Horse” series, which was specifically designed and marketed for younger/newer collectors.

http://www.identifyyourbreyer.com/images/1361a.jpg

Judging from the number of Diorama Contest entries last year, that program obviously succeeded! Some of those kids got a little bit older, stayed in the hobby, retained a fondness for the Buckshot mold, and were motivated enough to enter.

I know some hobbyists are making squishy faces at the thought of another Buckshot prize model, but I think they’re just tailoring the Live Show Benefit Horse to a slightly younger crowd this year. The past two models – 2015’s Western Pony Razzmatazz, and 2016’s Fury Prancer Chase – were more esoteric and targeted for older and/or more experienced hobbyists.

Some of us grayhairs like Reno too. Will he be motivation enough for me to find the time and money to attend a live show this year? That I do not know.

Just one minor housekeeping note here.

Since I am in the busy season at work and consequently not home much, my selling activity will be greatly curtailed or even nil through January and possibly part of February. As soon as I am able, I’ll try to start tossing a few odds and ends up on MHSP.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm not even a huge fan of Buckshot, but that color has "ME" written all over it! Including the glossy finish! As a matter of fact, if I were to design a horse for Breyer, it would probably look very similar to that, only on a mold that is more sturdy..

You know, it's not even the conformation that makes me dislike Buckshot. It's the fact that he falls over if you breath on him. He's one of those molds, that if produced today, would include a little plastic disk. Not that the disk is a perfect answer (because they crack at the base) but because it at least keeps the horses somewhat stable. Yeah, Buckshot needs a disk! Breyer needs to come up with a better disk as well, and it would be a perfect solution.

Anonymous said...

Me wants a Reno, too!! I'll have to wait until the show list comes out to make a decision whether or not to go for one...
"Falls over if you breathe on him" is a VERY accurate description...I have one of those Palomino Rascals (picked it up at a toy store last year for $15) and he fell off the shelf and damaged my $20-discount-store Zenyatta...solitary confinement now! I hope that these prize models stand at least a little better, else my luck I'll win one and he'll break his tail off!