๐ The BreyerFest Files๐
In place of the usual July monthly round up of additions, this month we have the 2026 BreyerFest haul! I didn't buy anything outside of BreyerFest week in July, so it made the most sense to schedule this post on my usual first Wednesday of the month. Most of my BreyerFest budget was spent on pre-arranged pickups, so I didn't buy much outside of my Special Runs.
We'll start with the aforementioned pre-arranged pickups! We'll start with the Anton, as he's been a long time coming. My friend Kelly runs a cheapie string of models, and she ended up with a donation of the Vintage Club Anton. I was looking for one, and Kelly tends to sell off her Project Cheapie String models at the end of the project in order to fund the next project. I laid claim to the Anton, and we spent the next two years in a fun cycle of - "Well, I've found the box but no horse" "I have the horse but no box" "I have the horse and box but I can't make it to this show." Well, the horse reappeared to attend NAN this year, and I snagged him off Kelly before leaving Kentucky. (In theory I'm getting his box at Happy Kamper, as it pulled its disappearing trick again).
Mini Tortuga is one I've been after for a while - I've had mini Jade and mini Mauvelous in my collection for a few years, and I've been looking to complete the set. I have a reputation at this point for my mini obsession, to the point my friends reach out to me when they have minis they're looking to sell. My friend Lindsay is one of those people - she was getting her sales together for BreyerFest, and asked if there were any minis I was looking for. I mentioned mini Tortuga, and with luck she not only had him, but also the COA, and was willing to split both out from the rest of the set. I also picked up the blue G1 Arabian Mare keychain from her.
The Highland Pony keychain was another instance of a friend reaching out to me privately. I was very thrilled to add her - I've had the opportunity to add some great rarities to my collection this year, but I think I'm going to save her full story for a future Collection Spotlight!
Finally, I was able to pre-purchase both this year's VIP pin set and the 2008 BreyerFest lapel pin from yet another hobby friend. I was very excited about the 2008 pin, as it was my first BreyerFest!
Next up, we have my room sales purchases. Like I mentioned, I didn't buy a lot this year, and I didn't do a lot of shopping in general. I was just too busy and too tired. I am very happy with what I acquired! I picked up the multimedia dun Swaps from a friend's room on the first Sunday night after picking up my NAN packet. The G3 Stock Horse is an upgrade for the one I have who went yellow - thanks Heather B. for that girl! The classic Man O'War and Quarter Horse Foal came from the same room - the Man O'War especially is in fantastic shape. The NIP Thoroughbred Mare came from another friend's room, and has different packaging from my other 90s NIP G1 Thoroughbred Mare. The two keychains likewise I picked up from friends - though on different nights! I've definitely been on a keychain kick lately - those early BreyerFest ones, I'm coming for you next!
I wasn't planning on entering the NAN raffle. Then I had time to kill on Tuesday waiting for performance to finish (my stewarding part was done, but I carpooled with my friend who was a performance judge) so I looked over the raffle. This model in package specifically with the misprinted label has been a minor grail of mine for a while, so I dropped $30 worth of raffle tickets in for him. It paid off. I'm still figuring out the perfect show name for him, and I'm very excited for his show career to begin this fall!
Time to move into the official event models, starting with the Celebration Horse and Event Stablemates. I had three tickets, two I purchased, plus one ticket as compensation for volunteering. I picked the nicest Flinka of my three and sold my extras to my BreyerFest roomies. The two tickets I purchased before the cutoff for included event Stablemates, which would mean I only had to track down the other two event Stablemates instead of paying for the full set from the Breyer Store and hoping they didn't sell out before I got there like last year. As it happens, my friend Sarah had two pre-cutoff tickets as well, and doesn't collect minis, decos, or glossies. I offered to take her two off her hands. My friend doing pickups while we were at the live show grabbed me nearly one of everything, but Helsinki wasn't available when she went through. She grabbed me two of the Lying Mare instead, and I exchanged one for one of my roommate's extra Helsinkis. Hobby friends are worth their weight in gold!
It was a light Special Run year for me! I did get three tickets because I always want two surprise models, and I went the master list route because it has never failed me. I was actually was glad Breyer revealed the variations early, as it meant I aimed to put two mules on my list instead of the mare and foal set. I did get all of my picks (two surprises, two mules, a Midnattssol, and an Oseberg). I was equally fortunate to pull all of the variations I wanted: glossy Oseberg and both the bell tail and swish tail mules. I ended up with two of the gold decorator Surprises, and I plan on selling both of those, so they didn't make it into the loot pic.
It was a light store special year for me as well! I'm not a huge Idocus or Icelandic Pony collector, I don't trust my cats enough to collect the crystals, and the Classic was cute but not my speed. As per usual, I picked up the Stablemate set, and I needed the Gotland Pony for conga reasons.
The mish mash of non-model acquisitions! I always try to pick up the magnet, enamel pin, plush, and mug every year. I snagged the sweatpants from the Breyer Store on Sunday on the recommendation of a friend. I finally made it to Old Friends this year and picked up the travel mug and the hat. It's not a BreyerFest without buying the chaotic nonsense Shauna has cooked up - this year it was genuine horse hockey bases and Clarion carpet pins. I also once again participated in the Heather jam trade (I got peach this year!) I picked up a nice pony pouch for my NIP Morgan. The Dala Horse keychain and rubber duck were both given to me by strangers while I was on volunteer shifts.
For online models, I needed two Hygges and one Uff Da. I ordered one Hygge myself (fighting with the cell service in the Alltech to do so), and my friend Amanda grabbed my Uff Da and second Hygge. All three have arrived, though the ones Amanda ordered will be in a later additions post as they shipped to her and I don't have them yet. Both of my Hygges ended up being the decorator variation, so I'll end up buying the realistic at some point, keeping the nicer decorator, and selling the other.
I'll talk more about my experience volunteering in next Wednesday's post, but suffice to say - I was both a NAN volunteer and a BreyerFest volunteer this year. It meant I spent the week with little free time and even less sleep, but it was a very rewarding experience! I was happy to give back to the hobby. I ended up with a lovely purple medallion to match my other purple medallions from 2022 and 2024, and the champagne variation of the volunteer model. His show name is going to be She Works Hard for the Money. (I'm the she. He's the money.)
Not technically a purchase, but my wonderful friend Brooke made me a tray for carrying minis at shows. I had a DIY one that I used myself, but when I was running Kelly's models at BOB this year, she had a tray made by Brooke. Brooke was also attending BOB, and I made sure to compliment her on how nice it was and how much I liked using it. She offered to make me one as well! If anyone is looking for a tray, I highly recommend reaching out to her (I can get you in touch with her!)