Hi everyone, I'm back! Holiday vacation is going to feel great. Maybe I can even work on a second blog post somewhere in there!
So, seeing the new preview of the SMC Polo Pony inspired me to re-visit the potential options for next year's Best of BreyerFest SM set. Ironically, both of the rarities she could portray have already been included in these sets, but ah well, it inspired me anyway!
If they continue with the pattern of the last few years of focusing on a specific year, which I think is most likely, I would say we are most likely due for 2010, 2012, 2014, or 2015 sets. 2014 is standing out to me the most, as this will be the 10th anniversary (and this year's set was also a 10-year throwback), plus three of the molds currently have Stablemate versions. 2010 seems the most likely second option, as none of those models have been included in other sets so far (counting all 4 BoB series and the 2019 Single Day SM), and two of the molds have SM miniature versions as well.
The models portrayed in these sets have so far been limited to Early Bird raffles, Saturday & Sunday Raffles, BreyerFest Live Grand & Reserve Champion Prizes, Unique Contest Prizes (aka not the glossy celebration models), and Volunteer models. Though we have seen two earlier models portrayed (2003 & 2006) and one more recent (2019), the rest of the minis so far have been based off models featured in the 2008-2016 year range, with a particular focus on the early & mid 2010's. Thus far, none of the Best Customs Contest models have been included - since their own minis have been released alongside them as the runner-up prizes each year.
The main lineup of rare models follows the same pattern between 2007 and 2019:
- 1 Early Bird, run of 3
- 2 Raffles
- 2 Live Show Grand Prizes
- 1 Unique Design Contest Prize
- 1 Volunteer
In 2004-2006, the Early Bird prize was 3 separate OOAK models instead of 3 of the same mold/color. 2004 also did not have a unique design for the Overall Reserve of BFL, but featured a glossy RR for that slot. Instead, there was a unique design for the Sectional Champ prizes. Prior to 2004, no early Bird was offered. Breyer experimented with the lineup of glossed versions vs. unique designs for the show prizes between 2001-2004 before settling on having unique designs for overall champ & reserve and glossies for all lower-tier show awards in 2005. 2002 was the first year a unique Contest model was offered (and unless this changes again, 2021 was the last).
Beginning in 2020, the rarities lineup for BreyerFest has continued to evolve - to the point that I think we will still see a focus on 2010's and older models in the BoB for a while - at least in terms of sets that focus on single years. 2020 & 2021 would be particularly difficult as the set has been featuring 5 different models, and these two years only had 4 rarities (for 2020 you'd have to have both Ben Nevis variations to get to 5).
- 2020 featured the final Early Bird model, two raffles, and a volunteer that for the first time came in two color variations (virtual only, no BFL)
- 2021 eliminated the EB but brought back the unique contest prize, still had 2 raffles, and the volunteer model only came in one color (virtual only, no BFL)
- 2022 did not have a contest or EB, but brought back the Overall Champ and Reserves prizes with having an in-person option again, and the volunteer still only had one color. Two raffles per usual.
- 2023 kept the same format as 2022, but the volunteer had 3 color options
I do think there's also a chance that we could see year-specific sets for 2017/2018/2019, but those feel less likely, especially 2018. Now that we know a Mini Othello is coming next year, I would guess that anything involving Churchill will not be any earlier than 2025. Based on how the Club information is worded, the Deluxe CC Horatio is supposed to be the debut of the mold - so we won't see him as anything else in 2024.
An interesting note about the years that have been heavily featured so far - for every year that's been in focus, the models that get left off end up being raffles.
- 2011: King Arthur & Muse - though Muse is definitely an intentional omission simply because doing the wings would be a major challenge
- 2013: Blue Bird
- 2016: Cinza
I am wondering if there will eventually be a set that features some of those remaining raffles from the 2010's. After all, the first BoB in 2020 only included raffle models, but from a larger variety of years (2006, 2008, 2012, 2015, and 2019). Actually, looking at the ones they're leaving out, it does seem like the raffle model that's already been featured if a year has been touched, is the "less popular" option...so perhaps I'm onto something there - ALSO, the raffle models have only been used either in the 2019 single day lineup, or the 2020 BoB set. Hmmmm.
Diving more into the individual years in the 2010's that haven't been featured yet, here are the models I think they may feature, given that they all still have 6-7 options left:
1. 2010: Based on the previous patterns, it's possible the raffles would be left off here, OR they'll use the less "popular" one (maybe the Adios?) I only say that because Brighty was the Contest model that year, and Breyer seems hesitant to use the G3 Donkey in anything other than playsets, nor is there any indication that we'll get any newer longear SM scale molds anytime soon. So Cameo might not be part of that set. Otherwise, definitely Best Actor and Quiet on the Set using their mini molds, not really sure which molds for Best Supporting Actor (Sherman Morgan) or Opening Night (Cody/Ranch Horse), but I'd think they'll be part of the set.
2. 2012: Carlisle has already been done in the 2020 BoB, and Queen Mum & Prince are a mare and foal pair, so I don't know how well they'd fit into the set. But given that they are raffles, maybe they'd be left off for a 2012 revisit. No existing mini versions of molds for this group yet, but we'd have Sterling (Contest), Bennington (EB), Westminster Abbey & Penny Lane (BFL), and Keighley (Volunteer).
3. 2014: I don't have any caveats to the non-raffles for this one, so even though both raffle molds have existing minis (Clyde Stallion & Fighter), I am not sure we'd see them in a 2014 set (or at very least, not both). This is Alegria's year, so that's kind of a given to be the mini Alborozo, otherwise, options include Make Me Blush (Contest), Galloping Good Times & Jump For Joy (BFL), and Here's to You (Volunteer).
4. 2015: Que Sera Sera was already in the 2020 set, and C'est La Vie I'd be hesitant to expect anyway, since he's one of the few that I was totally stumped on when I was trying to think of an appropriate mold match in SM scale. Since he's a raffle, I do think it's more likely he'll be saved for a future raffles-only set (maybe there will be a good match mold wise by then!) Parfait will be on the mini SCO mold, and aside from that, we have as options - C'est Bon (EB), Creme de la Creme & Tout Suite (BFL), and Truffles (Contest). The only mold choice I think is a given here would be the newer Fjord SM for Truffles.
5. 2017: I maintain that the raffles will likely be absent here, leaving us with Sona (Contest), Sokkar (EB), Cassia & Desi (BFL), and Assam (Volunteer). The G4 Icelandic seems like a sure bet for Sokkar, and I would guess G2 Paso for Sona (this would be the same as Perrault from 2011) and the Irish Draft for Cassia.
6. 2018: With the caveat that this won't be the 2024 set, again the raffles will likely be missing. We'd have Churchill as his own mini, and also Win Place or Show (probably as the Running Mare, since it started out as a cartoon mold too), Riddle (EB), Cloverleaf & Hot to Trot (BFL). I think Hot to Trot would be on the G2 Standardbred.
7. 2019: North Star has already been done in the 2020 set, and Valour & Honour are also raffles and a mare and foal pair, so they're likely out. This leaves Triumph definitively as the Mini IP, plus Cavalcade (contest), Cap (EB), Victory (BFL), and Man of the Hour (Volunteer).
I don't know if this would be part of the BoB series, or as a separate set, but I think it would be fun to re-visit some themes from the 2000's and 90's as well. It's possible that 2007-2009 might be part of the Years series at some point, but I'm not sure. None of the Volunteer models from the 2000's have been mini-fied yet, so it would be really neat to see a Deluxe set with all 10 of these included. (But I also worry that the 2000 ASB might look too similar to the QVC silver cup SR if it's done on the G2 ASB. Maybe there will be a different Saddlebred mold available by then!) Totsi, the Florentine Clyde Stallion, and The Poet could all be done on their own minis thus far. So I guess now we'd just need to shrink the ASB, Lonesome Glory, Legionario, Wixom, Big Ben, Strapless, and the PAS...and I think at least a few of those may happen eventually.
On the Volunteer theme, it would also be neat to see minis of the 90's Volunteers, and there are only 7 of those, 2 of which have mini molds (IP & Fighter). This group also includes the PAM, Lady Phase, vintage Mustang stallion, San Domingo, and Zippo Pine Bar, some of which I hope also have minis eventually since they are very popular. There are also 13 Raffles from the 90's, though I am not sure if it would make more sense to do those in smaller groups? Not all of those are super popular either...it might be fun to do a group solely focused on the decorator colored ones - so Misty from 1990, all 4 of the 1991, Malibu from 96, and Ransom from 98. Maybe Winchester if you count Charcoal in with the unrealistic group.
As a specific note regarding the 2000's group - even if the years are visited individually, or we see a few groups of highlights from those years, I can almost guarantee we will NOT see Merlin the dragon ASB included at all. That would be far too difficult of a design concept for a large-scale SR SM, between the scales and surface details, and the wings. It's just not happening.
That was a lot of fun to dig through and speculate on the possibilities! Do you have any BoB theories that I didn't think of here? Which mini-me models are you looking forward to most?
I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable holiday season with your loved ones!
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