I think a lot of us felt a bit ‘meh’ this year! I’m sorry things just didn’t work for you this year - there will be other years and it’ll be better in the future! Congrats again on your win at Bootcamp, it’s so well deserved, and I super hope to keep seeing you create!
Omg Candace… I’m so sorry. And I do agree.. this year just felt really off. And every year since I got my first variation back in 2020, I’ve been really invested into the variations and I always LOVE the hype around them and the craze!! But this year there was none of that.. only the surprises and no variations.. I hope next year they will make up for it.
I too had an off BreyerFest. It's hard to explain, but it just didn't feel quite the same. Here's hoping next year is amazing! I really hope you get to go in person one day!! 💜
Aw I'm sorry yours was off also. What a strange year! I hope I get to finally be there in person too, and my fingers are crossed SO hard for 2025. I think they'll do some really fun things for us, seeing as it's a big, important year. Putting out all the good hopes and wishes! I hope your '25 is amazing!
*Big hugs* I'm sure you'll make it to in-person BreyerFest someday. Life and money really like to get in the way of things... Your art is amazing! Your diorama came out so good, as well as your customs! The WIP of your tack set was looking really good too! Don't give up on it and I hope to see your work in BCC someday! ♥ This did feel like a bit of an off year for BF. I still enjoyed it but I hope that next year will be even more exciting!
Thank you so much! That means a lot. I really hope to actually finish something for 2025; not with a goal to win per se but to say I got it DONE and I entered. I really appreciate all your kind words though. I hope if it actually works for me to make it to BF in 2025 that you'll be able to go too! It'd be great to say hi in person!
You're so welcome; I'm happy you like the videos and maybe can even relate a bit. Welcome back to the hobby too! I'm recently back myself. I got in ages ago; fell away; then trickled back in a little before falling headfirst a couple years back. It's a big place and I find makes Big feelings. Thanks for being here!
I’m so happy to see a video from Candace. You were not the only person feeling let down by BF this year. The overall mood at the KHP & CHIN was this BF was quite a letdown. I think it started with the switch from Against All Odds to Girl Power. Then, since it was the 35th anniversary of BF the lack of variations was a huge disappointment to most (though I personally can’t stand unannounced/unrevealed variations). Plus people that wanted the glossy Appaloosa Salinero but ended up with the matte were ticked off. They wanted him because he was glossy & Breyer had never shown the glossy version of the matte/glossy split so everyone that the run was all glossy. Those that ended up with the matte we’re trying to trade & most didn’t manage to work one out. Lots of people ordered Miss Independent thinking she was the matte/glossy split & were disappointed to find out it was the Appy Salinero. Winx was an ok choice for the Surprise but many were let down when they found out it was her. Add to all that the heat, the long, slow VIP line on Friday & the problems with the electronic tickets (Breyer does everything on the cheap so of course they picked ClickTix) & this BF was just flat. It should have been exciting & energetic since it was the 35th anniversary of the event but it just wasn’t. I heard lots of people discussing it at the hotel during room sales. The confusion over the tickets, the disappointment over the variations, the long convoluted names for the SR’s & the switching up of the theme. It all added up to a mediocre BF at best. For me personally it was a lackluster BF since my dear friend Andrea Gurdon, the Breyer History Diva, passed away in February & she asked me & Shaun to disperse her collection. She transferred her room at the CHIN over to me & we started selling her models. It was hard to see the models she treasured being sold. So many rare & HTF horses that she worked hard for or diligently searched for went out the door. A test for Phar Lap on the TR Man O’ War, BF raffle & volunteer models, Breyer Event models, rare variations of vintage models plus her VC models which she helped design were sold with the COA’s & pamphlets that she wrote. The worst part was being in her room without her. It all added up to a lackluster & just plain weird BF. Hopefully next year will be better since it’s Breyer’s 75th anniversary but I’m not going up get my hopes up.
I agree. This was my first time going in years, since I'm a college student and took a break from the hobby. I was super excited but there was something off about BF this year. Maybe it's because last time I went, I was a kid, or maybe it was the changes they made, but I felt super bummed after. I really miss a lot of aspects of it, like the SR time slot excitement and getting your celebration models at the gate or near it. The lines were so long and unbearable in the heat.
Sad. I'm sorry to hear you didn't have a great time, either. I wonder what was so off about 2024? I hope, if you're able to make it back for 2025 (and despite all of this upcoming year's changes too), you have a wonderful time. I'm really hopeful it's a good year, being such a special anniversary for Breyer! Fingers crossed.
Oh gosh, Lea. Yeah. You've mentioned so many things here that added up to be not such a great 'Fest for so many people, but I can't imagine the hurt felt while being in Andrea's room without her and dispersing her beloved models. That would be SUCH a hard job; I'm so sorry. I know so many of us were incredibly happy to have a little piece of Andrea's collection and are immensely grateful to you for seeing to those transactions, but gosh. HUGS. I'm with you too on variations.. a little bit. On one hand: I sign up for and pay for a horse that I see a picture of; I expect that horse. (A reverse matte/glossy split is bananas! What the?!) On the other hand.. it's a little bit of excitement over seeing a new model that suddenly is available to find, if wanted. Maybe the excitement of the chase; maybe the anticipation of possibility that you land the new variation that you actually like better.. I dunno. For 2024 though, with everything being so subtle, it almost felt like Breyer didn't TRY. Almost like minimal effort was made for the attendees and/or to add some extra worth to their purchase. (I hope that doesn't sound unkind.) I'm not even sure what I'm hoping for in 2025; micro-run variations for collectibility? Broader variations to cater to more people? Both?? I do tend to see a lot of hype and excitement in marketing copy and promotion, and I'm personally noticing more a feeling of being let down a little once everything lands, so I too am trying to not get my hopes up. I _am_ looking forward to the lineup with a promise of new and vintage molds/colors, but until everything is revealed, I'm aiming to feel as neutral as possible.
Oh man that'd be awesome! I hope to go!! I'm starting to squirrel pennies and don't plan to hinge attendance on anything this time; just focusing on the GO part! haha
Can someone clarify why people have issues with Skydog? As far as I can see from them online, they are a great sanctuary? They seem highly rated and they take good care of their horses. Also my big gripe with the online Breyerfest this year aside from the CCG debacle was the evening show having so many issues. It was almost unwatchable and didn't feel that special.
They use their donors money to inflate the sales price of “famous” horses and pass along misinformation of how horses herd dynamics work. They anthropomorphize horses as if they are “families”, which isn’t accurate. You can find additional information about them online.
Thank you so much! I really hope to be there for 2025 too. I also hope there isn't much over-hyping with all the "one for the ages!" and "massive bash!" copy that's been left around, and the offerings (and variations!) actually live up to it. For me, virtually (since I've had no other experience of 'Fest), it just makes everything more energetic and exciting. ALTHOUGH: I can absolutely see BreyerFest being more about the people you share it with, and getting to see people you don't often see, and spending time with friends who share this special hobby. Did you get to the Stone event that took place concurrently this summer? I've been following that company more closely now with Erin at the helm and I've yet to snag a 1:9 OOAK like I've always wanted, but I'm going to keep trying! Perhaps, if I can get to the Clarion in person, I'll find a secondhand fellow who could come home with me.
Yeah... sigh... I'm starting to think they do a really spectacular year every other year. 2025 should be really good--and granted, it's a big anniversary for the company--and then 2026 will probably be mild again. It'd be so much more fun if they kept surprising us with big things! My 'Fest was a downer for a lot of personal reasons, but it sounds like I'm not the only one who didn't enjoy 2024 as much as they anticipated.
Aww, that is such a bummer for the contests... But maybe it was the world unfolding as it should (though it's not often what we want at the time). If money was a constraint, then it might have worked out for the better this time, even if it doesn't feel like it (and trust me, I know how hard RSD can gut punch a person. I'm getting better at it as I get a handle on my own neurodivergence, but it's still a thing.). Especially considering all the effort you put in to try to make it. You really, REALLY tried, and no one can say it was your lack of effort. I'm so sorry it didn't work out this time. But, so far as we are aware, there WILL be a next time, and you can try again after some rest and recovery (and let's face it, building up that nest egg, which, ngl, I also need to do). I hope that you get to attend in person some day soon. I've been considering next year to try for it, but I might have to put it off for a couple more years before I can comfortably afford it. I changed jobs last year to something with a living wage (buh bye retail, so long and thanks for all the fish). But I have a ways to go before I'll be settled enough to put in-person Breyerfest on my list. Just putting it out there for flights, would flying into Cincinnati (or another nearby larger centre) be cheaper for you? It's a relative hop, skip, and jump down to Lexington from there and you could pick up a car at the airport... Just a thought. But I know any time someone is crossing the Rockies, the price goes up it seems. My online Breyerfest worked out pretty well all things considered. But I would credit that mostly due to the fact I am learning to manage my expectations for it. I really wanted Blue Zeus (ultimately, I think Skydog is trying to do their best by the horses, and the story of Blue Zeus, and Goliath and Red Lady before him, really resonated), so I bought him first. No other items. Just him. I got lucky, and my order was filled so fast, he arrived at the same time as my Athenian Lady (though boxed separately). Then I hopped back on, and picked up everything else I wanted, but still moving quickly. Thought I had it all in the bag, when I realized that Alan hadn't actually gotten into my cart, so I had to bite the bullet on a third order and shipping to Canada. There's a long, convoluted story about why I needed that mule, but I definitely did. And I ended up with the green Wild Things, which is what I wanted. It's on display with my Halloween Stablemates now. I think the run numbers are sufficient these days that you will be able to pick everything up eventually (so long as they aren't leaving a bad taste in your mouth because of the disappointment). I definitely look forward to your unboxing video, and I hope your surprises were all glossy to make up for your trouble. Did you get anything in the Second Chance Sale? I missed out on This is My Fight Song, and I wasn't going to get anything. But I wanted to support the format of letting online participants have the same chance at models as in-person ones, so I picked up an Edge of Glory as well, and I'm glad I did. I hope it all works out amazing for you on the year you do get to go in-person. You've certainly earned that much.
A long-overdue reply, but thank you so much for sharing all your thoughts. I'm glad you got what you hoped to from 2024's 'Fest. Shipping costs to Canada though I'm sure wasn't much fun! I also _completely_ understand a heart-resonance making it so you simply must adopt a model. I've got one loitering in my cart now, and while he's expensive, I sort of promised him I'd 'rescue' him and give him a home. Ugh, my heart! Ugh this personification of plastic ponies! I'm also glad--at the time of your writing, anyway, haha--you're still looking forward to a haul video. I pick at it here and there; bringing in clips and editing audio.. one day it'll go up. I honestly thought I'd get to it before Halloween stuff, but here we are. Days away from an entirely new year. Oi. In looking back, trying to make myself some 'loopholes' hoping to force (for lack of a better word) a BreyerFest trip wasn't the way to get there. I've tried to go for years though, and it seemed taking actionable steps to have a solid reason for "I HAVE to go!" seemed the way to do it. But! I know it'll just take careful planning and lots of effort to have funds set aside ENTIRELY and specifically for that trip. It's just hard when I rely on Husband's job to either cooperate for him to take the kids for a week without me, or the PTO for him to accompany me to help with parenting.. and if that's the case.. why not take a family trip we ALL can enjoy, you know? BF keeps losing the vote on that one 😂. We'll see! Fingers crossed! I really know I'll get there one day!
Yay! I’ve been waiting for this video! Aww man. I’m sorry that you didn’t get exactly what you wanted. I hope you’ll be able to find Fighter and Survivor second hand!🤍
Thanks so much! I really appreciate that! And yes, as far as that elusive mare and foal: there are some great people in the hobby who made my haul unboxing very special. Wink! ❤
Agreed. I was disappointed by this year but I have high hopes for next year being an anniversary
Aw, I'm sorry you were also let down this year. I agree though; I think Breyer will do some fun things with 2025. Here's hoping!
I think a lot of us felt a bit ‘meh’ this year! I’m sorry things just didn’t work for you this year - there will be other years and it’ll be better in the future! Congrats again on your win at Bootcamp, it’s so well deserved, and I super hope to keep seeing you create!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. I hope to keep creating!
Omg Candace… I’m so sorry. And I do agree.. this year just felt really off. And every year since I got my first variation back in 2020, I’ve been really invested into the variations and I always LOVE the hype around them and the craze!! But this year there was none of that.. only the surprises and no variations.. I hope next year they will make up for it.
Thank you so much.
I too had an off BreyerFest. It's hard to explain, but it just didn't feel quite the same.
Here's hoping next year is amazing! I really hope you get to go in person one day!! 💜
Aw I'm sorry yours was off also. What a strange year!
I hope I get to finally be there in person too, and my fingers are crossed SO hard for 2025. I think they'll do some really fun things for us, seeing as it's a big, important year. Putting out all the good hopes and wishes! I hope your '25 is amazing!
*Big hugs* I'm sure you'll make it to in-person BreyerFest someday. Life and money really like to get in the way of things...
Your art is amazing! Your diorama came out so good, as well as your customs! The WIP of your tack set was looking really good too! Don't give up on it and I hope to see your work in BCC someday! ♥
This did feel like a bit of an off year for BF. I still enjoyed it but I hope that next year will be even more exciting!
Thank you so much! That means a lot. I really hope to actually finish something for 2025; not with a goal to win per se but to say I got it DONE and I entered. I really appreciate all your kind words though. I hope if it actually works for me to make it to BF in 2025 that you'll be able to go too! It'd be great to say hi in person!
I so appreciate your videos. I just got back into the hobby a couple of years ago. Thank you for posting and giving a busy mom's perspective.
You're so welcome; I'm happy you like the videos and maybe can even relate a bit. Welcome back to the hobby too! I'm recently back myself. I got in ages ago; fell away; then trickled back in a little before falling headfirst a couple years back. It's a big place and I find makes Big feelings. Thanks for being here!
I’m so happy to see a video from Candace. You were not the only person feeling let down by BF this year. The overall mood at the KHP & CHIN was this BF was quite a letdown.
I think it started with the switch from Against All Odds to Girl Power. Then, since it was the 35th anniversary of BF the lack of variations was a huge disappointment to most (though I personally can’t stand unannounced/unrevealed variations). Plus people that wanted the glossy Appaloosa Salinero but ended up with the matte were ticked off. They wanted him because he was glossy & Breyer had never shown the glossy version of the matte/glossy split so everyone that the run was all glossy. Those that ended up with the matte we’re trying to trade & most didn’t manage to work one out.
Lots of people ordered Miss Independent thinking she was the matte/glossy split & were disappointed to find out it was the Appy Salinero.
Winx was an ok choice for the Surprise but many were let down when they found out it was her.
Add to all that the heat, the long, slow VIP line on Friday & the problems with the electronic tickets (Breyer does everything on the cheap so of course they picked ClickTix) & this BF was just flat.
It should have been exciting & energetic since it was the 35th anniversary of the event but it just wasn’t. I heard lots of people discussing it at the hotel during room sales. The confusion over the tickets, the disappointment over the variations, the long convoluted names for the SR’s & the switching up of the theme. It all added up to a mediocre BF at best.
For me personally it was a lackluster BF since my dear friend Andrea Gurdon, the Breyer History Diva, passed away in February & she asked me & Shaun to disperse her collection. She transferred her room
at the CHIN over to me & we started selling her models. It was hard to see the models she treasured being sold. So many rare & HTF horses that she worked hard for or diligently searched for went out the door. A test for Phar Lap on the TR Man O’ War, BF raffle & volunteer models, Breyer Event models, rare variations of vintage models plus her VC models which she helped design were sold with the COA’s & pamphlets that she wrote.
The worst part was being in her room without her.
It all added up to a lackluster & just plain weird BF.
Hopefully next year will be better since it’s Breyer’s 75th anniversary but I’m not going up get my hopes up.
I agree. This was my first time going in years, since I'm a college student and took a break from the hobby. I was super excited but there was something off about BF this year. Maybe it's because last time I went, I was a kid, or maybe it was the changes they made, but I felt super bummed after. I really miss a lot of aspects of it, like the SR time slot excitement and getting your celebration models at the gate or near it. The lines were so long and unbearable in the heat.
Sad. I'm sorry to hear you didn't have a great time, either. I wonder what was so off about 2024? I hope, if you're able to make it back for 2025 (and despite all of this upcoming year's changes too), you have a wonderful time. I'm really hopeful it's a good year, being such a special anniversary for Breyer! Fingers crossed.
Oh gosh, Lea. Yeah. You've mentioned so many things here that added up to be not such a great 'Fest for so many people, but I can't imagine the hurt felt while being in Andrea's room without her and dispersing her beloved models. That would be SUCH a hard job; I'm so sorry. I know so many of us were incredibly happy to have a little piece of Andrea's collection and are immensely grateful to you for seeing to those transactions, but gosh. HUGS.
I'm with you too on variations.. a little bit. On one hand: I sign up for and pay for a horse that I see a picture of; I expect that horse. (A reverse matte/glossy split is bananas! What the?!) On the other hand.. it's a little bit of excitement over seeing a new model that suddenly is available to find, if wanted. Maybe the excitement of the chase; maybe the anticipation of possibility that you land the new variation that you actually like better.. I dunno. For 2024 though, with everything being so subtle, it almost felt like Breyer didn't TRY. Almost like minimal effort was made for the attendees and/or to add some extra worth to their purchase. (I hope that doesn't sound unkind.)
I'm not even sure what I'm hoping for in 2025; micro-run variations for collectibility? Broader variations to cater to more people? Both?? I do tend to see a lot of hype and excitement in marketing copy and promotion, and I'm personally noticing more a feeling of being let down a little once everything lands, so I too am trying to not get my hopes up. I _am_ looking forward to the lineup with a promise of new and vintage molds/colors, but until everything is revealed, I'm aiming to feel as neutral as possible.
I really hope to see you next year ❤
Oh man that'd be awesome! I hope to go!! I'm starting to squirrel pennies and don't plan to hinge attendance on anything this time; just focusing on the GO part! haha
Can someone clarify why people have issues with Skydog? As far as I can see from them online, they are a great sanctuary? They seem highly rated and they take good care of their horses. Also my big gripe with the online Breyerfest this year aside from the CCG debacle was the evening show having so many issues. It was almost unwatchable and didn't feel that special.
They use their donors money to inflate the sales price of “famous” horses and pass along misinformation of how horses herd dynamics work. They anthropomorphize horses as if they are “families”, which isn’t accurate. You can find additional information about them online.
I don't honestly know. Skydog is amazing.
Honestly, the week for me ended up being more about the people and getting to give back to my community
Thank you so much! I really hope to be there for 2025 too. I also hope there isn't much over-hyping with all the "one for the ages!" and "massive bash!" copy that's been left around, and the offerings (and variations!) actually live up to it. For me, virtually (since I've had no other experience of 'Fest), it just makes everything more energetic and exciting.
ALTHOUGH: I can absolutely see BreyerFest being more about the people you share it with, and getting to see people you don't often see, and spending time with friends who share this special hobby.
Did you get to the Stone event that took place concurrently this summer? I've been following that company more closely now with Erin at the helm and I've yet to snag a 1:9 OOAK like I've always wanted, but I'm going to keep trying! Perhaps, if I can get to the Clarion in person, I'll find a secondhand fellow who could come home with me.
@@CandaceToo Yeah I was one of the show judges :D
(Oh I totally forgot my display name is just my username now, this is Amanda xD)
@MusicSparkleStar09 Oh! AMANDA! Hi!! 💕
I agree. I enjoyed last year's BF was AMAZING (I went online). Awesome models, gorgeus variations! This year? Meh..
Yeah... sigh... I'm starting to think they do a really spectacular year every other year. 2025 should be really good--and granted, it's a big anniversary for the company--and then 2026 will probably be mild again. It'd be so much more fun if they kept surprising us with big things! My 'Fest was a downer for a lot of personal reasons, but it sounds like I'm not the only one who didn't enjoy 2024 as much as they anticipated.
Aww, that is such a bummer for the contests... But maybe it was the world unfolding as it should (though it's not often what we want at the time). If money was a constraint, then it might have worked out for the better this time, even if it doesn't feel like it (and trust me, I know how hard RSD can gut punch a person. I'm getting better at it as I get a handle on my own neurodivergence, but it's still a thing.). Especially considering all the effort you put in to try to make it. You really, REALLY tried, and no one can say it was your lack of effort. I'm so sorry it didn't work out this time. But, so far as we are aware, there WILL be a next time, and you can try again after some rest and recovery (and let's face it, building up that nest egg, which, ngl, I also need to do).
I hope that you get to attend in person some day soon. I've been considering next year to try for it, but I might have to put it off for a couple more years before I can comfortably afford it. I changed jobs last year to something with a living wage (buh bye retail, so long and thanks for all the fish). But I have a ways to go before I'll be settled enough to put in-person Breyerfest on my list.
Just putting it out there for flights, would flying into Cincinnati (or another nearby larger centre) be cheaper for you? It's a relative hop, skip, and jump down to Lexington from there and you could pick up a car at the airport... Just a thought. But I know any time someone is crossing the Rockies, the price goes up it seems.
My online Breyerfest worked out pretty well all things considered. But I would credit that mostly due to the fact I am learning to manage my expectations for it. I really wanted Blue Zeus (ultimately, I think Skydog is trying to do their best by the horses, and the story of Blue Zeus, and Goliath and Red Lady before him, really resonated), so I bought him first. No other items. Just him. I got lucky, and my order was filled so fast, he arrived at the same time as my Athenian Lady (though boxed separately). Then I hopped back on, and picked up everything else I wanted, but still moving quickly. Thought I had it all in the bag, when I realized that Alan hadn't actually gotten into my cart, so I had to bite the bullet on a third order and shipping to Canada. There's a long, convoluted story about why I needed that mule, but I definitely did. And I ended up with the green Wild Things, which is what I wanted. It's on display with my Halloween Stablemates now.
I think the run numbers are sufficient these days that you will be able to pick everything up eventually (so long as they aren't leaving a bad taste in your mouth because of the disappointment). I definitely look forward to your unboxing video, and I hope your surprises were all glossy to make up for your trouble. Did you get anything in the Second Chance Sale? I missed out on This is My Fight Song, and I wasn't going to get anything. But I wanted to support the format of letting online participants have the same chance at models as in-person ones, so I picked up an Edge of Glory as well, and I'm glad I did. I hope it all works out amazing for you on the year you do get to go in-person. You've certainly earned that much.
A long-overdue reply, but thank you so much for sharing all your thoughts. I'm glad you got what you hoped to from 2024's 'Fest. Shipping costs to Canada though I'm sure wasn't much fun!
I also _completely_ understand a heart-resonance making it so you simply must adopt a model. I've got one loitering in my cart now, and while he's expensive, I sort of promised him I'd 'rescue' him and give him a home. Ugh, my heart! Ugh this personification of plastic ponies!
I'm also glad--at the time of your writing, anyway, haha--you're still looking forward to a haul video. I pick at it here and there; bringing in clips and editing audio.. one day it'll go up. I honestly thought I'd get to it before Halloween stuff, but here we are. Days away from an entirely new year. Oi.
In looking back, trying to make myself some 'loopholes' hoping to force (for lack of a better word) a BreyerFest trip wasn't the way to get there. I've tried to go for years though, and it seemed taking actionable steps to have a solid reason for "I HAVE to go!" seemed the way to do it. But! I know it'll just take careful planning and lots of effort to have funds set aside ENTIRELY and specifically for that trip. It's just hard when I rely on Husband's job to either cooperate for him to take the kids for a week without me, or the PTO for him to accompany me to help with parenting.. and if that's the case.. why not take a family trip we ALL can enjoy, you know? BF keeps losing the vote on that one 😂.
We'll see! Fingers crossed! I really know I'll get there one day!
Yay! I’ve been waiting for this video! Aww man. I’m sorry that you didn’t get exactly what you wanted. I hope you’ll be able to find Fighter and Survivor second hand!🤍
Thanks so much! I really appreciate that! And yes, as far as that elusive mare and foal: there are some great people in the hobby who made my haul unboxing very special. Wink! ❤