HR Sky Chief

I went to the Stone spring horse show and bought myself a retirement gift.

Sky Chief, B-682, 11958-1959, 1968, Hagen Renaker, $225, Alicia Strayer-Mangan, Stone horse show, 5/2018

 He is my retirement gift to myself - I had budgeted $300 and thought I would buy a Stone Andalusian, but they were sold out.

My class motto (coined by the kids themselves) is "Flying high with Mrs. I." Well, he is SKY chief! And so he came home with me!

HR Miss Pepper

I went to the Stone Country Fair and Liz Isham Cry had this Miss Pepper for sale.

 Miss Pepper, B-701, 1959-1971, Hagen Renaker, $60, Liz Isham Cory at Stone Show in Shipshewana, Indiana, 5/2018.

Vintage Club Tanner

My Vintage Club Tanner, and extra offering, arrived Tuesday but I only opened him today. I absolutely LOVE him.

 Vintage Club Tanner, #712244, $135, less than 500 made, 2018, Breyer.

 His box says he is brown pinto, but he sure looks like a black pinto to me!

 The head looks like it might be chalky.

 Hard to tell. Some of the Vintage Club pieces have been chalkies (Lucky, Kiowa, Magnus, etc.) in the past, but I am finding it difficult to tell on Tanner.

 I love the warpaint - there are symbols on Tanner's flanks...

 ... his neck...

... and his hip.

Overall I am pleased and he is a welcome addition to my collection!

Illumination

I love Breyer's clearware! And even though I had absolutely NO intention of ever buying this mold, I could not resist when Breyer did a clearware pattern on it.

Illumination, #1799, $55, 4/2018, Lynn Luther/The Model Trading Post.

I think he is beautiful and he matches Patriot on the American Saddlebred Mold.

Gift From a Long Time Friend

Kathy Bateman and I go waaaaaaaay back. We have been friends for twenty-five years (at least) and met when I was living in Illinois. A fellow hobbyist, we played ponies together, went to BreyerFest and live shows, and put on Lincoln Land Live.

She is now in Tennessee and I am in Indiana, but that friendship remains strong. Saturday I received a surprise package in the mail from her.

 Puzzled, I opened it, and found an envelope on the top of a bunch of bubble wrap.

 Inside was a lovely card - she'd sent a retirement gift!

Kathy knows I love circus ponies, and she'd sent a Wade Whimsey.

Also included was a note that gives documentation as to what the piece is and where she found it. I love my new circus pony; even more, I love that it came from a dear friend who bought it in one of the antique shops we both used to haunt, and was part of her personal collection.

Thanks so much, Kats. This piece is very special to me and I will treasure it always not only because it is a circus pony, but because it came from one of my dearest friends.

New Circus Ponies!

You never know when you are going to find something to add to your collection. I was on Etsy looking for a banner for the Happy Trails show last weekend, and decided to type "circus pony" in the search box when I finished.

I am glad I did because these two popped up!

 They're 1/32 scale and the seller says she thinks they are from the 1970s.

Mini Circus Ponies, $9, 4/2018, Etsy, Linda Thornburg, 1243 Maple View Dr., Charlottesville, VA 22902.

Despite the chunky legs and hooves, I think they are pretty nice overall, especially their heads. The ponies are made from a plastic that is harder than Breyer's Mini Whinnies but with more flexibility than a Stablemate.

I need to do a little research and see if I can figure out who the manufacturer is, when they were made, and other details. In the meantime, I am glad to have them!

My Second Real Decorator

How ironic that I have looked for decorators for years and years, decades even, without success, and then I find two in the space of one month.

(Photos from eBay auction.)

Gold Charm Running Foal, #3130, 1963-1964, $265, eBay, 3/2018, Marsha Alesi, 7630 Chicago Dr., La Mesa, CA 91941.

 He has some black marks and a chipped eartip, but is still beautiful.

I am thrilled to add this piece to my collection.

And I have to smile - it has been a very rainy spring break - I guess when it rains, it pours!