The reveal/announcement cam early! We have our Breyerfest 2025 Celebration Horse, it's starting!! It's really happening!! Our Celebration Horse for next year is...
Meet Tight Lines, aka "Phish"!!!
Phish is a French Thoroughbred gelding whose career started off as a steeplechaser, once he was done was turned into an eventer. He is owned by Conair Syndicate and ridden by Olympic Eventer Will Coleman and together they have competed in the most well known 5 star events in the world. He has even competed in the Kentucky Three Day Event at the horse park in both 2019 and 2021, believe it or not this is a 5 star event, while the Olympics is only a 4 star event. You'd think it'd be higher with how elite it is, but in the equestrian world other events have seemed to surpass it in rank. Phish has also competed on the US Team for the 2018 World Equestrian Games helping secure the team in 8th place! Other courses he's competed in is the Maryland 5 star and Defender Burghley 5 star. Phish has also competed in and p-laced in the National 3 star and 4 star Championships at Fair Hill International. This 18 year old gelding loves to gallop and tackle challenges ahead of him, though Phish has now stepped down from bigger events, but he will forever be Will's favorite in the barn (slightly no pun intended with the double "will" in the sentence). Phish's athleticism and heart for competition are why he was chosen to celebrate Breyer's 75th Diamond Jubilee Breyerfest Celebration next year.
Phish's owner has chosen the Cigar mold to represent his champion as it represent him galloping down an obstacle on the cross country course. His model also sports his current fleabitten grey coat with minimal/light/faded shading. He will also come with a special blue blanket sporting the 75th anniversary logo, though Breyer did note he will not be wearing it in his box to help prevent rubbing and staining concerns but it will still come with him. With that being said I am really glad he is on a vintage mold, I was really hoping one would be used for the celebration horse this year. Though I was slightly originally thinking and hoping for the American Saddlebred Stallion, like the clock horse, but he does nicely as I have been waiting for a lighter grey to come out on this mold since Breyerfest 2018 when I originally thought he could be used for the surprise horse special run. There was another light grey on this mold before, Mint Julep back in 2002 as a QVC special limited to 1,500 pieces, but he's kinda hard to find and would more than likely go for a pretty penny based off rarity despite this mold not being very popular. Other greys on this mold were darker greys like Nodin and Reflections. So far Phish is the most obtainable to a point, especially since there will more than likely be a lot more than 1,500 of him made. Also I'd like more grey thoroughbred representation, he'd go nicely with my Old Ironsides "Sugar" from Breyerfest 2018 and Nodin. He'd also go nice with Spectacular Bid once I obtain him, also it'd be nice to have Reflections and Mint Julep to go with him at some point. I really am in love with this guy, I slightly plan to keep two, one to keep in the blanket and another to keep in racing tack for roleplay. Sadly some people are hating on him as they hate the mold and the fact he isn't dark dapple even though he isn't anymore, that's what happens with greys as they age. Many have reached out to Breyer and the owner in a nasty way so far and I am praying we don't have another 2021 situation, may not be as bad but we already got a bad rap from that and a second occurrence could make it worse. I am hoping all goes well form here, besides the owner of the horse always gets the most creative say in the model so they feel it best accurately represents their horse and that includes choosing the mold. If the owner is happy, I'm happy as that's all that matters in the end, same goes for other portrait models, I may have an opinion on it but doesn't excuse nasty behavior to act that way and I wouldn't as it's not worth fighting and being angry about it in the end. So for now, welcome Tight Lines, aka Phish, as our 2025 celebration horse!! (if anything i'd complain bout its his barn name, but he's not my horse and it's just a name, I'm sure his owner has story for it.)
With kicking off the reveals for next year comes new banners and promotional pics. At the bottom of the home page for the Breyerfest blog there is a count down for when tickets go on sale. Right now it's set to 0 with a button to link to buy them labeled "buy tickets now" but clearly it's not set up to quite work yet. Also with this it means it is time to start updating my speculation/guesses for next year. Here are some we may see in the theme to represent 75 years: Carnations, Roses, Sapphire, Diamond, & Champagne.
This year I am hoping for more vintage mold representation, especially having at least one mold from every decade Breyer has produced models. We could even see some replication of vintage coat paint jobs like the old way they used to do dapples and roans, though it was mostly only red roans they made, but it could make an appearance. Last time I think they used the old red roan pattern for Breyerfest was for the special run Strawberry Fields on the Silver mold for Breyerfest 2003 Blast to the Past, aka the 70s theme. Thought I have a feeling that guest horses will be used on newer molds and same with raffle and prize models, but some of the other store specials and online exclusives could be vintage. Guess we'll have t wait and see, so excited!!
So with that being said, that's it for now. See y'all in the next one!!
(pics and info come from Breyer, last pic is from me.)
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