Roadies, Breyerfest
is now over and I literally do not know what to say this year. I
would love to say that it was an amazing adventure full of friends
and plastic ponies alongside real horses, but this year I am not able
to say that. I had to take a vacation from what was supposed to be my
vacation from the sheer craziness that happened during Breyerfest.
What happened, you
ask? Well, it all has to do with the running of the event and how
moody people can be in the heat. It started actually on Friday
morning this year while I was in line for the Pop Up Store. While
there was another incident before the event actually started, along
with a massive car accident that was witnessed by a fellow line
friend, the incident on Friday morning set the tone for the whole
event to come and I did not believe it yet. I tried to help an older
collector learn the different between each pop up tent and their
location. I showed them on the map where each one was and described
each one down to exactly how you received your items and paid for
them. She treated me as if I did not know anything. That was fine,
not everyone has Facebook so not everyone knows about Road To
Breyerfest. A friend of mind came up and tried to explain the same
thing to her. She told her as well that what we were saying was
wrong. A Breyer employee came up with the numbers, explained the same
exact thing that now myself, a line companion, and a Breyer Volunteer
had told her. She said that it made no sense. I gave up at that
point and tried to be content, especially since I was fifth in line
for the Pop Up Tent. Then all bleep broke loose from behind and in
front of me when the lady behind me, who had been rather unique all
night long, went to the Breyer employee and got a number for the
other Pop Up Store and received number 1. The lady in front of me,
along with the other three people, threw a fit and the entire line of
numbers had to be collected and rehanded out. While we got into the
larger of the two Pop Up Stores, it was a rather dramatic beginning
to an event that I normally love.
The line moved
quickly into the event and we were greeted by the amazing KHP police
and their lovely horses. After release into Breyerfest, the line to
get the stablemate models was as long as I had realized and warned
people about in several of my posts. From a volunteer, it was
insanity. I went to my assigned spot in the Pop Up Tent while my
line friend went to his assigned spot in the Breyer Store. We both
got what we wanted and quickly realized that Breyer had indeed
created yet another Ninja Pit and they continued to do so all weekend
long! From there, I got my stablemates since the line was actually
down, put my purchases in my truck (Oh that glorious truck…), and
then proceeded to the Special Run Line. We had already been informed
of what the Surprise Model was by a fellow RTB member and I was
rather relived because in the line, I was guaranteed that it was
Wyatt, the gaming stock horse.
Once at the Special
Run Line, I waited for my time to be called. I had the dreaded 1pm
line on Friday afternoon. Why do I say dreaded? Well, that is
because of the literally amount of high school drama that erupted in
line as well as on RTB. First, let me remind you reader, that RTB is
considered a fan group. We do not have anything to do with the
planning or running of the event and only provide information about
it. That also being said, Stone Horses is the only company that
actively follows and uses our group to help their client base (more
on that later). I waited in line for the number to be called. I
ended up about the middle of the line and I heard many rude words
about how things were being run. A few other things happened, but
nothing overly dramatic until after the line. I went through the
line and got both models that I wanted. They were not one of the 30
variations that Breyer had slipped into each Special Run models, but
I was happy since they were the ones that I had been wanting since
they were released. I picked up my Celebration Horse there to check
out how it ran to report back to the group, paid, and was out of
there quickly. I then made my way to the Covered Arena to post what
I had just done on RTB and the literal storm was waiting to descend
upon me.
I was called out and
told that it was my fault that this was horrible. There was a lady
who had $300 stolen from her purse (later found out that it was a
waist pack) and she posted all over about what to do. There was
another lady who was furious that the Surprise model and a few others
were sold out and left the line with nothing (Pepper, the Clyde mare
was actually still available as well as another one, I was told.).
There was a post about how people were using fake tickets or covering
their time or number so they could go in then. The main thing was
that they were using RTB to complain about the event and when admins
and moderators politely told them to please not take their anger out
in the group, but rather find a Breyer Employee and tell them right
then, they posted nasty comments and sent very threatening personal
messages. I was shocked that I was being treated like this and
liuterally began to cry. I was being sent messages that a lady was
going to sue me and messages that I was not giving them the
information they needed. If you have been to the FB group, the
information is literally in the files for everyone in the group to
read. I go live every weekend leading up to Breyerfest. I spend all
of the free time in a job that does not pay me anything. Some lovely
ladies do give me presents which I am beyond grateful for, but have
never even began to ask for since I do this to help people in their
Breyerfest adventure. I went home on Friday night, determined to not
go back on Saturday.
I went back, against
my own will, and while I had a few positive experiences, including a
lovely girl who wanted her picture taken with me, the posts on the
group remained the same and were still be posted. I immediately got
with my admins and moderators and we stopped accepting any posts that
put either Breyer or Stone in a bad light since we are not affiliated
with them in any way. We stopped the commenting on the negative
posts and shut down any comments that turned negative. I was then
messaged by the same lady that threatened lawsuit and was told that I
use the word negativity too much (She messaged me after the event and
told me that someone else must have messaged me the things that were
sent to me since she obviously did not do it. My inner bad person
came out and asked if someone stole her phone or hacked her computer
since it was her name that sent it to me. She said no and I said
well, I was told those things from your account.). I had literally
had it with the event. I was supposed to go to the Clarion on
Saturday evening, but I went home and cried from the stress some
more.
Sunday came around
and I decided that I would go in order to just go watch the horses.
Well, that did not happen. Back in April, I had offered lanyards to
the group at a low price of $2.50 if they were picked up at
Breyerfest. Several people took this option and while I had not
handed them out on Friday due to my Special Run Time and picking up
my models, I had offered them on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and
Sunday. On Sunday, I still had several that were not picked up and I
was severely sunburned from sitting in the sun on Saturday and
Thursday. I sat by Fluffy for hours and one person picked theirs up.
I still have several that I am sorting through and going to have to
ask for shipping, despite telling them that pickup was free (I
already had one lady tell me that the extra that she had sent could
be used for shipping….it was used to purchase these lanyards as
they were told when they sent. All shipping would be extra, around
$5, and will now be coming out of my pocket for those that did not
pick them up and do not wish to pay shipping. Shipping is expensive
and while I would love to just hop down to the post office and send
them out, I still have to purchase supplies and pay for the shipping
itself so I have learned from that experience and the next batch will
have an increased price along with a shipping fee.). I waited for
hours and missed much of the equine events. A few more were picked
up before the end of the event and I left when Breyerfest ended, only
to be messaged and asked where I was to pick up their lanyards. I
was on the freeway, heading home by then. But I am only saying this
because I ended up getting rather ill from the sunburn and was unable
to even care for my real horse and my family until I was better, two
weeks later. I still have to send out lanyards as I am not a rich
person and while I had saved for the event, I do not have enough in
the bank some weeks to just send $5 per envelope to the 20 people
that did not pick up their lanyards at one go.
So now that
Breyerfest is over, I have taken my break, and I am getting back into
the swing of my non paying job. My tiny human has gone to her first
day of school and as I write this, I await her return. I am still
upset over the outcome of this Breyerfest and while I love attending,
I am feeling that I might not go if I am not chosen as a volunteer.
Not out of anger for not being chosen as a volunteer, but rather
because I am saddened about how some people could treat those that
truly try to help and how rude people have become over the years that
I have attended this event. There were not ad many vendors this
year. The Clarion is doing some much needed updates. The lack of
transportation really weighed on me, even though I did have a vehicle
at the last minute. I truly love attending Breyerfest and Equilocity
(which I will write about soon), but the stress of the events that
happened at Breyerfest has hurt me to the core and the hobby turned
job has turned sour for me. I am even considering getting a real job
and just doing this part time since the files are written and will be
finished completely by winter.
I just don’t know
my future right now in the hobby other than collecting pretty ponies.
While they will never not bring me joy, some members of the hobby
have become bitter, sour, and accusing. I was even accused of
working for Breyer and Stone at one time during the event and before
the event, I was discredited as just another groupie that did not
know what she was talking about. I have been and will continue to
reflect on my feelings of this hobby for now. But I know in the mean
time, I will continue to help those that want to start their first or
their thirty first Breyerfest adventure!
