Changes To RTB In Light Of Recent Events

 The last few days have shown to me that tensions are undoubtedly high. Everyone has their opinions and on a personal level, I respect them all.  However, I have to make a stand myself for my group, for the company that I very vocally fan girl over, and for a part of the equine industry that I am involved in.  Please read this all before you make a decision as I have always asked people to make informed decisions. 

The choice of Celebration Horse was a Halter Horse.  I have been in the Stock Horse Industry for 27 years and proudly admit that. The horse, while he had some conformational flaws, was a nice example of a very loud and colorful horse.  Make sure to read that last sentence carefully. He was loudly colored and was a prime example of the BreyerFest 2021 Celebration, Horse of a Different Color.  He certainly was that.  However, people that are not in the Stock Horse Industry decided to make a judgement call that they did not have the right to make.  They called into question his HYPP Status. For stock people, that is exceptionally important. Horses that are positive for HYPP cannot be registered as a breeding horse in AQHA.  Horses that have Carrier Status are allowed to breed, but responsible breeders will check the status of the mare, if the carrier is a stallion.  HYPP needs two copies to pass on. Intuit was HYPP NN. The website that was used to check his status is the Wikipedia of the Horse Industry and can be changed on a whim. He does however have PSSM1, which is a genetic disease in multiple horse breeds. Breyer chose for color, but members protested due to claims they did not research.  But my feelings and personal words will not be brought into this group and blog, so please do not ask.

Politics and Religion was also brought into the fight. The owner was a Republican and he was a Christian.  He did not support the LGBTQ+ members. But no one asked him personally.  However, in my humble opinion, that does not matter. Those things do not matter to a horse. They do not matter to a hobby. Hobbies, especially here in RTB, will always be a safe place for everyone and I mean everyone. Anything otherwise, especially in our FB group, will result in harsh re-education on tact and etiquette. Hate mail and death threats were all sent to the owner as well as people swearing that they would kill the horses on his property and much more.  While not all of this came from the model horse community, it sure did not make the hobby look like an ideal place to showcase any horse.

That all being said, I stand with Breyer. I am and will likely be for some time, their biggest Fan Girl. I would not be surprised if they chose to cancel BreyerFest 2021, especially since they do not have a Celebration Horse now.  Of course, things can and will change in less than a day and I can't wait to see what the future holds. 

In my FB group and here, I absolutely do NOT allow Politics, Religion, Harassment, Bullying, Real Horse Breeding Practices, Real Horse Genetic Diseases, The Pandemic, and topics associated with them. The consequences for breaking this rule is harsh, believe me, because I am tired of the hate in the model horse hobby and I am tired of the hobby being absolutely ridiculed. 

Make sure to use common sense before you post a comment. Will your thought hurt someone else? In a time when everyone preaches inclusiveness and equality, is what you are about to say taking into account everything surrounding the situation? Will you be able to start a change and stick with it? Will you be able to find out where you need to start the change? You cannot start a protest and leave because you did not get your way immediately. You absolutely must start in the proper channels to voice change and sadly, the model horse hobby is not it, especially not at this time. Think before you act and you will have supporters behind you that you would never believe! 

Another side note is that all of our BreyerFest information and help will now be located on the FB group. I did not want to have to say that, however there are a few groups that are doing what we do now. While I wholeheartedly support everyone in all of their endeavors,  I ask that my hard work not be plagiarized. I do not mean the blog posts from Breyer, I mean the behind the scenes information that I have provided over the years. I am sorry for the drama on that end, but it did need to be said. 

I am sorry for this absolute depressing post and I hope that you will continue to stick with Road To BreyerFest for all of your BreyerFest information.

BreyerFest 2021 Information

 The celebration horse was announced and then redacted by Breyer and the owners. That is the official information, but here at RTB, we are known for reporting and verifying all of the rumors so that the information that you have is correct.  So today, we will share with you what Breyer has said about the whole ordeal. 

This is what Breyer has to say:

There’s a first time for everything!  We know that we are all operating in uncharted waters here. It’s been a tough year and the anxiety that we are all living with is beyond anything that we might have ever anticipated. We are extremely disappointed that the posts related to our BreyerFest Celebration Horse, Intuit, included personal attacks and misinformation to such an extent that, for the first time in our history, we've removed the entire post.

We appreciate our fans communicating their thoughts with us, and we thank those who expressed their opinions with civility. However, we will not tolerate personal attacks, politicization, broad characterizations and sweeping vitriol. 

We are all passionate for the horse industry. Finding places to learn about horses and interact with them is becoming more difficult in many parts of the country, and it is our goal to help make that first introduction to horses - that is our vision! We seek to connect people with this magnificent animal, especially children, and celebrate the wonderful breeds and disciplines found in the horse world. We're appreciative of all the generous horse owners, riders and trainers that come to BreyerFest to share their love of horses with fans from all over the world. Where we have difference, there can be meaningful dialogue and discussion in a respectful manner.

In a statement from the Bradshaws, “It is with a very sad heart we relay the news that we have elected to withdraw Intuit as the 2021 Celebration Horse for BreyerFest. This has been a difficult decision on our end as we were honored to have this opportunity for Intuit and be a part of something greater. We want to thank Breyer Model Horses and Reeves International, Inc. for supporting and appreciating Intuit as we do. We know this was never the intent or foreseen outcome.

Unfortunately, due to the negative comments surrounding Intuit as the Celebration Horse, we feel as though this is the best decision. We fully understand and respect the fact that each individual has the freedom to their own opinion and personal view on each discipline, but it is our duty to be the advocate or voice for Intuit, who did not ask for this attention. We wholeheartedly love our horse and because of this we only want the most positive life for him.”

Breyer embraces the horse world in all its diversity and wonder. We have a genuine desire to encourage and include people to share their love of horses. That’s what Breyer stands for. And we hope you’ll stand with us.  

The complete article, copied here on this blog, can be found here  

No matter your feelings about a breed of horse, the breeding practices of the said breed, to genetic diseases of said breed, there is never and will never be a call to make threats against a person, their family, and the horse. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and with the right channels, their opinions can be heard in a tactful and respectable manner. Change may start with one small voice, however you absolutely must start it at the correct channels and the proper way.  What was done in the span of 48 hours was absolutely not the way to advocate change and RTB stands with Breyer. I ask that you please respect others surrounding you and think before you comment on any and all posts, especially if you want change in any area of your life. 

Thank you, 

  Rachel 

BreyerFest 2021 Horse of a Different Color!

 Welcome to October 2020 and the very first post about BreyerFest 2021! I don't know if you are as excited as I am about the possibilities of this BreyerFest, but I hope that you are! 

In Breyer's post, which can be found  here  , they talk about all of the colors that we will see during BreyerFest 2021.  From Appaloosas to Paints to Brindles and so much more! The Celebration Horse will be released soon and I know that we are all super excited about it! 

What do you expect to see at BreyerFest 2021? What color of horse makes you sigh with happiness?

 

 

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Things Are Happening!

 This is normally a lazy time for Road To BreyerFest, however this year things are still chugging along and the Facebook Group is still going strong with almost daily updates of what is happening.  However, I have decided to update the blog since some people read it as well.  

First update: RTB now has a Ko-Fi account where you can donate towards the group and running of it.  However, this is only if you wish to do so.  I will never ask for anyone to donate as I strive to keep all of the information free to everyone that is interested.  RTB is quite like a job for me as I do not just do this for one weekend a year for eight hours, but rather I do this all year long and do much more than just to supply information. If you do not wish to donate, please do not berate me for trying to better RTB as I have been berated recently. The link for the Ko-fi is: Here 

You can also just use paypal, if you are not set up for Ko-fi: Here

Second update is that I now have a merch shop.  While the merchandise is not amazing and it is just two designs right now, I am hoping to have much more in the future. Through Redbubble, I am now able to offer stickers, magnets, and much more.  I would love for you to purchase something, but as with the donations, you absolutely do not need to do this and please do not feel pressured to do so. The Merch Shop is Here

Another thing that I am doing is looking for some new artwork to use for the logos, the merch, and the giveaway swag. This is a paid thing, so you will get paid for your time and the items will be sold or used to better RTB in some way, so know that it will be used for those purposes.  The artwork must include one of the mascots or all of the mascots in some way.  Please do not use the whole name Road To BreyerFest as we do not want any kind of copyright infringement, but feel free to use RTB, if you wish to label it.  If you are interested in participating, please message roadtobreyerfest@gmail.com with your fees, samples of your artwork, and if you are alright with me selling the design as stickers and magnets. 

The first bit of swag is here and will be revealed with weekend along with a peek into what will be available for live in person giveaways when they become a thing again.  I like to think on the positive side of things so I am praying that everything will slowly start back to normal soon so that we can all meet together again soon for in person events.  I hope that you are excited as I am about these reveals!

Now, for the fun part, everyone wants to know exactly who the mascots are for RTB. Aria is already in the logo and is a snarky little palomino pinto Breyer Stablemate.  But there are three more members of the mascot team that are not always talked about since well, they just kind of appeared.  Treasure is a dapple grey draft horse that was literally found in my front yard.  I have no idea where she came from, but she is absolutely perfect! The other two are twin Oaks from BreyerFest 2020 that were named Glitch and Refresh in honor of the craziness that was BreyerFest this year.  At the bottom of the post there will be photos of these babies for everyone to see and enjoy! 

There are still some changes coming to RTB soon, but these are not horribly big changes and will only better RTB in the long run so I hope that you will stay with me and enjoy everything that I am bringing you by not only helping with information about BreyerFest, but also offering a positive community where you can escape the real world and talk about plastic ponies and real horses alike.  

Thank you all for being Roadies and know that I love each and every one of you! 

BreyerFest Planning: Costs

So we have talked about Tickets, touched a bit on hotels, and dived into the deep end of what there is to do at BreyerFest. This next section is going to talk about costs at the park.

We cannot tell you exactly how much money to bring, even though you totally want to ask. We simply do not know all of your circumstances. So while we do ask that Roadies do not submit posts asking how much to bring, we do our best to try and tell everyone the costs.

As for the Special Run models, the Store models, and the Pop up Show models, we keep the price lists for several years in our files. Starting in 2017 and ending on the current year, you can use these prices to gauge what those costs might be. I do ask Breyer, once their planning begins heavily, if the prices will be raising or staying the same so you will have an idea of prices for the next year. Those models typically run from $55 to $85 for Special Runs, $75 for Store Specials, and $10 to $45 for the Pop Up Shop models.

The other Breyer models in the Breyer Store are priced accordingly on their website as they are normal releases. The Ninja Pit releases (see the Ninja Pit Of Doom Information in the other files) are priced at their normal release prices, so a premier club find will be the same price as when it was released originally.

The other vendors in the Covered Arena at BreyerFest charge their own prices and it varies greatly. If you are looking for bodies, the prices will be lower. If you are looking for Club models or more rare release, the prices will be higher. During the weekend, prices will likely drop some as vendors do not want to take all of their inventory back home. Some vendors will also haggle with prices. But this is a place where we cannot tell you how much to bring to spend as we do not know what you are looking for or what the vendor will charge.

The Clarion and the Artisan's Gallery is another place to spend money. The prices here are another place where we cannot help you sadly. Just like the Covered Arena vendors, it depends on what you are looking for and how much the vendors are charging. The costs will depend on what you are looking for, so keep that in mind.

The Raffle tickets for Breyer costs about $1 per ticket. There are discounts for purchasing multiple tickets. So do keep that in mind when planning on this part of your trip. Usually $5 for six tickets and so on. The Auction models will go for thousands of dollars. The trends of their costs can be found on Identify Your Breyer under the BreyerFest tab.

Food is going to vary completely. There are several restaurants near the park that require you to leave and come back. There are places to eat at the park, ranging from the restaurants of the Kentucky Horse Park to food trucks brought in for the event. But the costs vary completely and depends on what you are looking for to eat or drink. The costs are higher at the park, so please keep that in mind.

As for hotels and car rentals, that is not a place that I can help sadly. Again, this comes down to I live near Lexington and travel back and forth each day during the weekend. However, many of the websites do list their prices and a calculator to estimate how much you are looking at spending.

There are also many side quests that you can do that we are not sure of the costs, such as going on a Bourbon tour or going to Churchill Downs.

In the files, we have a great Adjustable Estimate File that was created just to help you estimate costs because this is a topic that no one can truly help with sadly.

We still will not be allowing these posts to be submitted, but I hope that this breakdown has helped to understand the costs involved at BreyerFest. I, personally, have done BreyerFest with $25 in my pocket and with $2000 in my pocket to test for the group in the early days and I can only say that it all depends on what you want to buy, how much you eat and drink per day, and the costs of the hotels and rentals/uber.  

 

BreyerFest Planning: What To Do Part Two

I bet that you thought that I was done talking about what there is to do at BreyerFest. That would be wrong! Like I have said before, there is literally so much to do during the three days of BreyerFest that it is impossible to do it all in one weekend so you will totally need to come back year after year. So let’s dive right back in to it!

At the Clarion hotel, there is the amazing BreyerFest Swap Meet. Normally held on Friday during BreyerFest, this Swap Meet is held by Breyer and allows people to purchase tables to sell their plastic ponies and plastic pony accessories, even if you do not have a room at the Clarion. In 2020, this was supposed to happen on both Thursday and Friday and it is rumored (has not been fact checked by Breyer) to be happening in 2021 for both days. If you want to sell at the Swap Meet, you do need to be a Three Day Ticket holder (I believe) and it does cost extra. These tables can and do sell out insanely quick and is likely already sold out for 2021 as there was an option to just roll over your entry since 2020 was virtual.

While we are still at the Clarion hotel, let’s talk a bit more about the Artisan’s Gallery. You do need to be a Three Day Ticket holder (I believe) to get a table here in the Artisan’s Gallery as well. It does cost extra in addition to the ticket, but you are in the middle of the action, if you get into this lovely event. Top artists from around the world come to this gallery and set up their sale pieces, including very limited and rare resin model horses, tack, and even historically accurate carriages for your plastic ponies. Even if you do not get in to selling here, it is definitely worth checking out! You might even score a resin that you have been looking to obtain! (Resin model horses are horses that are more fragile than the plastic ponies and can be quite costly, especially if they are sold out or have been painted by a well known artist.)

At the Kentucky Horse Park during BreyerFest, there are also free seminars that are available to all ticket holders. These seminars explain things like showing model horses or even how to organize your collection for insurance purposes. They are usually located in the Visitor’s Center and it is air conditioned.

The Kentucky Horse Park is also something that you will want to explore while you are there for BreyerFest. This unique place offers you a way to see many different breeds of horses and see them perform. You are also able to go up close to them and talk to many knowledgeable employees and volunteers that work at the horse park about all of the horses there. There are three (I believe) museums at the Kentucky Horse Park and each one offers something different. Make sure to meet some of the Champions of the Racetrack as well while you are there!

In the Covered Arena while at BreyerFest, you will find amazing vendors that are there to sell large collections of plastic ponies and their accessories. This is also a great place to find out information about some of the groups that attend BreyerFest as well, include the miniature horses, the Arabians, and Sergeant Reckless, just to name a few! This is also the home to the Breyer Booth as well as the UPS Store. The Breyer Booth here in the Covered Arena is where you will be able see the raffle models for Saturday and Sunday and purchase the tickets starting on Friday of the event. It is also the place where the Silent Auction takes place. The Silent Auction is where you will find the full set of the Surprise models to bid on, custom Breyer models, as well as gift sets from Breyer or the Celebration horse. The UPS Store is where you will be able to ship your models to your house with little to no trouble, however it does cost extra and these costs vary by how much you are shipping so sadly we cannot answer how much it will cost. The Kentucky Horse Park snack bar is also in the Covered Arena along with a small lemonade cart and a pretzel cart. Outside, there are more food options and of course, you can always leave the park to find food as well.

The Covered Arena is also host to the Lounge. While this does cost extra, there is an air conditioned lounge where you can sit in relative comfort to watch the Equine Demonstrations and have light refreshments courtesy of Breyer. In the past, this has cost $35 per day and you were only able to buy one ticket per account (based on the past and could have changed or be changed.).

But we are not done with things to do by any means! Lexington and Kentucky have a rich history in the horse industry as well as the bourbon industry. Some of these attractions do require reservations and certainly do cost extra, but they are well worth it in the long run. Old Friends is located in Georgetown Ky and offers some great tours of retired race horses as well as their back stories. Several large farms offer tours as well, but make sure to call in advance to make sure these places are open and offering tours rather than just showing up. Also, Churchill Downs is not too far away and is a great place to visit. If you have a place that you like to visit while in Ky for BreyerFest, make sure to let us all know.

Again, there is so very much to do during BreyerFest that I literally cannot even place it all in this second post. However, after this one, we will be moving on to the next part of planning. 

 

 

Planning Your BreyerFest Adventure: What To Do!

We talked about Tickets and how they are the first step for planning your BreyerFest adventure. Normally the next step would be looking for a hotel room, however I do not have that experience. I do not need to stay in a hotel during the event, so I have never actually booked a hotel room during BreyerFest. However, there are many, many people in this group that are totally willing to share their experiences.

Do keep in mind that 2021 may be a very different year than we will be used to and no one is exactly sure how it will work with the pandemic and everything. Hotels might not be taking reservations until later in the year in order to see what will happen.

Once you have planned or at least started planning your hotel part of the adventure, the next step is certainly something that I can talk about, and talk about a lot! The next step is to start planning your days. Do you want to get there early? We recommend getting there at least on Thursday before the event as there is much to do at the Clarion before the event. Maybe you want to explore Lexington? There are some amazing things to do and see in the heart of Kentucky. But this is when you will need to start working on just what you want to do during your time in Lexington, Ky.

I always recommend getting there early so you can check out the Clarion hotel and sample what the room sales have to offer. What are room sales? Well, it is just like it sounds. Starting the week of BreyerFest, people who have rooms in the Clarion hotel will starting to sell plastic ponies and plastic pony accessories. Many of these people will take cash or paypal, but normally there are no checks accepted at BreyerFest in any way. There is an ATM in the Clarion hotel, however it is normally out of money so make sure to check the area gas stations and banks. The Artisan’s Gallery is also located in the Clarion hotel and this is where you can see the artistry of the Model Horse. There can be resins or tack or even customs here, however these are exclusive pieces and they definitely deserve the right to be there. The Artisan’s Gallery is also where the Best Customs Finalists will be located. This is a great chance to see the pieces that might win Grand Champion or Reserve Grand Champion of the contest. Complete rules of the Best Customs Contest will be released on Breyer’s website once more next year.

BreyerFest starts on Friday morning at 9 AM EDT once at the event. The line that forms starting on Thursday before the event is not for the faint of heart. You absolutely do not have to stand in this line unless you want to do so. While I stand in this line and recommend it, know that you will be standing outside, sleeping outside, and tents are not allowed. This is also not the line to get into the park. This is actually the line to get into either the Breyer Store at BreyerFest or the Pop Up Shop at the park. This line is lovingly referred to as the Ninja Pit of Doom. There are many treasures that you will find at the Breyer Store at BreyerFest, however they are now released all weekend long rather than just during the first of Friday morning. This line does form all weekend long, but again, it is absolutely up to you if you wish to be in this line.

The General Admission Line as well as the Special Run Line are opposite of the NPOD Line and they are just as important. The Special Run Line is the very first line that will be allowed into the Park first thing in the morning. This Line is only for those that have Special Run times that are first thing in the morning. This is usually 10 AM on Friday and Saturday and 9 AM on Sunday. The General Admission Line and the NPOD Lines are allowed in at the same time. You absolutely need to show your wrist band to get into BreyerFest. Also, if you wish to participate in the NPOD, you do not need to have a Three Day Ticket as a Single Day Ticket will work just fine.

BreyerFest ends technically at 5 PM EDT on Friday and Saturday and at 4 PM EDT on Sunday. On Friday and Saturday, there is the Celebration of Horses Evening Performance that is usually put on by Silvia Zerbini and is something that should not be missed! This performance takes place in the Altech Arena and starts at 6 PM and lasts until 8 PM. After that, the Clarion hotel room sales are open until late into the night. On Saturday, there is also the Live Auction. These one of a kind pieces go for thousands of money and it is a very exciting event!

Other things to plan is the Live Shows. If you are into showing your model horses, then this is exactly what you are looking for! Breakables Live starts on Thursday before BreyerFest at the Clarion hotel. This live show is all for the ceramic horses and the porcelain models. BreyerFest Live is on Friday at the Altech Arena and is the model horse show for those that love Breyers. This show does cost extra and will last from 7 am to around 3 pm and is a fast paced model horse show. The child and youth show is on Saturday at the Altech Arena and is for the younger hobbyists.

Next would be the workshops. Have you always wanted to learn how to paint a plastic pony or maybe you want to learn how to make tack? These workshops do cost extra, but they are very rewarding! The schedule for 2021 is the same as 2020 and will be posted shortly as I do have that information saved.

Of course, there is so much more to start planning, but this is certainly a starting point! All of this information will be in the files on our Facebook Group and can be saved or printed out, if you need to do so. 

 

 

Planning Your BreyerFest Adventure: Tickets!

Let's talk tickets! When planning your BreyerFest adventure for either the first time or the 30th time, you need to know what kind of tickets that you will want to purchase.  Each ticket type comes with it's own pros and cons, but each one allows you to do something different.  

In January, the first tickets that go on sale are the Early Bird Three Day Tickets.  These Adult and Child tickets are offered at a discounted price to those that purchase before April 15th.  They also allow you to be entered into the Raffle for the Early Bird Model, only three are made!   The exact prices for all of the tickets are located in the files as well as what they all come with, but the parking passes (in the case of a Live Event), model horse shows, and works shops are extra.  Being a Collector Club member will give you a $2 discount as well, but you do not need to be a Collector Club member if you do not wish to be (Check out the file on Breyer Clubs to learn more about the Collector Club!).  With Three Day Tickets, Adult and Child, you get a Celebration Model. This model is a traditional sized model and is of the horse that the event celebrates. Three Day Tickets also allow you to attend the Celebration of Horses Evening Performance and enter the Diorama Contest. 

 

After April 15th (or when Breyer says), the tickets go up to full price, which is nearly $100. This is still for the Adult and Child tickets.  The Adult and Child tickets are the ONLY type of ticket that includes the Special Run Ticket. For a virtual event, these two ticket types will allow you the most access on the website, with the Adult ticket being the absolute highest level of access. 

In May, the Single Day Tickets go on sale.  These tickets are normally $17 for presale and $20 at the gate and allow you to get ONE Single Day Stablemate PER ticket.  Unless you have enough tickets for a full set of these stablemates, it will be GAMBLER'S CHOICE (random draw) at the event. During a virtual event, unless you purchase the special four pack of tickets, it will be GAMBLER'S CHOICE as well. There is normally no way to pick and choose your models, although some variance does occur. Single Day Tickets do not have access to the Celebration Of Horses Evening Performance or the Celebration Model nor are you able to enter the Diorama Contest. 

For the year 2020, two other ticket types were created, but it is uncertain if they will remain.  These were the Celebration Ticket, which included the Celebration Model and access to purchase the Limited Edition models, and the Access Ticket, which allowed you to get a Celebration Model, but no access to purchase Limited Edition models. 

Make sure to check out our Facebook group to get all of the information that comes with the tickets! 

Volunteering At BreyerFest

So You Want To Volunteer At BreyerFest?

As a collector or family near the collector in your life, you will definitely hear about the elusive Volunteer model from BreyerFest. But do you know how that you can try to get one of those models? This file will help with the information, but the final decision lies with several head team leaders of volunteers for Breyer. These wonderful women will pick people that can help during their parts of the event and let me tell you, they can use pretty much anyone!

But several hundred people each year turns in their application to Robin Briscoe every year and only around 100 or so are chosen for the event. The numbers might be off here as I am going from memory, so please refer to Robin for the exact numbers. Applications are posted on the website in February with instructions on how to send in your applications and the dates that they are due between. Robin likes them to be in the time frame, neither early or late. Be honest when you are filling out your application as you never know what can get you chosen!

There are many places to volunteer from the BreyerFest Ambassadors and answering questions to helping to organize the Diorama entries to even helping at the Live Shows! Make sure to choose the option that you feel that would suit you the best and explain what real life experiences could help you while volunteering during BreyerFest!

Each BreyerFest, you will be asked to volunteer 8 to 12 hours normally (Again, my information comes from experience with Robin and I defer to her here.). Each shift can be either during the morning or the afternoon, if you are a BreyerFest Ambassador and during the required times at the other spots around the park. When you complete your volunteer shifts, you will receive your Volunteer Model on the Sunday of the event, once the event ends. There is normally a lovely wrap up meeting where you can meet all of your fellow volunteers and receive your lovely pony. Make sure to read the whole application while you are filling it out, there are several places to volunteer and you might be perfect for once place, but not another. Locations include the Hands On Hobby Booth, Diorama Entries, Stablemate Painting, BreyerFest Ambassadors, Swap Meet, and so many more locations!

There are a few things to remember when sending in your application: You MUST be able to attend the Thursday evening meeting before BreyerFest and you MUST be able to attend the Sunday afternoon meeting after BreyerFest ends. These are required (Mostly) in order to get your model. You must be flexible with your hours during the event. If you are showing all day long on Friday, Robin might have a hard time placing you and might not consider your application. Or if you are not going to be available one whole day (Of course, certain circumstances can be discussed, I am sure), that might be a reason that your application will not be considered.

Road To BreyerFest: Better Than Ever

With BreyerFest 2020 behind us, I can hopefully start looking towards BreyerFest 2021. With the release of the dates as the theme, I am beyond excited for this new adventure.  July 16, 17, and 18th of 2021 will bring us Horse of a Different Color.  But there are so many questions that still remain for the coming year.

Will BreyerFest be virtual again? I have no idea. I know exactly what everyone else knows and that is nothing in this regard.  Breyer's first virtual event was not without glitches and complaints.  Complaints to the point that I had even created a Complaint Department in the Facebook group so people had somewhere to complain and that it would be seen.  The glitches were many and some even ended up taking models away from those that had purchased them.  In my studies, the biggest glitch seemed to affect those that used the master list and wanted the surprise model, but of course, I have totally been known to be wrong before.  I absolutely do not work for Breyer so I do not have inside information at all. There was also the fact that the Store Special Models and the Pop Up Shop Models sold out within seconds of being released.  When the break down came out on that, it was truly like getting a unicorn. There were around one thousand models of each Limited Edition model and around a million people were tying to purchase them all. Every two hours, only around 50 of each one was released.  It became a giant free for all, but then the complaints came.  Breyer did their best to accommodate the complaints and offered the Store Specials (Benelli, Cheesecake, and Top Gun) as glossies that would be available in December.  However, despite all of the glitches, Breyer still managed to put on an amazing event.  Their website turned into a place where you could see all of BreyerFest and not be in the heat or standing in line.  The workshops were available all weekend long and could be seen, even though they had glitches as well. At the end of BreyerFest weekend, the president of Reeves, Int mentioned that they are considering adding a virtual component to BreyerFest from now on.

BreyerFest 2021 seems like forever away, however a year can go by rather quickly.  Who knew as 2019 ended that we would be facing a huge crisis that would literally cripple the world? When the world began to shut down, the decision was to either cancel BreyerFest or turn it into something that could be done online.  While many different events decided to cancel and say that they would see you next year, Breyer said hey, let's see if we can do this. And they did. So while we do not know exactly what BreyerFest 2021 will look like just yet, we know that Breyer can do a virtual event, especially now that the first one is under their belt and they know what do expect.

But as much as I want to talk about BreyerFest all day long, I do need to sit back and think about Road To BreyerFest.  After the struggles of 2019, Road To BreyerFest almost did not exist. It was a strange email from Breyer that actually made the decision to keep the group going and to even spread to other social media platforms.  This email was a thank you. Nothing drastic and nothing more than a thank you for what you do, but at the end of what I considered my worst BreyerFest ever, it was a shock. Maybe what I was doing made a difference.  That email made me rethink how I was going about Road To BreyerFest and it made me surge forward with a new train of thought.  I worked closer with Breyer than I have ever in the past during 2020 due to all of the changes and the women that I talked to (Kat, Jaime, and Jocelyn) were amazing! I cannot thank them enough because not only did they put up with my questions, but they put up with the questions from all of the group! During BreyerFest 2020 and the lead up to it, these ladies kept me supplied with the information that they group wanted and I might not have known.  If anything, you can take from this paragraph that Road To BreyerFest is certainly fact checked and that any and all information comes from Breyer! Even our Tips and Tricks file in the Facebook group has tips and tricks straight from these amazing ladies!

There is so much more that I can type, but I am certain that you, dear reader, are tired of me droning on and on. Breyer gave me an amazing shout out during the last day of BreyerFest and I legit cried and told my husband that senpai noticed me. Road To BreyerFest will be here for many more years, I hope, and will continue to provide not only fact checked information from Breyer, but a positive community for you to share your love of plastic ponies and real ponies alike (all horses are ponies). I only hope that you continue to follow me through all of this adventure.  Who knows, maybe one year I might even have a place at BreyerFest for a meet and greet and answering questions!

*I do not work for Breyer, my group is fan based and is information only. While my information is fact checked by Breyer, I do not officially work there.*

BreyerFest 2020 Wrap Up

BreyerFest 2020: The Year of the Glitch

BreyerFest ended rather suddenly on Sunday July 12^th with a lovely last Live video. The selling ended at 4 PM EDT being the last technical time that the store restocked one last time. Auction models were sold, raffle winners posted with the exception of the Glossy Ballynoe Castle RM raffle. But this BreyerFest has had it’s ups and downs!

Friday morning was off to a late start due to a huge unexpected glitch, nothing loaded! It was worked out quickly, but models sold out faster than ever before. When everything was fully back online, it became a race to see who had the fastest computer, the fastest internet, and the fastest refresh finger. People quickly used their Store Trips because they were only able to purchase one item at a time, although there was one and only one time that I was able to grab two at one time and I have no idea how since I was using my phone and my internet had cut out. But tempers were high because beside the Limited Edition problems, the Special Runs had issues as well. The Special Run went from 30 minutes behind to over 2 hours behind. Even I had this glitch on my account. However, after 2 hours, I was rewarded for my patience on this glitch as I must have been near the front of the line and was able to get what I had listed. Complaints flew into the group faster than I could handle them, but for some of the complaints, there was just no answer other than to try Customer Service. I have said it more times this weekend than ever before, I just do not work for Breyer. I run this page, group, and all of the Road To BreyerFest social media as a fan. So on Friday night, I created the Complaint Department Thread and it did see a lot of action over the course of the weekend. Friday night ended with no ideas of when the next restock would be, the Special Runs being placed on hold, but the new Celebration of Horses Evening Performance being streamed at 8 PM EDT and was an absolute delight to watch.

Saturday came early for Road To BreyerFest as I got up early and did a Morning Live. During the Morning Live, it was noticed that Breyer was having another huge glitch. So I messaged Breyer Customer Service and was told to log out and log in again. I think that became a mantra over the next few hours and the next few days. After a rocky start, BreyerFest Limited Editions were restocked and selling extremely fast. Once again, it came down to connection speed, computer speed, and your finger speed. I know that I was unable to get a Grab Bag at all. The Special Run line never fully opened up and what did open up was quickly shut down again. The Special Run line was noticed to be giving multiple choices rather than just the ones that were selected for you and for some reason, it seemed to center on the Slainte Surprise. As I went through the Complaint Department, because trust me they were flying fast once again, I came to the conclusion that the Master List was causing some problems as it was those that had the individual tickets that were not seeing these large glitches. It was also on Saturday morning that the Store Trip restriction was removed. So many people complained that this was causing them to not be able to purchase the models that they were trying to buy. However, soon after that, the complaints came again that this was NOT what they wanted and now the models were being sold too fast and being flipped over on auction websites. Breyer took note and started to crack down on those accounts. The raffle winners were announced over a very buggy Live Feed that ended up being on Friday’s page for the Single Day Ticket page. Then sales stopped at 8 PM EDT.

BreyerFest opened on Sunday morning with only one glitch, but this glitch was another doozy. If you went to purchase something, you were told that you needed to have a valid Special Run ticket. The same advice was given when asked, log out and log back in. That did the trick and many things were back online. The first few Special Run lines went without a hitch, my time included. But I got exactly what I had received on Friday. While I am nowhere near upset over this because who doesn’t want two Oaks and two of the Mares and Foals, many people complained that they were not getting what they had requested. The Preference List had been just that, your Preference, though. Those options were NOT guaranteed and Breyer did state that many, many times. Limited Edition sales were still fast and furious with many complaining that they were not being able to purchase models or that models were being swiped from their cart. Sadly, that does happen with internet sales and there were suggestions to add a timer to the cart. I am certain that Breyer took this into consideration for future events, but once things are going strong, they would have been unable to shut down the site once more to rewrite the code to put this into place. In just one day, Breyer Model Horses received 1.3 MILLION hits on their website! That was absolutely incredible. The Auctions were likely the highlight of the weekend with Auction John. He added some humor and a sense of wonder to this event that I do not know what else could have done. Perhaps we made a new collector? Plus, I want to know exactly what was in that cup of his! His descriptions of the models were filled with wonder and he truly seemed to be enjoying himself. The raffles were next and while they had a glitch, the Sunday Raffle was posted with no issues. However, the Glossy Ballynoe Castle RM was not a part of this and when questioned, Breyer did state that they would email or call the winners and it was not promised that they would be released on the site. Road To BreyerFest received major kudos on the Live Feed with a shout out from Kimber Goodwin and Jaime, expressing their thanks to this group and page. I believe that I screamed and cried at the same time while getting glares from my husband and my tiny human screaming to know what was wrong. The sales ended quickly with one last refresh at 4 PM EDT.

However, after the wrap up, the rumor mills started operating once more. Refunds were being discovered as Breyer started auditing accounts during the Saturday Special Run Glitch. This glitch caused MANY people to be able to purchase more than their allotted amount of Special Runs at one time and people were boasting online that they were able to do this. Repercussions were bound to happen in that case. I am reminded of the 2019 BreyerFest Special Run Line when people were upset that there was only Pepper and one other left and they were leaving the line without a purchase. I want to say that on your tickets, it does state that you are entitled to purchase UP TO TWO Special Run models, but you are NOT guaranteed any models in reality. Breyer has stated this numerous times and in our files, we have this exact statement shared as well. There were other rumors that purchases were disappearing, but a quick search of mine showed that if you tried to check the pages of what you purchased, it would tell you Page Not Found as they were simply not there anymore. The best thing to do in both of these cases is to absolutely check your Account Details page, inspect each purchase, and go from there. Before calling or emailing Breyer, I recommend doing this. As for the Special Run Refunds that are being issued, first check your accounts as this seems to be specific to Saturday and the Slainte Surprise only, but I could always be wrong as I do not work for Breyer at all and am only stating what I have been seeing online.

So, to me, BreyerFest was a crazy weekend. I was not able to see the event other than purchasing models because I was answering questions and doing damage control with the complaints. I am happy that it was virtual as I was able to spend the time at home and in a cool house, however I am just as tired as if I was truly there since I had to literally be available for all time zones. I messaged so many people, received so many messages, approved and answered more questions that I could imagine, and even tested a new feature for Facebook all on the same weekend. BreyerFest will always be a weekend of adventure and new things to explore for me, but what I missed this year was meeting my friends. As someone who has anxiety and does not leave the house often, BreyerFest is my one time a year that I can finally be with “my people” and my friends know that I am always there with a smile and ready make someone else have a great day and I always have the information available. I hope that this weekend, I provided you all with the information that you needed and that you had a great event. Road To BreyerFest is a year round group as we are also a very positive model horse community that loves sharing your experiences, your real horse adventures, and the model horse hobby. There are also some contests and shows that need judged, but they are coming soon as we all recover from this event! The Live Feeds will continue when I am able to now that I have an awesome set up thanks to my husband and we will also be working on getting Zoom meetings and that together soon to have small parties and such. There is much still in the works for this group and I hope that everyone will share it with me! I run this group with the help of two other amazing Admins and one Moderator, but to be fair, these ideas and the whole idea of Road To BreyerFest are my babies. There are no funds earned from this, no income at all, and there is certainly no advertising other than word of mouth so I hope that you will tell your friends about this crazy group that answered questions for you during BreyerFest.

And with that last sentence, this has been my BreyerFest 2020 A Celtic Fling wrap up. It was actually on time this year and not almost a month later. Thank you everyone for being a Roadie and I have that you all have had at least one memory from this year’s BreyerFest that you can smile about!

With all my Love, the Number One Roadie, Rachel Alford.

BreyerFest 2020 Pricing

BreyerFest 2020 Pricing:

Special Runs:

Ash: $65 1700 pieces

Boudicca: $65.00 $1200 Pieces

Brighid and Beltane: $65.00 1800 Pieces

Epona: $60.00 1600 Pieces

Oak: $70.00 1800 Pieces

Thorn: $60.00 1500 Pieces, Split Run Glossy and Matte

Hamish: $55.00 800 Pieces

Lugh: $55.00 1500 Pieces

Slainte Surprise: $85 4500 Pieces

Store Specials:

Benelli: $75 Limit of 1250

Cheesecake: $75 Limit of 1000

W.H. Top Gun: $70 Limit of 1000

Pop Up Shop Models:

Greenman: $30 Limit of 1500

Mackenzie: $18 Limit of 1000

Eire: $10 Limit of 2000

Kelpie: $45 Limit of 750

Best of BreyerFest Stablemate Set: $60 Limit of 1500

BreyerFest Schedule 2020

BreyerFest Schedule For 2020

Friday:

*BreyerFest opens at 9 AM EDT

*Virtual Message from Breyer Headquarters from 9 AM EDT to 11 AM EDT- This will also be an explanation of how to navigate the BreyerFest pages on their website.

*2 PM EDT to 4 PM EDT- Check out the Virtual Artisan’s Gallery

*6PM EDT to 8 PM EDT- The Celebration Of Horses Evening Performance. Available to all Three Day Ticket Holders, show starting at 7 PM EDT.

*Friday will feature The Celebration Horse, Ballynoe Castle RM with his rider/trainer Buck Davidson, the Gypsy Vanner Stallion, Faugh-A-Bellagh (Cheesecake), and racing legend, Winx!

Saturday:

*Welcome Back at 10 AM EDT to 12 PM EDT

*2PM EDT to 4PM EDT Diorama Winners will be announced at 3:30 PM EDT

*6PM EDT to 8 PM EDT Saturday Raffle Winners will be announced as well as the winning bids on the Test Runs

*Saturday Interviews include: Peptoboonsmal, Benelli, the Tempel Lippizans, and Mountain Trailwork by Checkers, the Quarter Horse.

Sunday:

*Welcome Back at 10 AM EDT to 12 PM EDT Remaining Auction Lots will end at 12 PM EDT

*2PM EDT to 4 PM EDT Sunday Raffle Winners will be announced at 3:30 PM EDT

*Sunday will feature Adiah HP, Avatar’s Jazzman, W.H.Top Gun, The Gangster Ponies, and Stingray.

If you miss the Live Segments on each day, there will be on demand viewings of the previous day’s performances the next day.

Entertainer List:

Sylvia Zerbini

Knights of Valor

Bluegrass Ceili Academy Dancers

Freestylers of Piping

Highland Games Athletes