The Traditional Loot Shots

 

Loot shots have been, for me, a way to gauge "the state of the union," not just of my BreyerFest but of my collecting year.  Over time, they have presented a picture of my evolving interests, my horse herd and my luck.  There have been boom years and bust years.  This year I seem to be more interested in paper and pins than horses, although the horse haul was by no means undistinguished.   Economically, this year was neither boom nor bust, but a modestly successful venture with new interests clearly growing.  Given that I'm still emerging from pandemic, this is a very good sign.

I also discovered that the above "Gross Loot" shot does not contain everything I brought home from BreyerFest.  Despite multiple do-overs, I was always forgetting something...!  My first shot forgot Bravour 54 AND the pins: 

And even the Gross somehow managed to forget the Carousel Stickers.  I had already tucked them in my sticker scrapbook.  Sorry, Laura;  here they are:

Those who know me will be asking why I'm collecting stickers when my pin-obsession is so public.  The answer is BreyerFest swept me away.  I got a sheet of Breyer ones, a NAMHSA sticker and even a Breyer magnet, which I picked up on Friday morning walking in from the Rolex dam road.  Yah, there was an Information Booth near the Beer tent with plenty of them... a bonus of not going through the regular gate.

But let's start with the horses.

I had not had either one of these molds.  I've always wanted a Shannondell in the original bay, but somehow could never find an affordable one.  :(  Although I vehemently detest cold greys, Wells was a wonderful warm color.  Maybe I could trade him for a braided bay, if I don't fall in love first...!      And the moment I saw Jump-&-Drive I wanted him.  What a color!  He was my first choice.  I've come a long way from my distaste of horses on stands.  On Friday, when I first saw and shot the variations, I was somewhat dismayed at the braided one.  What would I do if I got one?  I did not realize at the time how strong the demand would be, later, for the Loose Manes.  (I guess I have good taste.)  In the event, I'm just glad I lucked out.

In the Clarion, symbolically breaking out from years of pandemic seclusion and also of a year of budget restraint, I "broke my virginity" first with a Romeo (silver bay Dundee) and later with a Cancion in glorious chestnut gloss.  Caisey Hoffman deserves mention as a very kind seller who let me make off with her Cancion.  She must have known that once a potential buyer sits down and plays with the horse, the sale is all but done...!

Restraints were breaking down all over the place.  The palomino Stock Horse Gelding completes my conga of this Classic mold and busts my refusal of him (call it palomino overload).  The blanket he is wearing is the first blanket I've bought in years.  The nursing foal completes my Thoroughbred Nursing Mare, childless since 1974.  The Navigator and 4/5ths of the Stablemates are slated for a friend,... whom I have not seen in at least a year.

A similar restraint, that of not seeing local friends, was laid to rest with the halter Cancion is wearing:  It was a gift from K. Beverly who had made it during her Breyer Workshop.  

Next up is what I'm calling Non-Horse Loot.

Books, pamphlets, stickers, 3 Breyer carry-bags, a Jaapi halter (another is on Romeo), a SM blanket, a Micro Stock Horse Gelding, a Western saddle blanket from Carrie Sloan Meyer and some free wristbands complete the pile.  Naturally, the enamel pin promised with the 3 Hip Hop Tales was the horse I wanted above all else!!  See, pins still have my heart...  which is why the two 'Shiny Fantasy' pins, below, were so striking.  I won them at the Resin Renaissance raffle.  Talk about a surprise, almost missed!

Yes, that little chestnut foal pin is the reason I walked into the KHP ahead of time on Friday.  I was so anxious to get him I temporarily lost my sunglasses.  I found them later right on his table...

The VIP pins were an extraordinary gift from Leslie Kathman.  The girl can do no wrong...

On to tack!  You didn't think there wouldn't be any, did you!?  These goodies are all from Heather Moreton, tackmaker extraordinaire.  The photo does not do the color of the mecate justice.  It really is a luscious red, black and white.  The bit at the upper right was handmade by Heather. 

We will end this undoubtedly indulgent stretch of conspicuous consumption with some dino beads.  I got these at the Tucson Gem Show several years back;  but the uppermost Stegosaurus came from this BreyerFest and so deserves to be shown.  He (she?) is truly the last piece I forgot to get into the Gross Loot shot.  I bet you can figure out who these little guys remind me of.

Some day I hope to be even more free to visit friends...