Article and photos contributed by Kelly Coultas.
For several years in the 1990s and early 2000s, the popular shopping channel QVC ran a Breyer segment, featuring a different special run each show. In 2002, they featured two Stablemate collections called the Silver Cup Series. Both came in a sturdy blue decorative box with a foam insert to protect the five models offered, along with a miniature silver cup and a Certificate of Authenticity.
The first collection came out early in the year. It featured the G2 Appaloosa mold #5601 as a bay and white overo pinto with a bald face, the G2 Saddlebred #5608 in dapple gray with a gold ribbon in the mane and forelock, the G2 Rearing Arabian #5603 in bright chestnut, the G2 Warmblood #5607 in bay with no white markings, and G1 Draft Horse in charcoal with white points. All the models were glossy.
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Later in the year the second set arrived, again all glossy. It too had the G2 Appaloosa, this time as an actual appaloosa—bay with a blanket. The Draft Horse and the Warmblood also returned, in light sorrel with flaxen mane and tail and gray and white tobiano pinto respectively. New in the box were the G2 Prancing Morgan #5612 in dark seal bay and the G2 Thoroughbred #5602 in light bay with a bald face. The second collection box was smaller than the first.
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Stablemates, at 1:32 scale, were first introduced in 1975. The first generation (G1) had 16 molds that were sculpted by Maureen Love. In 1998 Breyer released 16 more molds (G2) sculpted by Kathleen Moody. Two more generations of Stablemates would follow, but not until 2005 to 2013. Despite their tiny size, Breyer Stablemates are very popular with collectors and model showers.
About the Author: Kelly Coultas
My interest in Breyers started the way it does for so many of us—I was your typical horse-crazy child. I honestly don’t remember my first Breyer, or how old I was (it was a LONG time ago!), but I would guess it was probably the Western Prancing Horse in light bay. I think that removable saddle and chain reins would have appealed greatly to my child self and I know I had one for years.
My herd grew all during the late 60s and early 70s. I had many friends who collected Breyers as well and we would play with them for hours in our backyards. We started our own little club, with a newsletter and small live shows. I tried my hand at photo shows for awhile but eventually our real horses and high school took precedence and my plastic herd was packed away.
My daughter inherited the horse gene from me and began her own collection as a child in the 90s. She showed and collected for several years, culminating in a trip to Breyerfest 2004 and NAN, where she won a Top Ten and a Championship. As with me, her real horses and school began to take all her time and interest and again, the tiny horses were packed away.
I recently started the process of repacking the boxes and decided to see what was going on in the model horse world after all this time. Seeing all the models again has brought back many happy memories but it has also been fascinating for me to step away for awhile and then get back and see all the progress. The hobby has come a long way since the 60s!
