The Tractor Supply limited editions were something I've always had a love/hate relationship with, mostly because the majority were stock horses, which makes sense since TSC is a Western store, but I'm not much of a stock horse fan myself unless it's a Quarter racehorse - which is usually in all essence a QH/TB cross from racing QH lines - then maybe. So in the beginning, I wasn't too interested in them. It started with Riderless, a grullo horse on the Flash mold dedicated to the Pony Express. The next few years, the Tractor Supply horses took a bit of a turn to concentrate on John Wayne's horses. Unfortunately, although my grandmother loved the Bonanza series, John Wayne was a bit too old for me so I never really was interested in that either. Since the majority of TSC shoppers were from that generation, it was a good call for Breyer to target that particular audience. It started with Dollor, who was a blood red chestnut in gloss on the Smart Chic Olena mold. It was followed by Duke, a white grey horse on the American Saddlebred Stallion mold. Zip's Cochise was next and I'm kicking myself for not keeping the one that I bought because I cannot find him anywhere now but I did own him at one time and sold him for dirt cheap. Banner was the final Bonanza horse, a glossy plain bay on the San Domingo mold. All these horses were hand numbered on the belly. In 2010 the focus still stayed on famous stock horses but no longer included Bonanza movie horses, and for the first time included two models to choose from instead of just one limited edition. Both horses were plain chestnuts, both on vintage molds. One was of Doctor T. Tari (aka Popcorn) who was a portrait model of a Quarter Horse on the Ranch Horse mold, the other was of Templeton Thompson's - the famous singer - horse, Jane, on the Stock Horse Mare mold. In 2011 the Tractor Supply models kind of went into a slump. Instead of releasing a Tractor Supply exclusive model, they instead released Kanaretah as a mid years release who ended up at some TSC stores. Another whom I now regret I never bought since he's now worth over $200, he was a beautiful grullo with Indian feathers in his mane and tail on the popular - at the time - Nokota mold. This is one grail I think I'm just going to have to live without. In 2013 the shift yet again changed from famous horse portrait models to now focusing on stock horse breeds. The first was Dillon, a splatter dapple grey (vintage style) appaloosa mustang stallion on the Semi Rearing Mustang mold. This boy I actually still own to this day, but he's the oldest of the first TSC exclusives that I do still own. The next year came another double They released Travis, a black and white pinto Sport Horse on the Carrick mold and Maverick, a grullo Missouri Fox Trotter on the same mold name. When Jesse the Quarter Horse was released on Wyatt in 2015, I remember trying to find the chalky variation. He was going for a ridiculous amount of eBay at the time so I was trying to find one myself, but between three TSC stores I went to, I couldn't find the chalky variation. After this many years of searching, I was able to find one just this year for only $10 more than the original price, so those of you who are on the lookout for something rare, don't give up. It'll come with time. The next year was another double year with Garrett, a Quarter Horse, and Santana, a Mustang. I don't collect the Silver mold due to him being too tall for my shelves, and I thought that Santana looked too much like the Treasure Hunt horse, so I passed on him. Garrett, on the other hand, I wanted to add to my SMO conga, however when I got him in hand I admittedly wasn't too impressed. I don't even know what to call his color... a buckskin roan? Bay roan? Though his roaning looked more like flea bites than actual white hair roaning. Basically I ended up reselling him because I couldn't find a flawless specimen. I admittedly loved the dappled palomino coloring on Lakota but I can't stand the Black Beauty mold quite literally because... well... she can't stand. I cursed Breyer to high Heaven for using that mold with that drop dead gorgeous color that year. Jacy I didn't like at all. He was a fleabitten grey without much shading and he was on the Geronimo mold, who with his boring pose needed a flashier paint job than that for me to purchase him. 2018 brought about a flashy guy named Boone, who looked like the twin of Salpicado, another horse whom I had at the time. I had to have Boone, although he came with a bazillion flaws. Jasper was another released this year, on the Desatado mold, but being a plain bay I decided not to add him to my collection. Getting into more modern times, many of you probably remember the 2019 TSC exclusives, which were (in my personal opinion) one of the best years yet. They came out with not just one, not even two, but THREE limited editions. My favorite was Sampson, the buttermilk buckskin on the Gypsy Vanner mold, who also had a few chalky specimens floating around. Then there was Hakan, a buckskin appaloosa on the Smarty Jones mold. Finally there was Stella who, despite being on the Bluegrass Bandit mold, was too plain for my collection, although several people did report her coming with glow in the dark plastic. Last but not least, for 2020 came yet another trio. Eclipse was by far the most popular, being on the Emerson mold definitely helped but also because of his blue iridescence on his black spots. He is a part of my own collection. Next was Solidago, who wasn't nearly as popular being on the cartoon-y Boomerang mold. However, his dunalino color isn't too common in Breyers so he also ended up in my personal collection. Lapwai, however, didn't make the cut just because of her bay coloring. I did like though that they gave her a Native American name since she's an appaloosa. She was on the Marabella mold. I'm hoping we see the 2021 TSC exclusives soon. In the meantime, I was sent a picture of this year's horses. There is Sayan, a bay Mustang on the Indian Pony mold. Cirrus, a grey American Quarter Horse on the Bobby Jo mold. Finally there is Wilder, an Arabian/Appaloosa cross that looks similar in coloring to Oak from Breyerfest, on the Ethereal mold. I need Cirrus for sure for my own collection and Wilder looks promising, but most likely my local Tractor Supply won't get them in until September/October when they start putting out their Christmas stuff (the only time they carry Breyers around here) and that also more than likely that also includes the new stablemates that have been floating around the internet. The chase piece in that series is gorgeous and is another I really hope I get to add to my own collection with time. ***Not my picture. All credit goes to the original photographer.
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