Actually, there wasn't really much of anything, at least here in North America; sometimes I think that if it weren't for the beautiful horses coming out of Europe, this website would have been disbanded years ago. We never lost hope, however. With great anticipation we await the 2007 line, and it seems that www.Grand-Champions.com are doing thier best to make it worth our while! Thier website is bubbling with activity, and, as a sign of good faith, GC horses have even begining to pop up in some US stores (not exactly *new* horses, but we'll get back to that). I can only hope that they will soon be redily available again, world wide.
My only question... just what are those funky HC stallions doing there in the regular GC line?
Almost New Horses!
So, there weren't any Zebras ;)
That's right! They're here! They're in stores! And, they're almost brand new classic mare and foal sets! With the exception of the stunningly shaded Dutch Warmblood duo, the rest of these horses look just a tad... familiar. Of course, that's the unamed UK Gypsy Vanner mare with Fair Skies, and appaloosa Ah-Pah-Ahl with her foal Spicey Salsa. From what I hear, the Ah-Pah-Ahl's legs are actually shaded, without socks, to make her *slightly* different from the eariler release, but that doiley-butt pattern is pretty hard to mistake.
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The Warmbloods, picture left, are really quite phenomenal. The shading is awsome, and even though there have been many palomino trotting mares, I can't see this lady being mistaken for an earlier release. (the dark lip-liner on her is a bit odd, though) Her foal is quite outstanding too, considering how many palomino foals have been released lately. Thanks to Sloane for the picture of her lovely horses! Over all, they are ALL pretty horses, so it's great if you didn't get a chance to buy them the first time; I really am glad to see Classic Families again! |
New New Horses!
And here it is... the carrot Alpha has dangled before us all...
Just look at all those horses! I mean, you can't look at that and not get just a *little bit* excited. There are tonnes of items, the colours are unique and creative, and... it's... well, new! Fantastic, huh?
I also have to point out how lovely it is to see GC packaging return to the more nutral turquois coloured box, rather then the very-girly mauve we've been having for the last few years. I'm not saying mauve is bad, just that this might make it easier for the horse-crazy boy to have himself a GC horse too, without the stigma of being a "girly toy". After all, horses are for everyone!
My one miff is, of all that wonderful stuff, I don't see a SINGLE CLASSIC HORSE. In fact, if you're just talking about the classic style, there's only one origonal GC horse in that picture - the lovely red roan in the rider set. Most of them seem to be Action Horses, Nuzzling Families, riders, and accessory-packed playsets. *sigh* What ever happened to the joy of the single, unadorned horse?
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Worries aside, at least I have great kudos to whomever they have in charge of horse colour this year. For example, check out this new FNN set. See that little? He's BAY! And NOT the same dark bay colour as his mother, either! In fact, he's actually BABY BAY, before his legs have darkened to black. That's accurate. Creative. FANTASTIC! :) I've never bought a FNN set, but this is tempting. Keep up the good work! | 
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New Classic Stallions
The lovely buckskin on the left is Micah the Mustang, and the HC stallion is named Moonstar. I'm loving the mustang, and, while I've alwasy been an advocate for *black horses*, I just cannot bring myself to love that HC mold. Now, if they had done that on the regular rearing stallion.... delicious!
New Horse & Riders
The pinto stallion on the other hand is... well, it's still Lurch the HC Stallion, whatever colour you paint him. It also seems to be a re-hashing of last year's Western Games UK set, only this time, with an outdoors-y theme, becuase, you know, us North Americans... we feel much more at home riding through through the forest with an *axe* in our saddle bag then practicing the delicate art of barrel racing and pole bending...
New Action Stallions
These two new action stallions are just beautifully shaded, just makes you wish they were classics, don't it? *G* The jumper is called Dusty and comes with the regular jump set; the bay is Chocolate and comes with his own Labrador Retriever... and fresh manure!
What else is store for GC Horses in 2007? Stay Tuned!
