Top Three for 2019

I thought it would be fun at the start of the new year to do a top-three additions to my collection in 2019.  In no particular order, they were as follows:

Lily Ledy Mexican Snuzzle: This pony was a gift from Roomy on December the 27^th (when we open our gifts to each other).  I’ve been on the hunt for Lily Ledy Snuzzle for quite some time.  For those of you who are less familiar with nirvana ponies, back in the G1 years Hasbro did not distribute MLP worldwide as they do now.  Rather, they sold the rights to produce MLP toys to other toy companies in other countries.  Some of these look very similar to the ponies sold in Canada and the US, while others vary drastically from the original pony designs. In Mexico, two companies produced MLP back in the 1980’s, Lily Ledy and Aurikan.  Lily Ledy reproduced the original 6 MLP (looking largely like their other North American counterparts), while Aurikan reproduced these and went further, including such fan favourites as Pegasus baby Blossom, three Princes (based on Princess ponies), and colour variant versions of three Sundae Best ponies.  I had decided to add the Lily Ledy version of Snuzzle to my army, because I prefer her look to the Aurikan version, and only Aurikan made Peachy.  In November I found a nice looking LL Snuzzle on ebay while browsing and added her to my watch list.  Roomy then swooped in and bought her and snuck her into my stocking.  Snuzzle needed a good deep cleaning when she arrived, but otherwise she is in great shape and I was so excited to add her to my small nirvana collection.

Storm: OK, this wasn’t an addition to my collection, but to Roomy’s.  Roomy’s vintage POP collection is near-complete, and she has fewer items to collect to begin with, so it’s harder for me to buy her collection items than it is for her to buy me collection items.  However, one more common item that has eluded her is Catra’s horse, Storm.  I was lucky enough to find one on ebay for a reasonable price that didn’t have any of the usual problems that you find on POP horses (yellowing, scuffed hooves, or missing wings), and in spite of some technical difficulties I was able to purchase him.  This was the first Yule gift I got for Roomy this year, and the one I was most excited about giving her (also the one she was most excited to receive).

Tickle: She's not a Nirvana.  She's not a favourite.  She's not even perfect.  But she's in the top three because she was the last common Rainbow Pony that was missing from my herd and it was driving me nuts.  She's been on my wish list for years but whether because she was the last of the set I needed or because the Year 3 Rainbow Ponies are particularly prone to problems, I was incredibly picky about Tickle.  This past year at the Fair I finally found one with beautiful symbols and a lovely body colour.  Her only problem was a slight trim on her mane, but it's hardly noticeable unless you're looking for it.  I'm really pleased to have added her to the herd, and rounded off my Canadian Rainbow Ponies (there are several Nirvana Rainbows that I'd love to add to the collection, but that won't be a quick process).

Elf