The My Little Pony Scrapbook: G1 in the UK and Europe

1985

Rainbow Ponies (North America, 1985)

Rainbow Pony Explosion!


Backcard image

The 1985 Rainbow Pony Backcard, USA

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Ponies Sold in 1985 in the UK Groom & Style Ponies | Play & Care Set Babies | Rainbow Ponies (Set 1) | Grooming Parlour |UK Adult Sea Ponies | Earth Ponies (1984) | Show Stable | Butterscotch's Gymkhana | Baby Bow Tie | Waterfall | Dream Castle | Baby Ember | Snuzzle (Concave)| Bluebelle (Concave)

Other 1985 Ponies Twinkle Eyed Ponies (UK:1986) | Flutter Ponies (UK:1986) | Baby Sea Ponies (UK:1986) | Lullabye Nursery (UK:1986) | Year 3 Unicorn & Pegasus | Rainbow Ponies (Set 2) | Adult Sea Ponies (US) | Baby Ponies | So Soft Ponies | Birthflower Ponies

Rainbow Ponies in North America, 1985

The second set of Rainbow Ponies came out in North America in around 1985. The new set comprised six new characters, plus four re-releases. The decision to go bold with such a big set on this theme suggests that the Rainbow Ponies were a popular investment. While the first set of Rainbow Ponies were predominantly pastel, with more traditionally 'rainbowish' hair colouring, the new characters broke all these rules. They were generally in bolder shades (aside Confetti, who was in white), and their hair colouring was coral, pink, aqua and neon yellow. The new characters also embraced the new poses for the year. The backcard shown above shows the ponies in their correct poses.

Of this set, only Confetti was sold in the UK, and in an entirely different pose and format. The new characters were sold in various ways in Europe. While a lot of these releases were made in countries other than Hong Kong/China (thus count as Nirvana ponies), there were two sets sold in Nordic countries and Australia which included the new characters made in Hong Kong. I have also been told by one Swedish collector that the US-carded set was also available there at some point, as she bought one there from a Swedish store - though I do not know the means by which this occurred, or whether this was official Swedish release or end-of-line import. (It does sound to me like Sweden had more than its fair share of Rainbow Ponies :P)

All these characters appeared in the UK pony comic and stories, some with distinctive personalities. They also appeared heavily in UK merchandise, such as in this advent calendar from around 1986.
Advent Calender featuring Rainbow Ponies and Skyflier
Advent Calendar featuring Tickle, Trickles and Pinwheel, along with Skyflier
UK, circa 1986.

The US release of this set had horizontal cards, while those found in Europe were vertical. Despite the distinctive difference in design, however, the accessories were the same. All ponies were sold with a shooting star brush with a rainbow sticker on the back, a matching basic comb and ribbon, and a puffy sticker featuring the pony in question.

Ponies from the second set of Rainbow Ponies can be prone to problems like plastic discolouration (particularly Confetti, but also some of the others) and rust on the glittery symbol. That said, it is not impossible to find them loose in good condition. Their stickers are harder to find than those from the first set, because of their more limited release, but they are not impossible.


Ponies in this Set: