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

Rosette

Prize Day Set, 1991

Yellow earth pony with burnt orange mane and tail (yellow streak), rosettes symbol

Rosette
Pony Data
Set Prize Day
(UK, 1991, Germany & some other countries, probably 1990)
Asst. Number 4176
Accessories Two lavender 1st place rosettes with red ribbon edges, one aqua fence, four lavender jump fence posts, two yellow jump bars, one yellow heart shaped grooming brush, one soap/brush on a string, one gold cup, pale lavender ribbon.
Pose Tootsie
Distribution UK and Europe
(Probably most areas)
Other Versions Rooting differences between UK and European releases of Rosette. Yellow streak is broader on the UK release version. May also be some minor shade differences in body.

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Ponies Sold in 1991 in the UK Merry-Go-Round Ponies | Glittering Sweetheart Sister Ponies | Tropical Ponies | Rainbow Curl Ponies | Sunshine Ponies | Drink & Wet Babies |Dance & Prance Ponies | Newborn Babies | Starlight Babies | Flower Ponies | Pony Bride | Prize Day with Rosette | Picnic Day with Sweet Clover | Playschool Babies | Schooltime Ponies | Schoolhouse | Club Newborn Baby Fun & Games | Show Stable II | PETITE PONIES (assorted sets)

Other 1991 Ponies Rockin' Beat Ponies (UK: 1992) | Glowing Magic/Glow & Show Ponies (UK: 1992) | Pocket Friends/Precious Pocket Ponies (UK: 1992) | Pretty Ponies | Rainbow Baby Ponies (UK: 1992) | Ballerina Baby Ponies (UK: 1992) | Teeny Weeny Ponies (UK: 1992) | Secret Surprise Ponies (UK: 1992) | Princess with Eyelashes | Firefly's Adventure | Baby "Stockings" | Rapunzel | Mommy and Baby Pony

Prize Day featuring Rosette


The Prize Day set was one of two sets released in 1991 as a mini-playset on a theme. Like earlier releases such as the Gymkhana and Birthday Party,
these sets comprised of a collection of accessories and one unique pony. Prize Day, like Gymkhana, was on a showjumping theme, and included the pony Rosette as its main character. 

The accessories sold with the Prize Day release were a mixture of accessories sold in previous sets, some re-coloured - and new stuff, such as the soap-brush on a string thing which has always struck me as odd. Her heart shaped grooming brush uses the same mould and is similar in colour to Butterscotch's from the original Gymkhana, whilst the aqua fence also matches the second edition Show Stable - whilst the rosettes and jump stands use moulds from previous accessories recoloured specifically for this release.

1990 or 1991?

There is some confusion over Rosette's release, because her box has the rainbow design from 1990 - featuring Mainsail rather than the 1991 pony, Rainbow Rider.  Her backcard story also included two ponies originally released in 1990 - Sand Digger and Sugar Apple (although Sand Digger was still on sale in 1991). It seems as though Hasbro originally intended to make this part of the 1990 range.

Rosette MIB
Rosette Mint in Box
UK, 1991

Rosette's Box Top


However, for whatever reason, Rosette was NOT part of the UK 1990 line. While the reasons for the delay are unknown, it is pretty easy to prove that one happened. Rosette is not included in Hasbro UK's 1990 catalogue, which was sent to stores to show the year's line. She does appear in a promotional booklet from 1991, however, and this booklet announces that the Prize Day set is "new" to the 1991 line.

Rosette, New in 1991
Rosette and Prize Day
New releases in the 1991 UK  catalogue

Hasbro's list from 1995 also includes Rosette in 1991 and not 1990. So, although the box design was clearly ready to go in 1990, the pony didn't actually make it to stores till the following year.

This stop-start on her production may explain why Rosette never made it into the UK pony comic. She is one of very few UK released ponies that never appeared in the comic in any activity, story or artwork, at any point in the line. If she was meant to be included in the 1990 line, but was aborted at the last minute, however, she may have simply been deleted from potential storyboards, and not added again when she actually came out in 1991.

Releases in the UK and in Europe

The lack of comic appearance meant that, for a long time, there was confusion over her real name, or whether she was called "Prize Day". Some sites only referred to her as Turnierfest-Pony (the set name in Germany) because German packaged ponies were the first to emerge online. She was mistakenly labelled a German exclusive pony, but she was sold across Europe. But, as her UK box can confirm, the set is called Prize Day in English, and the pony is Rosette.

There are minor production differences between the releases in the UK and in continental Europe - mostly relating to how long the yellow streak is rooted in the mane. Those found in Europe normally have a more narrow, defined streak than those in the UK.

Rosette Hair Comparison
Comparing Rosette's Hair Streak

It is possible that this variation occurred because of her delay in the UK release. It is not clear whether she might have made it to the European market in 1990. This would also explain the use of the older box rainbow logo, as the box would already have been determined. It is also supported by the fact Rosette and Sweet Clover both appear on the German insert for 1991, but neither product is advertised here as being "new". They were also promoted in the German comic in the same advert as the Playtime Baby Ponies, which were also part of the 1990 line. For this reason, it is possible there is some overlap in where each version was sold.

I've noticed that the freckles on my European one are a bit darker than on the one I picked up here in the UK, but suspect that is more about batch difference.

The English packaged version of Prize Day was sold in other countries, including Greece, which may also explain why she has an earlier box design than her UK release merits.


Rosette's Character

Because Rosette didn't appear in any of the comics, the only clue to her character is contained in her box story. This describes her excited preparations for a local gymkhana, helped by Sand Digger and Sugar Apple, who appear to have been her good friends. After she placed in the competition, she hurried back to tell them of her success. This story makes her sound like quite a sweet, bubbly character - I think it's sad we never got to see her in the comic, especially in conjunction with Lemon Drop and the Show Stable's re-release.