1983-5: Earth Ponies

BOW TIE

Blue earth pony with pink hair, pink bows symbol. FRECKLED.

Bow Tie. Obsessive about ribbons, this cute little character appeared in animation bedecked with them, and even got kidnapped to make them in one of the pony comic stories. She and Applejack were cast as great friends, and a sweeter, more patient friend than Bow Tie would be hard to find.

Her issue, like Applejack's was complicated. Initially she was sold everywhere in the same style -the shy pose as shown above, with silky straight hair. Then, when she and Applejack were re-released as part of the next set of Earth Ponies, there was a parting of the ways. In the US and Canada, she retained her shy pose, inheriting curly hair (a new gimmick for that year). But in the UK release (coined by Hasbro in their list as "Groom and Style" ponies) she changed poses. This time she was made in the pose given to the original six My Little Ponies. She did, however, get the curly hair that the US release also had (giving her a longer hair look when found with the curls dropped out).

In the Ponywear commercial for 1985 (UK), Bow Tie infamously forgot her costume for the fancy dress party and wound up arriving in her 'birthday suit' :)

2nd EDITION Bow Tie: Sold with the US Year 3 Earth Pony Set (1985)

"GROOM N STYLE" Bow Tie: Sold with the UK Earth Pony Set (1985)

The Collector Pose version of Bow Tie did get another release, although the circumstances surrounding it are a little confusing. In German speaking countries, she was apparently released as part of the 1986 set (on a card on which she is neither named nor pictured). As far as I know, although the same style of card was used in the UK for the 1986 My Little Pony collection, Bow Tie was NOT sold on this card in the UK.

BOW TIE: Mint on 1986 card (Germany)
"Mein Kleines Pony"

All the ponies who were sold on this card over here were pictured on the front and/or back and named on the ribbon beneath the rainbow (whereas Bow Tie's card simply says "My Little Pony" in German). Oddly, the rainbow says "My Little Pony" in English, and not Mein Kleines Pony! If anyone has any information on this release, please let me know!