It's been 14 years!

[Loa]

Oh that smiley has gotten us through a lot of tough days!

[Leave a Whisper]

It is a welcoming and special place, the staff is great and though I've not been here very long, I've made some great friends and had a lot of laughs and fun times. to all my pony peeps!

[ghouldilocks]

Wow! I can't believe it's been 14 years! Before I had this account, I had an account on the "old Arena," before the overhaul. I take a lot of breaks from actively collecting (for financial reasons, lol) but this is always my pony home. I grew up with G1 from the late 80s until the end of their run, and when G3 started showing up in stores, my love was rekindled and I found this amazing community.

[buddyboymama]

Happy birthday, dear Arena. Happy birthday to you. And many more ...

Wish I would have been here from the beginning. I remember finding Dream Valley to identify my childhood ponies, but several years went by before I decided to dive into collecting and found this place. When I joined here, there were several members using pictures of male celebrities as avatars. I thought bronies must be hot!

[TornadoLovesMelody]

Happy birthday, may there be many more to come!

Personal reasons for celebrating the Arena:

My online pony life started at Dream Castle. The first place where we spoke of ponies and where we got to see the Delaneys (anyone remember them?) get this huuuuuuuge haul of MIP ponies. Almost at the same time, back then, I joined MLPTP .  My name used to be Steamer_Tex. My two first boys which I got on my way back from horseback riding one day, after my dad said we had to go some place cause he had found an ad...

And then came MLPArena. At first it was a bit weird. Almost as if it was to start a rebellion against MLPTP.
In a way, for me, it did.
I couldn't get the kinds of connections with collectors on the MLPTP.  Here at the arena I was treated like a friend. Truly.
Don't get me wrong, I don't mind the MLPTP but the arena offered so much more. All the kind people I knew from the MLPTP were here and we started having really broad discussions.
I also remember playing certain photo games together with some.

And then there were the dark times. When my life eroded and finally broke into pieces.
Arena was here.
Always.
Always with encouraging words and true support.
Some people whom I had met and some whom I still haven't were always there, offering advice, a helping hand and a shoulder to cry on.
I hate myself for not remembering all the names from way back when but then again, my brain took some damage and I lost quite some memories.
Whenever I've had dark times or felt like it's the end I've always come to see the Arena for one last look.

Trying to remember everyone and the advice I was given has given me courage more than once.
The past 5-6 years I've mostly come to the arena for a pc or two and to sell some things off when times have been rougher.
Now it seems as if I've finally found a place to stay for a while, after years of moving and my ponies will finally be getting back up. Hopefully this means that I will get to see the Arena more often too.

I'd love to keep celebrating a community that supports its members. Where everyone is always welcome and where a helping hand is close by, no matter the actual distance.
I've missed you. A lot. I miss being part of a certain forum that helped me grow and also gave me hours of fun.
I'm going to earn my place and return one day.

Happy birthday,  MLPArena! <3

[Harmonie]

Congratulations! I only joined a few years ago... Wish I had been into MLP back then. G3 is my favorite generation of toys, after all.

The Arena is old enough to join the Arena!

Good lord, time if flying by so fast!

Of course, I was not a part of these forums back in 2003, but I was just beginning to be allowed to join forums that year, and I just can not even begin to fathom that people that were born that year are now on these forums. 

[Diamond]

Dang Skippy has it been that long?

One of my favorite memories, the time (or two) we changed mods and some members names.  Ah fun times....

[Loa]

Dang Skippy has it been that long?

One of my favorite memories, the time (or two) we changed mods and some members names.  Ah fun times....

Nothing stopping us from being naughty now...

[aquamarinemolly]

Happy birthday Arena! Facebook ain't got nuthin' on you <3

[Sky_Rocket_Sammie]

It's been a great place to make friends and learn about ponies from all generations. I remember stumbling on this place in 2009 while I was looking for a Transformers board to join. Joined TF World 2005 and after that joined here. Can't say enough good things about this board and the folks who post here, I've never felt unwanted or silenced.

Happy Birthday and here is to many more birthdays. Several of my favorite memories:switching the board over to its current one,the great black out,my first swap,checking the "coming out/out now" thread for the latest ponies being released,the joy of knowing G3 was going to a thing.

[sangeeth]

I joined in 2005 and I still visit though I don't collect ponies anymore.

Back in the day I used to love the Christmas theme and seasonal forum that came up every December.

[Loa]

I joined in 2005 and I still visit though I don't collect ponies anymore.

Back in the day I used to love the Christmas theme and seasonal forum that came up every December.

I was just thinking I hadn't seen your name in a long while!
I miss the Christmas theme too. I wonder if we can make it happen...

[applejackbunny]

Happy birthday Arena! 

[Stormness_1]

Happy birthday Arena! 14 years, that's crazy in online terms... especially considering how active things are still here. Glad to call this my online pony home.

[princessluna11706]

14 years already, where has the time gone?! I don't post all the time, but I would never leave. The arena is my pony home.