This isn't the first time fan-created assets have ended up in official pony content. I'm sure some of us might remember this:
That was pretty funny, particularly the fact that they used wet-mane Silver Spoon. The ambiguity as to whether they made that choice deliberately or not only makes it funnier.
So I had an opportunity to participate in the Round Stable review of Volume 9 of the comics (I go by The Doctor on their forums).
http://www.roundstable.com/2013/08/12/trs-round-table-016-fim-comics-9/
Nice writeup, found myself agreeing with a lot of what you all were saying.