Eventually, death comes to visit all of our kennels and when it does, it is never fair and we are never ready. Whatever their age, we never believe we had them long enough. The grief goes deep, creating a wound that does not heal easily. I learned of one sad, untimely death, a littermate of Tresor’s, a name I cannot mention without making my world tremble. Two weeks later, I learned about the imminent death of one of Jelly’s littermates; that was almost too much for me to absorb. What if I suddenly lost them, the way I lost Opal? Could I go on?
The success of Magnus in Japan, Tresor’s littermate, will always be something of which I am proud. He made N5 and his new owner in Japan, N38, very happy. But here in the States, I felt a chill from a wall of silence constructed around him, as if he never existed. Then, his female get, “Lucy” came over and was co-owned by a couple on the West Coast, and very actively campaigned by an expert handler for two years. She did magnificently well in 2016 and 2017, as I have frequently written about. The more and better she did, the less I heard from people, and then she was never mentioned. When Magnus and Lucy’s name was brought up by me, disparaging remarks were made. I realized I had no friends in the breed except my mentor, N5, who co-bred Mikhailya with her stud-dog, Regal.
In discussing the passing of Magnus this week, I shared my experience with her. I hope she can forgive me for replicating this email without asking her permission. Somehow, I do not think it negatively reflects on her, but is a positive statement about all she has accomplished.
******************************************************8
Gmail Lorene Connolly <[email protected]>
Another sad passing
2 messages
From: Lorene Connolly <[email protected]> Wed, Sep 13, 2017 at 10:51 AM
To: Karen Staudt-Cartabona <[email protected]>
Dear Karen,
I don’t know if you know, but I am sure you do, but I received a special message from M—about a week ago telling me that our Magnus boy, their Max, had died on Aug. 31st. She thanked me profusely for him & told me he was a special borzoi who had done so much for her. He had been tired & living with her mother for some time, and she has been devastated by his passing. She asked me not to write about it out of respect for her mother so I have not & never will.
It was nice to read her kind words & gratitude. I have sensed for a long time from “friends”(?) A real wall of silence about his & Lucy’s accomplishments. Others have ended their friendships with me.
I know you think I am too sensitive, & perheaps I am for my own good, but certain things you know. I won’t speak or write of it anymore on FB or my blog, it’s over now. But l still have my Tresor, and now the ill will has been transferred to him. Again by false friends.
In my opinion, we bred an outstanding litter together. Things would have been different for me had Bob not died so young, but he did. Now, I gave an aortic aneurism that I must be brave about.
And that is what I have to live with every day. No more litters, no more puppies, no more show dogs. Just the joy the borzoi I owned or bred or currently own bring me.
Love,
Lorene
************************************************************
Karen Cartabona <[email protected]> Wed, Sep 13, 2017 at 3:42 PM
To: Lorene Connolly <[email protected]>
Hi Lorene;
Yes, I do know and yes, it is sad. Thank you for writing. It happened just after Wendy’s visit, which may have been just too traumatizing for Max. Sadly he was not that old.
Kyoko sent me a post about it, she said that her heart is broken and I believe it is. She hadn’t told anyone up to that point, so I waited for her to make the announcement to the public.
What has passed, is the truth and cannot be changed. How nice for Bob, that you and he produced the Max and Lucy legacy. Without you both having the litter who knows what could have happened or how different all might have been. There is certainly much to be proud of and nothing to keep you from taking your share of the fame of what Max has done.
Those “friends” that you are writing about are riding on the bloodline themselves, and sadly, do not have any idea how to proceed. As has one kennel after another in the past who have flown then crashed and burned.
You do not need and are actually better off without those “false friends” who do so much harm in the long run. I have learned to have and have grown a thick skin because of all that is thrown at me. At this point in my life I do not care any longer, the history of Majenkir and it’s influence on Borzoi cannot be changed.
We have to have a meeting in the near future, see you there.
Karen
**********************************************
Conclusion. For me, I have to accept that this one person, “Karen” , (N5), Karen Staudt-Cartabona herself, is the only time I will openly identify an individual in my Blog. I do so because in this case she most deserving of accolades. Karen is my mentor and sold Bob and me, mere newcomers at the time, our foundation bitch, “Mikhailya”, a world-class bitch of a Majenkir and Ksar co-breeding who did so much. Karen took a chance and trusted us. Moreover, because Karen is so deserving, she should be identified buy name so her excellence and diligence and life time commitment to the borzoi breed can be recognize by all to see. Today I understand, more wisely, that Karen is the only person who has to recognize and respect me in the breed and/or the dog world for me to be happy. The silence of the other breeders simply doesn’t matter.