Lorene with N28, and the Majenkir bitch, “Hawkeye”!
Hunter visiting at Blyss Kennels, March 2015
It has been nearly two weeks since I have been home from the borzoi national specialty show in Huran, Ohio, and everything has been a blur since then. Nothing seems real, and I feel as if I am still immersed in the experience of being there. And why not? I have many wonderful memories of my time there. I came back home with beautiful souvenirs in the way of gorgeous photographs that I have downloaded and shared. Moreover, I now have more portrait photographs of Jelly and the two puppies of N24, Jelly’s breeder, by Ms. Maxine Bochnia whose booth was at the specialty. With so many photographs, emails and phone calls, how can I forget the National, and why should I believe I am really home?
Then there are the memories of my favorite pastime: sitting ringside. This time, sitting ringside meant carefully watching N24’s two puppies, “Jezebel” and “Hunter”. It also meant closely reading the catalog for puppies and adults who are the get of my beloved “Mikhailya”, now deceased two years. I was lucky to find two, one of which could be her clone. Regarding the bitch who so looked like “Mikhailya”, I went up to her owners after her class and introduced myself to them, a couple, N28, and we enjoyed the time together discussing their bitch whom they named “Hawkeye”! They told me she was “very fast”! I felt very proud and pleased to see the quality that Mikhailya had produced in a performance dog.
I spent a great deal of time assisting N24 with her two beautiful puppies, “Jezebel” and “Hunter”, who were entered in Futurity, Sweepstakes, and Regular classes. For the most part, they each placed fourth, a good placement for a Specialty. I encouraged N24 to get their portrait taken with a third puppy from her litter who happened to be present at the show by Maxine and wisely, she agreed. A gorgeous portrait was produced and I purchased a framed copy.
The resort hosting the National was splendid in its abundance of beauty. The grounds were resplendent with lush, green lawn throughout, broken up by flower beds with lovely shrubbery in deep, soft beds of newly applied mulch. It was situated on the shores of Lake Eerie, and had its own private beach and meadow. It was there where N24 took the puppies, Jezebel and Hunter, each morning to run. Her borzoi pups are very good about running and playing off leash. They come back when called. I cannot say enough that is good about these puppies.
I wish I could take the male, Hunter, but I know I cannot. It is the shadow of sadness that is always over me. A young male borzoi is not the kind of dog I could manage alone, and I know that. If I could, I would still have Tresor. But it was divine being with him for the week, and the memory of Hunter and his beauty are still very fresh. He is everything I want and love in a male borzoi. It is hard not having one to love here at Blyss, and I feel the loss acutely.
That does not mean he cannot be my “Heart Dog” and that I will not see him grow up into the big boy he is destined to be, thanks to the generosity of N24. Most of all, we know there will be yet another National Specialty show in our future! Perhaps it is the love and the friendship that matter most, not where Hunter actually lives, at least for now.