“Magnus/Max”
Int. Ch. Majenkir Magnus O’Blyss
December 8, 2008 – August 31, 2017
This is the story of the young male borzoi currently being shown in Japan, owned by Mai Ozeki of Belisarius Kennels. She purchased him from Karen Staudt-Cartabona and calls him “Max”. We here called him “Magnus”. In order to introduce him properly, is necessary to step backwards in time and let me tell the story of his dam and his dam’s sire, a great Majenkir stud dog and champion, Ch. Majenkir My Way, “Michael”.
One day, Karen Staudt-Cartabona invited us to visit her at her kennel because she had a dog in mind to sell us. The visit began with a tour of the kennel. At the first run, there were several large white bitches wildly jumping up and down and barking. Karen said, “This one is Mikhailya” Suddenly, a beautiful white borzoi appeared by Karen’s side. He was splendid. I had never seen a more beautiful borzoi. This was the famous stud dog and great champion, Ch Majenkir My Way, “Michael”. He was also the sire of the bitches in that run, he was Mikhailya’s sire.
At the end of the tour, I joked and said, I wanted “Michael”! Karen laughed because he was not for sale, so then I said, “Then I want a Michael daughter”. Karen beamed with happiness. It was none other than the leaping, wild white bitch she showed us first – “Mikhailya”!!!
We did not let Karen down. We put a Champion Dog title on our bitch, and three years later she was bred to the stud dog champion CH Majenkir Regal By Design, “Regal”.
Mikhailya whelped her litter on December 8, 2008, three male puppies. I studied my puppies closely at birth and shortly after. The conformation was lovely for all three. However there was one that was very different. He was much larger and had more bone. I held him up in a little stack, I looked at him every which way. There was no question about it in my mind. He would be Karen’s next important dog. My prophecy turned out to be correct.
I had no way of knowing that Magnus would be a borzoi she would place or sell to the Ozeki family of Belisarius Kennels in Japan. I know he is not the first to go over. But today’s world of ease of travel, and important shows here, I believe I will see him again.
Recently, Magnus won Best in Show there, and Mai Ozeki called Karen right away to let her know. She then wrote to me with a warm word of Congratulations, and I had no idea how that could be until she explained it. I insisted the credit was all hers, so we left it at that.
I am blissfully happy about the “Magnus”/”Max” accomplishments, especially good for a dog still young, only 3 1/2 years old. There is a photograph of him in the ring in Sighthound Review on page 68 in the v.3, Issue 1, Spring 2012 issue. He looks splendid. He is shown at the FCI Japan International Dog Show. He won Best in Group by Mr. Wayne Burton, and Miss. Kay Eldred from Australia.
I congratulate his owner Mai Ozeki; his handler Yoshi Haradata; and his co-breeder with me, Karen Staudt-Cartabona.
And, if all this is not enough to be proud of for this youngster, he is also a proven sired for three litters that I know of. One of his puppy bitches, Fiona, has already gone Best in Show, like her sire.
I can only smile when I think about this. I do not plan to breed a second litter. There is only one Blyss Kennels litter. But there is a secret: when I looked at Magnus after his birth, I saw “Michael.” He looks like Michael.