Saturday, February 5, 2011

TOP TIBETAN MASTIFF DIES

GCH CH Seng Khri Bartok Of Dawa

We sadly report that the Tibetan Mastiff, GCH CH Seng Khri Bartok Of Dawa, has died.  Bart succumbed Wednesday night to meningitis caused by a rare fungus, cryptococcus gatti.  We first met Bart at the 2009 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship.  We were simply awe struck by the giant red dog.  We have written about how our dog show memory is a collection of moments frozen in time that are as vivid to us as a Sports Illustrated cover.  Our first meeting with Bart was such a moment.

Bart and handler Ed Thomason went on to take a Working Group Two in Long Beach.  Bart and Ed would carry that momentum into 2010 winning nine all breed Bests In Show and 20 Working groups, finishing the year as the Number Six Working Dog and the Number One Tibetan Mastiff of all time.  Based in the Pacific Northwest, Bart and Ed traveled from coast to coast, showing in all parts of the US, no easy feat for such a massive dog.  We sincerely hope you had an opportunity to see this magnificent dog for we can’t promise you that there will be another like him.

We thank Ed, breeder Eva Marton, and owners Zane Smith, Dan Nechemias, & Lois Claus, for sharing this special animal with all of us these past two years.  Our sincere condolences.  He will  not be forgotten.

16 comments:

  1. May the best momories of Bart prevail in the hearts of those hurting over the loss of this beautiful dog.
    Kelli Johnson

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  2. My heart goes out to the dogs owners and handler.I was fortunate enough to see this beautiful dog go BIS in Sioux Falls,SD in 2010. He will be truely missed.

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  3. I saw him for the first time at Chicago International last year. Breathtakingly beautiful. And a funny note: The cluster was plagued by PETA activists who were running around "liberating" dogs from their crates. When a show committee member warned Ed Thomasson about this, he peeled back the cover on Bart's crate & said, "I don't think I need to worry about this."
    Patty Harbison

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  4. He was beautiful majestic, lovely dog that I will miss. I am sorry for the loss the breeders owner and handler are feeling.

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  5. I saw him several times and what an amazing dog he was. So very sad!

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  6. DeAnn--Prairie Breeze PekingeseFebruary 5, 2011 at 7:08 PM

    I am so sorry to hear this. I was lucky enough to see him at the Sioux Falls shows, also.
    My sympathies to the owners, handlers and anyone who loved the dog.
    I have gone thru the sadness of loosing a young special very unexpectedly and it breaks your heart as no other loss does.
    With sympathy,
    DeAnn Ulmer
    Prairie Breeze Pekes

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  7. I feel for you
    We have lost our dog in September from Bacterial encephalitis. He too was a top winning show dog.

    I guess just like me his owners would give back all the ribbons just to still have him alive.

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  8. I am so very sorry


    Honey Anne Glendinning

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  9. He was truly one of the great ones, and I feel privileged to have been able to see him on multiple occasions.
    My sympathies to Zane, Eva, Dan, Lois, Ed, Karen and Aaron.

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  10. I am so very sorry for this tremendous loss. As a quiet fan of the handsome ambassador Bartok (thanks to this very blog), I cannot begin to imagine the sadness for his breeder, owners, and handler. Sending peace and comfort to all of them...

    Katharine M.

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  11. WE HAD A 2 SEALYS IN A SHORT TIME PERIOD GET MENEGITIS, THE ONE LIVED IN FLORIDA AT WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN GAINESVILLE. THEY FIRST TREATED HIM WITH ANTIBIOTIC WITH NO SUCCESS. THEN THEY USED STEROID AND IT WORK. THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TREATMENT SAVED THE 2ND SEALY THAT LIVED IN CALIFORNIA. I AM DEVASTATED ABOUT BART'S PASSING. HE WAS AT OUR GOLDEN VALLEY SHOW WHERE HE WON THE GROUP. THE NEXT DAY HE WENT BEST AT SAN JOAQUIN. WHAT A TRAGIC LOSS. HOWARD STONE, STONEBROKE SEALYS.

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  12. A terrible loss for the sport of pure bred dogs. Such an ambassador for his breed and the sport. My sympathy to all the knew and loved this dog. God speed Bartok!!! ~Brian

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  13. A huge, huge, huge loss to the sport of dogs and the TM breed. Bartok was magnificent...it was a joy to watch him grow from a not so small puppy into a fabulous adult. My heart breaks for Ed, Karen, Aaron, Dan, Lois & Eva. There really are no words to express my sadness.

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  14. So very sorry, for all those involved with this wonderful dog. I know they are heartbroken and word can never express our thoughts and feelings. I got to see him several times and he was absolutely magnificent. I will treasure the memories I have of him, and send healing thoughts and prayers to all his "people".

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  15. Dan, Lois, Aaron, Zane any myself want to thank all of you in the dog community for your support through this hard time. Bart was a wonderful show dog but more importantly he was a great companion. I have sincerely enjoyed reading all your post's and its nice to see he touched so many other people. He certainly set the mark for his breed. I am thankful I had the chance to be apart of his life.

    Sincerely,

    Ed Thomason

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  16. I am so very sorry for your loss. I was privileged to see and touch and photograph Bart when he was in South Carolina at the Carolina 1st Center in Greenville. I was awed at the tremendous "presence" that he had. I have yet to see another that can even "remotely" approach his glorious beauty and charm.

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