Hello! I'm Ruth Kalenian, the
Webmaster for Naborr.com. I thought you might like to know a
little about my involvement with *Naborr and *Naborr
heritage horses and why I took on this project.
It is my deep regret that I
never saw *Naborr himself. He passed away in November of
1977, only a few months before I bought my first Arabian
horse in February of 1978.
But more than any other
horse, *Naborr has been my driving force over these many
years. Every time I see a photograph of him or read
something about him, it brings tears to my eyes and causes
an emotion to stir deep within my soul that is hard to
explain. It is a passion that I have felt for few other
things in my entire lifetime. Believe me when I tell you
that I cry real tears frequently in the process of building
this website.
Fads and fancies come and go
in the Arabian horse industry. Many horses have created a
big splash for a time, but a few years later are barely
remembered because other horses have taken their place in
the limelight.
Over enduring Arabian horse
history--the history which lasts for hundreds of years--very
few horses make the grade. The world will always remember
the truly great ones such as *Bask, *Naborr, *Serafix, and
Khemosabi. What is important is not just a great horse, but
one that breeds on true to the characteristics which made
him or her famous.
Here is my opinion:
Skowronek was the most important Arabian ever, and his line
has been carried forward by a number of great Arabians. But
his best son was Naseem, who sired important progeny in both
England and Russia. Of the Russian/Polish descendants of
Naseem, his son Negatiw was the most important, as he sired
many great stallions, including *Naborr, *Salon, *Bandos,
*Etiw, and others, as well as some of the world's finest
broodmares.
I'll stick my neck out
here: As the years pass, the Negatiw line will be
carried into the future primarily via the descendants of
Negatiw's son *Naborr more than any other son or
daughter.
TC Lorelei (*Naborr x Lorett
by Natez). This is how she looked as a yearling in 1979 when
I bought her at the *Naborr Generation Sale II at Tom
Chauncey Arabians in Scottsdale.
My passion for *Naborr began
in 1979, when I attended the *Naborr Generation Sale II at
Tom Chauncey Arabians in Scottsdale, never dreaming that I
would buy a horse! I was overwhelmed by the stunning
elegance of these horses, and seeing so many *Naborr sons
and daughters in one place at one time is a memory I will
never forget.
I bought my first *Naborr daughter, TC Lorelei, at that
auction, and 22 years later I can honestly say that she was
my all-time favorite horse. Tragically, she died following
colic surgery at the tender age of five in 1983, just ten
weeks after giving birth to her only foal, a daughter by
*Muslin whom I named Lora's Lyric and still own.
I was devastated, shattered beyond belief, not even sure I
wanted to continue with Arabian horses.
TC Sunsprite (*Naborr x
Lorett by Natez) is the only full sister to TC Lorelei.
Sunny is now 24 years old and has had twelve foals, seven of
which are sired by Madryborr.
I had kept in touch with
Marcia Winans of California, who had purchased Lora's only
full sister, TC Sunsprite (one year older), at the same
auction. I called her, broken down in tears, to tell her
what had happened and asked if she would consider selling me
Sunsprite. Since she had a professional career and not
really enough time for her horses, she agreed, and I flew to
California to see Sunny.
I stood there, speechless, with tears streaming down my
face, as I looked at the mare who could never replace
Lorelei, but could help to fill a huge void. I would have
bought her if she had had two heads!
1983 was my year of
disasters. The morning after I arrived in California to see
Sunsprite, my other *Naborr daughter, Sa Belle, whom I had
bought at the Tom Chauncey Sale III in 1982, was found dead
in her stall at the farm where she was being boarded. She
had just returned from South Carolina, where she had been
bred to *Muslin, and I was planning to bring her home as
soon as I returned from the trip. She died just six weeks
after Lorelei, apparently from a ruptured artery, and she
was also five years old. I was in a state of
disbelief--shock. How could I possibly have lost both
mares?
Eventually I wrote to Deedie Wrigley, then married to Tom
Chauncey, to tell her my woeful tale. I still have the note
of sympathy she wrote back. We became friends, and one day
she called and told me about a very special *Naborr son that
she had never wanted to sell, but that Tom had decided to
put in an upcoming auction. She said she really wanted me to
have him, so she pulled him out of the auction and sold me
Madryborr over the phone! I have never regretted that
decision.
Madryborr (*Naborr x Azlaf
Pamalou by *Madrygal [by *Naborr]) is 62.5% *Naborr
blood. Foaled in 1978, he is from *Naborr's last foal crop
and is now 23.
TC Sunsprite at age 23 with
her 12th foal, a colt by Madryborr born August 26, 2000,
pictured here at 3 days old.
I didn't even see my
"mail-order" stallion until February of 1984, when I went to
Scottsdale for the show and sales. I found Deedie after an
auction preview at Tom Chauncey Arabians, and she sent me to
the stallion barn with an employee who took Madryborr out of
his stall. I still remember how I gasped with delight and
said, in awe, "He's mine???"
Kaborr was a few stalls away in the same barn, and I looked
carefully at both stallions and just beamed. I liked mine
better!
Madryborr came home to New England and was shown in halter a
couple of seasons by David Mikosz at some prestigious
All-Arabian Shows. He is a Champion and Most Classic
Stallion and a Region 16 Top Five Stallion. But more than
that, he is kind, gentle, majestic, an outstanding sire, and
my true friend.
Madryborr is now 23, Sunny is
24, and they have had seven foals together, four fillies and
three colts, five of which I still own. Carrying more
*Naborr blood (56.25 percent) than direct sons and
daughters, they are my concentrated *Naborr legacy for the
future.
Looking back, Madryborr and Sunsprite have brought me so
much joy. My only regret is that Lorelei had to be the
sacrifice to make the rest of the story happen. She was my
lifetime horse and the best friend I have ever
known.
