LES MONTAGNES SERBES

OD SRPSKIH PLANINA

The 12th reunion of the “Montagnes Serbes”

The 12th reunion of the “Montagnes Serbes” took place in June. Each time when I am busy with organising this event I am asking myself whether it will be the last one. When this day comes and when I see some people very faithful to this tradition, some new dog owners who are happy to show their new young friend and exchanging their experiences with the others or seizing the opportunity to ask some advice, or some very brave person coming from far, I encourage myself to continue the way I always did. Nevertheless, it would be much easier to do as the other breeders!
I am sure that nobody among the present people and even less among the absent ones can imagine what a job it represents to organise a meeting with meal for about 30-40 persons and also a lot of responsibility. The owner of the Café has to know exactly how many people registered to set the tables and to order the exact number of meals from the catering service, and if there are unforeseen absents it’s my wallet that suffers. I do not know whether the people who caused this situation for this meeting will read those few lines but after so many years I just have to say it.
On top of all this, Stan and I were alone to carry and to load about twenty cages, for the number of registered dogs, with a need for a cage. Stan was furious at me when seeing about ten empty cages! There were 6 registered dogs missing. Fortunately it went much better when going home as we hade several men who helped us.
First of all, if I do all this work to send the invitations and to organise all this, I think that all invited people should at least answer. I prefer by far to receive a negative answer, even without justification, then false excuses or even to have no answer. And then to phone just prior the meeting, to receive positive answer but then during the reunion to find out that that person is not present. There is no harm to tell me: “Macha, I prefer to go to the seaside”. OK, I am not offended. Pretending two years in a row that their child has to participate at a performance in school, once beginning of May and the year after on the 12th June, no I am not that naïve and I prefer more that they tell me that they are not interested in the party or that they did not educate the dog, that they have difficulties when leaving with it, because it can not walk on the leash, neither travelling by car, neither behaving normally in presence of other people and dogs.
That’s it; I emptied a bit my bitterness.
Apart from that the reunion was a great success.
All the dogs were very excited when seeing us, some of them in a very extravert way like Cica Vesna, Cakana, Yskra or Slavik, others in a more reserved way, such as Boratz, Ben and Blachko. Only Brehat, who left us when she was only 6 weeks old and which did not have enough time to get used to us.
There was a rain but we had the opportunity to make a beautiful walk without getting too wet. I have the impression that certain persons were surprised when seeing that this group of Sarplaninac walked in harmony, without any disagreement. Not only hasn’t there been any growling between them but they passed quietly next to other dogs, which were also walking, cyclists and horse riders. It were really dogs which could serve as an example! We laughed when seeing owners of small bichons and other dogs, taking them in the arms and carrying them with a fear, when arriving near our group of so impressive dogs.
I think that this year’s cold buffet was one of the better ones we had until now, for the same money as last year. Everything was very fresh, appetizing, in the right quantity and beautifully served.
My nostalgia of last year was very grounded: 5 “Qaras” were reunited last year. Since then one of them has left us and the others have difficulties to move because of the advanced age and arthritis. Only Leslie had the courage to bring along the super veteran, the magnificent Qaradag who still lifts his leg to pee.
Thanks to all the participating friends, thanks to our faithful photographer Huguette and Mr Gehlhaar who also made very nice pictures which are for us marvellous memories.