Donner's Pedigree

Breeder: Francie Stull and Jackie Nelson

July 8, 1986 - April 1, 1997

Donner was my first champion. He was also a great companion. He was quiet and unassuming, but he was intelligent. While staying with a friend, Donner learned how to open all the doors and was able to go anywhere in the house he wanted. He loved to hunt for mice. We would go out in a field and he spent most of his time bounding straight legged into clumbs of grass frequently with success.

When I started to lure course Donner, ASFA did not have the pre-certification requirement they do now. Donner was interested in running, however, the first three times I took him out to a lure course three different dogs jumped him aggressively at the start. After the third time, Donner decided that whatever this game was, he did not like it. He never ran again. It is so important to pull your dog when they interfere on the coursing field as that behavior can ruin another dog's career.

Donner did quite well in the ring. He finished with a five point major from the classes at the Astro Hall show in Houston over a top ranked special. That was the most exciting showing experience I have ever had. Donner was sound, and had a nice balanced trot.

Donner dropped dead as I was packing to go to the 1997 Atlanta Specialty. The necropsy was unrevealing. His death was a terrible shock as he was in such good condition: still active and vital. I had planned to show him at the specialty. He left a huge hole in my heart.

The stacked photo was taken when Vicky Horton of Tobiah Borzoi borrowed him for a litter. The bottom photo was taken at a local park.

A Note About The Kristull Naming Strategy

Francie Stull alphabetized most of the litters she bred. These alphabetized litters always carried the double letter beginning to their name as does Donner (Kristull Ccelestial Storm). This is not a typo. He comes from the second Kristull Cc litter. In fact, you can see a dog from the first Kristull Cc litter in Donner's pedigree, Kristull Ccenturian. However, there were litters or individual dogs Francie did not give the double letter designation to. Dogs she got from other people or litters she did not actually whelp but got puppies from tended to have single letter names. Also, litters that did not follow her alphabet convention did not carry the double letter naming system. Some early litters, a few theme litters, and some late litters that played on another dog's name were not alphabetized. Thus neither Kristull Evening Star nor Kristull Vozha Zylat carry the double letter designation.