I was alerted to this post, so I guess it's time to just get the story out there and have it be done.
In 2009, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and I was in the middle of a career change. The market had turned, and I just felt that my finances and time wouldn't allow me to keep moving towards the breeding goals I had been working toward.
I floated a few quiet communications, and found a buyer who I thought would be the perfect way for Andy to achieve what I had hoped for. I received a reasonable downpayment on the sale, and started working toward his export per the buyer's request. A month or so into this, I got a bizarre email saying that the buyer had just talked to a friend and was now convinced that her target market would not breed to a palomino with spots. She simply backed out of the contract, leaving me in a really bad situation as I already terminated a partnership I'd had for a couple years on his board/breeding.
Shortly thereafter, I was contacted by a woman who seemed wonderful. She had been actively breeding for many years, and seemed to have the experience and enthusiasm needed. What she was lacking in was money. We ended up cutting a payment-plan deal that I thought would work out. My main motivation in the agreement was that she seemed very much to want me to stay involved in Andy's future.
Arrangements were made, and Andy shipped to her location. I spoke to her a few times in the next week.... and then she dropped off the face of the earth. Payments were made for a few months, but she completely stopped responding to emails and phone calls. Eventually the payments stopped.
I went through hell over all of this -- especially the "not knowing" I was recently contacted by the buyer's husband, saying they are divorcing and he was trying to make sense of the finances of the last couple years. He was really not able to provide much information, but did tell me that Andy died "sometime" after he arrived at their ranch. He didn't know of what.
So I updated the Pedigree Query site so people who cared enough to look him up would know as much as I do.
I loved being in the business, and I am so very proud of the legacy of our foals (like Electrum, who is doing everything I could ever hope!!). The string of crazy people, and gut wrenching disappointments, was just too much. I've sold off all my "business horses" and most are now in wonderful homes.
I read this board often, keep in touch with many of my "grandkids" owners... but only time will tell whether I have the heart to get back into it.
So that's the story, and you now know all that I do.
RIP Andy.
(Madelyn -- mom's cancer treatment was successful and she's doing well. She was talking about you just a few weeks ago when she and I went to Fasig Tipton)
...I'm so sorry to hear this 