***You Could Win Augustus At The Evergreen Afghan Hound Club Raffle!***
Raffle Will Take Place Following Breed Judging At
The EAHC'S 43rd Annual Specialty Show, Friday, August 2, 2014.
My name is AUGUSTUS and I am a Clown.
A very special clown. I am a clown imagined by my creator to represent an incredible breed of dogs. The King Of Dogs. The Afghan Hound. The King of Clowns.
My breed has been a burning passion in the heart and head of my creator since 1947 when first she laid eyes on several of us running wild on the Afghan-Pakistani border. She tried to catch one of us but we were so fleet of foot that no five year old, or even a five and twenty year old for that matter, could catch us! You know what I mean!
We hid behind rocks and dried out bushes the same colour as our smooth coats. We would peek out and shake our sparse topknots to make her think she could catch us. What clowns we were! We ran free and back to our tribe where we had such an important role as hunters, guardians, and yes Jester to the chief of the tribe. Oh yes, we were all Clowns and Princes and Kings. Some of us were Super Clowns. So, it is the spirit of one of these Super Clowns born in France many, many years later who would finally become my creator's first tame king of dogs. Did I say tame? Ha! Ha!
My breed has been a burning passion in the heart and head of my creator since 1947 when first she laid eyes on several of us running wild on the Afghan-Pakistani border. She tried to catch one of us but we were so fleet of foot that no five year old, or even a five and twenty year old for that matter, could catch us! You know what I mean!
We hid behind rocks and dried out bushes the same colour as our smooth coats. We would peek out and shake our sparse topknots to make her think she could catch us. What clowns we were! We ran free and back to our tribe where we had such an important role as hunters, guardians, and yes Jester to the chief of the tribe. Oh yes, we were all Clowns and Princes and Kings. Some of us were Super Clowns. So, it is the spirit of one of these Super Clowns born in France many, many years later who would finally become my creator's first tame king of dogs. Did I say tame? Ha! Ha!
This 'tame' king of dogs made her run too.
All over the city, up and down mountain paths. He splashed in puddles, jumped in fountains, destroyed carpets, furniture. He devoured bags of kibble but not the kibble. He would only eat choice stolen meat from his silver platter. And he laughed, and he laughed and said 'What a clown I am! This is what you wanted. Here I am!' And she laughed, and she laughed. And she had many, many more.
They were all clowns and wore beautiful shiny suits. They would become Champions. They would breed Champions. And she would be very, very proud.
But prouder still when they would make friends laugh - especially those who would never have the fortune to live alongside one of us. Yes, clowns we are and clowns we shall always be.
Enough of the past. More important is how I, AUGUSTUS, came to be.
I have a very big blue nose.
My clown make-up is not just a paint job! Oh no, it is the most painful form of tattooing. Chain (aieeee!) stitched! Blue, red, silver (real silver) and black. I wanted a sort of Klee effect. Hmmmm! Then, while she was at it, I requested a few stars. You can never over-do a clown's make-up in my opinion.
I was still not ready to let her off the hook. I wanted a hat. A hat covered in sequins and adorned with those vintage hand-dyed African beads that she was keeping for that special something she is always talking about. A new project? No, not while I was having all this positive influence on 'her' creative juices.
I ordered some more vintage African beads for my costume, and some pearls and more sequins and seed beads. Some ribbons too.
'Enough' she said. ' You have to leave or you will never arrive in time!'
I was still not ready to let her off the hook. I wanted a hat. A hat covered in sequins and adorned with those vintage hand-dyed African beads that she was keeping for that special something she is always talking about. A new project? No, not while I was having all this positive influence on 'her' creative juices.
I ordered some more vintage African beads for my costume, and some pearls and more sequins and seed beads. Some ribbons too.
'Enough' she said. ' You have to leave or you will never arrive in time!'
My Creator no longer travels to these Champion Making Events ...
But in a way she still wanted to be a part of one just once, or maybe twice, more. She (and I of course) decided to create ME. AUGUSTUS. Augustus the Clown. My spirit, of course, was already there. But how to portray me? I was to go to America to the biggest event of the year. My spirit gave her the idea. I kept sending her to the trunk where a vintage sequined jacket was being preserved for such an occasion. The stars and the stripes were there. Teasing! So easy! Just cut the jacket up! Ha! Ha!
The sequins just fell apart - all over the place. In my friend Hugo's long creamy coat, in my enemies the cats' coats.
ALL OVER THE PLACE I tell you. I would not let her give up!
I made her recreate the stars and stripes from the vintage sequins that she had to pick up from the floor, the rugs. Days and days of sewing and threading tiny needles for the hundreds and hundreds of seed beads. Ha! Ha! What a wicked clown I am!
Together we chose my beautiful white hair. The finest, silkiest mohair that money can buy. I shall not bore you with my pattern - it is a secret anyway - but I have been cut, sewn, jointed and stuffed in such a way that I can stack on my own - when I wish of course! Ha! Ha! I can roll on my tummy and stick out my big feet and show you my star and stripes embroidered with the afghan chain stitch. I even have a star and stripes hidden under my beautiful long ears. Take a look if you don't believe me. See?!
The sequins just fell apart - all over the place. In my friend Hugo's long creamy coat, in my enemies the cats' coats.
ALL OVER THE PLACE I tell you. I would not let her give up!
I made her recreate the stars and stripes from the vintage sequins that she had to pick up from the floor, the rugs. Days and days of sewing and threading tiny needles for the hundreds and hundreds of seed beads. Ha! Ha! What a wicked clown I am!
Together we chose my beautiful white hair. The finest, silkiest mohair that money can buy. I shall not bore you with my pattern - it is a secret anyway - but I have been cut, sewn, jointed and stuffed in such a way that I can stack on my own - when I wish of course! Ha! Ha! I can roll on my tummy and stick out my big feet and show you my star and stripes embroidered with the afghan chain stitch. I even have a star and stripes hidden under my beautiful long ears. Take a look if you don't believe me. See?!
So, here I come Evergreen Afghan Hound Club!
I am coming to make you all laugh, and laugh, and laugh some more during your Specialty Show at that big Champion making event. Now you know why I am dressed in Stars and Stripes. I'll make you laugh, and laugh.
I am AUGUSTUS the Clown and I am proud to have inspired my creator.
I forgot to introduce her. She is Jackie Waigel. She has lived all over the world with many, a few, and then just one clown now in Mexico! Ha! Ha!
I am AUGUSTUS the Clown and I am proud to have inspired my creator.
I forgot to introduce her. She is Jackie Waigel. She has lived all over the world with many, a few, and then just one clown now in Mexico! Ha! Ha!
