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Photo by David Paton
15-04-91 - 14-03-98
Owner Sylvia Evans
Pedigree
When Hazel asked me to write a piece for NIJINSKY my thoughts were, where do I
start, there are so many many memories so I thought I'd give some details on how
he came to me. MY NIJINSKY....BORN TO BE A CHAMPION!.... Sired by CH IZMAR
TRAGBAND FINNEGAN ex AMSHURA MADAM GAYE
"You could not help falling in love with Nijinsky as soon as you saw him. He was
so imposing, with a real presence about him. In looks as in performance, he was
simply outstanding"......these are the words of Lester Piggot to describe the
legendry winning race horse he rode to victory winning many classic races,
culminating in this horse taking the triple crown of the English turf in 1970 to
become a racing legend. I watched Nijinsky win the 1970 Derby on the Epsom downs
, fell in love with this equine athlete, following his racing career with an
avid interest. With my interest in both horse racing and my love of Classical
Ballet, I vowed that one day I would breed for myself an AFGHAN HOUND whom I
would name NIJINSKY!
In 1978, my foundation stud dog, AMUDARY SHURA, sired a litter to BOWENTREE
ANASTASIA, the litter were given "Russian Names" in keeping with their dam's
name and my "pick" I registered as ALEXIEVE FROM
AMSHURA, possibly still known today as my SOAMES of the many Laryngeal Paralysis
articles I have written. A few years later, SOAMES litter sister KALINKA came to
live with me ....The Seeds were being sown!....
Kalinka produced a litter by Amudarya Shafi in 1984. I should like to take this
opportunity to thank Anna Paton who not only bred my SHURA, but by bringing in
the FIRST of the El-Khyrias Scandinavian lines, enabled me to embark on the
first tentative steps toward achieving my final objective. The litter I
registered with famous race horse names hence my MADAM GAYE, pet name MARTHA,
another well known race horse of the early 80's, she had in fact been second in
the 1981 English Oakes which is the fillies equivalent of the Derby, also run on
the famous Epsom Downs, ironically just being beaten by Lester Piggot riding an
Irish filly, Blue Wind. Three weeks later Lester was to ride the Equine "Madam
Gaye" to victory in the French Oaks breaking the then course record and spoke
highly of this courageous little mare. Her canine namesake was equally
courageous, surviving canine parvo-virus in the nest, but was of a much gentler
temperament. Two attempts to get her into whelp proved unsuccessful so I decided
to try once more breeding back into the El-Khyrias lines and was most fortunate
that Anita Doe agreed to my using her then relatively unseen quarantine born
FINNEGAN who carried same Scandinavian lines as Martha.....it would seem that
FATE was definitely in the background!....BUT... the mating almost did NOT
happen!
February 1991 saw the Southern Counties under a blanket of SNOW! with extremes
of weather more akin to a Russian winter than Southern England! Digging the car
out of the snow on a cold dark Sunday morning, I phoned Anita to say we ARE
coming! It must have been one of the easiest of weekend drives up the motorway,
little traffic and a vast improvement in weather conditions north of Watford
Gap! Confirmed in whelp we waited with the usual mixture of excitement and
apprehension. The litter arrived by ceasarian section and were hand reared
because Martha became
so ill, a very worrying time but with frequent handling of the pups from an
early age, bonding perversely with Freddie, he was extremely wilful, always
doing what HE wanted to do but in the nicest possible way, life for him was just
FUN!. My eyes never left him, there seemed to be a telepathic communication
between us from the start, that feeling was never to leave me throughout his
life .....My NIJINSKY had arrived!
Research into both the DANCER, after whom the famous race HORSE had been named
showed that BOTH had been brilliant but difficult!. The legend that has come
down of NIJINSKY, the phenomenal Russian born dancer who after a brief but
brilliant career of just 10 years, only equalled some decades later by NUREYEV,
sunk into increasing bouts of mental instability. NIJINSKY, the HORSE, who had
given his connections much anxiety during his early adolescence. A friend with
connections with the training stable told me that my choice of name could either
prove VERY lucky or a complete disaster. Within the first few months I was
beginning to have my doubts!....not on his physical conformation but he
certainly proved a mental challenge. I would be lucky to get him to accept lead
training let alone into a show ring but he had a great personality, bags of
confidence, being very much his own man, he also loved people and his canine
kennel companions. He could be hyper-active in the extreme with his antics and
there were frequent battles of wills when he taxed my patience to its limit.
Videos of his early show lead training are witness to his mulish antics but if
he enjoyed doing something he would quickly accomplish it with enthusiasm and he
loved attention in ANY form and quickly learned just what pleased the onlooker.
Having had major surgery when the pups were around 6 months old any showing
activities had to take a back seat, so apart from socialising activities and
some ring training class outings, which he never took seriously, his litter
mates put him to shame!.....His first real show was the Southern Afghan Club CH
show in December, around 9 months old, Heather Crowe kindly handled him and what
a merry "dance" he led her but he seemed to enjoy every moment of the
proceedings and managed a good reserve which was something of an achievement
considering he barely kept 4 feet on the ground !...well he was after all the
DANCER!......He enjoyed the remainder of his puppy career frequently being
eclipsed by the cream sister, my ANGELINA BALLERINA, but managed to chalk up
several red cards and Best Puppy wins. His first BIG CH win came at WELKS, just 13
months of age, winning a super junior class of around 25 dogs I think. He
displayed some of the potential that was to surface over the next few
months.....His ‘dad’ won his second ticket on this day too! The show ring proved
to be his "Stage", he thrived in the limelight, not really needing me to
navigate him around the ring with his tremendous stride, frequently HIM taking
ME! I was the NOVICE, HE was the MASTER!
The rest his history! The canine NIJINSKY of whom we retained the pet name
FREDDIE, won his Junior Warrant, without really trying...it was not until the
last few weeks when we counted up just how many points he and his sister had
accumulated that we went for it!...The chasing of JW points has never been a
personal pre-occupation with any of my dogs over the years.
1993 was a very good season he continued to win well and was soon up amongst the
"Big Boy's" having won himself into limit by just 2 years, not so easy then,
there were MANY VERY good dogs on the circuit. I was careful not to push him and
selective in the shows we attended. He had to overcome prejudices from some
circles, those who preferred to pre-judge his pedigree rather than the
dog!....Imported lines, (dirty words then!!) Yes, in abundance, FOREIGN, NEVER!
just AFGHAN! He won his first CC with BOB at Darlington, from Linda Aldous....a
show that we almost did not get to, the rain had the South Park under water some
days prior to this show! .....but I distinctly remember how the sun shone that
day as Linda handed me the green edged card!
1994 was THE YEAR for NIJINSKY! He won the RCC at CRUFTS from Derek Arris. His
second CC came at Bath, again in the sunshine, from Mary Davies who had done him
so well as a wild, immature adolescent at WELKS! His CROWN" came at
Peterborough, a relatively "local" show, one of my favourites when we were
combined with the large agricultural event. Anita Doe judging, I knew that he
would be under even closer scrutiny and a critical "Eye" from both the judge and
the RINGSIDE! but I received many words of encouragement that day. I can
truthfully say that this is the first time EVER that show nerves got to ME! I
was afraid my tension would go down the lead but "FREDDIE" as ever was in total
command, ready to "Perform". He did more than enough to satisfy everyone that
day and that 3rd CC was suddenly in my hand. No words can ever describe my
feelings .After some 24 years since standing on the Epson Downs, cheering on and
falling in love with the "Magical Horse" I had made my very own "Magical
Nijinsky" a canine CHAMPION...19th July 1994.....Oh and the sun shone....AGAIN!
His CH status was later sealed with a 4th CC with BOB from Ann Allen, won
somewhat appropriately at Richmond held on the Ascot Course the scene of another
of his famous namesake's great wins at the 1970 "Royal Ascot" Meeting....this
was the "Icing" and was for dear MARTHA, who I had lost to cancer just 3 weeks
after making her son a CHAMPION. I had no desire to continue to compete on the
showing circuit, he came out occasionally and had a few more good wins from the
open classes, and he graced a few CH's Parades because he so loved to "Perform
to an audience". For me, showing him was pure self- indulgence, I was very proud
of my dog but HE knew how good he was, after all ...HE was NIJINSKY! .... I had
no ambitions to amass a collection of CCs, I was just delighted he had received
his accolades from senior specialist breed judges whom I respected.
To "Dream the Dream"...Fate....everything had come together for the "re-kindling
" of a free Spirit.... called NIJINSKY.... in a very special Afghan
Hound.....His sire, CH FINNEGAN was of FINNISH breeding, Finland was a part of
the Russian Empire at the time of the Romanov Dynasty of the Czars, pre-1917
revoluton and the world of the Kierov Ballet School in St Petersberg where the
DANCER, NIJINSKY, had trained and performed. FINNEGAN, an IRISH name! the great
HORSE had been trained in Ballydoyle, County Tipperary. The HORSE had been born
in CANADA! this is where I had my first introduction to the beauty, wilfulness
and independence of this wonderful breed whilst working in Toronto in the
mid-1960s
.
Legend has it that NIJINSKY, the dancer, on his deathbed had said that HE would
return, as a free spirit, a creature of power, beauty, and freedom........The
stallion, the legendry race horse NIJINSKY died in 1993.....FATE....had given to
me MY NIJINSKY, I thought he would remain with me for years being young when
made up at just 3 years, I just wanted to enjoy his company, at home, where it
matters! .....BUT..... the "Cruel Fates" were to step in and deal me a bitter
blow when he became ill in the summer of 1997.In spite of surgery and the
expertise in care he received once his condition was diagnosed, I knew that my
special dog was only going to remain with me for too short a life, even by
canine measures. I will not go into detail of Freddie's illness, suffice to say
that he had a rare tumour of his pancreas, known as an Insulinoma, an insulin
secreting tumour, 70o/o being cancerous which results in an over whelming
production of insulin. I cannot speak highly enough of the ANIMAL HEALTH TRUST
at NEWMARKET who cared for him throughout his remaining months and although the
long term was always guarded, I was given no false illusions, they gave back to
me, following surgery, a dog who was able to enjoy a quality life style for his
remaining 7 months of life. His end came suddenly with a rapid deterioration, I
was devastated when I knew I must let him go. I have said the inevitable
farewell to some very special friends over the years but this dog was something
very special, he was my soul mate and had my heart. At least he was not to suffer
the indignities of the ageing process, he still looked grand and had continued
with his "dancing" almost to the very end. The morning he collapsed, we had gone
for our early morning walk and met the children en-route to school, he loved the
fuss and attention that he received from his young friends, delighting in the
attention as always. I cherish for ever that final good memory which gave such
insight into his personality. He gave me 7 wonderful years of his company. He
lived in perfect harmony with all my dogs, never a cross word. I consider myself
very very fortunate to have had him and he will always remain my DREAM DOG that
became REALITY, that SPECIAL ONE. He was everything I had hoped and planned for in
my breeding programme, for ME he was PERFECTION, always a free spirit with his
great zest for life, performing to please, be it for himself or an audience. He
was such an easy, happy dog, a perfect showman, although he could have his off
days and was typically Afghan in this aspect. He gained many admirers, and I am
grateful for their support through both the good and bad times. He also had his
critics who were less than complimentary, declaring him like his sire to be
"Foreign"!! He was, like BOTH his Namesakes "Before his Time "! .....Interesting
how some who were amongst his biggest critics are now exhibiting dogs with
similar "foreign" ancestry. Anita paid him the greatest compliment, for me, when
she wrote in one of her Judging Profiles that she considered him the most like
his sire, CH FINNEGAN. He left no progeny......well WHO could step into his
shoes!.....
It is all such a long time ago now, and yet it seems like yesterday and I still
half expect to see him come dancing through the door. To see him running free
with his athletic leaps and turn of speed never failed to excite me. His face
laughs at me from the many photos and paintings that surround me has I write
this piece and my tears still flow. My dear dear "FREDDIE", a perfect companion
animal and a special FRIEND. THANKS FREDDIE for dancing into my life, it was a
pleasure and a privilege to share your company.
You Touch a Dream
You know its there
Like elusive waves of wind tossed air
Your mind is clear, your heart is light
A moments bliss before its flight
The years pass by but the DREAM will stay
As Swallows nest then fly away
Sylvia Evans 
Updated 09-03-06
© Sylvia Evans-2005-2006 all rights reserved
