Long, Low and Liver Takes The Day!

Photo by Lisa Croft-Elliott

By Amy Fernandez

Westminster fans love their Sporting Group. Year after year, (regardless of who actually wins Labs or Goldens) they are roaring the moment that dog hits the green carpet. Upstaging that kind of spectator enthusiasm is no easy feat, never mind doing it with a breed that rarely gets a second look on this stage. But when that cute little brown Spaniel sat up and waved his paws at the crowd Tuesday night, it was a slam-dunk. He stole the show.  For many dog lovers in that audience, that moment will forever define Westminster 2018.

Of course, for Bean it was just Sussex business as usual. Per Rismyhr should know. He was the guy at the other end of that lead who has been handling GCh. Kamand’s Full Of Beans @Erinhill for the last couple years. He says, “When he sat up at the Garden I guess that made him famous. The crowd really responded to it, but that’s how Sussex really are. They’re clowns, fun and full of life.”

Emphasizing his point he explains, “The Sussex standard is five L s: Lively, Long, Low, Level, and Liver. And it’s true. Bean is everything the standard calls for.”

Even for a diehard Spaniel lover, (Per started at age 12) this breed is radical stuff. It consistently ranks among the rarest breeds after sinking into obscurity as soon as it gained breed recognition from the American Kennel Club. The subsequent popularity of Springers and Cockers sealed its fate.

“I am always fascinated by breeds that remain unchanged and undiscovered,” Rismyhr says while describing the Sussex as both a challenge and an unknown treasure. “People don’t really know what a cool breed the Sussex is. For instance, Bean will jump in bed with me and cuddle for a few minutes and that’s enough, he’s good. Sussex don’t crave constant attention.  They want to be petted, but they are more independent and not as needy as Cockers and English Cockers. They are also a lot easier to maintain.”

Easy keepers and fun to live with is not exactly a headline showstopper in a group that’s traditionally dominated by glamour breeds. Per says, “I’ve shown many top winning Cockers over the years, but I firmly believe that truly knowledgeable dog people recognize quality in any breed.” Tuesday night’s Sporting Group certainly illustrated that point.  Aside from the top ranked ASCOB Cocker, GCHP. Silverhall Strike Force, that placed second, the lineup was about low-entry breeds. The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, GCHS. Whiskeytown Genesee On Tap, placed fourth and the Clumber Spaniel, GCHG. Clussexx Man Of Steel, took third. Group judge Beth Sweigert is best known for her background in Toys and Terriers, but also showed some big winning Irish Water Spaniels and Labrador Retrievers.  Per says, “Later that night the judge told me that Bean is best Sussex she has ever seen. True dog people will reward a good dog, as they did with his grandfather Stump.”  (Apparently spiffy names also run in the family.)

Bean’s grandsire made history back in 2009 as the only Sussex and the oldest dog to win Best in Show at Westminster. Then 11 years old, he came out of retirement for that occasion but, as Per points out, Stump had racked up a career total of 50 BIS. And he’s not Bean’s only illustrious ancestor.  “His grandsire on his sire’s side has 17 BIS. A few Sussex have picked up a Best In Show or two but he was the first one that really broke into group level winning. And his litter sister has a BIS, which is the current record for bitches, and three national specialty winners came out of that litter.”

Those dazzling stats don’t happen by accident.  “You have to do your homework to create something like that.” Per has worked with Bean’s breeder/owners Karen and Amanda Toner for 15 years. He says, “They are such amazing, dedicated people. I am so lucky to work with them. When they decide to do something, they to do it the right way. We didn’t just run out and buy one. We spent a couple years on research.”

And he’s no stranger to Spaniel research. It pretty much defined his childhood starting at age nine. Forget about sports cars and rock stars. He recalls, “As a teenager I had pictures of dogs taped all over the walls in my room. I would photocopy extended pedigrees, highlight the champions, make notes all over them, and write to breeders all over the world for more information about out what was behind different dogs.”

This makes perfect sense to us, but maybe not the rest of the world. He says, “I grew up in Norway and showing dogs was really expensive. My parents thought I was crazy for sure. But they are pretty proud of me now.”

Looks like they’re gonna have plenty more to be proud of, too. At age six, Bean is just coming into his Sussex prime. A few days after winning his Westminster Group, he picked up his 23rd BIS. “When you have a passion for something and you can actually work with that, my god are we lucky!”

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Posted by chesliepickett on Feb 23 2018. Filed under Current Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.