Remembering Stump

By Amy Fernandez

Since its heyday in the 1840s, the honest, faithful Sussex trudged along without fanfare. That changed abruptly on February 10, 2009 when Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee, aka Stump, became the most unexpected winner in Westminster history.

Stump didn’t lack street cred. Born Dec. 1, 1998, he was bred by Douglas Horn, Dee Duffy, and Doug Johnson whose Clussexx prefix needed no intro before it was attached to the 1996 Westminster winning Clumber, Ch. Clussexx Country Sunrise. During his show career, Stump picked up 50 BIS and a Westminster group win in 2004. However, by dog show standards that qualified as ancient history by 2009.

In January 2006, Stump contracted a potentially lethal bacterial infection and subsequently spent two weeks in the IC unit at Texas A&M. Critics predicted the demise of the Sussex for 150 years, and Stump simply upheld the family tradition, defying the odds and trudging along. After this scare, his owners, Scott Sommer, Cecilia Ruggles, and Beth Dowd were grateful he was alive. He spent the next five years on vacation with his handler, Scott Sommer, in Houston.

His 2009 Westminster entry was impulsive, motivated primarily by Stump. Like most veterans, he missed his glory days. But a ten year-old dog that has been out of the ring for five years doesn’t qualify as a Westminster contender by any definition.

Sommer was no stranger to that territory. He handled the famed Bichon, JR, to the top spot in 2001. His dogs typically receive intense preparation for this game changing weekend. Stump’s pre-show routine consisted of daily strolls around the driveway one week before he touched down in New York to rewrite dog show history. Westminster BIS judge Sari Brewster-Tietjen later explained her astonishing choice saying, “He showed his heart out… I just couldn’t say ‘no’ to him,” but called it insane to bring a dog to the Garden that wasn’t currently being shown.

Well… anyone who has walked into the ring with a veteran realizes these old pros relish the spotlight and they know their game. Stump waltzed through the breed. It was a shocker when he defeated top Sporting contenders in group. Stump was considered close to the ideal Sussex but AKC ranked the breed 145th out of 156 that year. It wasn’t a headliner.

Spaniel experts admired Stump’s ideal shuffling gait. His correct but unassuming brown coat and short Sussex legs were the source of his rather unflattering nickname. None of this added up to a serious threat to glamorous contenders in the Westminster BIS ring. And absolutely no insider anticipated that he would be the last dog standing in a showdown with formidable competitors like the Giant Schnauzer, Ch. Galilee’s Pure Of Spirit, the Scottish Terrier, Ch. Roundtown Mercedes Of Maryscot, the Standard Poodle, Ch. Randenn Tristar Affirmation, the Brussels Griffon, Ch. Cilleine Masquerade, and the Puli, Ch. Cordmaker Field Of Dreams.

Like most pros, Sommer brought his current showstring to the Garden and watched them reinforce Westminster’s reputation as the most unpredictable show. By then, like the rest of the dog show world, he was simply along for the ride and Stump was driving. He scuttled every expert prediction, made history as the first Sussex and oldest Westminster winner, and became an instant role model.

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