 Stump is named Best in Show at the 2009 Westminster Dog Show. | |
| Other name(s) | Stump |
|---|---|
| Species | Canis lupus familiaris |
| Breed | Sussex Spaniel |
| Sex | Male |
| Born | December 1, 1998[1] |
| Died | September 25, 2012 (aged 13)[2][3] Houston, Texas[2][3] |
| Occupation | Show dog |
| Title | Best In Show at the Westminster Dog Show |
| Term | 2009 |
| Predecessor | Ch. K-Run's Park Me In First |
| Successor | Ch. Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot |
| Owner | Cecilia Ruggles and Beth Dowd |
| Parent(s) | Ch. Three D Genghis Khan (sire) Ch. Clussexx Sprinkled With Dew (dam) |
| Weight | 50 lb (23 kg)[1] |
| Awards | 51 "Best in Show" wins |
Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee (December 1, 1998 – September 25, 2012), better known as Stump, was a male Sussex Spaniel who won Best In Show at the 2009 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Stump was the first of his breed to win that honor and, at 10 years old, the oldest dog ever to win the prize. He also won the Sporting Group at Westminster in 2004, the first such victory for his breed, and amassed 51 Best in Show awards throughout his career. One of his owners described him as "the most famous Sussex (Spaniel) that has ever lived".[4]
Stump's breeders were Douglas Horn, Douglas Johnson, and Dee Duffy, and he was owned by Cecilia Ruggles and Beth Dowd. He was handled by Scott Sommer, who also trained 2001 Westminster Best in Show winner J.R., a Bichon Frise with whom Stump lived for most of his life. Stump became seriously ill in 2005 with a body-wide bacterial infection, infection on his heart valves, and other ailments often fatal for dogs. He was so sick that euthanasia was considered. Stump spent 19 days in hospitalization, including 12 in intensive care at Texas A&M University's Small Animal Hospital, and he ultimately survived.
It took Stump two years to fully recover from the effects of the illness, and he was retired from competition for four years with no expectation to return. In 2009, Sommer entered Stump in the 133rd Westminster Kennel Dog Show, a last-minute decision made less than a week before the show began. Little was done to prepare Stump for the show, and his owners and trainer had little expectation that he would perform well; Las Vegas odds indicated he had only a 275-to-1 chance to win. Nevertheless, he became a crowd favorite and ultimately won the top prize.
Stump retired to Sommer's home in Houston, Texas after the 2009 Westminster show. He died on September 25, 2012, at age 13, as the result of an illness. Several of Stump's descendants have competed in dog shows, including Bean, a crowd favorite who won the Sporting Group in both the 2018 and 2019 Westminster shows.
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Sandomir0208was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Kraus, Hilary (November 16, 2009). "Stump adjusts to life as celebrity dog". The Fayetteville Observer.