THE FOUNDATION

When Sandy Blakeley decided to stop breeding Clumbers, she offered Doug a puppy bitch out of a litter co-bred with James and Susan Stockill of Kitchner, Ontario. This puppy was to become Doug’s foundation bitch, Am. Can. Ch. Tanelorn’s Bubbles and Squeak. Doug describes her with great enthusiasm. “This bitch had a uterus of gold! She produced greatness time and time again. Together Jim, Susan and I have been able to breed some extraordinary Clumbers.”

Needing a kennel name for his new venture, Doug created the name Clussexx to reflect his interest in the two breeds that were most important to him — Clumber Spaniels and Sussex Spaniels. “I had chosen my kennel name long before I ever planned my first litter. I added the extra “x” at the end for balance and because the double “x” was in my first Sussex Spaniel’s kennel name — the Lexxfield Kennel of Bobby Lewis.”

In 1994 Jeane Haverick joined Doug under the Clussexx Kennel name. Jeane had been involved with dogs since 1973, first working with a German Shorthaired Pointer in obedience. She moved from New Mexico to Illinois in 1977 and purchased her first English Springer Spaniel. “As I became more familiar with the Spaniel breeds, the Clumber caught my eye,” she explains. “However, when I talked with Clumber breeders about getting a puppy, I was told that there would be at least a two-year wait.”

By this time Doug had moved from Virginia to Indiana, where he was working in the accounts payable department at a local hospital and serving an apprenticeship with Bryan and Nancy Martin in their show kennel. Jeane remembers the day she stopped in to see her dog at her handlers’ kennel — the Martins’ — and was amazed and delighted to discover there a Clumber bitch with puppies. “Of course I had to inquire about the availability of the puppies and was told they were already sold. I learned later that this bitch was the extraordinary Bubbles and one of her puppies was Licious (who would become Ch. Clussexx Bubblelicious). As the story goes, Licious actually ended up with me. Doug was wonderful about letting me take her home to see if I really liked the breed. She never went back!”

This litter was sired by SBIS & BIS Am. Can. Ch. SmokeRise Country Gentleman (“Wilbur”), and the puppies they produced are among the top-winning Clumbers in the history of the breed. Doug explains that Wilbur was another dog (like Bubbles) “that I just fell into owning.” Wilbur, a three-time BIS and winner of the 1992 Clumber Spaniel Club of America National Specialty Show, is the son of Ch. Sandiam’s Virginia Gentleman, who was also a BIS and SBIS winner.

“Wilbur exerted a tremendous influence on the development of the Clussexx Clumbers. He’s produced nearly 30 champions so far, including top winning dogs and bitches. He is a wonderful type with a fabulous rear. He remains strong today at twelve years of age and his type has shaped the Clussexx look. His children and grandchildren are recognizable anywhere in the world with those big beautiful heads and massive bone combined with an ideal temperament. Wilbur has been used by most successful breeders today and can be found behind most of what is currently winning in the breed ring. Most important, he produces a very healthy, strong dog and, in a breed that is somewhat lacking in soundness, he is consistently producing those great rears.”

The puppies in the famous Wilbur/Bubbles litter included not only Licious, a two-time BIS winner, Best Puppy at the National in 1991 (when her father was SBIS) and National Specialty winner, making her the top-winning bitch in the history of the breed. There was also “Brady” (Ch. Clussexx Country Sunrise), BIS at the Westminister Kennel Club show at Madison Square Garden in 1996. Brady has achieved 13 all-breed Best in Show wins, making him the world’s top winning Clumber Spaniel. He is owned by Rich and Judy Zaleski in Florida and shown by Jane Alston-Myers. The other puppies in this litter, Ch. Clussexx Country Squire (“Spanky”) and Group-winning Ch. Clussexx Double Bubble, TD (“Chiclet”) make this litter one of the most important in Clumber history, according to Doug. “While Licious was the top winner, Chiclet has been a far better producer. She has produced two BIS winners. Nevertheless, Licious’ grandchildren are proving to be very successful. They already include a National Specialty winner and a BIS winner.”

In evaluating the overall success of this first generation at Clussexx, Doug believes that the most outstanding dog is Brady, simply because of all that he did for the breed in this country. He created a huge interest following his BIS win at the Garden and brought a tremendous amount of positive attention to the breed. “My phone rang for weeks with calls from people everywhere who were interested in knowing more about the breed. I have never seen such a ‘media event.’ It was such a thrill. So many wonderful people have come into this breed because of Brady.”

Yet Doug insists that the Clussexx bitches are quite as good as the boys. This is not a “bitch breed,” however, and Doug notes that the girls are often overlooked because they don’t carry the coat or the massive size of their male counterparts.

In 1994, after Licious was campaigned and had come back to Jeane to have her babies, Doug asked Jeane what her plans were for a kennel name for the Clumber pups. The two had become good friends: “I am happy to say Doug trusted me enough to ask me to join him under the Clussexx Kennel name,” Jeane explains. “Doug and I have the perfect arrangement. He loves to show the dogs but I do not. I would much rather be on the sidelines watching and making sure the dogs are ready for him to take in the ring. He is also free to go to shows every weekend, which I can’t always do with a husband and teenage daughter at home. But I spend the time taking care of the puppies.”

Both Doug and Jeane affirm that the partnership has given them a great advantage over many breeders, because their dogs can be consistently well represented at shows and yet, with two sharing the work, there is always a knowledgeable person available to manage breedings and take care of puppies as well.

Other memorable Clussexx winners include BIS Ch. Clussexx White Knuckles (“Knuckles”), BIS Ch. Avalea Bit O’Bubbley (“Ozzie”), BIS Am. Can. Ch. Tanelorn’s Foolin’ Around (“Rounder”) and SBIS Ch. Clussexx Rhinestone Sparkle (“Sparkle”).

But the Clussexx story would not be complete without Bill. BIS & SBIS Am. Can. Ch. Clussexx Billy Goat’s Gruff is the winner of seven all-breed Best in Shows and was Best of Breed at both the Westminster Kennel Club and the American Spaniel Club this year. Bill is also twice winner of the Clumber Spaniel Club of America’s National Specialty Show. And it is Bill who has also had the most success as a stud dog of any Clussexx-bred Clumber, siring 10 champions, including group winners, to date. Many of his get are still under two years old. Bill was sired by Ch. First Dawn at Tavirosh out of Ch. Clussexx Snow White (“Elle”).

“Knowing you bred all these wonderful animals and that they are working with you and showing their hearts out just sends chills up my spine. This is why I do it,” Doug confirms. “Bill, in my opinion, ties with Brady or is a close second in terms of quality. I am glad they never had to compete together. I’m not sure Jane (Alston-Myers, Brady’s handler) or I could have handled that! Bill has great qualities — a wonderful head, great bone, great lips and a good Clumber eye. He has a super body and a really nice healthy coat type. Brady is a ‘prettier’ dog with wonderful depth of body but less head than Bill. However, he has the best front I have ever seen in the breed. So really, it’s a toss up!”

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