For our rapidly disappearing breed, the Timberland show cluster in Chehalis, WA is the largest gathering of Sussex Spaniels west of the Mississippi. The only thing harder than finishing this breed to champion, let alone Grand Champion, is breeding them. This year we had 10-13 entered, with 4 point majors made in girls. Not too bad.

Team Hellfire won Best of Breed for 3 of the 6 shows and came home from the Pacific NW Sussex Specialties with a new Best in Show/Silver Grand Champion, new Grand Champion and a new Champion. Even Smoosh came out to play in a couple events, and in addition to adding another BOSS to her collection, she also went Best of Breed for the third Timberland show. I’d call that a pretty successful weekend!

Knox had to sit out the first two PNWSSC shows while I showed Aksel, but he turned it on when it counted. Introducing BISS GCHS Hellfires Cusp of Aries “Knox” Thank you Judge Sylvie McGee for a very special win.

Knox has been painfully slow to mature and until this year when I decided to make a run for the Grand Champion SILVER level, he has been shown on an extremely limited basis. He was always quietly sitting on the side while Bruce was out with his handler, and when I was showing the girls or other dogs. He is from my first litter to produce two Specialty winners, MBISS MRBIS GCH Dancing in the Dark “Bruce” being the other one.

Knox is an extremely calm and sweet boy, ALWAYS moving at a correct pace on a loose lead. ALWAYS. He has been 100% breeder/owner handled to every single point. The only other Silver GCH in the west was Pro handled and heavily campaigned. Of all the outstanding Sussex I have been fortunate to own or have bred, and the list is long, Knox will always be my favorite one. He’s perfect (to me).