For 100 years, the American Spaniel Club has hosted the oldest and most prestigious limited breed event in the country – the annual Flushing Spaniel Show.

Best in Show – GCHS CH Kamand’s
Full Of Beans @ Erinhill
Owners: Karen Toner & Amanda Toner
Handled by: Per Ingar Rismyhr

This year in Knoxville, dogs, exhibitors, and spectators from around the world came together once again to celebrate the best spaniels in the world.  At a time in which it is rare to see more than a handful of some flushing spaniels together at any time, the 2019 Flushing Spaniel Show brought out hundreds of our merry companions to compete not only in the Flushing Spaniel Show’s breed competition, but also in sweepstakes, obedience, rally and four parent club sanctioned independent specialties.

The judging panel for the Flushing Spaniel Show included spaniel specialists Ms. Patricia Darke, Mr. Robert Ennis, Mr. Jason Lynne, and Mr. Doug MacFarlane, with Best in Show being awarded by all-rounder Mr. Dana Cline of South Carolina.

The Knoxville weekend began with the judging of Cocker Spaniel Futurity, judged by Mrs. Ellen Roberts, an ASC Life Member and former Cocker Spaniel handler.  She selected for Black Best of Variety Sunshine’s Some Like It Hot, bred and owned by Diane Nelson and co-owned by Junior Handler Hannah Huber.  Best of Opposite in the Black variety was Pinecliff’s Parti Crasher at Kingstan, bred and owned by Lisa Gaertner and co-owned by Stanley Uroda.  In the Parti Variety, Mrs. Roberts selected GCH. Riverwood Jack Daniels for Best of Variety, bred and owned by Dawn Close and Johnny Downing.  Her choice for Best of Opposite in the Parti variety was Lakota Chrisan Galway Girl, bred by Stacey Rossi and co-owned by Christina Singh, Zoya Singh and Annet Harri.  Finally, in the ASCOB variety, Best in Variety was awarded to Bleumoon’s Raspberry Beret, bred and owned by Michelle Mitchell, and co-owned by Bart Hetrick and Esther Kostelnik.  The Best of Opposite to Variety was awarded to CH. Laurent’s Turn Back Time.  He is bred and owned by Laura Heidrich.

Mrs. Roberts’ daunting task was to select Best in Futurity from these excellent breed specimens. In the end, her choice was the lovely ASCOB bitch, Bleumoon’s Raspberry Beret, shown by her co-owner, Esther Kostelnik.  Her sire is GCH Loch Lomond N Kaplar’s D’Artagnan, and her dam is CH Bleumoon’s Penny For Your Thoughts. The win was already a special one, but was made more so by the presence of long-time ASCOB breeder Laura Henson, who’s legendary breeding program (Kaplar) was the foundation for this lovely bitch.

Best of Opposite to Best in Futurity was awarded to the Parti-color dog GCH Riverwood Jack Daniels, shown by Mr. Michael Pitts.  His sire is CH PBJ’s Parti In the Fast Lane, and his dam is GCHB Riverwoods Big Sky Montana.

While the Cocker Spaniel Futurity judging was underway, there was the judging of very well attended independent specialties hosted by the Clumber Spaniel Club of America, the English Cocker Spaniel Club of America, the Irish Water Spaniel Club of America, and the Welsh Springer Spaniel Club of America, as well as ASC hosted sweepstakes in all of the Flushing Spaniel breeds, except Cocker Spaniels.

Potential judges also attended well-presented workshops in Cocker Spaniels, Irish Water Spaniels and Field Spaniels, and throughout the weekend they were mentored at ringside by breed specialists.

Saturday breed judging as well as obedience and rally competition got underway with all class judging being completed by late afternoon. 

In the evening, the ASC welcomed members and potential new members to the club’s annual meeting.  It was at that meeting that Annalisa Arnett and Judi Kline were celebrated as new Life Members and Ruth Tabaka was inducted into the ASC Hall of Fame for her lifetime of commitment to Cocker Spaniels and their training. There were also a few elbows bent as the club celebrated with the folks involved with the Best in Futurity winner at the annual reception.

Sunday was all about the specials. Many of the top spaniels in the country competed for Best of Breed and Variety throughout the day. 

The club also honored our Junior Showmanship competitors. Mr. Robert Ennis carefully considered all of the competitors and selected Imre Mancini with her English Springer Spaniel as the Best Junior in Show. Rachel DeSanto, showing her Black Cocker Spaniel, was awarded Reserve Best Junior in Show. All of the Junior Showmanship exhibitors are to be applauded for the bond they have formed with their dogs and their dedication to learning the sport of purebred dogs!

By late afternoon Best in Show Judge Mr. Dana Cline was introduced to the breed winners as he went about the difficult but enjoyable task of selecting the best of the best.

His final lineup:

Boykin Spaniel: GCH Larley’s Finding Neverland (#1 Boykin 2018 – CC all-breed)

Clumber Spaniel: GCHG Clussexx Man of Steel (#7 Clumber 2018 – CC all-breed; 2016 ASC BIS)

Cocker Spaniel (ASCOB): GCH Foley’s Frat Party (#3 ASCOB 2018 – CC all-breed)

Cocker Spaniel (Black): GCHP Clerwood Silhouette Speed of Light (#2 All-Breed, #1 Sporting dog 2018 – CC all-breed)

Cocker Spaniel (Parti-Color): Bow-K’s Be Careful (BV/BW/WB from the Bred-By-Exhibitor class)

English Cocker Spaniels: GCH Foxwoods Ivywood Fusion (#1 ECS 2018, #5 Sporting dog 2018 –CC all-breed)

English Springer Spaniel: GCHP Foxboro Christolino (#17 all-breed, #4 Sporting dog, #1 ESS 2018 – CC all-breed)

Field Spaniel: GCHG Sandscape Pardon Me Boys (BoB from the Veterans Class) (Breed winner ASC 2014)

Irish Water Spaniel: GCHB Flintcrest Full Monty (#5 IWS 2018 – CC all-breed)

Sussex Spaniel: GCHS Kamand’s Full of Beans @ Erinhill (#12 all-breed, #3 Sporting dog, #1 Sussex 2018 – CC all-breed)

Welsh Springer Spaniel: CH Clussexx Got the Go Ahead From Stonecroft (#18 WSS 2018 – CC Breed standings)

After carefully considering each breed/variety winner, Mr. Cline thrilled spectators (and the dog’s handler!) by selecting the Sussex Spaniel, GCHS Kamand’s Full of Beans @ Erinhill, as his Best in Show winner.  The past year was awesome for this exceptional Sussex.

After winning the breed at the 2018 ASC Flushing Spaniel Show, “Bean” was awarded 15 All-Breed Bests in Show and 74 Group 1’s, including Sporting Group 1 at the 2018 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.  Congratulations to everyone involved with this special dog.

Mr. Cline then selecting the Best Cocker Spaniel in Show – Black Cocker Spaniel, GCHP Clerwood Silhouette Speed of Light.  “Grant” showed beautifully for breeder/owner Linda Pitts, showing why he was ranked as one of the top show dogs in the country in 2018.

Best Cocker Spaniel in Show – GCHP Clerwood Silhouette Speed of Light
Owners: Ellen Charles, Regina Beinhauer, Stephanie Kaul, Linda Pitts, & Motoei Furukawa
Handled by Linda Pitts

Mr. Cline’s other awards:

Best Owner Handled in Show: GCHG Sandscape Pardon Me Boys (Field Spaniel)

Reserve Best Owner Handled in Show: CH Golden Gait’s Tiny Dancer (English Cocker Spaniel)

Best Bred-By-Exhibitor and Best Bred By Cocker Spaniel: Bow-K’s Be Careful (Parti-Color CS)

Best Puppy in Show: Inquest Leo Messi (ASCOB CS)

Best Veteran in Show: GCHS Clussexx Howdy Doody Time (Sussex Spaniel)

Best in Field Trial Class: CH Skiboo’s Shining Censation JH CGC (ASCOB CS)

Best Brace in Show: Bellamare’s River of Dreams/GCH Amawalk’s Goin’ On A Hayride (ECS)

The club also recognized a tiny, but mighty, Cocker Spaniel in the Parade of Veteran Titleholders – CH MACH3 Skiboo’s One Night Censation CDX BN RN MHA MXC MJC MXP MJP CGC TKA WDX. Better known as “Squirt”, this 12-year-old girl also was presented the Ruby Award, in honor of the first cocker spaniel to earn a Master Hunter title, and she is now the first recipient of the Bentley Memorial Award, in honor of the first Sporting dog to win an all-breed BIS while also holding performance titles.   Well done “Squirt” and your loving (and tireless) owner, Jeanne Grim!

This year’s High in Trial Cocker Spaniel this was Judy Abruzese’s ASCOB Cocker CH Trinity N Tobaccoland’s Top Gun CD BN, and the High in Trial Spaniel was Clumber Spaniel CH Clussexx With A Press of a Button PCD BN, owned by Margaret Warner. Quite an accomplishment for both ladies!

We want to commend the Holiday Inn, the Tennessean, the Knoxville World’s Fair Exhibition Hall for their hospitality throughout the Flushing Spaniel Show weekend, and hope to enjoy this venue and the restaurants and other retail outlets in the neighborhood in the future.

Diane Kepley, President