The Sussex Spaniel is one of the UK's rarest dog breeds and has for the last few years been in the bottom five lowest puppy registrations for British Heritage Dog Breeds and only have a tiny international population. Despite this, a 10 year old Sussex Spaniel by the name of "Stump" was the winner of America’s top dog show in 2009, Westminster Kennel Club Show held at Madison Square Gardens, New York City, the same year that another rare British Heritage Dog Breed, the Sealyham Terrier, was Best in Show at Crufts!

The Sussex Spaniel Association have enthusiastically embraced this opportunity and at the time of writing have 110 people and 75 dogs confirmed! The support, particularly from the companion dog owners, has been tremendous. The organisers have generously provided free entry to owners and their dogs to the event together with a 30 x 20 ft open fronted Marquee, plus chairs, tables, dog pens all organised and they will put up the BHDB banner. The breed will be paraded in the main ring on Saturday at 12 noon and on Sunday 11 am and 2 pm. The main "mass gathering" will be on the Sunday, but the Saturday will still see around 20 Sussex Spaniels present. Last year the Kennel Club registered just 60 Sussex Spaniel puppies.

The breed has a history of surviving against the odds. At the end of World War II only seven dogs were thought to have survived and in 1965 the numbers in the breed had declined so much that an approved outcross was made with a Clumber. Today, the breed has a dedicated band of enthusiasts who are keen that the breed should prosper and flourish. This event represents an innovative change in direction for the promotion of British Heritage Dog Breeds, taking a breed back to its roots, to the area of its origin, where interest from the local population and media will be very high. Watch for further BHDB announcements.

Everyone who owns a Sussex Spaniel is welcome to attend and support the breed, you don’t have to be a member of the Sussex Spaniel Association, just share a love the breed. Indeed all British Heritage Breeds will be welcome, why not pop along and show your support for this wonderful and much overlooked breed.