The most loyal, loving, intelligent dog I've ever owned or known. Has been with me through thick and thin in good times and in bad. He came promising nothing and gave everything. He shared my bed every night and into the next day until it was time for me to leave for work and could always be relied on to snuggle up, loving nothing more than to go to sleep with his head in the crook of my arm or resting on my chest. It's taken me nearly a week now since he crossed the Rainbow Bridge for me to be able to pull it together to pen this post. Dam I miss this dog. Newman was always the best buddy that never argued or disagreed with you and who’s loyalty was unquestionable. In fact other than my parents I’ve lived with Newman longer than I have with any human being in the last 57 years.
Newman the story and the adventure started in 2004 even before he was born and long before he was titled: Australian Champion Risepark Stylemarker (IMP UK). I had previously owned Rottweilers and Spaniels, although my family in Victoria were prominent in the Victorian Schnauzer Club. So when Rodney suggested getting a Miniature Schnauzer, I didn't take make convincing and began showing and breeding Minis.
Not one to do things in halves, we quickly became heavily involved in the breed and quite quickly I found myself on the committee (Show Secretary), of the Schnauzer Club of NSW . As it turned out a totally backward/inward looking club totally terrified of change and progress and it soon became apparent that they were anything but in it for the betterment of the breed but rather for the betterment of themselves. So thinking back it should have come as no surprise when in 2004 at a club committee meeting the club secretary and others, scorned and rejected outright without discussion, my perfectly sound suggestion that we engage one of the world most eminently qualified MS Judges, Barry Day of Risepark Miniature Schnauzers in the UK to officiate at our next club show. I was told, "David, people of Barry Day’s stature within the breed, will not deal with beginners like you, don't even think about contacting him."
“Red rag to a bull,” you could say: I found an email address for Risepark and sent an email to Barry Day in Birmingham that very same night. Barry replied nearly immediately, and not only did we have a common interest in Miniature Schnauzers, but both of us being ex Policemen, we quickly hit it off. When I mentioned having been warned off contacting him, Barry replied, ‘Tell them I’m just another dog person." Within a few weeks Barry had agreed to come out from England and Judge our club show. I also quickly mustered up the courage to ask Barry would he consider letting me have a dog from Risepark. His response was way beyond what I'd expected, not only could I have a dog from Risepark but he extended an invite to me to come to England and see the Risepark dogs and choose a puppy and also meet the other half of Risepark Miniature Schnauzers, living breed legend, Peter NEWMAN.
Within a few months Rodney and I had been to Risepark in England to pick out a puppy to bring back to Australia to show and on top of that had Peter Newman's blessing to name the dog, 'Newman' in honour of his breeder.
Fast forward to 17th November, 2006, and that morning on QF17, Newman flew in from England to begin his month in Quarantine at Eastern Creek before he could be brought home.That first month in Australia he had to spend in a small concrete run 2 metres wide by 4 metres long (the equivalent of a dog prison cell), and was only allowed one visitor for an hour once per week. Now these sorts of conditions are not exactly conducive to getting to know your new dog and making him feel wanted and secure. And nor did I want to be restricted to visiting him one hour per week during imposed visiting hour times. But of course ‘money talks’ and before he’d been there a week I’d made/paid some new friends who gave me special dispensation to visit him for a hour at any time I pleased every single day instead of a predesignated time for one hour once per week. And in fact for his second visit besides Rodney, we took four other people involved in the breed to assess him (slight bending of the rules).
Daily visits did however,present a small problem It meant I had to drive an hour from my place of employment in the CBD to Eastern Creek Quarantine Station, stay an hour with Newman and drive an hour back to the office each day - thank goodness for my PA who would cover my 3 hour absence from the office each day for that month. My ‘new friends’ also ensured Newman had the bedding I supplied and not the standard quarantine hessian sack as well as the best quality dog food available rather than the basic stuff the cost of quarantine provided.
From day one Newman was always special and was always my favourite. No matter what dogs came before or after Newman was always number one he had an uncanny human touch about him and he was just simply smarter than any other dog I knew. Of the 62 dogs in Newman's 5 generation pedigree (copy below), all the Champions in his lines are in red. There are a total of 56 of the 62 dogs in his pedigree in red - suffice to say in the Miniature Schnauzer World he was from Royalty. However, he was a little lazy in the show ring and never really enjoyed the show world. None the less however, he was made Australian Champion in record time just after his first birthday. At one point he was undefeated at breed level, winning Best of Breed at 8 shows in a row. Even after he retired from the show ring I’d always take him with me in the car when I was travelling to show the other dogs, the difference being Newman never travelled in a dog cage or box in the back of the dog van like the others. Newman always travelled sitting on the front passenger seat next to me.
There are so many tales and adventures I could tell you about Newman all good and some even funny such as like the time Rodney and I took him to Melbourne for Royal Melbourne Show and the Schnauzer Club of Victoria Show. The Victorian Club had engaged a renowned International female judge from South America to officiate at this particular show and the turn out was huge. We'd entered Newman and were confident he'd do well. On the day when Newman and I were called into the ring, the Judge sent us for a quick trot the right around the ring and then out and back so she could assess his movement. Always a little lazy in the show ring Newman, despite my best efforts to cajole him, managed but an aloof saunter around the ring and instead of heading back to the Judge he didn't miss a beat as he ran straight out the ring exit instead. Of course this was not to the Judges liking and she could have immediately just put us out of consideration but no she gave us a second chance and asked me to take Newman around again. I knew the second time Newman would be even less enthusiastic than the first time but little did I know how he was about to display his total disdain and dislike for the judge making him run out and back a second time. As is the accepted practice at the end of the second run out and back, I stopped less than a metre from the judge standing Newman to attention at which time I had a conversation with the judge on what she had observed giving me the pros and cons of Newman‘s ability. Normally at this point in a dog show your dog is expected to stand still on the end of the lead eyes off the dog while you talk to the judge. About 30 seconds into the short conversation with the Judge, the expression on her face turned to one of shock and horror and instead of continuing to look at me and chat her gaze sharply jerked to her feet. When I Iooked down, to my aghast at the time, (laughing now), Newman had spun around, squatted and shat on her foot!!!
Within moments show officials with pooper scoopers and wash clothes stormed into ring to clean both Judge and the ring, whilst Newman head held high, and me with my tail between my legs, exited as quickly as possible. Suffice to say that was one show he didn't win.
Then there are the serious stories like the time went walkabout for a while, missing for hours, me tearing around every street and park looking for him. I'd nearly given up hope when the Council Rangers called me to say he had been dropped off a a local vets by a woman who had found him playing in a local park with other dogs. I arrived at the local vets to find him wearing a coloured bandanna holding court centre of attention amongst all and sundry, human and other dogs in the waiting room of the vets.
Then of course the most serious of all Newman moments (which I've posted on facebook about before) came five years ago when Newman literally save my life. I came home after a night of very heavy drinking and was well and truly sound asleep in bed unconscious in bed when a fire started in my bedroom. (Just prior instead of buying a reputable brand from a reputable retailer, I'd purchased a cheap generic phone power pack/charger from Chinatown, which I'd plugged in to recharge whilst I slept), and early hours of the morning it had over heated and exploded next to my bed setting fire to the carpet. The only reason that day I wasn’t incinerated in the room and the house burnt to the ground was that as always Newman was in bed with me and as i slept Newman saw/smelt the smoke and fire and standing over my sleeping body in bed had began to bark loudly and furiously waking me from my drunken stupor and allowing me to throw the burning and exploding battery charger outside and somehow manage to put the fire out with only a small area of wall and carpet burnt. Without Newman's barking waking me there is no way I would have woken the day before it was too late and I have no doubt I wouldn’t be here today to tell the story of my beloved Newman.
There are of course many many other stories that I could tell and a lifetime of great memories and time spent with Newman. There'll never be another one like him and he’s already so dearly missed.
Thanks New New, hope you’re resting well old mate.
https://www.facebook.com/david.ritzau.5/posts/1683566381795470
The arrival of Risepark Stylemarker sees the culmination of 2 years of planning. In addition to Barry Day & Peter Newman of Risepark Miniature Schnauzers United Kingdom, special thanks must go to Ralph Richardson of Workx Miniature Schnauzers. Back in May of 2006 we sat in a yard surrounded by puppies as well as quite a few well known adult dogs including the legendary, Ch Adamis Frontrunner. Behind us watching was Miniature Schnauzer breeder, exhibitor well known & respected Judge Mr Barry Day, & also Mr Peter Newman, author of numerous books on our breed, and one of the World's leading Miniature Schnauzer authorities. We were at Risepark Miniature Schnauzers, UK having just watched Mr Day judge over 120 Miniature Schnauzers at the Birmingham Nat. (2nd only to Crufts in size). Observations then, & Peter Newman's & Barry Day's observations since, has seen the arrival into Australia on QF2 on 17th November, 2006, of Risepark Stylemarker (IMP UK), who with Peter Newman's permission we have called 'Newman.' With a pedigree that reads like a 'who's who' of Minis, including the legendary Ch Rampage Representative, we are sure Barry Day was right when he said of Newman prior to exporting him to us, "All is well with Newman, he is going to have a superb head & long neck," (amongst other sort after traits.)