There is tremendous variation in breed type, proportions and movement. The biggest worry, however, is the proliferation of incorrect mouths. The breed standard is quite explicit as to what is required, but I found far too many deviations. I hope breeders will be more careful in considering this in the future.

MPD(5)
1 Finan’s Marahootay Prince Of Persia, 8 months appeals for substance, size, well constructed, typical head and expression with almond shaped eyes, well set ears, correct mouth and good front, has slightly sloping topline, nice tail set, moderate angulation and moved quite well;
2, Corkhill’s Justami Absolute Power, also 8 months old, much to like about this dog, good angles fore and aft, with some good attributes of head which need a bit more time to develop. Prefer the tail and ears of class winner, but a nice puppy.

PD(8,1):
1, Mort’s Arcticbreeze Midnite Hero,10 months old, lovely to go over with good solid substance and bone, but not overdone at all, typical lovely head and expression, like the set of eyes and shape of them, with small ears set well apart giving the desired expression. Good neck, correct front, has length of back but it is also coupled with strong muscular loin, correct topline and moves very well. Prefer his tail use on the move as well. A most promising puppy, best puppy dog, who was not moving as fluently in the challenge for Best Puppy in breed, so had to give way to what turned out to be his litter sister for that honour, what a nice litter!;
2, Aitchison & Hurst’s Okinastar Quileute Legend, also 10 months old, good head but it needs to break a bit more in skull, so I suspect he will take longer to mature, not a bad thing in this breed, I think. Typical in outlook, excellent substance, not quite the front or tail of class winner. Needs to strengthen a bit more in front pasterns. Moves quite well with an easy true gait around the ring, but needs more time.

JD(8,4): Not a strong class by any means with the winner being the most typical.
1, John’s Cristakell Aeolian Nite,16 months old, having good bone and substance, very good overall construction, very good expression but another one which needs time for head to mature. Good eye shape and set but could be darker. Very good overall balance and construction, moves out well but front pasterns need to strengthen. Has strong rear hocks well let down, which gives him true propulsion , a desired trait in the breed, and topped with good tail set and carriage;
2, Helleur & Cameron’s Chayo Fame N Fortune, 16 months old, not quite the proportions and balance of the class winner, needs to drop in chest to balance out the length of leg, and not as true in front assembly as class winner. Having said that, however, he does have a good head with typical expression, prefer his smaller ears over the class winner’s, correct eye shape and set , good strong rear hocks.

PGD (12, 3):
1, Innes’ Monikoona Appalachian Rock Of Icycool 2 yrs old,lovely outline with substance and good bone, very good front and has excellent head with desired strength to skull and strong muzzle, though ears could be a shade smaller; He has correct size, shape and oblique set of eyes, very good front assembly, strong bone and strong pasterns, correct topline, good coat, has good depth of chest. When gaited at the speed that is right for this breed, showed excellent movement having strong positive propulsion from strong muscular and moderately angulated rear. Overall an excellent specimen;
2, Wolfe’s Kebuck Limited Edition For Dreamwolves, 21 months old,different type than the class winner, I’d like a shade more strength to front and rear pasterns, otherwise,a fairly typical animal with good skull and muzzle, eyes could be darker, correct mouth. Ears are correctly set, but could be smaller. Good strength to muzzle. Very good forehand on him, okay topline, coat is good texture, moves out soundly;

LD (14,5): At this level of competition it was disappointing to find a number of incorrect mouths, narrow fronts, untypical movement.
1, Ballington-Graham’s Catua A Kind Of Majyk JW, 3 years old love the head and expression of this dog having the small ears correctly set, masculine head with very good strength to skull and muzzle, would like eyes a bit darker, Very good front assembly on him with excellent bone, strong pasterns front and rear giving him the desired driving action around the ring, this is a workmanlike dog that is built for his job. He also has excellent coat, correct topline, is not too compact, and to top it all off, has the correct waving plume of tail, RCC.
2, Roper’s Tokosha Atka JW SHCM, 2 yrs old, another quality animal, not the strength and width of chest of class winner, but he still has more time to mature, and this really should be a slow maturing breed. Good size and substance, overall pleasing proportions, very good head and expression, prefer the ears of the class winner. He moves very well and soundly, but just needs time.

OD (9,3): This class as one would expect, had the best depth of quality so far.
1, Whittaker’s Ch Chayo Vanquish, 2 ? years old, but already is where he needs to be for top honours, up to size with excellent substance, so well balanced and proportioned , excellent head and expression having desired small ears, broad powerful skull, excellent strength to muzzle all this in proportion to the body. He also has correctly set almond shaped eyes giving that true “Mal” look. Appeals for conformation, good strong bone, so good to go over in muscle tone, correct slightly sloping topline ,strong loin, strong rear quarters, well let down hocks, excellent gait. His combination of head, expression, breed type, balance and proportion as well as his easy tireless true gait with excellent rear propulsion says to me, “Malamute”. Dog CC and Best of Breed and short-listed in the group. ;
2, Loades’ Snowolf Canuck Bullit SHCM, 6 years old, slightly different type, but much to like about this dog, having excellent construction, one of the best in the entry so far today, as he has moderate angulation throughout. He has correct balance and proportions, sufficient length to back, as some today were for me too compact. Very good head and expression but eyes could be darker. He has excellent true movement another one with the required easy tireless and rhythmic gait which to me says he could do the job for which he was bred. Overall pleasing in many departments, and I liked him enough to have him come back in and challenge for the RCC;

Good Citizen Dog Scheme D (3,1):
1, M. Appalachian Rock of Icycool, winner of Post Grad dog;
2, Taylor & Lawrence’s Hyteton Tombli for Luponooshka, unplaced in Post Grad dog. A very substantial animal, well up to size. Strong masculine head which has for me a bit too much stop, so spoils the expression a bit. Ears could be smaller. Body wise has good substance but front assembly is too far forward, so as a result, the topline is affected.

MPB (3,0): A difficult class for me . I tried to be as positive as possible, all three have excellent temperaments, but all need much more time.
1, Roach & Pyper’s Celticice Denarius Xhanxi, just 6 months old, overall the best conformation, balance, size, substance, most correct coat and movement in the class. Head is good; I am aware of her one fault, which I hope time will rectify ;
2, Smye’s Justami Play Misty For Me To Stonmye, 7 months old, feminine bitch which is lacking the size and balance of class winner, has a wealth of coat, eyes are a shade close together, which affects expression, not as positive in front gait as class winner.;

PB(7): Much better quality in this class.
1, Mort’s Arcticbreeze Midnite Echo, 10 months, in very good coat, having excellent conformation, correct forehand, excellent bone, strong yet feminine head and expression, excellent neck cleanly flows into correct topline, matching angulation fore and aft and this told on the move, Best Puppy bitch. In the challenge for BP was more settled in rear action so beat her litter brother for Best Puppy and also was Puppy Group 3, well done. Will watch these two with interest;
2, Ellis’ Chayo Pure Crystal , also 10 months old, is starting her junior moult it would seem. Has slightly different proportions overall, being slightly more compact. Prefer the forehand of class winner. Has excellent feminine and very attractive head with lovely dark eyes, correct pigmentation, good topline, very well angulated in rear, good tail and moves very well;

JB(10,3):
1, Cochran & Tyler’s Chayo Fortune And Glory,16 months old. Well grown bitch who doesn’t need to grow any more, but has everything in proportion for substance, bone,stong pasterns on her. She has an excellent head and expression, well placed ears, good neck,excellent tail, moves well, a very promising youngster ;
2, Dolan’s Tailfly Rainbow Princess,17 months old,slightly different type with a closer, tight, body coat, which is still correct for texture and density. Lovely head, with almond shaped obliquely set eyes, good ears for set and size, overall has good body shape and proportions, good topline, but not the forehand or tail of the class winner, ;

PGB (15,7):
1, Innes’ Icycool Viva Rogue, 22 months old, big girl who must not grow on any more. Very typey bitch with excellent head, and expression, very good front on her, good strong bone, strong pasterns, moves very well with very good tail gaiting around the ring; would like to see a few less pounds on her ;
2, Dolan’s Tailfly Rainbow Princess, 2nd in previous class;

LB (16,3): So far, the best for depth of quality in the bitch classes.
1, Druce’s Koromandel Glamorous Indie, 3 years old immediately strikes you with her correct slightly sloping topline, excellent coat and correct conformation, Excellent typical head and expression, having lovely small ears correctly set,moves with ease and true. Lovely quality bitch.;
2, Clark’s Marahootay Sorcery At Shamanictrax, 2 years old and a larger girl all round, nice to go over with very good conformation, but her pasterns need strengthening. Very good head but not the ears of the class winner. Moves very well with excellent rear propulsion and soundly in all directions, tail is a tad tight, but overall a lovely quality bitch;

OB(23,5) Excellent class, but type and movement varied greatly.
1, O’Regan’s Ir Ch Monikoona Chasing Rainbows, 2 years old, excellent breed type, lovely proportions for leg length and has excellent coat. Her head is her glory being the true strong yet feminine Malamute look arising from excellent balance and strength of skull and muzzle, eye shape and lovely small ears well set. Excellent forehand, strong bones, legs and pasterns, she has the correct naturally slightly sloping topline, beautiful rear quarter being strong and sound and moves with the easy tireless rhythmic gait one looks for in the breed. No hesitation in making her my BCC winner. ;
2, Wilkinson & Jelfs’ Lapema Gianna De Royito , 6 years old, smaller feminine bitch with lovely head and expression, having the correctly shaped and obliquely set eyes, small ears well set. She has a very good forehand, very good angles at both ends, good topline, excellent tail set, one of the best today. Movement is excellent and true, another one with the natural rhythm that would indicate she could do the work associated with the breed. I called her back in for the RCC and she edged out the limit winner in the final run off, having just a bit more impetus to rear prolusion, to win the RCC;

Breeder’s Group:
Ellis, with lovely examples of the breed, which went on to win the group breeders’ stakes. Well done.

Judge: Mary Deats