This was one of the highlights of my life and all made special by each and every one of you who allowed me to handle your dogs. The standard of the exhibits made this the most difficult yet most pleasurable task I have ever done. The concentration required may have made me look serious on the outside but believe me; I was beaming on the inside. I sincerely thank you all for the condition and presentation of your dogs and feel for those of you who had to contend with varying degrees of coat loss and even more so for those that had dumped the lot. If you survived the cuts rest assured that I had full appreciation of your dog even if you went unplaced, the standard was extremely high in those classes and I have to say even after the cuts, there were still appreciably good dogs left behind. You can take it as read that my top award winners conformed to the standard regarding the usual eyes, teeth etc. albeit with varying size of ears, darkness of eye etc. and some were better than others but am resisting the norm of saying “nice head, nice teeth” and so on. I would add that colour is not something that I have any preference for and consequently I only ever refer to the 3 main colours I normally find in the ring, Black, Grey & Red and all shades are encompassed in these 3. On the other hand, my main disappointment without a shadow of a doubt was tails and whilst this will not affect the health and fitness of the breed it looks ugly and is just wrong! The standard calls for a “Waving Plume” and in my eyes that goes from the beautiful tail on my dog CC to just touching the back with a perceptible gap between the set of the tail and the tip. If in any doubt look at the pictures of the Dog CC winner – perfect!
My sincere thanks also go to my stewards who did a great job and without them I would have struggled to meet the deadline.

Veteran Dog (7,4)
1. Isherwood: Tuavarat Akimarug Amani SHCM – 8 year old lad enjoying his day out, still retaining his topline, good body condition, slightly down on pastern but driving well and well worth his win here.
2. Innes: Kegluneq National Pride At Icycool – 8 ½ year old black with plenty of bone, still moving easily and true but would prefer darker eyes.
3. Biagiotti: FIN/SP/INT/RSM/POL/LUX CH Giving A New Royal Star De Jungle Negra – 9 ½ year old who I have admired from afar in the past and who still retains all his class apart from his rear movement. It let him down compared to his younger competitors resulting in his placing today.

Special Puppy Dog (6,1)
1. Brown: Icetrax Solomon Kane – Pleasing grey youngster of 11 months, soundly constructed and well balanced. Earset a little high but should improve as his skull broadens and made life difficult for his handler by paying too much attention to her on the move. BPD.
2. Cawthera: Chayo Pulling Power At Lireva – 9 month grey, taller dog, but still in proportion and supported by good bone, straight front and moved true and smoothly but his tail lets him down. Very well presented.
3. Robb: Icewolf Max A Million – 9 month grey, still immature compared to 2 but pleasing in front though not the topline I would have preferred to see. Moved ok but again not as easily as 2.

Special Junior Dog (5,1)
1. Rutherford & Mitchelson: Celticice Solidus Orinoco – attractive 16 month black, used his ears well and seemed to be enthusiastic to the task. I liked his side profile with strong arch of neck, good topline and very nice tail. Moved pretty well.
2. Wilkinson & Jelfs: Savanite Drus Miracle Para Lapema – 14 month grey with pleasing width of skull, good substance and pleasing outline. Moved with plenty of reach and drive but his front wants to tighten up and his tail isn’t for me.
3. Sapsford, Jones & Townshend: Dankatcha Kheta – 17 month red boy with soft and quizzical expression. Bit shorter bodied than the others, topline was fair and he had a harsh coat. Moved very well but ever so slow and showed no real enthusiasm.

Yearling Dog (9,1)
1. Molloy & Edwards: Koolrunnings Rock With U (Imp Aus) – 20 month highly attractive grey, not at all fazed and showing excellently. I liked his clean lines, lay of shoulder, topline and overall balance. Bit over stacked and giving the impression of too much rear angulation which he didn’t have. Perhaps something to watch. Moved easily.
2. Thompson: Shomont Raisin Cain – 19 month grey with eye catching head. Good substance, bone, topline, tail and coat. Might have pushed 1 harder if his handler could transfer his apparent enthusiasm for working into controlled showing.
3. Hardwick: Cheeko Tip Of The Iceberg – 22 month grey and another attractive dog falling a bit behind on maturity to those in front of him. Good length of neck, topline and pleasing profile but rear feet not showing straight when stood. Moved well though.

Post Graduate Dog (11,3)
1. Thompson: Shomont Raisin Hell – litter brother to Yearling 2 and very much alike. All the same qualities and managed to show a slightly more pronounced sloping topline. Also shared his brother’s apparent working drive and gave his handler a merry time.
2. Louch & Forsey: Snowshoes Storm Ahead – 25 month grey with impressive head. He had good body shape, tailset and moved reasonably well but handler left ring before I did my critique.
3. Coney: Arcticbreeze Midnite Titan – 20 month grey, similar outline to 2 but with a slightly tighter tail. Seemed to be enjoying himself a bit too much.

Limit Dog (19,3)
1. Waker: Casiat Fuori Dal Mondo Di Alchawak JW SHCM – very eye catching 2 year old red masculine lad. This dog has it all to go a long way, small well furred ears with thick leather, strong neck, enough lay of shoulder and running smoothly into a sloping topline. Spring of rib, substance and muscle tone all felt impressive. Moved effortlessly with much power and drive. Delighted to award him the RCC and amazingly his joy outstripped even mine, what a reaction! RDCC.
2. Sheehan: Hawkam Leading The Trail Via Amaqqut – 5 year grey and a great favourite of mine. Has wonderful muscle tone, power and substance. Moved with great drive and handled to his advantage. No disgrace coming behind 1.
3. Innes: Monikoona Appalachian Rock Of Icycool – 2 year grey boy of much substance. Similar to 2 in a lot of ways with depth of chest and spring of rib. Presented superbly but tail a tad tight for me and would prefer him a bit more toned.

Open Dog (19,6)
1. Janicka: Lord Of The Ring Appalachian – 3 year grey with one of the most impressive heads you’ve ever seen. Hits you right between the eyes! Powerful, well-muscled, deep chested, powerful arch of neck, strong sloping topline and wonderful waving plume. Profile movement was 2 perfect triangles and had really good reach and phenomenal drive. Handled superbly and delighted to award him DCC and BOS.
2. Whittaker: CH Chayo Vanquish – 3 year old grey very attractive but masculine at the same time. Deep chested, plenty of spring of rib, straight in front profile and moved true and with ease. Just lost out to the limit winner on my preference of the neck length and tail carriage.
3. Biagiotti: IT CH Clover Del Biagio – another superb 3 year old grey boy, again masculine in looks, solid forehand and straight front. Fluent movement all round. Preferred the finish on 2.

Good Citizen Dog Scheme Dog (4,2)
1. Bevan: Snobruk Super Charged With Conyzone – 2 year old grey, good head on him. Overall body shape and balance looks good spoiled by his tail and moved reasonably well.
2. Barstow: Icycool North Peak At Ayakulik – 4 year black, decent enough dog but no coat and his enthusiasm stood out giving his handler plenty to do.

Veteran Bitch (12,1)
1. Butler: Kaytoo Where Legends ‘R’ Born SHCM – 9 year grey beautiful bitch not showing her age at all. Solid and straight in front and no weaknesses through her pasterns. Still strong through her topline and presenting a very nice profile. Moves true and well.
2. Rivers & Towers: Polarpaws Naknek Dreamer SHCM – 8 year grey also of great quality and very pretty. Bit shorter in body than 1 but still eye-catching profile. Also moved true but I just preferred the feet of 1.
3. Coldham: Polarpaws Pretty Women – 7 year old grey with alert expression, darker in colouration but lighter in eye. Well bodied & presented with reasonable movement.

Special Puppy Bitch (8,3)
1. Phillips: Monikoona At First Sight – aptly named 9 month gorgeous girl which gave me a taste of what was to come (big sis). Cheeky expression and sparkling eyes, well constructed fore though still a bit loose at her age. Nicely boned and coated, good overall balance and moved well once settled. Presented in lovely condition. Delighted to award her BP.
2. Henworth: Wolfraven Rumor’s Nebula – 10 month grey of similar shape and size to 1 but more of an inquisitive expression on this one. Again good fore and bone, body shape good and well coated. Tended to pace at times spoiling her somewhat.
3. Page: Cedarcreek Exquisite – 11 month grey girl of quite different type. Taller and leaner with good front and ample bone. Not developed enough to show her true topline yet but expect her to mature later on. Very well presented and moved well.

Special Junior Bitch (7,1)
1. Tozzi: Be Bop A Lula At Selvaspina – 16 month special grey girl who stood out as she entered the ring. An awful lot to like about this one. Pretty and feminine, bright eyed and alert. Good bone, forehand and developing topline. Moved superbly well and presented in great condition. One I will certainly be keeping a look out for as her career develops.
2. Lunn: Monikoona Fabulous Me – 14 month grey very similar in size and shape to 1. Good shoulders, slightly broader chest, topline developing and tail carriage was good but would prefer more length to it. Well angulated rear with good movement though not quite to the standard of the class winner.
3. Roach & Pyper: Celticice Quinarius Nessie – 16 month grey girl with a cheeky and inquisitive expression and nice small ears. I liked her overall shape and she moved reasonably well and no doubt would have been better if she had not played her handler up a bit.

Yearling Bitch (16,3)
1. Mobbs: Justami Million Dollar Baby – 18 month grey with pleasing head though she could have used her ears better. Good length and arch of neck to sloping topline and good tail. Well-developed and sound forehand with ample bone. In lovely condition and moving well.
2. Mort: Arcticbreeze Midnite Echo – 20 month grey of high quality with good depth of chest, sloping topline and decent tail. Pushed 1 hard but would just not settle when it mattered.
3. Louch & Forsey: Libertia Platinum Princess – 18 month grey with nice markings and smile. Also good depth of chest, topline and tail set. Moved ok. All three could swap places on another day.

Post Graduate Bitch (14,4)
1. Ballington-Graham: Catua On The Run – 2 year grey who stood out in this class despite having left her jacket at home. Pleasing head but would prefer darker eyes. Good front, topline and tailset. Moved strongly and never put a foot wrong. Very well handled.
2. Wilkinson: Koldsnapp Aprilia Mille – 2 year grey and a girl I much admired as a puppy. Has come on well since then with good bone, shape and movement. Wish she would use her ears a bit more and would prefer a slimmer version.
3. Smith: Snowshoes One And Only – 21 month grey with alert expression and good fore. Not got my ideal topline but did have a lovely tail. Moved reasonably well.

Limit Bitch (26,5)
1. Loades: Snowolf Ice Cold Manhatten – 4 year beautifully coloured red lady. One I admired a couple of years ago and wonderful to see how she has blossomed. Still retaining her soft feminine expression, strong arch of neck, good shoulders and sound fore. Gently sloping topline, well set and carried tail creating eye catching profile. Moved with consummate ease and grace and was a strong contender in the challenge.
2. Helleur & McGrae: Chayo Careless Whisper – 2 year grey bitch with strong muzzle and nice dark eyes. Sound forehand, slight slope to her topline and I wasn’t too keen on her tail. Moved with plenty of reach and drive. Well-presented and handled.
3. Smith: Snowshoes Diamond Cut – 2 year very attractive girl lacking the maturity of 1 & 2. Pleasing overall shape albeit with a level topline. Shown in lovely condition and showed true movement with good extension and drive.

Open Bitch (19,5)
This was undoubtedly the class of the day and for me the best I have ever had the pleasure to assess, the top 3 are almost inseparable Every bitch that survived this cut could walk away with top honours on another day.
1. Nawrocka: BIS/HR/MNE CH Monikoona Casablanca – My first thoughts as she entered the ring? ‘To Die For!’ What a wonderful representative of the breed and a quite exquisite bitch. Hands on only served to confirm what I believed. Her construction, balance and poise in one relatively young (being not quite 3 yet) is sublime. Elegant yet powerful, of good substance, beautifully presented and didn’t put a foot wrong. For me she looked wonderful in the group and did the breed proud. Over the moon to award her the BCC & BOB.
2. Biagiotti: BISS/IT/LUX/HR CH Lera Del Biagio – 3 year old stunning bitch. Another fantastic example of the breed, a bit longer but still balanced. Not quite the style of 1 but excelled in reach and drive and her profile highlighted by her ‘waving plume’. She shouted that little bit louder than 3 that she wanted this placing. RBCC.
3. Santiago: AM CH Banshee’s Dynamite Diva – 6 year old and what a darling! Ever so feminine and pretty and well made. A bit smaller than 2 but everything in proportion and balanced. Very sound, being true away and back and with matching triangles on profile movement. I needed her to push her claim for second place but she didn’t shout loud enough.

Good Citizen Dog Scheme Bitch
1. Marle: Kaiyuh Lucky Chance – 8 year old girl not showing her age at all. Still sound in all departments, moving true and well presented.
2. Brook: Snowtrail’s Snowy River Of Snobruck – and another 8 year old showing the youngsters how to go. Also sound though not quite so fluent as 1.
3. Shorer-Wheeler: Kormondel Somebody Told Me JW – 4 year old of good substance. Not the presence or movement of 1 & 2.

Roger Cruden