It was a great pleasure to judge the Malamutes at Crufts, this being the seventh time I have awarded CCs to the breed. A very good entry and a great many top quality exhibits. I was so very lucky to have two outstanding stewards, Sue Finan and Bryony Rochester who kept everything on track the whole day, many thanks to them. One or two observations from the day, length of leg was good, I only had one ‘iffy’ mouth and one ‘iffy’ temperament. My main concern were the tails, I feel your standard is very explicit with regard to tails, ending with ‘giving appearance of a waving plume’. I felt far too many exhibits had tails which were much too tight almost resembling an Akita tail rather than a Malamute.

VD (6,2)
1 Nevinson’s Ch. Chayo Golden Touch ShCM. This boy stood out in the class, big lad with super bone and so well constructed, very sound on the move and in lovely coat and condition, liked his head but a darker eye would enhance, very good tail.
2 Prazakova’s Multi Ch. Iron Northern Shadows from Vlci Severu. Slightly smaller dog but again very well balanced in outline, lovely coat, condition and tail, not quite the flowing movement of the winner.

MPD (1)
1 Singh’s Sledog Bebop Prez. This 8 months black is still very raw but I feel has much promise, pleasing in type with a very good coat and tail, movement needs to tighten.

JD (6,1) Tails a problem here.
1 Biagiotti’s Vinvent Del Biagio JCh Liked this black a lot, quality in head, eye and ears, very well balanced in outline with a super coat and tail, lovely body and an excellent mover, just a touch narrow in front at present but minimal.
2 Dziergas/Ashworth’s James Bond Illa Kuvianartok at Nunataq (imp POL). Another very nice black, again very well proportioned, touch of class about him, lovely coat and condition, decent mover with a good tail, not quite the top-line of the winner. 

YD (6,1)
1 Winiarczyk/Bompadre’s Born To Be Wild Norda Brilo. Not the biggest but such a lovely dog, shown in beautiful condition, so well put together, so well balanced with excellent neck and shoulders, super mover with a good tail, liked him a lot.
2 Innes’ Icycool Hudson Bay (AI). Another quality dog with super proportions, such a pleasing head and lovely tail, very good on the move with ground covering gait, liked him a lot too. 

PGD (5,1)
1 Verduin’s Kekoa In Kita’s Shadow. This black dog won the class despite his tail which I felt was much too tight, he has a good head and is balanced and well angulated, sound and in good condition.
2 Pitcher’s Red Flower Junior Del Biagio for Tatkresiwok (imp ITA). Very masculine red, thought he could be my winner as he has a better tail, lovely neck and shoulders lovely bone, just would not co-operate with his handler which affected his movement.

LD (7,3)
1 Smith’s Snowshoes Who Dares Wins. Wow! What a stunner, loved his head and ears, dark eyes and lovely expression, super bone and feet, so good to go over with lovely shoulders and excellent balance, shown in magnificent coat and condition, excellent on the move with a perfect tail, DCC & BOB, later won Group 4 under Ann Ingram, well done.
2 Whyman/Murray’s Tailfly Heart Of Gold. This dark grey won 2nd despite his tight tail, liked his head and eye and good neck, quite well made, needs to mature a little in body, decent mover. 

OD (16,2) Superb class.
1 Pensotti’s Multi Ch. Bis Biss Black Star Del Biagio. This black is just lovely, beautiful head, eye, ears and expression, super neck and shoulders, so well boned and well balanced in outline, firm backline, shown in tip top condition, very, very good mover, very good class to win and my RDCC winner.
2 Poucke’s Int Ch. Ivory’moon Rock To The Top Libertia JW. This was another top quality dark coated dog, has such a pleasing head, lovely neck and top-line, beautiful bone and feet, lovely coat, good tail and movement, very difficult decision as little separated two super exhibits. 

GCD (2)
1 Whyman/Murray’s Tailfly Heart Of Gold. 2nd in LD.
2 Anderson’s Tokosha Beyond The Limits to Cherubini (AI). This male has a nice head with dark eyes, lovely bone and feet, decent mover, coat not at its best.

VB (12,6) Very good class.
1 Biagiotti’s Multi Ch. Noelle Del Biagio WW. High quality grey shown in wonderful coat and condition, lovely head and ears, super neck and so well balanced in outline with lovely legs and feet, super tail and so very sound, BV.
2 Woodhead’s Koromandel Rushin Around at Noraisy. Another grey, again in beautiful condition, liked her head and type, good neck and lovely body, sound, active mover with a good tail. 

MPB (2)
1 Robb’s Icewolf Fendi L’aquarossa. This 7½ month baby is a little doll, I just loved her, prettiest of heads with a lovely expression, lovely legs and feet and full of substance yet so feminine in every way, good neck, super outline, lovely coat and a super tail, looked the baby she is but full of quality and one to watch.
2 Singh’s Sledog Bebop Ella. This black is sister to minor puppy dog and very like him, so same remarks apply needs some ring training.

PB (2)
1 Zettin’s Mazurstar Mamba Berry. Lovely quality puppy shown in super condition, has a lovely head, ears and eyes, super neck and top-line, such good balance to her outline, stands on lovely legs and feet, very sound on the move with a super tail, her extra maturity won her Best Puppy over the lovely minor Puppy.
2 Marshall’s Pameiyut J’aime La Vie (imp NLD). I found this black girl a touch plain in type, well grown but could have little more bone, very good body and tail, needs some training.

JB (3,2)
1 Ruschena’s Zi-Miracle Star Terreno. Found her quite lovely, I admired her head and eye, lovely bone, legs and feet, so well put together and beautifully balanced, very sound on the move, looked good going round, super coat and tail, won 3 1sts at Crufts, lucky girl.

YB (9,4)
1 Ruschena’s Zi-Miracle Star Terreno. 1st in JB.
2 Smith’s Snowshoes Indiana. This is another lovely bitch in super condition, from a smaller mould but so very pretty, loved her head and eye, super neck and top-line, lovely bone for size, very sound moving with a good tail. 

PGB (12,5)
1 Ruschena’s Zi-Miracle Star Terreno. 1st in JB & YB
2 Keeling’s Kishdigra The Criminals Kiss. This red has a good coat of wonderful texture, very pleasing in outline being so well balanced, good body, she is sound with a super tail. 

LB (7,3)
1 Aitchison/Hurst’s Kaskae My Wonderwall. Very nice grey of such pleasing type, liked her head very much, good for size with lovely bone and feet, very good body, top-line and outline, when her handler could get her to concentrate she was sound with a good tail.
2 Robb’s Icewolf Jupiter Rising. This dark grey is similar to 1st for type, just not so good in hindquarters, liked her head if perhaps a touch masculine, lovely neck, top-line and coat, good mover with a good tail. 

OB (20,7) Another super class.
1 Ellis-Payne’s Ch. Chayo Vasilisa. She was my group winner at Birmingham so obviously liked her, today she won on her flawless movement and absolute soundness, bigger girl but still feminine, lovely head on extra long neck, strong top-line and well constructed outline, shown in lovely coat and has a perfect tail, won BCC, when it came to BOB I felt the dog just upped his game and pulled out all the stops.
2 Smith’s Ch. Snowshoes The White Witch. I gave this super quality grey her 1st CC some time ago, she is still very beautiful and like all the dogs today from this kennel she was presented to perfection, liked all about her in type, construction and movement and has a perfect tail, sound and stylish on the move, won RBCC. 

Derek Smith