Crufts 2026 Results

This was a great honour to judge my two breeds at Crufts, thank you to the committee for the invitation. Thank you to the exhibitors for allowing me the privilege of going over your wonderful dogs & for the good-natured support of my decisions around the ring. Thank you also to Shirley Hockenhull & Joe Smith, my very capable stewards.

In general, I was impressed with the overall quality of the breed. I was so pleased to see such great veterans in both sexes, in what should be a slow maturing breed. It was also pleasing to see some really great youngsters coming through. As a freighting, working dog this breed should always be shown in fit & well-muscled condition (puppies excepted). Unfortunately, there were a few dogs that were carrying too much weight, or were unfit, which affected my decisions on placements. Things to watch, level bites, too close coupled interfering with movement.

Good Citizen Dog Scheme Dog 
1st Iceclimb Ascent (Miss A L Darlow) Mature 8 ½ years old that was in fantastic, fit condition. Such a powerful appearance with great bone & substance. Super broad head with excellent eye shape, set & colour, lovely gentle stop. Good pigment. Lovely ear shape & good set. Excellent muzzle depth/width. Great neck into his slightly sloping topline, which was held on the move. Loved his feet size & shape, lovely depth. Super balance with great shoulder/forechest & stifle. Excellent chest for depth & width. Just a touch long in body for perfect proportions. Great spring of rib. Lovely tail with correct set & carriage. Correct coat texture. His balanced movement was steady & powerful, no wasted energy. Stood & moved true coming & going.
2nd Samjoe Shadowhunter JW (Mrs S & Miss L Perfitt) 3 years old in good condition. A little more compact outline, with well muscled loin. Excellent head, with great eye shape & set. Lovely small ears & well set. Nice neck into a lovely, sloped topline. Really nice coat & texture. Just a touch shorter in upper arm than shoulder, so a little less reach than ideal. Stifle was better angled. Great pasterns & hocks. Sufficient sized feet with lovely depth to toes. Correct bone for size. Tail could be a touch looser. Just couldn’t match 1 in movement.

Minor Puppy Dog
1st Icewolf Midsommar Eve (Miss T Neale) 9 months old, completely raw at this stage, but in great condition. Wonderful temperament. Head is coming on nicely, with excellent stop, super eye shape & set. Ears are a little large, but plenty of time to grow into those. Good bone for size. Nice feet for size & depth. Lovely neck into a super topline. Chest to come. Balanced outline with great proportions for height/length. Great leg length. Correct rib to loin length. Correct coat texture. Excellent tail set & carriage. Moved really well once settled.

Puppy Dog 
1st Snoridge’s How Do You Like Me Now (Miss I Copetti) 9 months old mature puppy. Beautiful head with lovely gentle stop, good eye shape & set. Muzzle was correct length/depth. Ears were a nice shape, just carried a touch low at this age. Great proportions for height/length, ok angles to shoulder & stifle, but balanced. Correct rib/loin proportions. Excellent coat & texture. Feet a touch round, but great depth. Lovely bone & substance. Width of chest coming on, great depth. Ok tail. In really good condition for a puppy. Nice balanced side gait, just a touch close behind on the away.

Junior Dog 
1st Chayo Fire It Up for Lapema (Mrs K L Jelfs) Mature 16 months old. Strong, broad head with bulky muzzle, lovely dark eye shape/set. Ears a touch larger at this age. Super bone & substance. Loved his shoulder angulation & matching stifle. Strong neck into a slightly sloping topline. Good height/length proportions. Great depth to chest & spring of rib. Chest width to come. Excellent coat/texture. Fair tail. Good size & depth to feet. No excess weight & well-muscled. Powerful movement. Just needs to tighten up with age.
2nd Chayo Play with Fire (Mr M Colton) Litter brother to 1, a little more compact in outline & not as much substance. Beautiful head, with lovely eye shape & set. Nice small ears, correctly set. Good muzzle for head size. Lovely gentle stop. A touch straighter than 1 in angles for shoulder & stifle, but balanced. Nice depth to chest. Excellent sloping, topline, held well. Lovely coat & texture. Fair tail. Balanced side gait, moved a touch wide in front.

Yearling Dog
1st Katabatics Oblivion Fin Jch Hejw-25 Balt JW (Mr S & Ms H & Ms S Puonti & Merisalo Puonti & Järveläinen) 19 months old, moderate in all ways. Loved him, his head was just right for size at this age. Eyes were well shaped & set. Muzzle was correct length & depth. Ears were a great shape & just coming to correct set. Super neck into a great sloping topline, held well on the move. Super balanced shoulder & stifle angulations. Excellent slightly sloping pasterns. Good feet for size & lovely depth. Good bone & substance. Excellent height/length proportions giving a lovely outline. Correct rib/loin proportions. Great depth/width of chest. Good forechest & leg length. Well muscled & no excess weight. Lovely wagging tail set & carriage. His movement reflected his great construction & condition, powerful & balanced. Stood & moved true coming & going. Seriously considered for further honours, his time will come.
2nd Cedarcreek The Only Way Is Up (Mr A & Mrs L & Mrs M Burgess & Burgess & Page) 23 months old, that again was moderate all through. Another that I just loved and much can be said about him as 1. Great head with correct eyes, ears & muzzle. Lovely strong arched neck into a sloping topline. Balanced shoulder/stifle angulations. Great depth & width to chest. Excellent body proportions. Broad thigh. Great feet for shape & size/ depth. Lovely croup & wagging tail set/carriage. In great condition, which really showed in his balanced movement. Stood & moved true coming & going. These two could easily change places on another day. It was just his pasterns that made my decision. Another with a bright future.

Post Graduate Dog 
1st Katabatics Dark Knight (Miss K Burgess) 3 years old. Strong, broad head, ears just a touch large. Excellent bone & substance. Feet correct for size, shape & depth. Good, slightly sloping pasterns. Nice outline for proportions. Lovely depth of chest. Good texture to coat. Excellent tail set & carriage. Balanced movement when settled.
2nd Boreal Routes Conundrum for Ahtohallan (Imp Swe) (Ms S Gibson) 2 ½ years old. Nice head with excellent stop. Good eye shape & set. Ears a touch large, but well set. Chest coming on well. Good feet for size & depth. Sufficient bone, just needs to body up with age. Out of coat but correct texture. A touch short in upper arm for full reach. Excelled in well-muscled, athletic condition.

Limit Dog 
1st Whitewalker’s Winter Snowolf (Mrs Sj Loades) 4 years old, moderate all through. Correct, broad head with lovely eye shape & set. Good ear shape/set & muzzle depth/length. Super gentle stop. Excellent strong, arched neck, into a slightly sloping topline, held firm. Great shoulder & stifle angulations. Excellent body proportions, for height/length & rib/loin & leg length. Sufficient chest depth & good width. Correct bone & substance for size. Excellent feet depth & good pasterns. Great hock length. Good tail set & carriage. Shorter coat, but correct texture. In great athletic condition, which showed in his movement which was powerful & balanced. Stood & moved true coming & going.
2nd Kaskae Hell of A View at Druxie (ai) (Miss K & Miss C Druce) 4 ½ years old. Excellent strong, broad head. Lovely eye shape & set. Great bulky muzzle, correct length & depth. Ok stop. Strong neck, into a slightly sloping topline, held well. Great outline, showing correct depth of chest to leg length. Great forechest. Excellent feet for shape, size & depth. Great bone & substance. Good pigment. Pasterns could be stronger. In great well-muscled condition. Good tail & super coat. Broad thigh. Lovely movement with power & balance. True coming & going.

Open Dog 
1ST Multi Ch The Magician Uniroyal (Mr F Tozzi) Rising 8 years old moderate dog. Great head with such a lovely dark, eye shape & set. Nice muzzle for length/depth. Great gentle stop. Excellent small ears & well set. Just a lovely outline, great balance. Chest depth & width was correct. Height/length of body was spot on. Good shoulder & stifle angulations. Excellent sloping topline. Great strong, arched neck. Good sized feet & sufficient depth. Great short, slightly sloping pasterns. Broad thigh. Lovely coat & excellent tail & croup. In super athletic condition, which showed in his powerful movement. He really did out move the class in side gait. Stood & moved true coming & going. RCC
2nd Multi Ch Capitan Futuro del Biagio Ww Ew (Mr G Biagiotti) 5 ½ years old. Beautiful, strong, mature head. Eye shape & set correct. Small, well shaped/set ears. Strong muzzle. Super outline. Slightly straighter in stifle, great shoulder angulation. Good sized feet with correct depth. Lovley short, slightly sloped pasterns. Great forechest & depth/width of chest. Slightly sloping topline, held on the move. Excellent bone & substance. In good condition. Great tail & coat. Powerful movement, but just couldn’t match the rear movement of 1.

Veteran Dog 
1st Ch Snow Legend Believe in You Cedarcreek JW (Imp Rus) (Mr P & Mrs M Page) 7 ½ years old, fully mature dog. What can I say about this dog’s attributes, that I haven’t already? Having judged him to top honours as a younger dog, I think he is even better now he is at full maturity & he epitomises our breed standard. Beautiful, broad, masculine head, with a lovely dark, eye shape & set. A super, gentle stop. Small well set & shaped ears. Excellent muzzle for depth/length/underjaw. Super, moderate, balanced angulations for shoulder & stifle. Loved his outline, showing a great depth/width of chest & great forechest. Great matching length of leg to chest depth and rib to loin proportion. Excellent feet for size/shape/depth, with great short slightly sloping pasterns. Short, strong hocks & broad thigh. Such a lovely neck into a solid, sloping topline. Beautiful coat, correct texture. Lovely bone & substance. Super croup with correct tail set – he did trail his tail at times, which is perfectly acceptable. He is in such great, well-muscled condition with no excess weight. His excellent movement completely reflected his conformation, his easy, tireless gait was a pleasure to watch. I was delighted to sit ringside & watch him make the shortcut in the working group. CC, BV & BOB
2nd Sutarka Fire Storm (Miss Sharr Wolfe) 9 ½ years old. Lovely, strong head, excellent eye shape & set. Really nice muzzle depth/length. Good ear shape & set. Strong neck into a very slightly sloping topline. Matching shoulder & stifle moderate angles. Lovely bone & substance. Good sized feet & nice depth. Just a touch low on pasterns. Excellent depth of chest. Gave a lovely balanced outline with correct height/length proportions. Great tail set & carriage, sometimes trailing. Beautiful coat. In great condition. Great steady, powerful side gait.

Good Citizen Dog Scheme Bitch 
1st Cedarcreek Forever Young at Mountainglen (Mr A & Mrs L Burgess) Rising 11 years old. Strong, correct head. Lovely outline. Great depth of chest, a touch narrow for width. Excellent bone & substance. Lovely feet for size, shape & depth. Excellent coat & tail. In good condition. Moved really well in side gait, just a touch loose on her front in the coming towards.
2nd Samjoe’s The One and Only VW (Mr J Perfitt-Jones) 8 ½ years old. Another with a nice outline. Ok head, with an excellent eye shape & set. Lovely gentle stop. Correct ear set. Good bone & substance. Just dipping her topline a touch. Out of coat, but correct texture. Just preferred the condition & leg length of 1. Moved nicely in side gait & well handled.

Minor Puppy Bitch 
1st Icewolf Juniper Berry (Miss T & Miss S Neale & Wolfe) Super 8 months old puppy. Loved her, everything was correct for her age. Head is coming on well, super eye shape & set. Lovely gentle stop. Small ear size & correct shape, just a touch low at times. Muzzle correct length/depth. Great outline, with correct rib/loin proportions. Excellent shoulder angulation, just a touch straighter in stifle at the moment. Slope to topline is just coming. Excellent coat & tail. Good feet for size, lovely short, strong, slightly sloping pasterns. Strong, short hocks. Sufficient chest depth & width. Good bone. Excellent coat & tail. In great condition. Loved her movement for her age. BP

Puppy Bitch 
1st Snowshoes Time for Jenga (Mrs JE & Miss J Smith) 10 months old. Very sweet expression, head coming on well. Super eye shape & set. Correct gentle stop. Ears well shaped & set. Length of muzzle correct, a touch narrow in underjaw. Correct body proportions, great balanced outline. Nice chest depth & width coming on. Excellent shoulder/stifle angulations. Nice short, strong pasterns & hocks. Great condition. Moved well in side gait, when settled. Stood a touch 10/2, plenty of time to tighten up. Moved sound coming & going.
2nd Orsamals Una Lelu (gkc) (Mrs N A Brouard) 10 months old, larger bitch. Head coming on well, nice eye shape & set. Ears a touch large at this age, well set. Strong neck, into a lovely slightly sloping topline. Great body proportions with correct moderate shoulder/stifle angulation, giving a nice outline. Good feet & pasterns. Nice chest depth. Excellent coat & ok tail. Not quite the bone of 1. In lovely condition. Excitable on the move, but great to see a happy pup. Just moved a touch loose in coming towards – again, plenty of time to tighten up.

Junior Bitch 
1st Orsamals Una Lelu (gkc) (Mrs N A Brouard) See 2nd puppy bitch.
2nd Orsamals Mademoiselle Koda (Miss L M S & Mr R Queru & Tombleson) Litter sister to 1 & much the same to like about her. Nice outline & well conditioned. Correct, moderate balanced angulations. Slightly sloping topline. Tail could be looser. Moved well in side gait. Just preferred the substance of 1.

Yearling Bitch 
1st Snowshoes Sweet Symphony (Mrs JE & Miss J Smith) 16 months old, really liked this moderate bitch. Beautiful head, with such lovely eye shape & set. Excellent small ears & lovely set. Great muzzle for size, great gentle stop. Loved her strong neck into her solid, sloping topline. Excellent height/length proportions, such good shoulder/stifle angles. Great rib/loin proportions & spring of rib. Excellent depth & width of chest. Loved her outline, such a well put together girl in fit condition. Excellent croup angle & tail set/carriage. Super bone & substance. Lovely coat. I would just prefer a more snowshoe shaped foot, but great depth. Moved really steady, balanced & powerful in side gait. Stood & moved true coming & going
2nd Kaskae Ooh La La avec Druxie JW (Miss K & Miss C & Miss L Druce & Druce & Aitchison) 21 months old. Strong head with fair ear size & good set. Stop a touch heavy. Matching correct shoulder/stifle angulations. Pasterns could be a touch stronger. Excellent feet for shape, size & depth. Great depth to chest & width. Correct body proportions. Lovely bone & substance. Tail could be looser. Broad thigh. Not in full coat but correct texture. In good muscle & condition. Powerful mover with balance in side gait. I preferred the more feminine head on 1.

Post Graduate Bitch 

1st Arctictribes Strange Magic to Ukluk (Miss D & Miss A Hughes) 2 ½ years old. Feminine head, but not at all weak, liked all elements. Really nice outline with correct, moderate shoulder/stifle angulation. Correct chest/leg length split and rib/loin proportions. Great chest depth & width. Excellent forechest. Strong, short pasterns, great depth to toes. Not in full coat, but correct texture. Correct tail set/carriage and croup angle. Sufficient bone & just needs to body up with age. Strong, arched neck. Lovely, slightly sloping topline, held solid. In such great, fit condition, her movement was so steady & powerful in side gait. Stood & moved true coming & going.
2nd Vvakanda De Laouen Ki (Mr Rr Ruschena) 2 years old, smaller bitch. Really beautiful head with good eye shape & set. Gentle stop. Great muzzle depth/length. Good size/shape & set of ear. Strong neck. Lovely height/length proportions with correct chest/leg length split. Balanced shoulder/stifle angulation. Great croup angle, tail set & carriage. Correct coat texture. Good feet shape/size & depth. Moved with balance in side gait. Not quite the condition of 1 and topline could be stronger.

Limit Bitch 
1st Snowolf Blackpowder Sizzle (Mrs Sj Loades) 3 ½ years old moderate bitch. Feminine head, not weak, with excellent eye shape & set. Lovely gentle stop. Fair ear size, correct set. Good muzzle length. Gave a really nice outline, spot on for height/length proportions. Correct chest/leg length split. Good rib to well-muscled loin proportions. Sufficient bone. Correctly textured coat. Great strong, arched neck into a rock solid, slightly sloping topline. Correct feet size/shape/depth. Excellent short, slightly sloped pasterns. Perfect tail set & carriage. In great fit condition. Excelled on the move, such balance & powerful reach & drive. Stood & moved true coming & going.
2nd Rumba Vasilyev Ostrov for Cupun (Imp Ukr) JW (Miss R J Brown) Happy 3 years old, moderate throughout. Absolutely, beautiful head, loved her expression & all elements. Lovely strong, arched neck that flowed into a solid, sloping topline. Great shoulder & good stifle angulations. Just right for body proportions with correct chest/leg length & rib/loin proportions. Excellent short, slightly sloping pasterns. Good feet for size & shape, excellent depth. Correct well let down hock. Great croup & tail set, good carriage. Out of coat, but correct texture. In such well-muscled fit condition just needs to body up with age. A powerful, balanced side gait, but just couldn’t match 1 on the move. Walks into 4 square & true coming & going.

Open Bitch 
1st Ch Mazurstar Mamba Berry (F Zettin) 3 ½ years old complete package. I judged her favourably as a youngster, but she has improved with maturity. I loved her conformation, movement & temperament. A beautiful head that was completely correct in all elements. Great depth & width of chest, excellent forechest. Lovely bone & substance. Excellent feet for size/shape & depth. Strong, short, slightly sloping pasterns & hocks well let down. Such great balanced shoulder/stifle angulations. Loved her outline with completely correct proportions all round. Super, solid sloping topline. Broad thigh. Excellent tail set/carriage. Beautiful coat & texture. In great well-muscled condition. Absolutely sound & showed excellent side gait movement, just foot perfect with balance & power. Completely true coming & going, walking into 4 square. A really close call in the BOB challenge & I was splitting hairs on two great dogs. CC
2nd Ch The Magician Bloody Mary Cedarcreek (Imp Ita) (Mr P & Mrs M Page) 6 years old, fully mature bitch. Another that I loved & seriously considered in the bitch challenges. Beautiful, correct head, lovely eye shape & set. Gentle stop. Excellent ear shape & set. Great length/depth to her muzzle. Really nice, strong arched neck. Excellent, solid topline, held well. A lovely outline, with all body proportions correct. Excellent balanced, moderate shoulder/stifle angulations. Lovely depth & width to chest. Super bone & substance. Excellent feet for size, shape & depth. Correct pasterns & hocks. Great width to thigh. In such great, fit condition. Lovely tail set/carriage & coat. Moved steady with great balance & power. Sound coming & going.

Veteran Bitch
1st Icewolf Jupiter Rising (Miss T Neale) 7 ½ years old, happy, spirited bitch. Feminine head with lovely eye shape & set. Great gentle stop. Good muzzle length. Lovely small, well set ears. Strong neck, into a very slightly sloping topline. Excellent bone & substance. Correct feet for size/shape & depth. Ok pasterns & excellent well let down hocks. Beautiful coat & texture. Well balanced shoulder/stifle angulations. Excellent forechest. Correct depth & width to chest. Nice chest/leg length and rib/loin proportions, giving a great outline. Excellent tail set/carriage. Good width to thigh. In great condition. As soon as she lowered her head, she just flowed around the ring, such great reach & drive. True coming & going. I later learned that she was dam to the BP, she has certainly passed on her great qualities. RCC
2ndKoromandel Rushin Around at Noraisy (Mrs G & Miss R Woodhead) 12 ½ years old. A very feminine head, but not weak. Nicely shaped/set eye. Lovely small well set ears. Good length/depth to muzzle. Strong neck into a very slightly sloping topline, held well on the move. Excellent outline and body proportions. Correct moderate shoulder/stifle angulations. Great depth & width to chest. Super spring of rib & proportion to the loin. Correct feet. Strong pasterns. Beautiful coat & correct texture. Super tail set/carriage. This girl could teach the youngsters a thing or two about steady, powerful, correct movement.

Miss NJ Singh