Kudos to the committee, officers and the showground personnel for ensuring that this show not only was held, but was a success. It could have been a total washout if the circumstances and venue were different. Now, on to the Malamutes: With the unsafe muddy outside rings, all breeds were moved to indoors. The breed was scheduled in a ring half the size one would normally expect for this breed, but given the circumstances, it was adequate. The carpeting and the speed with which some of the exhibitors insisted on running with their dogs, did, I feel, cause a number of them not to put their best performance on the move, and in several cases, this did result in lower placements than what might have occurred otherwise, but it is what it is, and all the dogs and handlers had the same handicap. There were more than just a few exhibits that I would have placed to the fore of their class if only they had been able to move better. They were excellent to go over, looked the picture, and then they moved. No doubt once outside on grass and in a larger ring, it will be different! With everyone in close proximity to each other and dogs, two things happened: there was a definite interest and response to every class, how nice it is to have others congratulating the winners and the ringside clapping for all of them, you are a very sporting bunch! However, I was not happy about some animal’s behaviour towards others in the class or ringside, so this must be watched with great vigilance. I well remember the days when four males in a class meant each stood in his own ‘naughty corner’85the breed has come on by leaps and bounds since then with its even temperament, so this type of behaviour must not be tolerated. Mouths have improved since the last time I judged, but continue to be a problem with one overbite, several few level bites and one slight reverse scissor. Feet were very good, with thick enough pads, though some could have been a bit tighter. Eye shape and colour was by and large very good to excellent, only one or two darker coated exhibits with light eyes, otherwise they were fine, with the preferred dark eyes evident. Eye shape was for the most part correct, only a few with what I would call round eyes, giving a foreign expression, as no oblique setting was evident. Why some exhibitors continue to hold their dog’s tail up and over touching the backline, is beyond me, when the standard is very clear about what the tail should and should not do when the dog is at rest. I can’t remember how many times I requested handlers to let the tail drop, as the dog was not working. I look at tails when they are on the move, and check the set on and length when going over the dog. For the main part, the overwhelming majority of animals I examined were of excellent temperament and presented in clean condition, only one truly dirty and smelling dog something I don’t associate with a spitz breed, let alone a show dog, and was quite surprised by it; a shame as it was a good example otherwise. Coats, well of course at this time of the year, some were naked, some in full coat and others dripping, literally. I don’t recall seeing in competition in a championship show breed class, exhibitors competing with what I would consider to be a ‘long coated’ example of the breed. The overly long open coat to my mind is indicative of an animal that would not be able to survive the artic environment they were originally bred in which to work. Texture in the remaining ones was for the most part very good to excellent. There were some bitches which had, in my opinion, soft textured coats, so this told against them as well. The standard calls for a medium length of coat on the body with good depth of undercoat and harsh guard hairs. Several were just coming back into coat, but as long as undercoat was present and the topcoat was of correct texture, to me, more is not necessarily better. Loose flews was something that surprised me as well, as I don’t associate that with this breed, and didn’t consider it typical for a spitz breed that must work in sub-zero climates. Tails: well the ‘waving plume’ was one of the big deciders for me in a number of classes, as yes, there were several classes which had some excellent examples of the breed, and I had to split hairs, so it was tail set on, length and carriage that was the deciding factor. If more judges were to make this important hallmark of the breed more evident in their judging, perhaps more breeders would pay attention? Another thing I noticed and can’t help but wonder if this is a result of more people coming in from other breeds- exhibitors in some cases were really trying to show a very ‘crested’ neck on their dog. To me, that doesn’t match with ‘strong and moderately arched’, as called for in the standard. Some exhibitors were at such pains to pull the dog’s head so far forward and looking down to accentuate the arch in the neck, that they pulled the forequarters out of place and gave the exhibit a very upright forehand. Yes, we want beautiful and eye catching dogs, but the beauty of this breed, in my opinion, is in their naturalness, and not contrivance. Having cited my overall concerns I will try and focus on the excellent aspects of the dogs I placed.

PD(5, 2)
1 Wilkinson & Jelf’s Lapema Angel De Cambios. 7 month old youngster, nicely matured animal, with well balanced excellent head and expression, very good front, excellent bone, correct coat and slightly sloping topline, moves very well with true driving action in the rear and true front movement, very good tail, very promising puppy. Best Puppy in Breed.
2 Vasarhelyi’s O’Kinastar Captain Fantastic. 7 months as well, much larger dog all over and as such will take much more time to come together, still quite raw and uncoordinated in front action. Lovely head and expression, but ears a tad soft. What I did like very much is the strength of muzzle, excellent eye shape as well, excellent body proportions, lovely coat, good tail, he will just take more time to develop, but again another promising youngster.

JD(6, 2)
1 Lond-Caulk’s Icewolf Devil May Cry. Gorgeous youngster of 15 months, he caught my eye as soon as he entered the ring, possessing lovely outline and balance, being longer than tall. Has excellent head and expression, correct eyes and ears, vg neck and clean forequarters, very good bone and body development for his age, correct slightly sloping topline, best mover in the class and correct tail carriage,with the ‘waving plume’. In the challenge nothing could match his smooth tireless rhythmic gait coupled with breed type and correct tail. Dog CC and Best of Breed. He can only get better with time; I look forward to following his career with great interest.
2 Cochran’s Blaiddeira It’s All About You At Malmaison. Another high quality dog with lovely head and expression, eye shape and colour, ears are vg, good neck, depth of body, well proportioned overall, very good coat and moved well.

PGD(11, 1)
1 Mort’s Articbreeze Midnite Hero. 2 yrs immediately gives a positive impact with his excellent outline, shape and balance, very good conformation, excellent bone, correct head with lovely small ears, correct eye shape, slight stop, clean neck, vg forehand, vg topline and possesses good length of body, moved beautifully.
2 Taylor’s Hyteton Tombli For Luponooshka. 3 yr old of slightly different head type, but a typical example of the breed with strong skull, noticeable stop, strong neck, good forequarters, excellent body and bone with substance, excellent rear quarters so well muscled, very good coat texture and excellent gait.

LD(13, 3)
1 Coney’s Bjiss Articbreeze Midnite Titan. 2 yr old, excellent breed type and conformation, beautiful head on him with correct eyes for shape and set, very good strength to muzzle, very good neck and forehand, correct slightly sloping topline, not too compact, very good tail and the best mover coming and going in this group; excellent coat texture, I liked him a lot.
2 Bevan’s Snobruk Super Charged With Conyzone. 3 yr old, a good basic dog, much to like about him, good head type, would like eyes a shade darker, good strength to muzzle, ears well set, very good neck, shoulders and front, when standing would at some times tend to lose his topline but it was fine when gaiting, displaying a tireless easy working gait. Pasterns could be stronger.

OD(9, 1) An excellent class as one would expect at this level, only small details separating the placed dogs.
1 Robb’s Slo/CZ JCH Under Icewolf’s Star Inditarod JW Sh CM EJW10 (Imp Cze) 2 yrs, overall balance and type immediately fills the eye. Examination proves the excellent preferred balanced angles front and back which meant this dog moved correctly at all speeds, in spite of the handler’s propensity to run! Lovely head and expression, beautiful dark eyes obliquely set, neat ears well set, good strength to the muzzle, very nice shoulder lay and forehand, not too compact, vg length of leg, vg tail, strong rear quarters. RCC.
2 Ellis’ Chayo My Prerogative. Not quite 18 months, with strong powerful head, broad skull and muzzle, correct ear set and use, very nice eye shape and colour, good neck, correct slightly sloping topline, good length and strength of legs, well muscled, not too compact, has excellent coat for texture and depth, moves very well indeed.

PB (11, 3) There was a range of coat textures in this class.
1 John’s Chayo Rumour Has It For Cristakell. 7 months, immediately appeals for overall balance, breed type, very good conformation. For her age has a very good strong head and muzzle, lovely dark eyes correct for shape and set on, very good ears, correct coat texture, low set rear hocks, vg tail, moves true in all directions, a promising puppy, one to watch.
2 Druce’s Koromandel On Strage Tides (AI). 10 months old, although older, will need more time. Attractive head, but needs to develop, dark eyes well set, good overall conformation, tends to lose her topline at times on the move, but I think this had more to do with moving on the carpet, rather than hard ground. Good body, tail carriage could be looser, but moved very well coming and going.

JB(9, 2) As one would expect in this age group, the ‘teenage’ stage was in full swing.
1 Shah’s Shamanrock Destiny Child [ATC AM01101 CZE]. 15 month old, black bitch with lovely dark eyes as one would expect in this colouration, had the best movement of the class. For her age very good, strong skull and muzzle on her, very good neck, forehand, correct slightly sloping topline. Has sufficient length of body, not compact, has low set rear hocks which she used to great advantage to show off her driving power of movement from behind.
2 Murray & Whyman’s Articwolf Limited Edition At Tailfly. 18 months on the day of the show, I think this bitch has not yet finished settling into her frame, will need more time to come to her best, but lovely head on her, correct ear set, very good strength of muzzle, very good conformation, excellent coat texture, very good tail, rear quarters.

PGB(13, 1) Two lovely bitches, very little separating first and second.
1 Wilkinson’s Koldsnap Aprilia Mille. Two and a half yrs. I was very impressed by the fact that this handler was able to walk her bitch into the ring and the animal stood true with no manipulation of legs or body. This bitch has a strong head with excellent development of skull and muzzle, but is still feminine. Very good conformation, neck, strong bone right down to the feet, very good length of body, correct slightly sloping topline, well angulated in the rear with short strong rear hocks, very good tail set and carriage, has the easy tireless rhythmic gait I was looking for.
2 Mort’s Articbreeze Midnite Echo. 2 yrs, another attractive head slightly different, she needs a bit more time to develop skull width and strength, lovely to go over with very good conformation, excellent coat texture, very good angles fore and aft, moved very well, but front pasterns could strengthen to advantage.

LB(11, 1)
1 Wolfe’s Follow My Dreams Polarni Usvit Via Dreamwolves. Almost 3 yrs, very good bitch, strong powerful head but has feminine expression, very good conformation, body shape, excellent strong bone right down to pasterns,very good neck, excellent forehand, very good length of body, excellent coat texture, correct topline, very good tail carriage, was the best mover in the class.
2 Ballington-Graham’s Catua On The Run. 2 yrs, came to the ball without her party clothes, but the rest of her is correct. Has correct head, attractive appealing expression with correct wide set ears, very good neck, very good shoulder layback, very good rear strength, very good movement, once back into coat will do very well.

OB(11, 2) Many lovely to look at but disappointed on the move and some with incorrect mouths.
1 Loades’ Snowolf Manhatten Marvel. Two and a half yrs, strong bitch, attractive head, ears correctly placed and neat size, very good front on her, correct slightly sloping topline, correct harsh textured coat, well angulated in rear with strong rear quarters and low set hocks, very good tail carriage and has a workmanlike gait that is true in all aspects. In the challenge for best bitch, she displayed characteristic gait that is to the standard. CC.
2 Jerman’s Lapema Reina Una Stella ShCM. 4 yrs, very pretty bitch but still with strength of head and muzzle as required, has very good eyes for shape and set, correct ears. Very good length of body, excellent coat texture, correct slightly sloping topline, well angulated in rear, moved very well, but not quite the accuracy of the class winner. Lovely breed type. RCC.

Mary Deats