Having not judged Alaskan Malamutes in the UK since judging the breed at Crufts in 2015, I was very pleased with my entry, which was not only of a good size, but was also generally of high quality. It was delightful to re-visit some dogs I have previously judged as youngsters and to see them maturing well. I was also delighted to see my Best of Breed, Best Puppy and Best Veteran all placed in their groups.

Puppy Dog (4 entries, 0 absent)
1st. Cameron’s Sutarka Fire Storm. 6 months old with very pleasing head with lovely expression, correct almond-shaped, dark eye. Good length of neck, strong topline, excellent tail set and plume. In good coat. Moved with good reach and drive.
2nd. Ellis’ Chayo Time After Time. 7 months old with handsome head with almond-shaped, dark eye. Good front and topline, enough bone and nice coat. Moved well but needs to tighten up, though I am sure this will come as he matures.

Junior Dog (4 entries, 1 absent)
1st. Edwards & Molloy’s Wintablizard’s Investment (AI). At 15 months, this handsome boy has a lovely broad head with correct almond-shaped eyes and well set ears. Good length of neck and well placed shoulder, correct topline and good turn of stifle. In good coat. Moved with good reach and plenty of drive.
2nd. Dolan’s Muzoku Take Me With U To Siskara. 13 months with a striking head, lovely dark eye and correct ear set. Correct topline. Moved OK.

Yearling Dog (4 entries, 1 absent)
1st. Jelfs’ Lapema Garota Rude JW. 22 months. Handsome broad head with excellent correct eye shape and set, small well-placed ears. Excellent front and topline. Good bone and lovely harsh coat. Moved with good reach and power.
2nd. Brook’s Snobruk Secret Mission (AI) JW. 21 months. Good head and expression with almond-shaped eye and good ear set. Good length of neck. Good topline and plenty of bone. Moved well when settled.

Post Graduate Dog (3 entries, 0 absent)
1st. Page & Jarvis’ Cedarcreek Frozen Asset. 2 year old with good broad head, almond-shaped eye and correct ear set. Correct topline and plenty of bone and in good coat. Moved OK.
2nd. Blaney’s Viking Fenrir Kin Of Kiyara’s Wolf Pak (Imp). 4 year old with reasonable head and lovely dark eyes. Topline OK. Enough bone for his size and lovely harsh coat. Moved with plenty of drive.

Limit Dog (4 entries, 0 absent)
1st. Horsman-Phoenix’s Nordicwinds Action Hero. 3 year old with lovely head and correctly set eyes and well placed ears. Good topline and front and good bone. Covered the ground well.
2nd. Brook’s Snobruk Drifting Ice. 3 year old with excellent head and almond-shaped eye. Correct topline , good bone and harsh coat. Moved with drive.

Open Dog (5 entries, 0 absent)
1st. Dolan’s Siskara The Spy Who Loved Me JW ShCM. I have always admired this 4 year old and having judged him previously, it is delightful to see how he has matured and he is more than worthy of this long-awaited 3rd CC. Fabulous head with pleasing expression, almond-shaped eye and well-set, small ears. Correct topline which he held well on the move. Excellent front, good set and carriage to tail and in fine coat. Moved steadily and effortlessly with excellent reach and plenty of drive. DCC, BoB & WG4.
2nd. Wolfe’s Hawkeye Polani Usvit (Imp). 6 year old and another that I have always admired. Excellent head and expression with dark, well-set eyes and well-carried ears. Good front, excellent topline leading to a well-placed and carried tail, Good bone and in good coat. Another that moved well with good reach and plenty of power. RDCC.

Veteran Dog (1 entry, 0 absent)
1st. Jarvis, Packham & Brown’s Icetrax Red Diesel. Just 7 years old. Good looking red dog with a pleasing expression. Excellent front, good topline and plenty of bone. Nice coat. Moved well.

Puppy Bitch (5 entries, 1 absent)
1st. Ellis’ Chayo One Moment In Time. 7 months old and litter sister to 2nd in puppy dog. Very pretty, feminine head with correct almond-shaped eye. Strong with good length of neck, well laid shoulder and good bone. Topline OK, and will certainly improve as she matures. Well set tail, correct turn of stifle. Moved with good drive. BP & PG2.
2nd. Copley-Holland’s Katabatics Hollaback Girl. 9 months old with lovely head and expression and dark, almond-shaped eye. Enough bone, harsh coat, correct tail et and carriage. Covered the ground well.t.

Junior Bitch (6 entries, 2 absent)
1st. Jelfs’ Lapema Tavola Ouija. 16 month old with pleasing head and feminie expression. Plenty of bone, good topline, well placed shoulders, correct turn of stifle. Tail well set and well furred. Moved with good reach and drive.
2nd. Edwards & Molloy’s Wintablizard’s Gin Lover (AI). 15 months old with pretty head and lovely expression and nice obliquely set dark eyes. Good length of neck on correctly placed shoulder. OK topline and enough turn of stifle. Good bone. Well-set tail. Moved well.

Yearling Bitch (4 entries, 1 absent)
1st. Jelfs’ Lapema Tavola Ouija.
2nd. Dolan’s Muzoku U Got The Look For Siskara. 13 months old and litter sister to 2nd in junior dog. Lovely head and expression with dark almond-shaped eyes. OK bone with good harsh coat. Moved well.

Post Graduate Bitch (5 entries, 1 absent)
1st. Brook’s Snobruk Howling Breeze. 2 year old good sized bitch with pleasing head and nice expression. Good shoulder placement, correct topline and OK bone. Moved with drive.
2nd. Dick’s Chayo Northern Breeze. Also 2 years old. Lovely feminine head, well-set almond-shaped eye. Good length of neck and correct shoulder placement, topline and turn of stifle. Enough bone for size. Moved well

Limit Bitch (8 entries, 3 absent)
1st. Ellis’ Chayo Inspiration JW. 21 month old with lovely feminine head, obliquely set almond-shaped eye and small triangular ears. Good length of neck, correct shoulder placement, slightly sloping topline. Good turn of stifle and plenty of bone. Good tail set and carriage. Moved with good reach and drive.
2nd. Wolfe’s Dreamwolves Cest La Vie. 2 year old with feminine head and pleasing expression, nice eye and small well-set ears. Excellent bone, topline and tail. In good coat. Moved with drive.

Open Bitch (8 entries, 4 absent)
1st. Ellis’ Chayo Blue Diamond (AI). 3 year old with very feminine head and kind expression with obliquely set almond-shaped eyes. Good length of neck on well laid shoulders with deep chest. Excellent bone, slightly sloping topline, good turn of stifle, correct set to tail. Moved with reach and drive. RBCC.
2nd. Page & Horsman-Phoenix’s Shakira Northwest Arctic (Imp). 4 year old with feminine head, correctly set ears and eyes. Good length of neck, well boned, correct topline. Good turn of stifle, correct set and carriage to tail. Covered the ground well.

Veteran Bitch (4 entries, 1 absent)
1st. Wilkinson’s Ch Koldsnap Aprilia Mille. 7 years old and, like my DCC winner, another that I have long-admired. In this slow-maturing breed it is great to see the veterans holding their own against their younger rivals and it was an honour for me to award this very worthy champion her 5th CC, and I am sure there will be more. Feminine head with very pleasing expression, lovely almond-shaped eye, obliquely set and small, correctly set ears. Good length of neck and shoulder placement. Plenty of bone for size. Excellent topline leading to correctly set and carried tail. Good turn of stifle and in good coat. Moved with purpose. BCC, BV & VG3.
2nd. Blaney’s Windberg Paparazzi To Fenrirkin. Another 7 year old but somewhat lighter in bone that 1st. Feminine head with good ears. Topline OK and moved well with drive.

Chris John