My thanks to all exhibitors who braved the weather once again this year, and on the whole presented their dogs both clean and dry – no mean feat and well done all. As always a variety of shapes and sizes but impeccable temperaments in every case. Overall, bites were good (only 2 level), some are weak on pasterns and feet (essential in a working sled dog) and tails are still a problem. I had some really nice dogs and found some real quality in depth in the bitch classes, subsequently some were placed lower than they possibly deserve through some serious nit picking.

PD (3,1)
1. Brook’s Snobruk Icedrifter, 9 month grey, very nice in profile though not in the best of coat today. Head coming on with a good expression, good neck, lay of shoulder and a decent topline with a good tailset. Moved pretty well but a bit loose coming towards and in stance costing him the challenge for best puppy.
2. Aiston’s Myatuk Blue Moon, 10 month with a pleasing head somewhat lessened by the contrast in hair colour and eye colouring. Overall shape and balance pretty good but tail too tight and a bit loose in front. An inexperienced pair who will improve with practice.

JD (11)
1. Sheehan’s Hawkam Leading the Trail, 14 month very promising youngster, well presented and handled. His head is already masculine but without coarseness and has a good arch of neck. Well constructed fore, good topline and powerful rear. Moved easily and without the expected roll of a young dog.
2. Malloy’s Snowshoes Shadow, pushed 1 very hard and another promising young dog. Again had a nice body shape with good outline and tailset. Moved well but lost to 1 on less development in head and fore.
3. Lockhart’s Kegluneq X-Rated, another nice young dog that I was blessed with in this class. Of good overall construction but beaten on movement by 1 & 2.

PGD (12,3)
1. York’s Chayo the Real Thing at Snowstruck. Young male with a lot to like. Side profile nice but spoiled by his tail. Pleasing head and expression that will get better as he matures. Good bone, strong legs and feet but would prefer stronger pasterns.
2. Elliot & Campbell’s Hyteton Inbo Harvest Garner, just over 12 months and benefited from being in the previous class – far more settled and moved well doing himself more justice.
3. Jerman’s Lapema Gomez De Royito, smaller type but more mature in both body and head. Nice head spoiled a bit by a lighter eye shade but overall still pleasant. Bone, legs and feet generally good but would prefer more rear angulation. Lost to 2 on movement.

LD (9,3)
1. Ellis’ Chayo Dom Perignon – 3 year old coming into maturity. Good strong masculine head with no weakness. Good neck, shoulder and topline. Decent tail carriage and powerful rear. Slightly down on pasterns but overall front is good. Moved the best I have ever seen him with more effective drive.
2. Isherwood’s Tuvaurat Akimarug Amani – very similar to 1 with good outline and angulation. Another good masculine head, strong neck, topline and rear. Similar to 1, down in pasterns and flattish feet. Still overall a very nice dog.
3. Wilkinson’s Lapema Chico De Espana – smaller type with good male head and look. Good bone, feet and overall construction was sound. Would prefer more slope on topline but really nice tailset and carriage helped. Moved and handled well.

OD (8,1)
1. Wilkinson’s Gwinner Lapema Star De Jungle Negra, Stunning dog of real quality who I have admired from the ringside and couldn’t understand why he was being overlooked for the top awards and I found my answer – absolutely nothing. He can be a laid back dog but today was on it and not going to be stopped. Masculine through and through and with that dignified look of a mature male malamute (he is 5). Sound in front and rear, good bone and lovely outline enhanced by a wonderful tail carriage. Litter brother to the Crufts Group winner and every bit as good. Delighted to award him CC and BOB.
2. Coman’s Arctictrek’s Georgia’s Dream at Wintalakes. Another great dog that I have admired for a long time but come up against a dog on top form and played up a wee bit himself. Powerful moving dog with good bone, angulation and topline but I just preferred the body ratios of 1. Res CC.
3. Smith’s Tango Del Lago Degli Orsi at Snowshoes . Yet another dog that I really liked. Not quite the maturity of 1 & 2 and not carrying the same coat but overall a very sound, lovely moving dog with correct proportions. Earset a tad close but forgivable in overall context of a good dog. At only 3 years of age he has plenty of time to mature.

PB (6,4)
1. York’s Snowstruck Winter Legacy. 10 month pretty feminine puppy with lovely dark eyes. Very settled and moved well round the ring. Well constructed in all areas apart from her tail which spoils the overall picture. Scored over 2 on maturity and movement. BP
2. Ellis’ Chayo Better Than Chocolate, 8 month baby whose expression was somewhat spoiled by handler bizarrely pushing her ears forward and resulting in wrinkling of her forehead, hiding her eyes a bit – I just didn’t get it. Otherwise she was nice in profile with a decent tailset and good coat. Bit of a roll on the move just as one would expect of that age.

JB (10,4)
1. Forster and Bethwaite’s Hawkam Leading Lady of Kachemak, just 15 months and what a babe. If I was to take one home today this was she. Beautiful expression with really dark eyes and small well furred ears. Well constructed, good bone, pasterns and feet. Level topline but expected for a bitch of this age, but dead straight with no roll. Went really well and didn’t twitch a muscle when stood – free standing and concentrating totally on her owner/handler. RCC.
2. Sheikh’s Koldsnap Northern Chantz, this young one put up a good show despite her owners mad dash to the ring and ran 1 very close. Also had lovely expression though preferred size and thickness of leather on ears of 1. All through body had no weaknesses , moved well and second in this class was no mean feat.
3. Hood’s Am Ch Nanuke’s Patience is a Virtue, smaller type, again pretty and very feminine but eyes not so dark as 1 & 2. Sound in construction and movement.

PGB (15,5)
1. Hunter’s Tuvaurat Miss America. Another beautiful youngster well presented and handled. Feminine with good earset and well furred. Strong neck and good topline, angulation good with strong bone, feet and a soundness that gave her correct movement. Correct coat and good tailset.
2. Butler’s Kaytoo Kandi Kandu. A cracking bitch who obviously loves making her owner work hard and today was no exception (even the “wait till I get you home look” did not dampen her spirit). Very feminine with good topline and tail carriage. Her coat on the day was not at it’s best and would push 1 harder if she would behave herself.
3. Clark’s Polarpaws Apache Princess at Shamanictrax, Darker bitch of nice type also feminine but not the topline and overall picture of 1 & 2.

LB (17,9)
1. Butler’s Kaytoo Winter Ascent, excellent 5 year old displaying excellent qualities of both her sire and dam. Lovely feminine malamute expression enhanced by her dark eyes. Good body shape in profile with good tailset/carriage, good straight front and good pasterns. Moved as she ought to and well presented. A well deserved winner of another very tough bitch class.
2. Duggan’s Casiat Chill Factor of Pelentan, at 3 years, a younger bitch with not quite the same finish. Well boned, good topline and tailset with good pasterns and feet. Also has nice dark eye but preferred ears on 1.
3. Clark’s Polarpaws Fatal Attraction at Shamanictrax, bit bigger and heavier bitch, very nice in profile with good topline and tailset. Eye shape and colour distracted from her expression and didn’t have the soundness of movement as 1 & 2.

OB (15,6)
1. Sheikh’s Chayo Vanilla Ice at Koldsnap. Top quality bitch in fine form in this very strong class. Nice and feminine but with that extra sparkle and alertness. Well balanced fore and rear coupled with good topline and tailset. Good bone, feet and pasterns ok. In good coat and moving effortlessly. If anything, would like an extra inch to her tail. Best bitch for me today in a high quality bitch entry and delighted to award her the CC.
2. Wilkinson’s Gorkeane De Jungle Negra. Stunning bitch who ran very close. Confirmation that she is two thirds through her pregnancy clarified my thoughts and explained her slightly dipping topline and extra weight. Beautiful expression with really good alert ears. Good bone, legs and tight feet. Balanced, sound and in wonderful condition.
3. Hawkam’s Harlequin. Yet another really high quality bitch with much to admire. Has the most fantastic expression set off with delightful ears and the most beautiful dark eyes. Also well balanced, sound with good bone, strong legs, pasterns and tight feet. Not in her best coat today and a tendency to pace. On her day could easily swap places with 1 & 2.

Roger Cruden