Scottish Siberian Husky Club

SCOTTISH SIBERIAN HUSKY CLUB

CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW – Friday 1st October 2021

SIBERIAN HUSKIES

JUDGE LYN HALL

A small entry but there were some really nice dogs present. All had a decent length of leg and good muscle tone. Angulation and pasterns do need to be watched – there are too many almost vertical upper arms and upright pasterns are becoming the norm. Although there were none that I would consider too fragile, we do seem to be losing substance and a number of otherwise very good dogs were finer boned than I would like. Handling is also an issue; a judge cannot assess movement when a handler is racing round the ring struggling to keep up with/hold back a dog that’s intent on galloping as fast as possible. It takes time and patience, but it is possible to train a Siberian to trot alongside the handler at whatever speed the handler chooses.

The weather on the day was not kind, it was very cold and windy and the flapping tent did affect some dogs. The conditions also meant that my notes were not as comprehensive as they might have been, but I hope that I have managed to cover all the main points and explain the rationale behind my decisions.

Yearling Dog (4,1)

1st: McInnes’ Inneska Malachite 20m attractive boy with pleasing head and expression. Adequate and balanced angulation. Correct slope to pasterns. Very sound, light footed, effortless movement. One to watch.

2nd: Anderson’s Azgard Cohiba to Uriakin 23m. Slightly stronger head that 1, but attractive nevertheless. Front and rear angulation okay but pasterns upright. Moved well but not as smoothly as 1.

3rd: Merrill’s Alepenkye Arundel

Undergraduate Dog (1,0)

1st: Bryson’s Azgard Padron of Inukshuk 23m rangy boy with just enough bone. Shoulder angulation a bit straighter than I would like, and this was matched by similar rear angulation, so he is balanced. I would prefer more slope to pasterns. Moved quite well and covered a lot of ground, but just a little loose all through. I think he has a lot of maturing still to do and it will be interesting to see him in a few years time.

Graduate Dog (1,0)

1st: Tapper & Clayland’s Icynights Feeling Good at Redalita 2 year old with a most attractive head and expression. Good proportions although a tad finer boned than I would like. Excellent shoulder and rear angulation, but pasterns do need a little more slope. Good, ground covering movement.

Post Graduate Dog (5,1)

1st: Emery’s Polarcreek Atigun Pass to Navajos. 6 year old with a classic head and expression. Mid standard height with correct proportions. Correct bone. Really good angulation front and rear and nicely sloping pasterns. Sound and smooth movement. Excellent coat. Loved him. Unfortunately he made a complete mess of things in the challenge, refusing to cooperate with his handler and thereby ruining his chances of a green card.

2nd: Cooper’s Janskoo’s Merciful 5 year old medium sized, understated boy. I was really splitting hairs in this class. He was every bit as good as 1 in respect of build, angulation and movement. Attractive head and expression. In the end I felt that 1 had just that bit more sparkle on the day, but they could easily change places.

3rd: Houston’s Rajarani Nikolai

Limit Dog (5,3)

1st: Hearton & Hearton-Randall’s Blizzardrun Stryder at Tallatanta 2 year old on top of the standard. Typical head and expression. Correct proportions, good bone, excellent coat but could do with carrying a little more weight. Balanced angulation, moved soundly.

2nd: .Hughes’ Siberiadrift Secret Realm 2 year old. Unfortunately spooked by the flapping tent and this unsettled him. Another rangy boy, but in proportion and with correct bone. Head is a bit plain for me, but he is very well constructed and moved soundly and smoothly.

Open Dog (3,0)

1st: Cooper’s Janskcoo's Fortitude JW. 5 years old. The breed standard uses terms like ‘moderate’ and ‘medium’ a lot, and if anyone wants a demonstration of what is meant by these terms, then they need look no further than this boy. He is beautifully constructed with correct angulation front and rear, nicely sloping pasterns and correct proportions. He moves so soundly, covering the ground with effortless ease. Smashing head and typical mischievous expression. CC and on the decision of the Referee BIS.

2nd: Shaytaan’s Doctor Watson at Ceannabeine 6 years old rangy boy. Excellent shoulders and rear angulation. At the fine end of the standard as far as bone is concerned. Moves with terrific reach and drive although pasterns a little loose. Lovely head and expression. Extremely well handled, especially in the challenge where he motored round the ring to claim the RCC.

3rd: Houston’s Rajarani Dominique

Veteran Dog (2,1)

1st: Emery’s Navajos Agent Utah. 8 years old. Typical head and expression. Very well angulated, good bone. Lovely coat. He moved quite well, looking good in profile, covering plenty of ground, but a little loose coming and going.

Lyn Hall