Firstly I have to start with apologies for not having any note for a few weeks, a combination of Christmas, work and academic commitments and man flu seemed to have filled my life in recent weeks. Anyway I would like to wish you all a happy and prosperous new year.
LKA was the last show of 2016 with CCs on offer for Finnish Spitz. The judge was Viv Philips of the Debucher GBGV kennel. Her BCC, best of breed and best puppy went to Mr and Mrs Morriss’s Enkelini Kuiscaus with the RCC going to the Littlejohn’s Ch Puulatva Minnie the Minx Wae Arcuilean. Mrs Philips felt that none of the male dogs present were worthy of the DCC and RCC so withheld both of these, As far as I am aware she did not take the time to give an explanation on the day for her decision to the exhibitors so I am assuming will explain this in her critique which has yet to be published.
With 2016 now over that means that Top Finnish Spitz for the year goes to Robert Greaves Ch Kunniakas Look no further at Whittemere. Top Puppy for 2016 is Abigail Rolfe’s Enkelini Toivoa with Top Breeder being held jointly by the Toveri Kennel of Cavill and Thompson and the Valokki Kennel of Irene Slater. Top Sire for 2016 is the Peirce’s Ch Sukinimi Kari and top brood bitch is Ch Toveri Pimu owned by the Cavill and Thompson partnership. Congratulations to all the winners on your successes throughout the year. Their scores and how they are collaborated are available in the relevant publications.
Over the other side of the pond top Finnish Spitz for 2016 in the USA went to Ch Am Ch Kunniakas Whizz Bang Whallop, owned I believe by Brenda Richardson and bred by the Byrnes here in the UK. Quite an achievement to breed top of the breed on both sides of the Atlantic so congratulations are highly deserved.
At the Helsinki show in December the Finnish Kennel Club launched a celebration of Finnish breeds and have returned to using a Finnish Spitz as their Kennel Club logo, this time a representation of a small statue. Many items bearing the logo were available at the show and they were giving away postcards and calendars with the logo on. Angela Cavill reports that as part of Finland’s Celebrations of 100 years of independence she has been asked to translate her book on Finnish Spitz into Finnish by their Kennel Club.
A wonderful mention of the breed by international all rounder judge Kari Jarvinen who when asked to choose his top hound of all time picked the one time breed record holder Ch Toveri Panu. Long before my time in the breed Panu was the first Finnish Spitz to win a group in 16 years which he did at Richmond in 1986, going on to take reserve best in show there five years later, a feat that has yet to be equalled or beaten at a general championship show. The article is in the dogworld annual and is well worth a read if you get a chance.
Irene Slater has been in touch to say that Valokki Kielo (aka Pepper) owned by Kieron and Stacey Wells in the Midlands has successfully passed the KC Good Citizen Scheme Gold Award in December 2016. Pepper was born in May 2015 ie. was only just over 18 months old at the time. Many congratulations to Pepper and her owners! Lovely to hear of owners achieving things other than just show wins.
Our first show of the year will be Manchester with experienced Finnish Spitz judge Mark Coccozza giving us his opinion. I will look forward to catching up with you all there.