News & updates 2009

Tampere group show 6 Dec, judge Tanya Ahlman-Stockmari: Netta third in the puppy class. Photo by Susanna Pentikäinen.

Miina's hip and elbow x-rays were evaluated as follows: her hips are B/B and elbows 1/0.

Miina's health results: she has clear eyes and no heart murmurs, however, she is affected with mild patella luxation (grade 1) on her left knee (right knee is normal). Miina's hip and elbow x-rays are subject to the Finnish Kennel Club vet's evaluation and scores will be available in a couple of weeks' time.

The Finnish Lapphund Club's Autumn Specialty was held in Jyväskylä over three days on 23-25 Oct. Friday's event was a BH trial and our team was represented by Aarni and his co-owner Johanna. This clever dog/handler team did a brilliant job and Aarni can now proudly add the title BH in front of his name! Congratulations and thanks once again. On the Saturday, Peppi took part in the obedience trial and got a third prize. Well done. Sunday was the actual show and the day started with the puppy classes. All four pups that we showed (Koda, Helmi, Netta and Viivi) behaved very nicely and Koda and Netta made the cut in their classes. Helmi, however, hit the jackpot by going Best Puppy in Breed out of the 44 Finnish Lapphund puppies entered! Puppies were judged by Tanya Ahlman-Stockmari. In adult classes we only showed Peppi and Lempi, who both got an Excellent grading under Pirjo Hjelm and Tanya Ahlman-Stockmari respectively. Lempi was also placed third in the veteran class. I had the honour of judging the Junior Handling and Children's Handling competitions - always a difficult task but I did find some worthy winners. In the afternoon, a rather tired Helmi took part in the Best Puppy in Show competition and I was delighted to see her go BPIS handled by owner Tapio. Congrats! The total number of puppies entered at the show was 69 so this was a very nice win.

Mette's health results: her eyes are clear (except for mild PPM in one eye), and she is free from patella luxation and heart murmurs. We are now waiting to get her final hip and elbow scores from the Finnish Kennel Club in the near future. Also brother Vekku has been eye tested (diagnosed with MRD, otherwise clear) and his hip score is similarly subject to Kennel Club vet's evaluation.

Show results from this summer:

Raahe group show 13 June: Edi VG/1 and Mette G under Raimo Viljanmaa.

Piteå International, Sweden 4 July: Peppi won the open class and was placed third in the bitch challenge under Erna-Britt Nordin.

Piteå Lappie speciality, Sweden 5 July: Peppi third in the open class under Hannu Talvi.

Kemi all-breed show 11 July: We had cause for celebration as Edi finished his championship first time out after his second birthday! He took the ring by strom by going BOB and Group-2 (photo below) under Helge Lie of Norway. Congratulations and thank you once again Hannakaisa! We also showed Jeppe, who was graded VG, and Mette, who was graded EXC and won a large junior class.

Oulu International 18 July: Edi, shown in the champion class for the first time, was graded EXC by Marjatta Pylvänäinen-Suorsa.

Oulu International 19 July: Raiku Best Puppy in Breed at his very first show - well done! Edi EXC/3 & third place in the dog challenge under Katja Korhonen.

Ruukki group show 25 July: Mette second in the bitch challenge with her second CC (yay!) and Lempi Best Veteran in Breed under Esko Salkonen.

Kiiminki group show 1 Aug: Lempi VG/1 under Raimo Viljanmaa.

Iisalmi International 2 Aug: Nuuk EXC grading under Paula Heikkinen-Lehkonen.

Kajaani group show 9 Aug: Nuuk Best of Breed under Marjatta Pylvänäinen-Suorsa!

Rovaniemi group show 15 Aug: Mette EXC/1 under breeder judge Tapio Kakko.

Nuuk was temperament tested in Kajaani 23 Aug and amassed a whopping 203 points! What an excellent score for a Lappie. Congrats and thanks Pirjo!

Peppi is now competing in Open Class obedience trials and has so far collected a First and a Second Prize from the two trials entered. Way to go!

Edi's hip and elbow scores are here: his hips are C/C and elbows normal (0/0).

Last weekend Peppi's owner Kati and I travelled to Norway to attend the Harstad international dog show. The dogs travelling with us were Peppi, Lempi and Kiara. It was a long and tiring trip, and on the way back we got held up a few times due to bad weather, so did not get back home until late Monday morning. However, the results made it all worthwhile: the old gal took us by surprise by going BOB and thereby finishing her Norwegian and Nordic champion titles under Gunnel Holm out of the 12 Lappies entered. She was naturally Best Veteran in Breed, too. Furthermore, Peppi was right on Lempi's tail and her second place in the bitch challenge secured her the coveted CACIB (which veterans are not eligible to compete for). This was Peppi's crowning CACIB for her International Champion title - my warmest congratulations to Kati & Peppi! Last up was Kiara, who was not too much to Göran Bodegård's liking and had to be content with a red ribbon and class win without going any further. The Best Veteran in Show competition was judged by Grethe Bergendahl and I was over the moon when Lempi made the cut and was placed as 3rd runner-up to BVIS! All in all, it was a fantastic trip - shopping, sightseeing and agility (Peppi did two runs) on the Saturday and dog show on the Sunday. Photo of Lempi in the BVIS ring by Kati Räsänen, photos of Kiara and Peppi by yours truly.

Jeppe was eye tested clear last week. Thank you Minna for having him examined.

We have not been to any shows lately, however, I accidentally omitted one result from the latest news update. Not that the result is anything to write home about since Kukka was graded Satisfactory by Paula Heikkinen-Lehkonen at a group show in Rauma 22 Feb.

Edi has been to his health tests and has clear eyes as well as normal patellas. Hip and elbow results will be available in a couple of weeks' time.

Kuopio group show 8 Mar: Edi VG/1 and Nuuk EXC/2 & 3rd in the dog challenge under Rainer Vuorinen.

Miina participated in a reindeer herding test in Pello 8 Mar. She did show interest in the reindeer, however, unfortunately she did not bark once during the test (barking is essential for reindeer-herding dogs), so she did not pass. Photo by Kaisa Hurme.

Good news from the Finnish Kennel Club: Aarni's hip score is B/B and his elbows are normal (0/0).

First show results from 2009:

Kajaani International 10 Jan: Lappies were judged by Ligita Zake and she graded both Nuuk and Edi Very Good. Edi was also placed third in the intermediate class. Arttu the Crested went EXC/4 in the champion class under Laurent Pichard.

Turku International 25 Jan: Arttu third in the dog challenge (judge Ove Germundsson).

Raahe group show 31 Jan: A new Cantavia champion was made up! Nuuk won the open class and went third in the dog challenge. As the two dogs that beat him were champions, the CC was passed on to Nuuk. What a happy day for the owner and breeder alike! Thank you Pirjo for showing Nuuk to his title. Other dogs shown by us did well, too: Jeppe went second in the open class (only beaten by his son Nuuk), and Mette repeated this in junior bitches. Lempi won the veteran class, went second in the bitch challenge and also took the BVIB rosette under Katja Korhonen. The BVIS competition was judged by Kirsi Nieminen and Lempi went second runner-up! Photo from the main ring by Johanna Flinck - thank you!

Kuopio Spitz Club specialty 1 Feb: This was Nuuk's first appearance in the champion class and he was graded Excellent by Tapio Eerola.

Aarni has been health tested with the following results: he has clear eyes and is free from patella luxation and heart murmurs. His hip and elbow x-rays are now being evaluated at the Finnish Kennel Club and we are expecting to have the final scores in a few weeks' time.