Leblanc, Kim
Kim purchased her first dog, a Siberian Husky male in 1973. He, fortunately for her, was of good enough quality to become her first champion and sired her first litter. That was the beginning of Snowmist Siberians. Her timing could not have been better for getting involved in this breed as many of the most famous kennels and their founders were still in existence.
Kim and her mum had a short-lived trial with Alaskan Malamutes and decided they were not for them. But the adventure with other breeds continued and they enjoyed a Newfoundland and a few Salukis. During this time Kim handled many different breeds. In 1980, her husband brought American Foxhounds into the picture, she still has one of them today along with the Siberians.
Kim is still actively showing and breeding. Her kennel (Snowmist Siberians) has been highly successful in Canada and around the world. Their dogs have topped the conformation charts over the years; 2020 started off with a bang as Bo (MBIS MBISS MCH Snowmist’s Bodacious zipped right to the TOP of the All Breed standings and then Covid happened, 2019 saw Chilly (MBIS MBISS Am Ch Can GCh Snowmist’s Desert Chill) stride her way to #4 All Breeds including 27 BIS’s, 2013 brought multi BIS winners in Canada, the USA, Thailand and Russia!
One of the big highlights for 2013 was having litter brothers Seeker and Fizzy score multiple BIS wins. Fizzy also scored #1 Siberian in the USA all systems and won the Group at the WDS in Salzburg, Austria.
With her late husband they competed in mostly sprint sled dog races throughout Ontario as well as races in Quebec, New York, Michigan and Ohio. Their teams were competitive at both open breed races and purebred races winning our fair share of awards at both. One year they even tested their sprint dogs at the Marmora Sled Dog Derby in the 60 mile race, finishing 4th out of 40 plus teams. In the fall of 1996 family and business commitments forced them to retire. While racing, they actively participated in the Canadian Kennel Club’s Sled Dog Certificate Program earning over 90 titles including many SDU's. They also earned several ISDRA medals over the years.
In 1993 and 1994 the Siberian Husky Club of Canada awarded their lead dog Northstar’s Snowmist Birch C.D., S.D.U. the Ward Young Trophy for successfully competing in sled dog racing, showing and obedience within one club year. This was the first time any dog had won this award in back to back years.
Kim is a graduate of the canine course “Dogs, A Hobby or Profession” created by the late Casey Gardiner. Included in this educational program was a course on structure that taught structure based on a measuring process. She has used this process to improve her own knowledge, to help others understand what they see and to evaluate litters of puppies and grown dogs. She has conducted all breed measuring clinics as well as seminars on this topic.
Today she is a licensed All Breed Canadian Kennel Club judge. She began her judging career officially in 1994. Since that time, she has had the honour of judging in her own country (Canada), Australia, Belgium, Brazil, China (WDS), Columbia, Croatia, Czech Republic (Euro Dog Show), Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands (WDS), New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the Philippines, Thailand, United States of America, UK and Uruguay.
She had the pleasure of judging at the World Dog Show in Amsterdam as well as Shanghai and the European Dog Show in Brno.
Specialties she had the pleasure of judging include the Rocky Mountain Siberian Husky Club, the Belgian Siberian Husky Club, Saint Bernard Club of Ontario, Great Pyrenees Club of Central Ontario, Alaskan Malamute Club of NSW Inc., The Siberian Husky Club of NSW Inc., the first ever back to back Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain Championship shows, the National Specialty for Nordic Breeds (Spain), the Briard Club of America, Inc. Regional Specialty, the Nordic Breed Club of Lithuania, the Australian Cattle Dog Club of Canada National and the 8e Reunion Nationale d’Elevage du Siberian Husky France just to name a few.
She has been an active member for many years of the all breed club, Barrie Kennel & Obedience Club Inc. She has held such positions as President, Show Chair Person, and Judges Selection Committee. Currently she holds the position of chair of the judges committee.
Kim served as the Canadian Kennel Club Director for Zone 4 - Ontario North from 2004 through 2008. Her duties included; Chair of the Canadian Kennel Club Junior Kennel Club Council, past Chair of the Club Relations Committee, member of the Breed Specific Legislation Committee, and Judge’s Hospitality and Transportation Chair for the Purina National – CKC Charity Event.
BREED
Siberian Husky, Whippet
FCI Number
162, 270
FCI Group
5, 10
Date(s)
2023.08.26, 2023.08.27
Ring
47, 5