 What
Are Cat Shows, & What is Showing Like? |
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What
Are Cat Shows, & What is Showing Like? |
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Cat shows are different things to different people. To everyone who
attends or exhibits they are a place to see and enjoy beautiful cats (especially
those breeds that are different or new to you) and talk with other cats
lovers.
To the household pet owner is it a fun time to show off your beloved feline friend, win awards and points just like the pedigreed kitties, and just have a wonderful time. To serious breeders, it is a way to see how your breed is pro- gressing toward it's ideal and how your cats measure up. It is also a time to network with each other; meet with the public; & educate about specific breeds, cat care, spay & neutering, etc. Most of all, it is a time to visit with friends and have a feline good time. |
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Cat shows start with a trip, sometimes a short local trip but sometimes even by plane. For our kitties it is in the motor home where some of the trip may be in carriers and some of it loose. It also means a good grooming, the requirements of which will vary with the breed, and nail clipping. |
| The first thing that happens is that all exhibitors check in with the entry clerk, and then the cages get decorated. This can be elaborate or modest and can range from glamorous, seasonal, or to cat related themes. So, this does require a little pre-planning. |  |
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Christmas Show Many
times there are themes or special fun contests going on at shows.
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Each cat/kitten is judged in it's own class against members of its own breed, on how well he/she meets the breed standard. Then, the best of each breed are judged against each other. The finals are awarded based on which cats are the closest to perfection according to their standard. [Classes are: Kittens, Championship, Alters, Special Kittens, & New Breeds.) Here you see an Asian kitten (top left), a Bengal champion (top right), and a Tortie Persian champion being examined by the judges. |
| UFO has adopted a "Special Kitten" class for kittens between 3-4 months, the regular Kitten class is for kittens 4-9 months. Here Twilight shows the judge her stuff. There are no points for the kitten classes but the other classes compete for points toward Champion, Silver Champion, Golden or Platinum Champion. |
 association to association as will the point system; but, all associations systems have their similarities. |
Household pet kitties wait for the judge to decide whose the cutest. Yes, as mentioned above, your non-pedigreed kitty can be a celebrity, too. |
Judge Jenis picks the tabby & white as her favorite! |
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| Junior Judge Trainee awards her finals in the special kittens ring under the watch eye of a Judge Trainer. | Best Special Kitten gets presented to the audience and her proud owner. |
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| A nice Bengal kitten. Note just off the table the bottle of disinfectant. This is used on the table and judges hands between cats to safe guard passing germs. | Junior Judge Glen Badger posses with a Persian Tabby kitten between classes. (Glen has now graduated - see below.) |
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At the end of the show, points are tallied and Best of the Best for that show are awarded in each class. At this show our Lizi, Sokoke, was the Best of the Best New Breed, and a Somali Alter from Arizona was Best of the Best Alter. |
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The show year runs from May 1st through the end of April. During that time the cat's points are accumulated and totaled by the National Office. The top 20 in each class are awarded National honors at an awards ceremony. Not only are there awards for the top cats, but top breeders, judges, volunteers, and others are recognized at the banquet. It is always a fun get together. |
| In UFO we are very proud of our Junior Judges program. Glen Badger of the Pacific Northwest Region is one of it's success stories. He is here receiving his Allbreed Judging Certificate. He started as a ring steward, then worked as a clerk, and of course, then spent a long time learning to judge as a trainee. It is the same process we "adult" judges go through. We are proud of his success. | 
There are positive young people around! |
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The end of the show means a visit to Grandma's house for our very tired
kitties. For others it may mean just a drive home or one more night
in the hotel, etc.
Lizi & Twilight snooze on Grandma's sofa while Claire and Grandma get reacquainted. Mom's kitty, Suzie, looks on a bit jealous perhaps, but she's used to the visitors. |
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The trip back to Idaho is more relaxed. Twilight is happy to just
enjoy the view out the door (there is a screen there).
Somehow even 1st timers know they are headed home!! |
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