GCCF Judge Critique - Sarah Walker - Gwynedd Cat Club Show 2009

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Gwynedd Cat Club Show - 18/07/09

GCCF Judge Critique - Sarah Walker - Gwynedd Cat Club Show 2009

Written by Administrator

Sunday, 19 July 2009

Gwynedd Cat Club

18th July 2009

Thank you to Marie and Joan for my invitation to judge the Household Pets for the very first time and to my wonderful friend Nicole who came all the way especially to steward for me. The new pedigree pet classes are a great addition and well done to the Gwynedd for laying these on. I had some lovely cats to judge today and Nicole had to prise more than one from me and give them back to their owners!

Class 780 AC Pedigree Pet Master Cat (Grand Class)

1st (GMC not awarded) Hutchinson’s MC Lilybeth Black Spotted Bengal FN 4years

What a shame that this stunning looking lady just wasn’t happy today. She was very tense and unsettled when we first went to her pen so we left her to relax and came back later. But she really wasn’t at all relaxed, did not show herself off at all and seemed very worried and unhappy. Her condition and presentation were both excellent – she has a super soft silky coat which gleams and she has lustrous really attractive eyes and an expressive face. She is in great health and looks wise she certainly shines. As I explained to her owner later, temperament and personality make up such a large part of the judging criteria in this section, that whilst I was willing to award a Master Cat certificate, I didn’t feel able to award the Grand Master Cat Certificate today as she lacked the extra sparkle required for such a high award.

Class 774 Self (Single Colour) Cat with or without White (non pedigree)

1st MC BOC Dale’s Ruby Rose Black FN 1year 11months

Very sweet black lady. She was beautifully presented and in tiptop condition (although she obviously likes her tuna!). She has a lovely dainty head with appealing eyes which was so elegant and pretty. She was a little nervous out of her pen to start with but extremely affectionate and loving in her pen, making bread with her paws and demanding that we fuss her which of course we were only too happy to do! 2nd Elsby’s Charlotte Black FN 1year 11months I really like this dainty and well proportioned young lady. But today she was quite shy and not really happy to be out of her pen. She has a sweet expressive face and was in lovely condition and well presented and is obviously a very much loved cat. She just needs a little more confidence to truly shine.

Class 778a Any Colour Shorthair Non Pedigree Kitten Male

1st Doran’s Gingee Ginger & White MN 8 months

My notes say WOW! I loved this boy – he was so poised and gentle. His coat is fabulous – soft silky and with a very attractive glitter effect to his cinnamon spotty coat. In lovely condition he literally gleamed with health and a credit to his owner. He really enjoyed the attention and flopped back in his pen for tummy rubs. He was a teeny bit nervous but I understand this is only his second show and that confidence will come. He has a very promising future and I shall watch him with interest.

2nd Doran’s Fudge Brown Tabby MN 8 months

From the same house as Gingee above and presented in the same sparkling condition. He is a really smart chatty young man. He was very affectionate in his pen but today he really didn’t want to come out onto the table for very long. I am sure this was just a touch of nerves as he was a darling in the pen. Lovely silky soft coat, he is a touch larger than his brother with very appealing eyes and expression. Very vocal but just a chatterbox! Again he is still a relative newbie to the show bench and a fraction more confidence and he will be showing himself off to his very best.

Class 778b Any Colour Shorthair Non Pedigree Kitten Female

1st BOC Crane’s Tinsel Silver Tabby FN 8 months

Very pretty lady with attractive tufty ears which gave her a very unusual and striking look. She was very affectionate and poised and it was her extra confidence which just gave her the Best of Colour Award over Gingee today. She was alert and interested in the goings on around the show hall and quite happy to sit in both my arms and my steward’s, enjoying her cuddles. She was moulting a little which is normal for the time of year and her coat was a fraction dry but her overall condition is really good. Her extra sparkly personality today just gave her the edge over the boys but this was such a tough class with 3 obviously much loved and very well cared for kittens; a credit to their owners.

787a Shorthair Pedigree Pet – Tabby Cat of Any Pattern with or without White Male

1st MC BOC Plaw’s Pepe Reina Brown Ticked Tabby MN 1 year

My notes say “everything a pedigree pet should be” My steward opened the pen door and he stepped out onto the trolley and demanded adoration which we were only too pleased to give him. He was extremely easy to handle and was shown in excellent condition. I loved his ticked tabby silky coat and his heart shaped head with such expressive eyes. He was so happy on the trolley that he curled up and refused to go back in so we gave him some more cuddles. Another cat presented to full advantage and I was only too pleased to award him the MC and Best of Colour awards. I couldn’t believe he is only 1 year old as he was such a pro.

2nd Jones’ Leon Brown Spotted MN 10 months

What a handsome lad! He has a superb silky coat and is another boy in great condition. He has big lustrous eyes, a very appealing expression and a lithe body and strong legs. He was nervous today and not really happy out of his pen but he was in no way aggressive and I am sure as his confidence grows he will go on to win certificates but Pepe Reina’s extra experience and confidence just gave him the edge. I do hope his owner continues to show him as he has masses of potential.

787b Shorthair Pedigree Pet – Tabby Cat of Any Pattern with or without White Female

1st MC Hutchinson’s MC Lilybeth Black Spotted Bengal FN 4years (already reported on Class 780)

Miscellaneous Classes

Class 793 AC Adult or Kitten Debutante

1st Hall’s Gizmo

Delightful baby, playful, charming and passes the kisses test with flying colours. Lovely size and weight for his young age and in wonderful condition. I adored his cheeky face and mischievous nature. I would query his colour and he looked to be a SH black and not a SLH smokey black but that wasn’t relevant to the judging of the class. He has a promising career on the show bench ahead of him and was later Best Non Pedigree Kitten in Show – Congratulations to his owner!

2nd Gray’s George

WOW! On looks alone this boy stole my heart – he has huge round green eyes which just draw you in and a long beautifully prepared coat. He is totally chocolate box with a loving gentle nature but today at his first show he was just a tiny bit nervous and didn’t show himself off quite as well as Gizmo. He got more and more relaxed throughout the day and is sure to go far.

Class 796 AC Adult or Kitten Judge would most like to take home (7 entered and present)

1st Gray’s George nothing more to add really – it was love at first sight!

2nd Wareing’s Leo

It was so close between the top 3 cats in this class and any one of them was welcome to come home in my extra large bag and I would have needed it for this boy! VERY friendly, huge SLH lad. He is extremely affectionate, made bread with his paws continually and kept rolling over for tummy rubs. Wonderful condition and presentation, he was very expressive and my notes simply say “FAB!”. I was so thrilled to be able to award him the Best Pedigree Pet award later that day and with my fellow judges award him Best in Show Household Pet. Thoroughly well deserved and a real credit to his loving owners.

3rd Creaton & Walker’s MC Rainbow Dreamcatcher

What a super girl! She was obviously a pro at this as she was very poised and friendly. We had a lovely chat and cuddle and she was quite content to sit on my shoulder for the rest of the day watching the world go by! I love her expression and she is in excellent condition with a short plush well prepared coat and sparkling white patches. Nicely proportioned body and short thick tail which just adds to her character and appeal. Another who was worthy of first place and a total credit to her owners but this was such a difficult class to judge with so many wonderful cats. I was very pleased with my fellow judges to later award this girl the overall Royal Canin Stakes win – 100% deserved today.

Class 799 Prettiest Female (6 entered 1 absent) This was another really tough class with all 5 girls worthy of rosettes but I was only allowed 3!

1st Dale’s Ruby Rose See class 774 – very elegant pretty lady – she has so much style and appeal

2nd Hutchinson’s MC Lilybeth See class 780 – stunning eyes and coat

3rd Creaton & Walker’s MC Rainbow Dreamcatcher See class 796 – my new friend very pretty tortie and white lady.

Class 803 Any Tabby or Tabby & White Shorthair Cat or Kitten (Except Ginger)

1st Plaw’s Pepe Reina See class 787a

2nd Crane’s Tinsel See Class 778b

3rd Doran’s Fudge See Class 778a

Class 806 Gwynedd Cat Club Class AC Non Pedigree Cat or Kitten

1st Creaton & Walker’s UMC Littleman Raffles (TICA RW&SGM)

Immaculately groomed and prepared sparkling white boy. He is so poised and assured although we judged him just before lunch and he was a little quieter than normal (probably worn out from everyone hugging him all morning!) He still posed on the table like a star and enjoyed a nice cuddle with my steward and me. Oodles of class and perfect manners, at 11 years old he is in superb condition and a credit to his owners – he really does not look or act his age and still just has the extra sparkle a household pet needs to excel on the show bench. Congratulations on later becoming Best Household Pet Neuter.