Asnoted in This Article in Previous Years, the Title of DM Or Distinguished Merit Is One of the Most Prized Titles That a Cat Ca
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DistinguishedMeritCats 1/30/08 6:04 PM Page 454 by Debbie Kusy noted in this article in previous years, the title of Now for the fun stuff – one of the best parts of this yearly DM or Distinguished Merit is one of the most article is this part – those cats that were firsts, reached mile- Asprized titles that a cat can achieve in CFA.A dis- stones or were in some other way a special contributor to tinguished merit cat is either a male that has sired 15 or their breed’s history. more grand or DM offspring,or a female that has thrown five One of the firsts is L Bee’s Calamity Jane of NuDawnz, DM or more grand or DM offspring.This title means that the cat a silver classic tabby American Bobtail Longhair female.“Jane” has contributed a lasting legacy to their breed by passing is the first American Bobtail to earn the title of DM, and she their wonderful type and attributes on to future generations. did it in the American Bobtail’s first year of championship The cattery that has produced the greatest number of competition in CFA! Her breeder is Lynn Benson and her CFA registered DM cats continues to be South Paw,a Persian owner is Lorna Friemoth.This is also the first time that a new cattery owned by Greg and Judy Brocato.The Brocatos have breed in CFA has had a national winner and a DM in their first not been breeding cats for a number of years, but still sit at year of acceptance. Further, Jane counts among her offspring the top with 27 DMs. Our new holder of the second spot is two of CFA’s other firsts – her daughter GP NuDawnz Iskali Marianne Clark, Kurisumasu Japanese Bobtails, with 19 DMs. Chola of Shelbie, CFA’s first American Bobtail Shorthair grand In third place is another inactive breeder, Janet and Bob and another daughter, GC NuDawnz Mustang Sally, CFA’s first Bassetti, of Bassetti Japanese Bobtails. longhair female grand champion.Congratulations to “Calamity Perusing the list of distinguished merit males, there has Jane” and her breeder and owners! been no change at the top.The first eight cats, led by GC, Another first for the past show season is GC, GP, BW, RW NW Cinna’s Jack Daniels of Chantebise, DM with 53, has Dollhowse Denver Blues of Kebekat, DM – whew, so many not changed for a number of years. I think it is interesting titles! “Denver” is bred by Janeil Cillessen and is owned by to note that of the top eight males historically, four of them Isabelle Bellevance. He is the first male Ragdoll DM, and is a are Abyssinians. second generation DM titleholder, not bad for a breed so rel- The top female DMs do not seem to be as dominated by atively new to CFA. His mother, CH Dollhowse Princess any one breed; the highest ranking Abyssinian female is in Leah, DM, was the first Ragdoll DM, and her son is proud to eighth place, in comparison to the males where an follow in her footsteps to achieve the distinction of being Abyssinian ranks first, fourth, fifth and eighth. In contrast to the first male Ragdoll DM. Denver is a blue point and white the male rankings, CH Wil-o-glen’s Gold Card of Clarion, DM Ragdoll and was the breed’s first National Breed Winner in and GC Abyville Skittles of Eecatl, DM are the only female the 2000-2001 show season,the first for the Ragdolls in CFA. Abyssinian DMs to appear in the top nine rankings (which, He was also the first Ragdoll to achieve the RW title, which due to ties, actually includes 35 different cats). he earned as a kitten. Denver has sired 16 grands to date, Most breeds/divisions that are recognized by CFA now including six with CH Kebekat Cinnabon, DM, from two lit- include a female DM.The only exceptions are the American ters.There is not much else for Denver to do, except enjoy Bobtail Shorthair, the Manx Longhair, Selkirk Rex Longhair his well earned, lazy, senior years, admiring all that he has and Shorthair and the Siberian. However, there are still 10 done for the Ragdoll breed. breeds/divisions that do not have a male DM – the American Another first is CH Edelweiss Arwen Evenstar of Pavir, Bobtail Longhair,American Bobtail Shorthair,American Curl DM. She is a chocolate point Balinese bred by Gisela Shorthair, European Burmese, Manx Longhair, Oriental Zanelli and owned by Virginia Torsch and Paul Blose. Longhair, Selkirk Rex Longhair and Shorthair, Siberian and “Evenstar” was bred to GC, BW, NW Purrmatix the Sphynx. All of these breeds are relatively new to CFA’s EveryonewantstobelikeMike, DM, a seal point Balinese championship ranks and with time, they will surely qualify a male bred by Terrie and Bruce Smith and Patty Vail and distinguished merit cat. owned by Terrie and Bruce Smith and Virginia Wheeldon; 454 The Cat Fanciers’ Association 2008 Yearbook DistinguishedMeritCats 1/30/08 6:04 PM Page 455 and they produced six kittens, five of which were show quality. Those five were shown and all granded, making Evenstar the first one litter Balinese DM in CFA. GC, RW Idlemaine Butler of Texas Belle, DM, a black and white Maine Coon male, is now tied as the Maine Coon with the most grand offspring in CFA. His son, GC Texas Belle B. Red Rover became his 37th grand champion, passing the previous record of 36, held by GC, NW Kanab’s Luanne’s Mahogany Rush, DM. To prove that “It is all in the breeding,”“Butler’s” grandpar- ents came from the same cattery as the cat that he ultimate- ly passed, “Mahogany Rush.” GC, RW Stormwatch Dirtrack Demon of Nascat, DM, owned by Donna Hinton and Jill and Dave Burrow, also now has 37 grand offspring, so there is a tie at the top of the male Maine Coon ladder.It’s amazing that these two wonderful boys passed a record that had been held CH Edelweiss Arwen Evenstar of Pavir, DM, a chocolate for so long, in the same year. point Balinese female. Br: Gisela Zanelli. Ow: Virginia Torsch & Paul Blose. Another milestone was achieved by Spellbound Stormy, DM, a black smoke Exotic female bred and owned by Bob and Diane Deibert. “Stormy” is a homozygous Exotic and actually DM’d in 2002-2003. In this past year, Stormy pro- duced her 14th grand offspring, becoming the Exotic female with the highest number of grand offspring. Stormy was the sole kitten produced from GC Spellbound New Vision x CH Bassetti’s Powderedsugar. Diane says she was nothing really special type wise (she didn’t even earn the title of champion), but she had lovely doming and huge eyes. Stormy is now eight years old and continuing to produce normal size,healthy litters of kittens. This year’s DMs include several with very international flavor. The first Birman DM bred and owned by a Japanese exhibitor was bred and owned by Kayoko Otsu and Kaori Seki. Her name is CH Suzucat Xana, DM, and she is a choco- late point female. Her sire is GC Birjanji Reality Checque and her dam is GC Whitesox Velvet Love Bear. Also on the international front is CH Ormeryrds Karina, GC, RW Idlemaine Butler of Texas Belle, DM, a black and DM, a brown tabby Exotic female born in Sweden in 1997. white Maine Coon male. The Gulf Shore Region’s 3rd Best of Breed & 12th Best Cat, 1998. Br: Pat Idleman & Her sire is Yquem Mezcel (sired by CFA’s 1991 Cat of the Kathy Ruf. Ow: Elizabeth Gaither. Year, GC, NW Jovan The Legend of Yquem) and her dam is Athelstones Gossip. Her proud breeder and owner is Anna Lange of Sweden. Her qualifying offspring also have an inter- national twist – GC, RW Ormeryrds Short N’Sweet of Catipurrn was shown by Dana Crabtree in the United States; GC, RW Ormeryrds John-Eric of Mockingbird was shown by Lee Harper and Jodell Raymond, also in the U.S.; GC Ormeryrds Johanna was owned and shown by Kayoko Koizumi in Japan; GC Ormeryrds John-John was owned and shown by Masaaki Kon in Japan; and GP Ormeryrds Ernesto Bertarelli was owned by Tony Chan and Ray Wong and shown in Hong Kong. These five grands made “Karina” the first CFA DM in Scandinavia. Anna would like to thank the owners of all of Karina’s offspring for showing them to their grand title for Karina. Another notable DM with international ties is Catsafrats Blue Ice, DM, a blue point Himalayan female bred by Donna and Bruce Isenberg and owned by Donna and Bruce Catsafrats Blue Ice, DM, a blue point Persian female. Isenberg and B. Farris.“Blue Ice” was never shown but was Br: Bruce & Donna Isenberg. Ow: Bruce & Donna bred to Catsafrats Starting Over of Kapulo, a black color- Isenberg & B. Farris. point carrier male, also untitled.That breeding produced five CFA’s Distinguished Merit Cats 455 DistinguishedMeritCats 1/30/08 6:04 PM Page 456 grand champions in one litter! Three of affectionately as “Bobby”), bred by them,GC,RW Catsafrats It Started With Richard and Barbara Kish and owned A Kiss (now residing in France), GC by Margaret and Ray Stevens, has some Catsafrats Rock Star (also residing in unique qualifications. He is the son of France), and GC Catsafrats Start Your two DMs, which is somewhat unusual Engines (now residing in Italy), have for the Burmese breed. Bobby helped moved abroad to contribute to breed- to produce two female DMs in the ing programs overseas.