December 2011 ISSUE 9 CATCLUB NEWS UK NEWSLETTER OF FELIS BRITANNICA - THE FEDERATION OF CAT CLUBS REPRESENTING FIFE IN THE UK Cat Club News Merry Christmas Show Topics and a Happy Aristocats Christmas Show, December 3rd & 4th New Year at Lutterworth We were greeted by some Christmas decorations, a small decorated tree and the smiling (angelic?) faces of the show team to the show hall in Lutterworth. This is a really nice venue and access to the hall was direct from the rear car park which was useful and convenient. The show team worked well to make this a very friendly show which ran smoothly and Cathy Nicholls Kora had good early finishes on both days. Many t “Neptune” Firstly a Merry Christmas to all exhibitors thanks to everyone who bought raffle tickets and their wonderful cats, thank you all for and advertised in the catalogue to make this you comments on this newsletter, we hope event a finanicial success. it has been well received. Have a great The atmosphere was great with many new time over the festive period and make sure exhibitors attending and as usual, the FB team you all spoil your cats and kittens rotten. were on hand to welcome them and to help We at Felis Britannica are looking forward them through their first show. All newcomers to 2012 and think that it will be a great are given a “Mentor” to help them through the year for us all. We now have some great day and help them to understand the way Felis show teams working together to make the Britannica shows run. Archie shows bigger, better organised and most If you were one of the first time exhibitors and of all FUN for everyone involved. you have a comment on the show, please do let Please remember, this is our hobby and it us know. is meant to be enjoyable so come along to And so to the main attraction - the wonderful cats that won at Best in Show our shows in 2012 and have a great time Space limits me to the category winners and the overall Best of the Best but Facebook has a amongst friends and fellow enthusiasts. fuller list and also many many more pictures taken by exhibitors over the weekend. To access these, visit the Felis Britannica Facebook page, “like” it and you can view the photo’s and add your own comments. Judges for the weekend were: Christmas spirit: © Mandixx - www.mandix.dk/photo Ulrika Whal from Denmark Albert Fittich from Switzerland Irenesh Pruchniak from Poland Remember to keep in touch with whats going on. www.felisbritannica.co.uk Follow us on Facebook or visit our website! Felis Britannica editor @felisbritannica.co.uk Show Topics Continued. Continued from page one. Day 1 - 3rd December Best Category I: Bronjoy Giddy up (PER) Best Category II: Laska Onix Gloria (SIB) Best Category III: CH Wendele Miss Ellie (BUR) Best Category IV & Best of the Best: Willhavetodo Whatamixup(OSH) Willh Best Unrecognised Breed: Amazolou Mr Brightside (Selkirk Rex) avetodo What amixup (OSH) Day 2 - 4th December Best Category I: Bronjoy Cazdiva (EXO) Best Category II: Old Possums Zephyr (NFO) Best Category III: Nikelsilva Midas (KOR) Best Category IV: Willhavetodo Whatamixup (OSH) Best Unrecognised Breed: Cagaran Cailin-Anizz (Tiffanie) Also at the show a couple of cats gained their Supreme title which is a real achievement so congratulations to the following cats and of course owners. Old Possums Zephyr (NFO) Josie Hughes of Lisieux Cattery, made up her beautiful Maine Coon SP Bhanacoyne Archimedes Aloysius to the title of Supreme Premier congratulations to Josie and Archie (Pictured on previous page). Cathy Nicholls Korat “Neptune” became SC Nikelsilva Neptune . This is the very 1st Korat to gain the title of Supreme Champion – very well done (Pictured on previous page). We intend to make this a regular section in the newsletter so if you have made up a Supreme Champion or have gained a DSM or other special award, please Bronjoy Cazdiva (PER) email a picture and a summary of your cats achievements to [email protected] A Great Loss On November 8th 2011 The Cat Fancy lost a very memorable lady - Patricia Ann Brownsell of Patriarca Cats. Pat started her life in the Cat world with Siamese and Persians, and quickly moved on to Burmese where she was one of the founder breeders of reds and creams who along with Wendy Chapman bred Britains first Red Burmese Grand Champion Patriarca Perdita. Other burmese that Pat bred which you may have heard of are Patriarca Pickapepper, Patriarca Percyfilv, Patriarca Potohoney to name but a few. Pat also bred Cornish Rex, Abbysinnians again with the Abbys being the founder member of the blues. However Pats real contribution to the Cat Fancy was along with Lulu Rowley of Petilu importing Ragdolls into the UK back in the early 80's, her Ragdolls can now be seen all over the RIP Pat 07/081940 - 08/09/2011 World and claimimg Championship status as far afield as Australia and Hong Kong. Pats passing is a great loss to the Cat Fancy, her knowledge of genetics was just fantastic, she will be sadly missed by all who knew her. Remember to keep in touch with whats going on. www.felisbritannica.co.uk Follow us on Facebook or visit our website! Felis Britannica editor @felisbritannica.co.uk New Breed Section After many people said how much they enjoyed reading about the “Khaoe Manee or White Thai Cat, I thought it would be nice to feature other new breeds. Here is a short Article about a breed at it’s very beginnings from Ash Mollay. My “Tibetan” Journey, Ash Molloy After seeing pictures of Vanessa Gasser’s Tibetans on Facebook I was captivated and had to do some research into the breed. Tibetans are essentially Longhaired Tonkinese: They have the unique ‘mink’ colouring with aquamarine eyes but have a swishy, silky coat and a Tibtan Kittens ‘squirrel tail’ like a Balinese - to me - simply gorgeous! keen to export her breed to the UK but the cost and logistics of Agnes Driessen is the founder of the breed. She began breeding importing a cat were quite off-putting for me (this was before the Tibetans in 1992 by crossing Balinese to Burmese then back to DEFRA rule changes). I decided to put an import on the Balinese. In 1997 the breed was granted championship status by the backburner and instead look for a suitable match for my Balinese, Dutch Independent Cat Association. here in the UK. I didn’t want to use Burmese, as Agnes has done, it seemed too longwinded a process. I knew I could produce first Like Tonkinese, Tibetans come in 30 colours spread across the 3 generation Tibetans from a Tiffany, if I could find one of Burmese patterns; Mink, Sepia and Point. colouring (BCR). I knew I had to have some of my own so talked at length with Agnes This proved to be something of a challenge as almost all Tiffany about importing a Tibetan girl. I already had a seal point Balinese breeders work with silver shaded cats. Then in January 2011 I male so with the right girl could produce Tibetan kittens. Agnes was found a litter of Tiffany kittens, which appeared to have one solid brown kitten in the picture. I contacted their breeder, Andrea Reavill, to ask if that kitten should happen to be a ‘BCR’ girl. She was but she was not perfect as she was a smoke but as everything else was right I thought the silver element was a compromise worth making. I collected my brown smoke Tiffany girl in February this year and named her Lhasa after the capital of Tibet. Lhasa matured beautifully. She won best new variety as an Asian Longhair at an Aristocats show and then in August mated with Phoenix, my Balinese, on her first call. And so on the 21st October 2011 the UK’s first Tibetan kittens were born. Four perfect, Natural Mink-Smoke babies, two of each sex. Thanks to Agnes’ exports and other breeders’ initiative Tibetan kittens are now being produced in 14 catteries across 8 countries around the world and are recognised by many national Tibetan mum with babies. independent cat associatons. Message from the General Secretary and the Executive Committee Following what has been a pretty tough year, John Cunningham has resigned from his role as Acting President of Felis Britannica. The Executive Committee regret his decision, but understand and wish him well. We appreciate all of the work John has put in to making FB a successful organisation, first as Chairman of the Show Commission and more recently as our President. We have had some very energetic discussions with some tears but more laughter and will miss his contributions to future debates. Frank Mandix, the acting Vice President will assume the role of Acting President until elections take place at the next AGA proposed for late February / early March 2012. We hope you all will join us in welcoming Frank, who only joined us in the last year but brings to us experience of FIFe in Europe which we have found very inspirational. Frank Mandix Remember to keep in touch with whats going on. www.felisbritannica.co.uk Follow us on Facebook or visit our website! Felis Britannica [email protected] Fife Updates Vacancy Show Photographer wanted The Following proposals were passed at the last FIFe AGA Felis Britannica is looking for a photographer with an eye for taking that “great” picture of the cats during each show.