THE MAIDSTONE & MEDWAY CAT CLUB’S CHRISTMAS CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW 19.12.2009

All I can say is that someone up there was smiling! If our show had been at the Black Lion, Gillingham as usual this year, with the appalling weather conditions in Kent, there would have been no show!!! Brian and I left hurriedly on the Thursday afternoon as the snow started falling to ensure the show equipment and two of the Show Managers were there at Bracknell and we are very pleased we did so! Then the blizzards came and roads were a nightmare! Our Assistant was snowed in, her roads in East Sussex impassable, but she proved to be a very useful liaison as the messages of woe began to pour in and was able to reassure exhibitors on the various chat lists that the Show would go ahead.

By the Saturday we were possibly TEN judges down but thankfully four of those with a question mark about their ability to make the journey did arrive and that was a great relief. We made the decision to “go for it” and get through the day swiftly, aiming to close the show at 2.30 to allow our intrepid exhibitors the chance to travel home as far as possible in daylight. Everyone thought it a great idea and so we forged ahead. .....

With a full complement of Vets organised by Susan and Sarah Hope, exhibitors were able to bring their cats through without hassle so the day started well! We were very grateful to all our judges and their stewards; every single Open, Miscellaneous and Club class was judged and the results posted – it was a superb feat! Our table was managed by Vanessa Marriott who had everything under control; her excellent band of workers processed the results at an amazing pace. Sue Amor had her own team sorting the rosettes and prize cards which were quickly distributed to make the pens look festive. We did not “clear the hall”; we let the exhibitors stay around the edges to support the raffle and our stall holders and that seemed to give the show a great, almost “party” atmosphere;  everyone was smiling and supportive!

We were sorry to return a large number of entries, as the hall at Bracknell was smaller than the Black Lion, but we wanted to keep all the breeds together to retain the show’s identity. Kit Game produced a cunningly executed hall plan that enabled us to accept 490 cats, still have sufficient space for stalls and a good area for Best in Show to be enjoyed without overcrowding.

Thanks to the great generosity of R & L Pet Products and Royal Canin we were able to give cash prizes and goodies to all our Best of Variety and Best in Show winners both Pedigree and Household Pets. The money saved from purchasing Miscellaneous and Club rosettes was used to give sets of “Christmas Bonuses” where lucky pen numbers received cash presents too – all adding to the fun and festivity!

Thanks to everyone’s fantastic efforts we managed to close the show just after two thirty and I was back at the hotel relaxing in a hot bath by 4.30 pm!! On behalf of the Show Management Team we would like to thank our committee, helpers, friends, EVERYONE who worked so hard to make the show the success it was. We wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2010 – see you next year on Saturday 18^th December!

BEST PERSIAN ADULT & BEST PERSIAN

MR & MRS D’ABATE’S JOHNNYCAKE DAYTONA BEACH, 13B5, M, 19.2.2009

BEST PERSIAN KITTEN

 MRS BANGS’ LAFREBELLA KISMET, 2A, M, 23.3.2009

BEST PERSIAN NEUTER

MRS TONKS’ GR CH & PR ZENDIQUE ATZAR ISBORN, 70 30 8A, MN, 11.9.2000

BEST SEMI-LONGHAIR ADULT

 MESSRS MLYNEK & HAYWARD’S CONANIMA SNOWDRIFT, 13C2, M, 19.3.2009

BEST SEMI-LONGHAIR KITTEN

 MR HANDY’S NORMYSTIC LORD BURR, 67 20, M, 2.5.2009

BEST SEMI-LONGHAIR NEUTER & BEST SEMI-LONGHAIR

 MR & MRS STABLES’ MERLIESIN CAISEAL BEAG, 63, 26.10.2003

 MRS LE MONNIER’S CH KOLINGA MERSADIES, 28, F, 4.6.2007

BEST BRITISH KITTEN

 MRS BANT’S ASPIRITOUS URIAH HEAP, 79S 16, M, 20.4.2009

BEST BRITISH NEUTER

MR BOOTH’S GR CH & PR KOLINGA COUGAR, 16, MN, 18.6.2007

BEST FOREIGN ADULT

MRS CAUNTER’S GR CH THICKTHORN LOTUS BLOSSOM, 73B, F, 3.11.2006

BEST FOREIGN KITTEN

 MISS WALKER’S SILVERSMOKE CAMILLE, 23, F, 8.7.2009

BEST FOREIGN NEUTER & BEST FOREIGN

 MR & MRS ANDERSON

KEEBLE’S GR PR SANTILLO FEROMESES MERCURY, 78 30S, MN, 10.7.2007

 MS MOONEY AND MISS REID’S

SUPREME UK & IMP GR CH MAINMAN KISSCHASE, 27, F, 21.5.2004

BEST BURMESE KITTEN

 MS HUTCHISON’S

IRREP MZAMO, 27D, M, 9.9.2009

BEST BURMESE NEUTER

 MRS POWER’S

IMP GR PR MAINMAN RAJAH, 27B, MN, 11.8.2003

BEST ORIENTAL ADULT

 DR MUIR-TAYLOR’S TILDEN

WYCKEDINWHITE, 35, F, 21.9.2008

BEST ORIENTAL KITTEN

MRS LODWIG’S

WILLHAVETODO VOODO MAJIK, 37, M, 22.8.2009

BEST ORIENTAL NEUTER & BEST ORIENTAL

  HOLDER’S

 PR MYLYNN MAGNIFIQUE, 62 18, MN, 5.9.2008

BEST SIAMESE ADULT & BEST SIAMESE

MRS REED’S

IMP GR CH JOHPAS SENORITA RUMBALITA, 32A, F, 1.5.2005

BEST SIAMESE KITTEN

 MRS HUTCHINGS

MAFDET MACARTHUR, 32 8, M, 23.4.2009

BEST SIAMESE NEUTER

 MRS JANICKI’S

 SHERMESE FABULOUS FABERGE, 24, MN, 10.2.2009

BEST ASSESSMENT EXHIBIT

 MRS R WOOLFENDEN’S

PORTEOUS RING THE BELL, 15 45A, F, 9.4.2009

THE HOUSEHOLD PET SECTION

BEST NON-PEDIGREE LH ADULT

 MISS GRANT’S

TANK (LH brown tabby), MN, 8.10.2007

BEST NON-PEDIGREE SH ADULT

MRS MACOY’S

MC SNOW DROP (SH White), FN, 2 YRS 5 MNTHS

BEST NON-PEDIGREE KITTEN & BEST NON-PEDIGREE

 MISS WARWICK’S

 MINI MINSTREL (LH Tabby), F, 16 WEEKS

 DR SMITH’S FENTON

(SH APRICOT SELF), MN, 10YRS 6 MNTHS

BEST PEDIGREE PET KITTEN & BEST PEDIGREE PET

 MRS DODD’S CHANNELL

 (SLH BLUE TORTIE COLOURPOINT), F, 8 MNTHS

 One of the Show Managers Anne Gregory