Short-Haired Cat Society - 7 January 2012

Thanks to Lynda, Sue and the show management team for the invitation to judge, my first time at this show. I gather that the overall entry was up, which made it a pity that there were so few Siamese and Orientals, though the quality was certainly high. Thanks to Clare for coming to steward for me, a relative novice in this respect but I would never have guessed - I hope we can repeat the exercise.

Open Classes

AC Siamese Champion Male

GCC Brown's CH HEMLOCK MONTEREY JACK (32fn) 17 Jul 10
A lad of very good type, masculine looking and of good maturity for his age, though obviously with further development to come. Long even wedge, good width at the top, well set large ears. Straight profile, firm though slightly shallow chin, level bite. Eyes of very good shape and set and of good depth of blue. Long lean muscular body, long legs with neat paws, balancing length of tail. Points while certainly apricot, showing a good degree of the required brownish overtone, did look rather pale; however the same was true of all the red series cats present (and not only the Siamese) so I accepted it as a problem with the lighting and did not hold it against him. Lightly shaded body, coat short and close-lying though little harsh in texture along the lower spine. Excellent temperament and presentation.

AC Siamese Champion Female

GCC Rigby's CH JOHPAS SUMMALOVIN (32a) 12 Nov 10
A really lovely girl of excellent type. Longish even wedge, good width at the top, well set large ears. Straight profile, firm chin with a charming beard, bite level. Eyes of excellent shape and set and very good depth of blue. Surprisingly long body - she manages to conceal the length while in her pen - needing ideally to fill out a bit more though of a good weight and well muscled. Long legs with neat paws, tail needs an extra inch to balance. Points bright though again appear on the pale side, body lightly shaded along the back, coat just a little long but of excellent texture. Excellent temperament and presentation.

Chocolate Point Siamese Neuter

BOB Turvey's PR STYPERSON BIJOU MN 7 Aug 06
A lad of good type. Long wedge with a small pinch, slightly broad in the muzzle, needing ideally a little more width at the top, well set large ears. Dip in profile, chin firm but a little shallow, bite level. Eyes of good shape and set and good depth of blue. Points a distinctly dark but very warm chocolate - though not exactly what the standard calls for, I confess I find it rather attractive - all rather brindled, especially the mask around the eyes. Body very lightly shaded, coat a fraction long but of excellent texture. Excellent temperament and presentation. While he is not without his imperfections, I thought he definitely warranted an award at this level.

Miscellaneous Classes

AC Oriental Female Adult

1 Davies's BILLSTES GOING DUTCH (37m) 7 Feb 11
An attractive girl of very good type. Longish well balanced even wedge, good width at the top, well set large ears. Straight profile, firm chin, bite scissored over. Long muscular body, long legs with neat paws, tail needs an extra fraction to balance. Colour an attractive warm cinnamon well mingled with plenty of bright red in evidence, colour sound to the roots, coat short and close-lying, of excellent texture. Excellent temperament and presentation.

AC Siamese Novice Adult

1 Cruse's DESTRIER KIARA (24n) F 23 Nov 10
Rather a small girl of reasonably good type. Long slightly pinched and rather narrow wedge, large ears set in line. Small dip in profile, chin ebbs and bite a little over. Eyes of good shape, quite well set but deep set, needing more depth of blue. Long firm body, long legs with neat paws, tail needs an extra fraction. Points a good lilac-based caramel showing clear browny overtones, body lightly shaded, coat close and of excellent texture. Excellent temperament and presentation.

AV Oriental Breeders Kitten, Male

1 Handley's BABADAG BLUE-BAYOU (37a) M 19 Jul 11
An exceedingly handsome and well grown lad of excellent type, later my choice for best Oriental kitten. Long even wedge, good width at the top, large ears which he did hold a little low. Eyes of very good shape and set and of a good green, though he was holding the right one slightly closed - it looked as though he had managed to injure it. Long muscular body if a little tense, long legs with neat paws, balancing length of tail. Colour a slightly dark blue sound to the roots, coat short, close-lying and of excellent texture. Excellent temperament though rather retiring, excellent presentation.

AV Oriental Breeders Kitten, Female

1 Hirst's TOGHAR FAWNTASIA (37r) F 24 Jun 11
A well grown girl if good type. Long, slightly pinched wedge, needing a little more width at the top, large ears set in line. Profile almost straight, firm rather shallow chin, level bite. Eyes of good shape and set, olive green in colour. Long firm body, long legs with neat paws, balancing length of tail. Colour a good fawn, sound but showing rather too much ghost spotting to the sides, though now I see who she is I have to say it is much improved since I last saw her. Coat short and close-lying and of excellent texture. Not in the best of moods today, I fancy distracted by coming into call; excellent presentation.

AV Oriental Non-Breeders Kitten.

1 Burnett's BURNTHWAITES ZIGGYSTARDUST (35) M 24 Jul 11
A handsome well-grown lad of very good type. Long wedge with something of a pinch, no doubt exacerbated since he is teething at present with double canines present. Good width at the top, well set large ears. Straight profile, firm chin and level bite. Eyes of very good shape and set and of a good depth of blue. Long firm body, long legs with neat paws, tail needs an extra inch or two and rather blunt at the tip. Colour a good pure white, coat close and of good texture. Excellent temperament and presentation.
2 Hirst's SHIMILEETA SEXIANCINFUL (37k) M 17 Jun 11
An attractive lad of very good type though a little small for his age. Medium length even wedge, good width at the top, well set large ears. Straight profile, very firm chin, bite slightly undershot. Eyes of good shape and set though a little full, of a clear pale green. Long firm body, long legs with neat paws, long tail. Colour a good cinnamon sound to the roots and showing substantial ghosting on the sides and forehead, Short close lying coat of excellent texture. A little grumbly but handled well; excellent presentation.

AV Oriental Kitten, Male

1 Handley's BABADAG BLUE-BAYOU (37a) M

AV Oriental Kitten, Female

1 Hirsts TOGHAR FAWNTASIA (37r) F

AC Siamese Kitten over 6 months

1 Woodfield's LITTLEFEAT DANNY BOY (32a) M 1 May 11
A promising well-grown lad of very good type. Long even wedge, good width at the top, well set large ears. Straight profile, firm deep chin, level bite. Eyes of very good shape, set a little straight and I would prefer a deeper shade of blue. Long muscular body, long legs with neat paws, tail needs an extra inch or two. Points a bright red but looks on the pale side, though that could well be an artefact of the hall lighting, unshaded body, close coat of excellent texture. Excellent temperament and presentation.

AC Siamese Non-Breeders Neuter

1 Turvey's GR PR STYPERSON MYSTIQUE (24n) MN 7 Aug 06
A lad of type of superior type, looking good today. Medium length even wedge, good width at the top, well set large ears. Straight profile, firm chin, level bite. Eyes of good shape and set and of a good depth of blue. Long very well fed body, long legs with largish paws, tail rather thick, needing an extra inch. Points of a pale lilac-based caramel, the mask a little bluer in tone than the rest, but all showing quite a good brownish overlay, body lightly shaded over the hips, coat short, close-lying and of excellent texture. Very grumbly today but failed to frighten us; excellent presentation.

HHP Miscellaneous Classes

Pedigree Adult or Kitten

1 MC Pashler's BABY (Lilac SH) FN 3years 6 months
A girl of Asian type, a little small but of good weight for her size, with appealing almond shaped green eyes. Her coat short, close-lying and manicured to perfection, not a hair out of place. But above all she had the most endearing temperament, kneading away, essaying a hesitant purr, and unwilling to be returned to her pen.
2 McRae & Gabb's GRACE (Ticked Tabby SH) F 5 months
A well grown brown ticked tabby girl, very attractively marked with a short coat of lovely texture, very alert and playful; a little restless out of her pen though happy enough to be held but twining herself round us when returned to her pen.
3 Dodman's MISTER MOLE (Black & White SH) MN 7 months

Non-Pedigree Adult or Kitten

1 Ford's IGMC BORIS AGGRIPPA (Brown Tabby & White SH) MN 2 years 8 months
A handsome well marked lad, comfortably presented in his double pen. Neat ears, apple green eyes, medium length coat of super texture. It's not his fault that his markings give him a slightly fierce appearance which his behaviour belied - a little reserved at first, but he thawed under persuasion and allowed himself to be fussed.