July 31st 2004

The Society’s show was a huge success, the Committee would like to say a huge

Thank You

to everyone that supported the show.

NORSK SKOGKATT SOCIETY 1^st EXEMPTION SHOW 2004

By Su Startin

The Norsk Skogkatt Society reached a real milestone on Saturday 31 July 2004, when we held our very first Exemption Show (back to back with the Seal and Blue Point Birman Cat Club). There had been some anxious moments two or three weeks before the closing date when entries had been a little slow to come in, but in the end we had an excellent entry of 42 cats in competition, plus two on exhibition. And what a delight it was to see so many wonderful Norwegian Forest Cats all together, from the majestic mature adults and neuters to those very cute kittens.

The show was held at the Churchdown Community Centre, near Gloucester, a lovely venue with easy access from the motorway, and lots of free parking. The day started off overcast and we were all lulled into a false sense of security that perhaps the day would be reasonably cool after all. But it was not to be and that Saturday must have been one of the hottest days of the year. Still, conditions in the show hall stayed quite reasonable all day, considering the temperatures outside.

Being the end of July, it was also a big travelling day for holiday-makers getting away. Luckily none of the exhibitors got caught in major snarl-ups, but those of us coming up from the West Country had some spectacular views of traffic jams in the opposite direction, even at that early hour of the morning.

On arrival at the show, every exhibitor found their pen contained a special edition mug to commemorate the club’s first show, a toy for their cat, a goodie bag made up by Beverley Spooner, the club’s membership secretary, and another goodie bag given by Smylee Pets. The Trophy Table was laden with all our beautiful brand new trophies, which had been so generously donated by club members, while the Club stand had lots of cat toys and bedding to buy (Beverley and her mother had been very busy with the sewing machine!)

Club Stand lots of stuff to sell

Best in Show Pens

The Best in Show pens were decorated in the club colours of red, white and blue (the colours of the Norwegian flag) and Smylee Pets had donated more goodie bags for the winners.

The show began with a minute’s silence in memory of Eileen Hancock, who died in June this year. Eileen had done a huge amount to help establish the Norwegian Forest Cat in this country and to get the breed to championship status. She was a committee member of the Norsk Skogkatt Society and had been a friend to many of us exhibiting at the show. I feel sure Eileen would have been very proud that the club had such a successful first show and she was much missed on the day.

Judges strutting there stuff

Table workers (Hey Su where you gone)

Alison Lyall’s steward with Catwo Artimus

Show Hall in the afternoon

Mrs Cole assesses BIS kitten, Norskmagi Frodhi

Many of the exhibitors had travelled long distances to reach the show, but it was probably Lesley Boucault who had come the furthest. Lesley had travelled from Jersey with two cats, Chelkesi Vanova Vision, and her own bred kitten, Kiasibelle Zeus. Despite being very seasick on the ferry crossing, Lesley felt it had been well worth coming to the show, as both cats had won their Open classes. But she was particularly thrilled with Zeus’s success; “Zeus was the smallest of a litter of ten,” Lesley told me. “He only weighed 52 grams when he was born, and we nearly lost him three times.”

Lesley and Zeus

Ali Ross with PR Forestdancer Ellwood

Ali Ross, who brought four cats with her from London, had also had an eventful journey, when she found that Nordlys Dewi had managed to escaped from his basket and was nudging her elbow while she was driving. Thankfully he was safely recaptured before any harm was done, and went on to be placed in his Open (a class of seven) and to win one of his miscellaneous classes.

Catwo Honey Pie

Another happy exhibitor was Jenny Sedgwick who had supported the show by bringing five cats. She was delighted with the success of Catwo Honey Pie who had won her Open and been 1^st or 2^nd in all her side classes.

Tracey Wood with Norkmagi Forest Svana

The youngest kitten at the show (but only by a whisker!) was Tracy Wood’s Norskmagi Forest Svana, who went on to Best in Show Female Kitten. “She travelled brilliantly and has taken it all in her stride,” said Tracy. Best in Show Male Kitten and overall Best Kitten, was Forest Svana’s litter mate, Norskmagi Frodhi, owned and bred by Jenny and Darren Handy.

Darren Handy with Norskmagi Frodhi

At the other end of the scale, our eldest competitor was the five years old Gr Ch & Gr Pr Vanaheim The Jabbawok. This beautiful white boy, owned and bred by Lindsey Grant, went on to be Overall Best in Show.

Gr Ch & Gr Pr Vanaheim The Jabbawok

Regardless of how successful their cats had been on the day, every exhibitor I spoke to seemed to have enjoyed their day and the show had a really happy atmosphere. Of course, none of it would have happened without the efforts of our Show Manager, Carol Pike (and President of the Norsk Skogkatt Society) who ensured that everything ran like clockwork.

The Club’s thanks must also go to Maureen Savage for her kind donation which enabled us to buy a mug for each exhibitor; to Jenny Sedgwick for her donation of “specials”; to Techni-Cal for samples for every competitor plus a prize for the Overall Best in Show; to Lindsey Grant who ran the table - and to everyone else who helped at the show and made it such a great success.

So now the Committee are looking forward to next year when we hope to see you all again at our second show (same venue, 30 July 2005).

Full Best in Show results: