Mont's second show
Mar. 20th, 2005 07:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xenithWe took Monty to his second cat show today. There were 4 ragdoll kittens but he was the oldest so we were hopeful of him winning best in breed.
Cat breeds are divided in 3 group (plus two more groups for domestic & non-pedigree cats), being 1. Longhairs 2. Siamese & Oriental and 3. Other shorthairs (abyssinian, bengal, rex, Russian blue etc. Longhaired versions of shorthaired breeds are in the same group as the corresponding shorthairs & exotics (shorthaired persians) are in group 1. Body type trumps hair length.
As a kid, I remember cat shows being almost wall to wall Siamese but group 2 is definitely the smallest. And 1 is the largest
Within each group, there are sub groups of kittens (up to 9 months), whole cats and neuters which effectively don't compete against each other; so to win "best of breed" the cat has to be the best of it's breed within the subgroup e.g. persian neuter or ragdoll kitten
They also have multiple rings, which is effectively like having more than one show at once; with different judges (sort of) judging each ring and the results from each ring having no effect on the others. Today was a three ring show, each cat was looked at by 3 judges.
Still, it was a pleasant surprise when the first judge, from Queensland, named him best of breed and as she obviously liked him, we thought he might have a change of doing well in group. There were 21 kittens, representing 4 breeds (persion, exotic, birman & ragdoll).
For group, the judges consider all the (longhaired) kittens and pick the top 5. Then they call them out, starting at 5 and going up. Now what makes it interesting, the best of each breed is the best for that breed so once that's accounted for, you know no others of that breed will get a higher award.It also means if a second place kitten is given a placing in group, the first place kitten for that breed is going to be in the higher ranking. So if the best Birman is awarded 5th place, you know that breed won't be in the higher rankings; if the runner up best of breed Birman is awarded 2nd place, then you know who's going to be getting 1.
On this occasion, as we listened to the judge award the placings, we crossed off the breeds as she went until after 2nd place was announced and we realised there was just one breed left to be given the first place and that was... #48. The ragdoll. Our ragdoll. !!!
A slight downer to that, because with two more judges, the rest of the day could only be a disappointment.
Monty's breeder, who was rather excited, pointed out if any of the other judges put him up as well, he had a good chance of getting kitten of the year and he should be entered in as many shows as possible while he was a kitten. Even if they are almost all in Hobart.
The second judge was from South Africa. When she'd finished going over him, she picked him up and cuddled him and then gave him "best of breed". She obviouisly likes him, I whisper to sister. She whispers back, She said she only gave it to him because he was bigger than the others. Oh well.
Again we listen to the group results with cautious optimism and again the judge eliminates each breed until the only kitten left for first place is... #48. !!!
The third judge, the only male, seemed torn between Monty & his younger half sister when it came to best of breed, finally giving it to him because of the grooming (or the beautiful presentation, as the two previous judges had said). He also seemed very taken with the birmans, saying they were all lovely and it was hard to choose between them, although his review of Monts was positive so we listened to the group results with cautious optimism. 3rd place this time to #48 but the judge commented he rarely placed ragdolls that high in group.
Seems like there's something special about this boy.
That was pretty much the whole show over, except for the waiting until the end bit. Right at the end, the four judges come out for "judge's choice", that is, the exhibit they thought was the best in the show. The male judge named the little Devon rex he'd given his best kitten in group 3 too. Interesting, because I didn't think a judge would pick a young kitten for their choice & because I'd fall in love with that kitten's littermate, a lovely black smoke. And I used to think rexes were ugly.
The next judge named a little abyssinian as her pick, also a kitten. The third, the one from Queensland, named the ragdoll kitten !!! I think Nicquel was too stunned at first to go and get her prize. The last judge, the one from S Africa, choose an adult cat from group 3 but, she said, if she'd been able to have a second choice, it would be the ragdoll kitten. !!!
Definately something special about this boy.
Of course there's a downside, you can't get better than best in show, so it's all downhill from here on ;)
And sister said she just wanted a pet cat she could show from time to time, not a top-winning cat who should be shown as much as possible. Not that she'd swap him. He's a lovely pet too.
Cat breeds are divided in 3 group (plus two more groups for domestic & non-pedigree cats), being 1. Longhairs 2. Siamese & Oriental and 3. Other shorthairs (abyssinian, bengal, rex, Russian blue etc. Longhaired versions of shorthaired breeds are in the same group as the corresponding shorthairs & exotics (shorthaired persians) are in group 1. Body type trumps hair length.
As a kid, I remember cat shows being almost wall to wall Siamese but group 2 is definitely the smallest. And 1 is the largest
Within each group, there are sub groups of kittens (up to 9 months), whole cats and neuters which effectively don't compete against each other; so to win "best of breed" the cat has to be the best of it's breed within the subgroup e.g. persian neuter or ragdoll kitten
They also have multiple rings, which is effectively like having more than one show at once; with different judges (sort of) judging each ring and the results from each ring having no effect on the others. Today was a three ring show, each cat was looked at by 3 judges.
Still, it was a pleasant surprise when the first judge, from Queensland, named him best of breed and as she obviously liked him, we thought he might have a change of doing well in group. There were 21 kittens, representing 4 breeds (persion, exotic, birman & ragdoll).
For group, the judges consider all the (longhaired) kittens and pick the top 5. Then they call them out, starting at 5 and going up. Now what makes it interesting, the best of each breed is the best for that breed so once that's accounted for, you know no others of that breed will get a higher award.It also means if a second place kitten is given a placing in group, the first place kitten for that breed is going to be in the higher ranking. So if the best Birman is awarded 5th place, you know that breed won't be in the higher rankings; if the runner up best of breed Birman is awarded 2nd place, then you know who's going to be getting 1.
On this occasion, as we listened to the judge award the placings, we crossed off the breeds as she went until after 2nd place was announced and we realised there was just one breed left to be given the first place and that was... #48. The ragdoll. Our ragdoll. !!!
A slight downer to that, because with two more judges, the rest of the day could only be a disappointment.
Monty's breeder, who was rather excited, pointed out if any of the other judges put him up as well, he had a good chance of getting kitten of the year and he should be entered in as many shows as possible while he was a kitten. Even if they are almost all in Hobart.
The second judge was from South Africa. When she'd finished going over him, she picked him up and cuddled him and then gave him "best of breed". She obviouisly likes him, I whisper to sister. She whispers back, She said she only gave it to him because he was bigger than the others. Oh well.
Again we listen to the group results with cautious optimism and again the judge eliminates each breed until the only kitten left for first place is... #48. !!!
The third judge, the only male, seemed torn between Monty & his younger half sister when it came to best of breed, finally giving it to him because of the grooming (or the beautiful presentation, as the two previous judges had said). He also seemed very taken with the birmans, saying they were all lovely and it was hard to choose between them, although his review of Monts was positive so we listened to the group results with cautious optimism. 3rd place this time to #48 but the judge commented he rarely placed ragdolls that high in group.
Seems like there's something special about this boy.
That was pretty much the whole show over, except for the waiting until the end bit. Right at the end, the four judges come out for "judge's choice", that is, the exhibit they thought was the best in the show. The male judge named the little Devon rex he'd given his best kitten in group 3 too. Interesting, because I didn't think a judge would pick a young kitten for their choice & because I'd fall in love with that kitten's littermate, a lovely black smoke. And I used to think rexes were ugly.
The next judge named a little abyssinian as her pick, also a kitten. The third, the one from Queensland, named the ragdoll kitten !!! I think Nicquel was too stunned at first to go and get her prize. The last judge, the one from S Africa, choose an adult cat from group 3 but, she said, if she'd been able to have a second choice, it would be the ragdoll kitten. !!!
Definately something special about this boy.
Of course there's a downside, you can't get better than best in show, so it's all downhill from here on ;)
And sister said she just wanted a pet cat she could show from time to time, not a top-winning cat who should be shown as much as possible. Not that she'd swap him. He's a lovely pet too.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-20 10:13 am (UTC)Congratulations!!
no subject
Date: 2005-03-21 12:09 pm (UTC)I need to find an updated photo of him too