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Showing
for the first time? Information regarding showing copyright C. HughesFor anyone considering showing for the first time, I’ve put together something to give you some idea of how to go about it. This information is broken up into several sections:
1. You can find out where shows are from at least three different places. The first of these is the GCCF Office – you can order a list of GCCF shows for the following year, from them. Their phone number is 01278 427575. Or you can look on their website: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/GCCF_CATS/showsnew.htm and you can also purchase ‘Our Cats’ from your newsagent, or direct from the GCCF (it is actually cheaper via your newsagent), and this frequently gives lists of forthcoming shows, as well as reports of past shows. You need to contact the appropriate show manager, named on the list, 10-12 weeks before the date of the show, send them a stamped, self-addressed envelope, large enough to get a schedule in, with a request for the schedule of the show you would like to enter. When this arrives, first of all, read the whole thing carefully. Decide what classes you would like to enter. You cannot enter shows on consecutive weekends – there must be a gap of thirteen days between shows. Ocicats and Tonkinese, and Bengals, as well as some other breeds, are under the ‘Foreign’ Section. You need to enter the appropriate Open class, plus at least three miscellaneous classes. If you are at all confused as to which class you should be entering, please don’t hesitate to ask me, or the show manager of the show, or your breeder if your cat came from a different breeder – but I’m happy to help anyone, whether or not they’ve had a cat from us. Look at the classes towards the back of the schedule – Club classes are under a different section there, so you may well find classes for the Breed club you belong to, depending on your cat. When you have filled in your entry form, don’t forget to sign the back of it, and then if you can, make a copy of it – it will be useful to copy from for other shows. You can get all the details of your cats registered name, breed number, sire, dam, registered number, etc. from the pink slip. If you haven’t yet received your transfer slip back from the GCCF when you send your entry off, then put TAF – Transfer applied for – in that column, and as soon as you receive it, write to the show manager and tell them what it is, and they will add it to your form, or take it with you to the show and tell the show manager at the time. (In that case, use your pedigree to get the necessary information.) You must do this, and you must make sure that the GCCF receive your application for transfer of ownership 21 days before the show date (when you send it in to them, also send a sae which they will send back to you as confirmation that they have received your application). When you fill in your entry form you’ll need to add the cost for a catalogue as well. (You need to get a catalogue at the show to make sure your details have been entered correctly, and the classes you entered are the ones that have been written in the catalogue.) There will be a date on the front of the schedule when it has got to be returned by. Send a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your entry, and the show manager will return this to you on receipt of your entry, and this is your confirmation that your entry has been received. 2. Your cat must have a current vaccination certificate (and must have been vaccinated at least 7 days before the show). The day before the show, make sure his ears are clean, and clip his claws. Anyone having a cat from us will be shown how to do this when they collect their cat, but if you don’t know, please ask. You can wipe their ears out with damp cotton wool. If there is any sign of ear mites, or any sign of illness of any sort, or you have had an infectious illness in the cats in your household within the last month, do not take them. Also, if there is any sign of fleas, do not take them. If there is any scratches on them that could possibly be mistaken for ringworm, or any hair missing, don’t take them. If you do take your cat, and they get refused entry under ‘vetting in’, then this would be very troublesome for you, apart from the wasted journey etc. so it would be better not to risk it at all. Plan your journey – I always try to arrive around 8.30, so there is plenty of time for queuing for vetting in, and getting the pen ready, and settling the cat in, before we have to leave the hall for judging, which generally starts at 10am. You can buy a show kit from Purrsonal Touch, who also sell Formula H, as well as heat retaining pads. If the weather is very warm, you can buy coolblocks from places like Woolworths, like the ones used for picnics, and freeze them, then wrap them in a white pillowcase and pop them inside or under your show blanket when you arrive. 3.What to take with you. Have a list that you can check through before each show. You will need: Obviously – the cat and the carrier. (we always put our cats in their carriers on the back seat of the car and fasten them in with the seatbelt) Take a large towel or something to cover the carrier when taking the cat from the car to the hall. This is useful if the weather is very cold or windy, but also prevents the cat being vulnerable to picking up airborne infection when people are queuing close together. Something to clean out the pen when you arrive – we use Formula H, which destroys bacteria and viruses, and a cloth, in a plastic bag, that you can put the dirty cloth in when you’ve finished. A show kit, comprising of white blanket, water dish, food dish and litter tray. All of these MUST be plain white, with no identification on them at all. Litter, plus spare, in case you need it (although in our experience quite a lot of cats never use the trays during the day at the show). Water and food for your cat (and yourself if you wish to, although there is usually somewhere available to get food) – but food mustn’t be left in the pen when you leave the cat for judging. If the weather is likely to be hot, then it’s worth taking a couple of frozen coolblocks (the sort you take on picnics) in a white pillowcase, and these can be tucked under the blanket to help keep the cat cool. If it’s likely to be very cold, a heat pad of some sort can be useful – either a reflective type, or the type you can microwave that holds its’ heat for hours, but check with the show manager that this is acceptable. Spare rubbish bags to take the trays etc. home again. VACCINATION CERTIFICATE ‘Do not touch’ sign – this helps stop people poking fingers through the bars of your pen after they may well have touched lots of other cats, which could introduce an infection to your cat. Never touch other people’s cats, even if you know the people, unless invited, and discourage people from touching yours, unless you invite them to. You can take a toy for the cat to play with in the afternoon after the main judging is finished, or you could buy them something at the show. If you take children with you, then it could be a good idea to bring something to amuse them – it can be a long day until 5pm, which is the time the show ends, and you are not allowed to leave before then without the permission of the show manager. 4.When you arrive. Park your car in the car park – there should be notices near the show venue to guide you to the show and where to park your car, and take your cat to the table where you will be asked your name (and address if there is more than one person with the same name) and you will be given an envelope, with your pen number on it. You will be told where to go for vetting in (usually you will just need to follow the queue) and you hand them your card, and your vaccination certificate, tell them the cats registered name, and get the cat out of the carrier for the vet to examine (a top opening carrier is much easier to get a cat out of). They are very kind to the cats and will be very gentle with them, examining eyes, ears, rear ends, glands, checking that girls aren’t pregnant – never take a cat that has been mated to a show (this would leave them vulnerable to the risk of picking up an infection, as well as stressing them, which you don’t want to do to a pregnant cat), looking for fleas, etc. and all being well, which it normally is, you will then be able to put your cat back in the carrier and go to your pen. The numbers of the pens are clearly written at the end of each row. Wipe the pen out all over, inside and out, thoroughly, with Formula H on a cloth. Then put in your white blanket, your litter tray with litter in it (I fold the blanket so it doesn’t go under the litter tray because some cats get under the blankets sometimes, and if the blanket is under the litter tray as well, then it sends the litter flying all over the place – if you know your cat doesn’t get under the blanket, then it’s safe to put the tray on top), and your clip-on water dish, with water in it (put this at the back of the pen - it makes it more difficult for anyone to put anything they shouldn't into the water). Then you can settle your cat in. Put your ‘Do not touch’ sign on the front. Put your carrier and any personal belongings you want to leave in the hall under the pen, behind the curtain. Don’t put toys, or food in the pen until after the Open class judging has finished. You can stay with your cat until judging starts (at 10am usually), and then you will be asked to leave the hall. You can collect your catalogue on the way out. Check that ALL the details in the catalogue are correct. If there is anything incorrect, immediately tell the show manager – this is your responsibility, even if it appears something minor such as a spelling of a sire or dam is wrong. You will then have a couple of free hours. Sometimes you are allowed back in the hall at 12.30, sometimes 1pm – ask as you leave what time you can come back in. Sometimes during the show you are allowed to go to the stalls around the edge of the show – if this is the case stay well away from the judges and cats, and don’t make any noise that could disturb them. Sometimes you are not allowed to visit the stalls until everyone is allowed back in, including the general public, at 12.30 or 1pm. Never, at any time leave anything on top of your pen – this distinguishes your pen from the rest and isn’t allowed. The Supreme Show is the only exception to this. 5. Judging. Sometimes, depending on the venue, you can watch judging from a balcony upstairs, and this is always interesting. If you are allowed access to the stalls round the edge of the hall and you see your cat being judged, stay well away and don’t make it obvious that it’s your cat. The judges will go round with a ‘mobile table’ and they will go to the pens, with their stewards, who will take the cat out of the pen and hand them to the judge. The judge will then look at the cat and assess them according to the standard of points for the breed, and make notes. You’ll notice that when the owners leave their cats, they all seem to settle quite happily in their pens. OK, you might get the odd naughty one who makes it their business to keep pushing the pen number off the pen (often mine!) or tries to grab any judge going past, simply to seek attention, but don’t worry if yours is like that – this is an added bonus – an attention seeking cat is one that does well at shows. 6. Returning to your cat. The time you are allowed to return to your cat can vary – sometimes 12.30 and sometimes 1pm – check this on your way out. I love getting back to my cat at shows and we are always pleased to see each other again. You can then take them out of the pen and give them a cuddle, but always stay close to your pen. Never hold them near another cats pen and don’t block the pens of other people next to you. 7. Talking to the public and Judging still going on. Although the Open judging should be finished, and you can put food and a small toy in the pen for the cat (and hold the cat in your arms), you will get the judges for the miscellaneous classes come up to judge your cat during the afternoon. When you see them approach your cat, don’t chat to them, but put your cat back in the pen, and close it, and walk back to let them get on with it. Don’t engage them in conversation at all. If you would like an opinion on your cat, find out who judged the Open class, or one of the other classes, and find that judge (easier said than done) when they aren’t busy and ask if it would be possible to have a word when they’d finished judging, and tell them what breed of cat they will find you with. Most judges are very kind and are happy to do this. You will get lots of members of the public stop to admire your cat. Avoid letting them touch them if you can. Many will have cats at home, and they could easily transmit ringworm and all sorts of diseases to your cat through touching them, so discourage it if you can. You can buy a product for people to clean their hands with (at Purrsonal Touch), but by the time you’ve struggled to get this out of a bag etc. I personally feel it’s not worth it. Learn as much as you can about the breed you are showing – you’ll be asked lots of questions. If you don’t know the answer, then if there are others there who are more experienced in the breed, call them over for help – no-one minds and we are all pleased to promote the breed. If there is no-one else available, then take a note of the people’s phone number, if they would like you to, and you can always find out what they are asking and contact them later. Or give them a note of your number. It is around this time when the results are likely to be put up. There will be boards somewhere close (ask if you don’t know where they are) with while slips on. The white slip will be under the class number, and your pen number will be written on it if you’ve been placed. Make a note in your catalogue of any placings. Certificates will be brought round to the pens, and then rosettes (or sometimes, if there aren’t enough helpers at a show, you might need to take your certificate to the club table and collect your rosettes). Put these on the front of your pen (where if you have a naughty cat, they will delight in trying to wreck them!) 8. It gets very tiring at a show and by 4pm most of us would dearly like to go home, but you are not allowed to leave until the show manager tells you to. This is normally at 5pm. Then you pack up, tell your cat he IS the most wonderful cat in the world, and go home. Do make sure you send any show reports to the secretary of the breed club – these are particularly useful, whatever the results are, in helping them to apply to go forward for championship status for the breed, and also to see what judges appear to be liking the breed you are showing and are interested in the breed. Make a note of what judges particularly like your cat, and then you can aim to show under those as much as possible:-)) Most of all, have a wonderful day. You'll get a wonderful feeling being at a show with your cat - it's like you are both part of a team, and there together:-))) If anyone wants more information, please feel free to contact me:-))
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