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Happy New Year!
I hope that all our members are surviving the heat and that the cats are managing too. At our place as I write this it is 32 degrees in the office and Ragdoll Mocha who is usually impervious to the heat has been wandering around most of the day trying to find a cool spot. I figured he would know the best places and eventually went to join him in the library.
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President’s Message
You should have all received the message from the Club president, Denise Grace, by email a few days ago. It’s repeated here for your convenience.
- Do you want the Club to have a show in 2019?
Denise Grace, Club President
If so, we need your help. Several of the current members of the committee have indicated that they cannot commit to the committee or to the preparation for and running of a show in 2019 so we really do need people to attend the AGM on 18th February and to offer their services on the committee. At this time we have not applied for a show date in 2019 because we do not have the manpower to run a show so, if you don’t want this Club to go the same way as several others in this part of the country, please step up and offer to help.
In the 18 years that I have been involved with the Palmerston North Cat Club it has been one of the most active and successful Clubs in the country and, since 2006, has run three very successful NZCF National shows so it would be very sad to see it fold through lack of interest but we really do need more people to become involved on the committee in order for us to continue.
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More Information about Show Jobs
On the NZCF website (the downloads page, where the governance documents are) is a section on Shows which contains the very informative NZCF Show Guide (clicking the link opens the document). Those of you unfamiliar with running a show might like to read over the document and get a feel for the amount of work involved. Obviously the more people who can share the jobs the easier it is on everybody.
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More Information about Club Positions
The Palmerston North Cat Club has a number of officers:
- President
- Vice President
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Assistant Secretary
- Health & Safety Officer
- Webmaster
Additionally the club has to have a committee of 8 members (which include the President, Vice-president, Secretary, and Treasurer) and at committee meetings the quorum is 5.
At the AGM February Denise Grace is standing down from her position as President and the club must have a replacement. The club also needs a large committee to share the work preparing for the show (firstly continuing the work for the 2018 show in May, then the 2019 show if it goes ahead).
Officers and committee members need to be available and committed to attending most of the monthly meetings and undertaking show work throughout the year, increasing toward the show date at the beginning of May.
Please contact the secretary or a committee member if you would like to know more.
Contact: Emma Kimberley, secretary@pncatclub.co.nz
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2018 Judges Profiles
- Jane Allen
GCCF Judge – Persians, Exotics, British, Semi-longhair, Selkirk Rex, Orientals, Siamese and Balinese
TICA Judge – Approved All Breed
I have been breeding Persians since 1983 and introduced exotics in the mid 1990s.
I have been lucky enough to have bred some winning show cats in both long and short hair and have won best Persian kitten at the GCCF Supreme show with my own bred Zendique Readbetween thelines a blue tabby exotic. Another notable win and the one I am probably the most proud of was my International win with my homebred, hand reared exotic, International Winner, Supreme Grand Champion Alter Zendique Sleepless Knights he was 6th best internationally in 2009-10 show season. More recently with Olympian award has been introduced into GCCF and I am proud to say that I have an Olympian Silver winning exotic, Zendique Vivienne Westwood, and Zendique Georgie Porgie has recently obtained two Olympian certificates on his title campaign
I joined the GCCF ranks of a judge in 1992 and am a full judge of Persians, Exotics, Selkirk Rex, British and Manx, Chatreux, Maine Coons, Birmans, Turkish Vans, Norwegian Forest Cats, Somalis, Orientals and am a pupil judge for Siamese and Balinese.
I was lucky enough to be asked to consider showing my exotic longhairs in TICA – as at the time they could not be shown with GCCF – three Supreme titled cats later and I was hooked. I worked through the judging training scheme as a transfer judge. I then judged my way through the speciality ranks of judging and have passed a further two exams and was pleased to be promoted to Approved all breed in TICA.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my experiences with TICA and am honoured to have judged in places far and wide: Russia and the Ukraine, throughout Europe and the USA. It is for me all about felines, friends and fun. I have certainly had all of that and more!
I also manage a TICA show in the UK - CATTICA with Phillipa Holmes –a show where we pride ourselves in running a friendly show encouraging new exhibitors and offering everyone a good weekend.
I am very excited to be coming back to Australia to judge and am so looking forward to meeting folks down under and to experience my first time in New Zealand. Thank you all for the opportunity to visit again and I look forward to meeting everyone and to share experiences both feline and otherwise with you all.
I do feel I also need to publicly thank my husband back in the UK as without his continued support and encouragement I would not be able to have the time away from home!!!
- Margaret Sim
I have always had cats, firstly moggies then my father bred Seal Point Siamese. I met a pair of Burmese in the early 1970's and fell in total love with them, specially the Blue Burmese.
When I settled down in Sydney I went in search of a Blue Burmese and ended up with a Lilac and Chocolate – they converted my partner Don to cats and in particular Burmese. He in turn converted me to Labrador Retrievers.
We moved out of the city to Moss Vale, we had space and time so I commenced breeding and showing in 1987 under the prefix Bima. I breed all colours of Burmese and love them all but my favourites are blue, red and blue tortie.
This led to stewarding which gave me a love of many other breeds and in 1994 I commenced a judging course. I completed Group 2 in 1996, Group 3 in 1998 and in 2009 completed Group 1. I have judged in most states of Australia as well as in New Zealand.
I have been involved in clubs as club secretary, committee member and am currently President of the Burmese Cat Society of Australasia. I have experience as show manager as well as working in card rooms and trophies, also lots of experience setting up and pulling down shows.
In my other life I am a registered nurse and midwife and currently work in a neonatal nursery. I have experience in management, aged care, education, women's health, aboriginal health, community health and paediatrics. My other interests are gardening, patchwork and quilting.
- Michele Ristuccia
I am probably not as well known for my Burmese as I am for my Burmilla's, which I started breeding with GCCFV approval in 2000. As far as I am aware I registered the first Burmilla's in Victoria. I am passionate about development of the Burmilla breed in Australia, having supported 3 new breeders in a mentoring program and developing contact with Burmilla breeders in Australia and Internationally alike, enabling me to import two males from Europe after sending two over to Europe myself. Eventually I also exported to the USA, where they have been the fastest tracked breed into Championship in CFA USA. My Burmillas have achieved excellence here in Australia as well as overseas, and I am proud of my achievements with this breed.
I started breeding cats because my husband bought me a brown Burmese to keep my company during the long hours while he was at work as a chef. You know the story "we'll just have one litter and see if we like it". Well we did, and we were hooked. I have bred Burmese since 1995 now, and they are still one of my favorite breeds.
Silver is my passion, experimental breeding and health a consuming interest, always questioning and wondering about the possibilities. I have contributed to many judges conferences over the years, especially with regards to the development of our two new breeds, the Burmilla and the Mandalay, which my husband also breeds under the Blackglama prefix. I have also recently started showing my two Griffon Bruxellois dogs and will have my first litter at the end of 2015. I am an adherent of breeding for conformation, the ideal of beauty and functionality.
I qualified as a steward with GCCFV in 2004, stewarding or helping in some way at a lot of shows, I was a long term member of the Burmese and Other Shorthair Cat Club. I have served on Executive, and various Committees. I finished training as a Group 2 and 4 Judge in December 2005. I qualified in Group Three in of 2010 bringing me to All Shorthair and have completed quite a few Judging Assignments around Australia including an assignment at the 2009 CCCA National Show in Perth and several in New Zealand since 2012. I am also a Royal Canin Ambassador and enjoy representing this major stakeholder in feline health through nutrition at feline and canine events around Australia. Hopefully I will be able to contribute many more years to the Cat Fancy yet and maybe I will meet up with you at a show soon.
- Jo Millar
I first began showing with the New Zealand Cat Fancy a Seal Tortie Point Siamese in 1978. In 1985 I began breeding Siamese and Orientals under the Ramaltal Prefix and Burmese in 1989.
For the past 23 years I have been breeding British Shorthairs and Scottish Folds under the successful prefix of Intrigue. I have actively promoted the delightful Scottish Fold throughout NZ and was fortunate enough to breed New Zealand’s first Gold Double Grand Champion Scottish Fold, “Gld Dbl Gr Ch Intrigue Immortal Memory”. In 2008 I was fortunate enough to have bred and exhibited New Zealands Best other Shorthair Entire Cat, a British Blue male, Gld Dbl Gr Ch Intrigue Sir Larfalot. I am also owned by a Brown Tabby Van Persian Neuter, who has taken top honours in the Longhair Desexed section of the New Zealand Cat Fancy Awards in 2012 and 2013.
I am now actively breeding the beautiful and regal Russian Blue after losing both of my parents, under their prefix of Kirov.
I have an extremely busy life working full time. My spare time is dedicated to my cats, my Bull Mastiff dog, my horse and in my spare time getting out and about on my VW Trike.
I have been on the Judges panel since 1989 and am an All Breeds Judge for the NZ Cat Fancy Inc. and have consistently accepted appointments nationally as well as completing assignments in NSW, Queensland, Canberra, Victoria, Adelaide, Perth, Tasmania and more recently, Penang, Malaysia.
Judges need to be flexible and able to adapt to different standards and processes. I believe it is important to produce a professional result, which contributes to the shows success and enjoyment by exhibitors and spectators. Shows should be fun: entertaining, educational and interesting. I thrive on the professional challenge of judging the wide variety of cats on the show bench and it is a privilege to judge and enjoy the beautiful cats entrusted to me on show day.
My aim when judging is to give an honest educated appraisal, and to be fair and consistent with all exhibits, and above all else to enjoy myself.
- Samantha Pratt
I feel very fortunate to have been involved with cats from a very early age. I grew up surrounded by Persians and Exotics. After a few years showing our neuters my Mum Rosy and I registered the prefix CAPTIVATING to breed the beautiful Persians and Exotics in 1996. We have always aimed for quality over quantity with our cats.
In 2009 I joined the Judges Panel and have been very fortunate to have had some wonderful mentors with my Grandparents Graham & Sue Gordon both being International NZCF Judges. I have enjoyed judging all over New Zealand and my assignments in Australia. I always like meeting new people and no two shows are ever the same.
I have a particular passion for being involved in a club level at shows and I have been a committee member of the Wellington Cat Club, Hutt Feline Club Inc and the Pedigree Persian Cat Fanciers. No running a cat show is not glamorous and the pay is not good but I enjoy being involved in a small way to make these shows happen.
2017/2018 brings a wee break to kittens in my life as I want to step back and assess where I go next with my breeding programme. I am still owned by 1 Exotic neuter, 3 Persian spays and 2 Exotic spays.
Thank you very much for the invitation to judge.
- Roy Griffiths
I live with my cats in the quiet suburb of Cashmere in the hills of Christchurch, New Zealand. A bit damaged by the Earthquakes, as we say here "shaken but not stirred".
Christchurch is starting to rebuild and the strength and unity of the community has developed substantially during this catastrophe.
The cats have been through a traumatic time also but starting to return to their normal lifestyles.
I have been involved with animals all my life, bred and exhibited Weimaraners (German Hunting dog) in the Gundog ring to a level of National Champion.
Initially a Devon Rex stole my heart at a cat show. Unfortunately at that time the myopathy problem was being controlled so I settled on Oriental and Siamese. These stole my heart and although never exhibiting them, I owned one of each to a very elderly age of 16yrs+.
Of recent years I managed to acquire a Devon and have bred and exhibited Devon Rex since.
Presently focusing on an outcross program to expand gene diversity and also bring the cinnamon colour into the Devon Rex gene pool. My extended family and my passion are my cats.
A qualified steward, handler and senior shorthair cat judge and still exhibiting Devon Rexes. Have held office on the Executive Committee as the Portfolio Manager of the Breeds Standards Advisory of the New Zealand Cat Fancy.
Currently working towards achieving All Breeds status in judging.
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Reminder: Annual General Meeting
The club AGM will be held on 18th February 2018 at 4pm at the Leisure Centre in Ferguson Street.
Our current President, Denise Grace, has indicated that she will not be standing again so we are in need of a volunteer for this position. As well as that the numbers on the committee drift downward during the year so that by the time we are handing out jobs for the show we are left with a few people to do a lot of work. Unless the club is able to field a large, committed committee to share the workload, some of the stalwarts are not prepared to continue running the show year after year. Please give this some thought as you decide whether or not to attend the AGM. (Even if not attending the AGM you can still put your name forward to serve on the committee by contacting the Secretary, Emma Kimberley.)
After the AGM please join us for a meal and social time afterwards at Moxies, on the corner of George and Main Streets.
If not attending the AGM apologies would be appreciated.
If attending the AGM an RSVP about the dinner afterwards is essential.
Annual General Meeting: Sunday, 18th February 2018
Time: 4pm
Location: Leisure Centre, Ferguson Street, Palmerston North
RSVP / Apologies: Emma Kimberley, secretary@pncatclub.co.nz
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Reminder: Membership
Subs for your club membership were due on 1st January 2018. After 1st February 2018 those who have not paid their subs will be removed from the list of financial members and the mailing list for the newsletter.
Full Membership
Single $15.00 / Double $25.00 / Triple $35.00
Associate Membership
Single $15.00 / Double $25.00 / Junior $5.00
Family Membership
Mixed membership (full for adults, associate for juniors) $25
Please make cheques payable to ‘Palmerston North Cat Club Inc’.
The club account number for online payment is 02-0630-0172405-000. It is important to include a reference when making your payment (your surname at the very least) and to follow it up with an email to the club secretary.
If asked by the NZCF Secretary we will confirm whether or not you are a member of Palmerston North Cat Club so that she can check that people renewing or applying for prefixes are financial members of an affiliated club. It is important that our club members are aware that this is part of renewing their membership with the Palmerston North Cat Club Inc.
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Rosette Sponsorship
We offer a variety of rosette sponsorship packages – something to suit everybody. Please contact the club secretary if you are interested in sponsoring rosettes for the 2018 show.
- Package 1 - Quality Presentations Top 10
• Includes 10 rosettes (Best in Show, Runner Up, 3rd - 10th Placing)
• The tail of the rosette can be printed with your cattery or business name.
• Package 1 = $85.00 (incl GST)
Package 2 - Quality Presentations Top 10 (Plain Tails)
• Includes 10 rosettes (Best in Show, Runner Up, 3rd - 10th Placing)
• Package 2 = $72.00 (incl GST)
Package 3 - Quality Presentations Breeders Award of Merit
• Includes 3 large rosettes
• The tail of the rosette can be printed with your cattery or business name.
• Package 3 = $38.00 (incl GST)
Package 4 - Yvonne Pender Top 10
• Includes 10 rosettes (Best in Show, Runner Up, 3rd, 4th - 10th Placing)
• The centre of the rosette can be printed with your cattery or business name.
• Package 4 = $55.00 (incl GST)
Package 5 - Yvonne Pender Breeders Award of Merit
• Includes 3 medium rosettes
• The centre of the rosette can be printed with your cattery or business name.
• Package 5 = $25.00 (incl GST)
Contact: Emma Kimberley, secretary@pncatclub.co.nz
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Committee Meeting - 10th January 2018
- 2018 Show
- Accommodation bookings for our judges have been made.
- A grant has been applied for to help us with hall hire costs.
- General
- President’s message to go out to all members regarding the 2019 show.
- February meeting will be delayed a week.
Next Meeting: Wednesday, 14th February 2018
Time: 7.30pm
Location: To be advised
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History Notes – 1972
Two presidential messages in the same newsletter! This one, though, is from the first National President of the brand new NZCF and appeared in the first NZCF Newsletter from January 1972.
(Click image to enlarge.)
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