Newsletter: August 2018

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Sunday 9th September, 6.30pm - Please Join Us

Part of being a club (and not just a membership list and a show committee) is that we get together and get to know each other.  Part of running a show is knowing about the local restaurants since we need venues for show dinners and taking the judges out before and after the show.  Currently we run get-togethers after the AGM in February, at the show dinner in May, and in December for our Christmas meal. The committee think we can add another couple of gatherings in by having a couple of Sunday afternoon committee meetings during the year and adding on a club function, in this case going out for a meal afterwards.

Therefore, club members are invited to join us at Brew Union Brewery (41 Broadway Ave, Palmerston North 4410) at 6.30pm on Sunday 9th September.  RSVPs are essential so that we can make a booking and should be sent to the secretary.  You are also welcome to attend the committee meeting which will be held at the Leisure Centre from 4pm.

RSVP:    Emma Kimberley    secretary@pncatclub.co.nz
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NZCF Stewards & Handlers Courses – Jan / Feb 2019
Are you interested in becoming a qualified NZCF Handler or Steward? If there is enough interest courses could be organised in the following areas in Jan/Feb 2019:
        - Te Awamutu/Hamilton
        - Palmerston North
        - Christchurch

Estimated cost is $40 for one course or $60 for the combined Handlers/Stewards course. Don't be shy, it’s lots of fun!

If you think you might be interested please contact Sheree with your name and preferred area at judges@nzcf.com
 Reprinted from the NZCF Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/NZCatFancy/
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New Member

Please welcome to the Palmerston North Cat Club James Hanford-Cable who is joining us from Wanganui.
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Committee Meeting: 8th August 2018

- General
  • There is one outstanding payment for show ribbons for the show in May – this is being followed up.
  • The altered constitution has been filed with the Registrar of Incorporated Societies.
  • Club support for the planned NZCF stewards and handlers course.
- Show
  • The contracts for NZCF judges have gone out.
  • We are still working on our ‘long haul’ judge in conjunction with various Australian clubs.

Next Meeting:    Sunday, 9th September 2018
Time:    4pm
Location:    Leisure Centre, Ferguson Street, Palmerston North
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Resignation of Committee Members

On behalf of the club the committee would like to thank Diane Gaskin and Donna Campbell for their willingness to work on the committee and the work they’ve done.
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Our Sponsors



Pro Plan have been the major sponsor of the Palmerston North Cat Club shows for a number of years and their continued support is much appreciated by the committee and club.



Ethical Agents is a New Zealand-owned, family run specialist veterinary marketing company that is sponsoring our show for another year and we thank them for their support.
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Working Bee Update



Thank you to our dedicated committee members Christine, Amanda, Sheryl, Miria, Emma, Denise, Mush, and Jane (taking the photo) who turned out on 11th August for the working bee to assess and repair the club’s cages.  Sadly there was a miscommunication on Arena Manawatu’s part meaning that the large crates of cages had not been unstacked and moved to a place where we could work on them and so we reluctantly had to cancel the working bee.


With a space cleared on our diaries and being up early on a cold clear morning in the Manawatu it was decided that we should go off for breakfast somewhere warmer than the Waldegrave Street car park and accordingly we adjourned to Moxie’s in Cuba Street (photo: E Kimberley).
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History Notes – 1952

Here’s more from the No 1 New Zealand Stud Book for Cats, a book which helpfully includes all the rules of the organisation at the time.  In this case here are parts of pages 8 (the bottom) and 9 (the top) which together cover how disputes and discipline were handled in 1952.

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Newsletter: January 2018

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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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Newsletter: December 2017

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Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

On behalf of the officers and committee of the Palmerston North Cat Club I would like to wish all our members a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.  Safe travels on the roads if you are travelling and we look forward to catching up with you and your news in 2018.
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Christmas / End-of-Year Get-together

On Sunday 3rd December 2017 a large number of our members attended the club’s 2017 end-of-year get-together.  It was a super chance to catch up with members old and new – especially in a social setting where there isn’t the hustle and bustle of a show going on.

I hope you will all consider coming along to the after-AGM event in February.

Thank you to Sandra Broomfield for the photos.


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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.

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 are 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.

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.
_______________________

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 - 8th November 2017

2018 Show
  • Travel for our ‘long haul’ judge is being arranged.
  • Wayne Morris has agreed to be assistant Show Manager.
General
  • Updated membership forms will be sent out to all members.
  • Refund of the NZCF show package fee has been given as a credit against us using it at the upcoming show.
  • The committee has a number of remits in mind for the upcoming NZCF AGM.  If members are interested in the details they should contact the Club President, Denise Grace.
Next Meeting: Wednesday, 10th January 2018
Time: 7.30pm
Location: To be advised
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History Notes – 1971
 
Last Month
In response to the partial show report from the Nov/April 1970/71 Newsletter of the NZGCCF which appeared as the History Notes last month, Rob White responded with some information about ‘Mr Warren’.  If you recall, Mr Warren was mentioned as having a redpoint Siamese whose challenge was withheld with the rather pithy comment: “This was a very heavy cat and showed no type at all.

Rob advises that this was Ted Warren, a breeder of Siamese from Auckland who had some of the first redpoint Siamese that were established from the Chungford lines, the first of that colour in NZ.

This Month
An article about showing from the Rand Cat Quarterly in South Africa, published in the NZGCCF Newsletter from July/August 1970.


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Newsletter: March 2017

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Entries Close 7th April

There's n left until entries close for our 63rd All Breeds show so please get your entries in as soon as possible.

The show schedule can be downloaded from the NZCF Show webpage.
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New Member

Palmerston North Cat Club is pleased to be able to welcome a returning member, Jasmine Austin.  Welcome back, Jasmine.  (And straight onto the committee, too!)
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Palmerston North Cat Club President’s Report 2017

Following last year’s Annual General Meeting the committee geared up for the huge effort and the large amount of time and work that went into running the NZCF National Show in May 2016. It was generally acknowledged by the NZCF Executive Council and by those who attended that it was a most successful National Show. As with any show, there were minor hiccups which were overcome efficiently and, financially, the Club made a very healthy profit from the show although, as is usual, this was mostly from the door take due to an excellent public attendance. An innovation that was introduced at this show that has since been talked about both in New Zealand and overseas was the use of scratching poles on the Judges’ tables. These received enthusiastic approval from cats and judges and we have Paul Holden to thank for making the concept of these into a very well received reality. My heartfelt thanks to all the committee members who worked so hard to produce such a great show.

The past year has not been an easy one for the committee because just two weeks after the National Show we were saddened by the passing of Colleen White after a very courageous battle with cancer. Colleen was made a Life member of the Club at last year’s AGM and was the Secretary of the Club up until that meeting. Colleen’s passing has affected several of the committee members very deeply and she is very greatly missed.

As is usual at this time of the year, we are currently preparing for our next Show which will be held on Sunday May 7th. Any show requires a lot of work and a lot of effort for it to be a success and in order for all the work not to have to be borne by a few stalwart people we really need new people to come forward to go onto the committee.

Further to that, Kerry Holden who has been the Show Secretary for the Club for the last three years, has resigned from the committee and both Genevieve Rogerson and our current Treasurer, Lorraine Smith, have indicated that they will not be available to serve on the committee for the coming year. Kerry, Genevieve and Lorraine have all contributed a lot to the Club over the years that they have served on the committee and their input will be greatly missed.

It is my intention to stand down from the position of President at this AGM. Except for a break of four months, I have served on this committee continuously for 16 years, the past four years as President and as Vice President for three years prior to that and feel that it is time for somebody else to take the reins. In the time that I have been on the committee the Palmerston North Cat Club has been known as one of the most dynamic and progressive Clubs and our shows are well known for their high standards. I sincerely hope that the Club will continue to be strong and active and will not go the way that so many in the country are going at the moment.

My very best wishes for future success to the incoming Officers and Committee. While I prefer not to hold any official position in the Club, I will always be happy to support the Club and help wherever I can.

Denise Grace
26th February 2017

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Annual General Meeting

Thank you to all those of our members who attended the AGM at the end of February.  There were no changes to the subscription and the following officers and committee members of Palmerston North Cat Club Inc were elected to serve the 2017/2018 term.  [As can be seen, Denise’s efforts to stand down from the presidency were unsuccessful!]

President: Denise Grace
Vice-President: Rangi Busby
Secretary: Emma Kimberley
Treasurer: Mushfik Yeung
Committee:
- Jasmine Austin   
- Miria Busby (assistant secretary)   
- Diane Gaskin   
- Paul Holden   
- Judy James
- Ross James
- Yvonne Murphy
- Jane Webster
- Christine Yeung
Webmaster: Jane Webster
Honorary Veterinary Surgeon: Genevieve Rogerson
Patron: Yvonne Murphy

One of the things discussed at the meeting was how to get more Club members involved – and if those who weren’t able to attend have any suggestions please send them on to any of this year’s committee members.

As usual after the AGM those who had time gathered for an enjoyable dinner, this year at the Speights Ale House.
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Trophies

The attendees at the AGM discussed what should happen with all the trophies as they have not been being used at shows for some time. The decision was made that they are to be brought back into circulation. We are hoping that we can get them out and sorted and will plan to award the trophies for Supremes at this year's show.

Between now and our 2018 show we will have a working bee to sort and catalogue them and check which ones need repairs etc.
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Rosette Sponsorship - Reminder

Our show is fast approaching and so time is running out to contribute to the lovely display of rosettes that the Palmerston North show is known for. Rosette packages available are:
  • Quality Presentations Top Ten $85
  • Quality Presentations Breeders' Awards of Merit $38
  • Yvonne Pender Top Ten $55
  • Yvonne Pender Breeders' Awards of Merit $25
Please contact the club secretary if you would like to sponsor rosettes for our upcoming show.

Contact: Emma Kimberley, secretary@pncatclub.co.nz
_______________________

Our Sponsors

Our thanks to those supporting our 2017 show:
  • Emma Kimberley (rosettes and Supreme Companion trophy sponsor)
  • Cahill Animal Hospital, in Palmerston North at 261 Broadway Avenue
  • the Grantley Family
  • Pet Stay, boarding for cats and dogs, located at 32 Colyton Road, Feilding
  • Kiwicoons, Maine Coon breeders from Auckland
  • Concerto Birmans, committee member, Judy James, in Rongotea
  • Louise Fenn (donated prizes)
  • Cairistona Burmese & Mandalay – committee member, Christine, & club treasurer, Mush Yeung, in Palmerston North
  • Nudelicious Sphynx – committee member, Diane Gaskin, in Feilding
Visit our 2017 show page at any time to see how our sponsorship is growing.
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Committee Meeting – 9th March 2017

- General
New members to the committee were warmly welcomed.

Final arrangements were made for the Open Day at the Cahill Veterinary Hospital on April 19th [Note: This was very successful for both Cahills and the Club with a large public attendance.]

- 2017 Show
Further arrangements for the upcoming show were finalised and a date set for a ‘working bee’ to sort prizes.

- Next Meeting: Thursday, 13th April 2017
- - Time: 7.30pm
- - Location: Not Now James, Ruahine Street, Palmerston North
_______________________

Show Set-Up on Saturday 6th May


We would welcome helpers for show set-up on Saturday 6th May. Please let Emma, Rangi, or Paul know if you are willing and available to help so that we can make sure we have enough people to get the job done.

Contact:
- Paul Holden, 021 541 755
- Rangi Busby, buzzkina@gmail.com
- Emma Kimberley, secretary@pncatclub.co.nz
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History Notes – 1954

- Name: Nunbourne Challenge Cup

- History: Appears in the 1954 Palmerston North Cat Club Show Catalogue though the earliest inscription isn’t until 1955.  (The dates which are listed on the first few inscriptions are not the dates of the club’s show for that year.)

- Inscription: P.N.C.C., Nunbourne Challenge Cup, Presented by Miss P. Powell, Best Kitten in Show

- Award Inscriptions:
1955    Miss D. Hammonds Mylynn Chilla 18-3-55
1957    Miss Lovejoys Highland Fairmaid 30-3-57
1958    Miss. E. Smith 14-3-58
1959    Mrs. B. Sedcole’s Ellrose Bredon Mischief
1960    Mrs V. Irvings Telaka 13-2-60
1961    Mr. F.M. Young’s Waiteti Tuahine 18-2-61
1963    Mrs M Dyer’sJendai Fa Ying
1966    Pembroke
1967    Mrs J Coleman Seabury Anna
1968    Miss I. M. Hill’s Ileda Kulkani
1969    Miss M. Greene’s Tiffanyvale Pushti
1970    Miss M. E. Milgrews Stoneyhills Tay Chee
1971    Archville Chocolate Maiying
1972    Mr & Mrs J. Millers Bluejay Barbarella
1973    Mr. S. Meek Ironside Popcorn
1974    CJ & VA Jerome’s Koshka Pahtama Thami
1975    Mr. G.R. Woodfield’s Maylene Myanyi
1976    S.A. Sidwell’s Forsyte Abasina
1980    S. Brock Springwell Scaramadie
1981    Chinook Brown Stardust
1984    A. Perry Aarex Ebonette (32)
1985    Mr J Ridge Kandida Benjamin
1986    A. Perry’s Aarex Coke Cola (32)
1989    Muong Pretty Pixie
1990    M. & M. Roy Nodrog Zoe
1992    Surgenor’s Kaloofa Tom Foolery (Aust)
1993    Surgenor’s Kendrick Castinette
1994    W. & E. Grover Souvrani Mishka
1997    Surgenor’s Kendrick Just William
1999    J. Robinson Abyrose Angelica 23A
2000    M. & M. Roy’s Zjadez Quintessence
2001    L. Jones Kendrick The Sophisticate
2002    L. Jones Montalino Wind Dancer
2003    C. Lawson & M. Magrath Zjadez Tabitha Twitchet
_______________________

Newsletter: February 2017

_______________________

Annual General Meeting - Reminder

The club AGM will be held on 26th February 2017 at 4pm at Not Now James (opposite the hospital) in Ruahine Street.

Several current committee members have indicated that they will not be available for the committee for the coming year so we really need some new faces and new ideas for the committee. Likewise, several incumbent officers will not be standing for their current positions this year and the following positions will be vacant:
  • President
  • Vice President
  • Treasurer
If you want the Palmerston North Cat Club to continue to exist please support the club by attending the AGM and then join us for a meal and social time afterwards at Speights Ale House, 17 Grey Street.

RSVP / Apologies: Emma Kimberley, secretary@pncatclub.co.nz

Annual General Meeting: Sunday, 26th February 2017
- Time: 4pm
- Location: Not Now James Cafe, 79 Ruahine St, Palmerston North
_______________________

Our Sponsors

Our thanks to those supporting our 2017 show:
  • palaMOUNTAINS (getting another mention as rosette sponsors)
  • Yvonne Murphy & family of Amoenta Birmans
  • Jane Webster
  • Rangi & Miria Busby
  • Denise Grace of Jaymlynkatz Norwegian Forest Cats
  • Rob White
Visit our 2017 show page at any time to see how our sponsorship is growing.
_______________________

Committee Meeting – 9th February 2017

- General
  • Discussed the insurance we pay for the club’s pack-up which is stored at the showgrounds.
  • Discussed Cahill Animal Hospital’s open day on Sunday 19th March, and look forward to participating in this.
  • The club’s Health & Safety Officer, Rangi Busby, has successfully completed the updated NZCF health and safety worksheet.
- 2017 Show
  • Finalised the show dinner venue, Not Now James, and menu (see later in the newsletter).  People wishing to come to the show dinner at $35 a head will pay for it with show entries (or if not entering, pay before close-of-entries date).
  • Judges’ flight bookings (include travel insurance) are underway.
  • Completed the health and safety data sheet (contacts, locations) required for the schedule.
- 2018 Show
  • The 2018 show application has been made.
- Next Meeting: Thursday, 9th March 2017
-- Time: 7.30pm
-- Location: Not Now James, Ruahine Street, Palmerston North


_______________________

Rosette Sponsorship

Donations for rosettes and/or prizes to assist the committee in running our usual standard of show would be most welcome. Rosette packages available are:
  • Quality Presentations Top Ten $85
  • Quality Presentations Breeders' Awards of Merit $38
  • Yvonne Pender Top Ten $55
  • Yvonne Pender Breeders' Awards of Merit $25
Please contact the club secretary if you would like to sponsor rosettes for our upcoming show.

Contact: Emma Kimberley, secretary@pncatclub.co.nz
_______________________

Breed Section Membership

Palmerston North Cat Club, as an affiliate member of the NZCF and an all breeds club, is entitled to be a breed section member for as many breed sections as wanted.  Accordingly the club has this year applied for breed section membership for the following breed sections:
  • Persian group   
  • Birman   
  • Ragdoll   
  • Maine Coon / Norwegian Forest Cat / Siberian   
  • Siamese group
  • Burmese group
  • British Shorthair
  • Abyssinian group
  • Ocicat
  • Sphynx
_______________________

Trophies

At the upcoming AGM (Sunday, 26th February) a decision will be made about what to do with the club’s many trophies.  The trophies have been unused at shows for a number of years now and have been residing in a committee member’s wardrobe.
Some of the trophies are historic, some are newer; they all have reasons they were purchased or donated.  On the other hand we don’t have enough committee members involved in our shows to have a dedicated Trophy Steward and without one preparing the trophies (and getting them back in time to be prepared) it is a time-consuming job.

Even if you are not attending the AGM, please let the club secretary know what you think should be done with our trophies.

Contact: Emma Kimberley, secretary@pncatclub.co.nz

_______________________

Lorraine with domestic show cat, AJ, at New Plymouth
Profile – Lorraine Smith

In 1971 I acquired a blue domestic longhair kitten that I named Silver. He was a very much loved pet and seeing an advert for a Cat Show I decided to show him in the Domestic Section at the Palmerston North Show in June 1971.

Getting to the show was going to be a bit of an obstacle as my husband being a jockey needed the car to get to the races and our daughter Belinda was only a month old. Kiwi ingenuity kicked in so with the kitten in a cage on pram we set of to the show walking from Waldegrave Street to the hall on the corner of Fitzherbert Ave and Fergusson Street.  Once Silver was benched and settled I set off to spend the rest of the day at my parent’s home in Manson Street until the time came that we could go back to the venue. (No staying at shows in those early days you had to leave the hall and come back later unless you handled or scribed - and if the latter you weren’t allowed on the floor while judging was being done.)

Upon getting back to the hall we checked on our wee lad to see how he had done – 2nd in the Kitten Sweepstake and four 1st’s.  I was so proud of him but cannot recall how many kittens were in his class though you didn’t get rosettes, prizes and product like today.
Lorraine at a recent show

Looking around the venue I came upon the Persian section and needless to say this was the beginning of my venture into showing and breeding. I met a lovely lady by the name of Lyn Jensen with whom I became great friends.  A year later we went to Hastings to look at a litter of kittens she had.  Not knowing about the various sections and colours Graham and I decided to buy a shaded silver who was named Trevlyn Beau Sabruer (Beau for short).

Because his colour wasn’t in the standard solid colours or blue-cream he had to be shown as an AOC for which no challenges were awarded - if there were Companion classes back then he could have been shown in them.  Apart from his colour we had a lot of fun with him so when it was race day we loaded up the car; baby, cat, and pram, and away we went.

At Wanganui in 1973 he won his first Special Prize and at Palmerston North show in June won another Special Prize.  This was a good year so far and in July I promised Lyn I would bring him to the Havelock North Show. He did really well and went Best Opposite sex, and was Best Groomed under the late Wilma Tasker.
Lorraine at the club’s High Tea
(with Denise and Neville Grace)

Around 1974 I met Wendy Okey and about that time became a member of the Palmerston North Cat Club and also became a committee member. Wendy became a breeder so Graham and I decided to get another kitten. I had fallen in love with solid colours and decided a lovely cream boy was to be our new venture.  Needless to say he was named after one of the horses at the stable where Graham worked hence he became Kimberly Bobby Dazzler.

In 1977 Bobby met with a lot of success on the show bench and attained the title of Grand Premier which was as high as a cat could get back then.  The bug had well and truly bitten by that stage and I decided I would buy a female - once again from Wendy - a blue-cream that was named Kimberly Felicity. I applied for the prefix Chammosaire and bred under this until retiring from breeding.
Buffy (left) and AJ (right)

Wendy and I had become good friends, she being Secretary of the club and myself a committee member.  She was also the club delegate and representative for the Central Region and NZCF, plus Longhair Registrar so we spent a lot of time in her office writing out the litters of kittens for registration as it was all done by hand - no computers back then.

So began my involvement with the club spending numerous years on the committee. Then one day I had a call from the Late Bryan Surgenor asking if I would consider being club Treasurer.  Duly elected I wondered what I had let myself in for but my friend and Ilsa very kindly helped me through this time.  The club wasn’t in a very good financial state then so money had to be fund-raised.

I have seen many people come and go during my time in the club and changes within the NZCF itself.  I’ve been on the committee for three National Shows in Palmerston North.  Waiting in the cold to bench cats is something I don’t miss. 
Life member Lorraine with other life members,
Bev Thompson (left) and the late Bryan Surgenor (right)

I’ve met many people who have contributed a lot of time and their own resources over the years I’ve been involved with the club. To name a few; Joyce Coleman, (past life member) Wendy Okey, Ted Strawbridge and his wife, Bryan & Ilsa Surgenor, Bev Thomson, and latterly Rob & Colleen White.

My wish for the club & its future will be that you all stay united on the committee and work together amicably.  Don’t get frivolous with the money remembering you have a show to pay for the following year.  Keep up with the fundraising as this is the future of the club. Attracting good judges is a big thing to make a show like ours a success – along with making a profit at the door.

All the best for your show this year.  Being there as a spectator is one thing I am truly looking forward to.

Lorraine

_______________________

Show Dinner Menu

All of the catering is freshly handmade on the premises of Not Now James.  Dietary requirements can be met if advised to the club when paying for the dinner.

- Starter
-- Pumpkin Soup with Breads

- Mains served as a buffet
-- Champagne Ham (hot)
-- Roasted Potatoes (hot)
-- Broccoli Chicken Salad
-- Pearl Couscous Cranberry Feta Nuts
-- Spinach Pumpkin Beetroot Feta Salad

- Dessert
-- Pav Rolls
-- Fresh Fruit Salad 
_______________________

History Notes – 1980

More from the 1980s, this time a page from the April 1980 edition of Flash Cats.  It shows part of the minutes from the 31st National Executive meeting which contain the granting of club colours to the Birman Cat Club, a reminder that Abyssinians are ‘Red’ not ‘Cinnamon’, and mention of a proposed standard for bicolour Orientals which missed the cut off for the meeting.  Also the National Secretary misses a court date.

_______________________

Newsletter: January 2017

_______________________

Annual General Meeting

The club AGM will be held on 26th February 2017 at 4pm at Not Now James in Ruahine Street.

Several current committee members have indicated that they will not be available for the committee for the coming year so we really need some new faces and new ideas for the committee. Likewise, several incumbent officers will not be standing for their current positions this year and the following positions will be vacant:
  • President
  • Vice President
  • Treasurer
If you want the Palmerston North Cat Club to continue to exist please support the club by attending the AGM and then join us for a meal and social time afterwards at Speights Ale House, 17 Grey Street.

- Annual General Meeting:     Sunday, 26th February 2017
-- Time: 4pm
-- Location: Not Now James Cafe, 79 Ruahine St, Palmerston North

RSVP / Apologies: Emma Kimberley, secretary@pncatclub.co.nz
_______________________

Committee Meeting – 19th January 2017
Denise Grace

- Resignation
The committee is very sorry to have received from Kerry Holden a letter of resignation from the committee, effective immediately, and accept her resignation with regret. Kerry has made a huge contribution to the committee and to the club in the time that she has been on the committee, notably as Show Secretary for our big 60th Anniversary Show and also as Entry Clerk and Show Secretary for last year's successful National show. Her input will be greatly missed but we wish her well in her future endeavours.

- May Show
Further details for our May show were discussed, including finalising the schedule which should be able to be sent to the Shows Portfolio Manager very soon.

Donations for rosettes and/or prizes to assist the committee in running our usual standard of show would be most welcome. Rosette packages available are:
  • Quality Presentations Top Ten $85
  • Quality Presentations Breeders' Awards of Merit $38
  • Yvonne Pender Top Ten $55
  • Yvonne Pender Breeders' Awards of Merit $25

The following sections are available for sponsoring: Longhair Entire Cat & Kitten, Longhair N/S Cat & Kitten, Shorthair Entire Cat & Kitten. Shorthair N/S kitten, Longhair Domestic, Longhair Companion,  and Breeder's Awards of Merit.

Rosette sponsorship please contact:  Emma Kimberley, secretary@pncatclub.co.nz

Rob White has very kindly donated some beautiful trophies to be awarded to the Best Siamese and the Best Oriental in Ring One at this show and the winners of these will be able to treasure a very special memento.

Sponsorship has now been confirmed from Pro Plan, Orivet DNA laboratory, Bayer (flea and worm treatments), and palaMOUNTAINS / My Beau.

- Next Meeting: Thursday, 9th February 2017
-- Time: 7.30pm
-- Location: Not Now James, Ruahine Street, Palmerston North

_______________________ 

Our Sponsors

Our thanks to those supporting our 2017 show:

- Orivet Genetic Pet Care, doing DNA tests for our breeders

- Bayer, makers of the Advantage family of flea treatment products



- palaMOUNTAINS, makers of My Beau supplements and shampoo


   
Visit our 2017 show page at any time to see how our sponsorship is growing.
_______________________

New Members

Palmerston North Cat Club is pleased to be able to welcome four new members:
  • Nicola Metcalfe (apologies for the belated welcome!)
  • Mackenzie Kimberley (junior member)
  • Natalia Kimberley-Claridge (junior member)
  • Natalie Sandbrook
_______________________

History Notes – 1980

I have often felt that the 1980s seem to be the most difficult decade to research in New Zealand cat fancy history – possibly because it’s not quite recent enough that people have items from that era still loitering around, but not distant enough that people feel they need to make a special effort to preserve items.  Happily there are still copies of the 1980s Flash Cats magazine, and the September issue includes this show report.

 _______________________

Newsletter: December 2016

_______________________

Membership - Reminder

Subs for your club membership were due on 1st January 2017.  After 1st February 2017 those who have not paid their subs will be removed from the list of financial members.

- 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.
_______________________

Privacy - Reminder

As a club affiliated with the NZCF we may send our membership list to the EC Secretary so that she can confirm the 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.
_______________________

Fund-raising – Cash Raffle

Congratulations to the winners in the fund-raising raffle:
  • $300 ticket 21 - R White
  • $150 Ticket 230 - C Ramsay
  • $50 tickets 176 - Jon Snow
And thank you to everybody who supported the club’s fund-raising efforts.
_______________________

Christmas / End-of-Year Get-together

A very enjoyable time was had by those who attended the end-of-year get-together at the Hokowhitu CafĂ© and Bar (Manawatu Golf Club).  The venue was an excellent choice and the food was fabulous.  Thanks you to the committee and especially to Miria Busby for organising this.  Thanks also to the Holden family for supplying the Christmas crackers again – what is a Christmas ‘do’ without silly paper hats?

[I was the photographer for the event but apparently need more training as I failed to produce anything remotely worthy of the newsletter. -- Jane]
_______________________

The Stay-At-Homes

- Prefers to Stay-At-Home: The Grantley’s Puss Puss
Puss Puss was gifted to Faith by Colleen White. Colleen had a nifty second sense of things. She said she thought she may have the perfect cat to be Faith’s companion. The name was even chosen especially, as Faith has language delays; it’s a word Faith can say.

We visited Colleen and Rob at home to meet Puss Puss. She must have had Colleen’s inner knowing also, as she made a bee-line for Faith.

We decided to give showing a go. Puss Puss has a sternum fault, and because of this was shown in the Shorthair Companion Cat Section.  Puss Puss was shown under Colleen’s gorgeous name What's New Pussycat. She attended three shows. Faith was so proud of her.

Puss Puss decided showing wasn't for her. It became apparent that, indeed, she did not consider herself to be a cat. Not only that, it was an insult being caged with ‘cats.’ She announced her consternation at her last show, by hissing at each outing with a judge. So much so that one judge asked her “Who peed in her cornflakes that morning?”

We decided to listen to Puss Puss. Not long after, she was a permanent non-showing resident at home. Exactly where she likes to be. She has the most important job of all that isn't shows or travelling - it's being Faith’s best friend. Puss Puss is sweet and cuddly. She takes advantage of the long hairs extra-long winter coats. Why grow your own, when there are so many to take advantage of?

Puss Puss has made occasional visits to school for Show ’n’ Tell. That suits her, being a princess and centre of attention. Sometimes shows are not everything, it's about being a companion and special friend. That can be the greatest gift of all.

_______________________

Committee Meeting – 15th December 2016

The December committee meeting was cancelled.

- Next Meeting: Thursday, 19 January 2017
-- Time: 7.30pm
-- Location: Not Now James, Ruahine Street, Palmerston North

http://www.notnowjames.co.nz/
_______________________

Member Profile

[I have promises for more profiles to come but as none of them are on-hand you will have to make do with me.  It would be great if all club-members participated in this so expect an email from me at some stage. -- Jane]

- Jane Webster – A Biography in Cats

I grew up in a one-cat-at-a-time urban Palmerston North household; over the years I lived at home there were only three cats; Tinker, Tinker, and Amy.  Both Tinkers were male black and white domestic shorthairs and Amy and her successor (who arrived after I left home) were remarkably similar tortie tabby and tabby domestic shorthairs.

I went off to join the air force and eventually, when I joined my (now) husband’s household it came equipped with kids and a ginger domestic shorthair called Jamie.  The children grew up and left home before we needed a replacement for Jamie and that time we were determined to have a cat that would NOT be as contrasting a colour as ginger Jamie had been to our air force uniforms.  The cat we chose was a grey and white domestic longhair and the grey was pretty much invisible on the blue uniforms (success!) but it turned out that white underside shed more than enough for a dozen cats (failure).  Because we couldn’t agree on a name she never got one, something that seemed to upset the vets she visited over her 17-year life far more than it bothered either her or us.
The unnamed cat

And after those 17 years, and now settled in our retirement home back in Palmerston North, there came the time when we needed to find the next cat.  The internet had arrived in our lives – and Trade Me.  I was window shopping for cats which needed homes and found the Most Beautiful Cat Ever who clearly wasn’t desperate for a home as he had a pretty steep price tag on him!  But home he came in 2006 – our first pedigree cat, an adult Ragdoll boy we called Gino.

After we lost Gino his half-brother Sam came to live with us - a bit of a shock as he was the first kitten in the household in nearly 30 years of having cats. Sam’s pedigree (showing the outcross line behind him) kick-started my interest in cat history and the Ragdoll breed, which eventually led me to join the NZCF in 2010 and the Palmerston North Cat Club in 2011.  I served on the club committee for four years and also during that time volunteered to reformat the NZCF's governance documents as the work was similar to my air force role as a technical writer.

In 2010 an additional adult Ragdoll boy, Mocha, joined the household and with that I achieved a long-held ambition to upgrade us from a one-cat to a two-cat household.  Neither of the boys are show cats but I hope to have a show cat some stage in the future ... a tortie or red, perhaps, now the blue uniforms are a thing of the distant past.

In 2015 I stood for, and was elected to, the NZCF Executive Council which makes me busier than I would like but I still do find time to work at meeting the expectations my cats have of me - as their companion.
_______________________

History Notes – 1964

The breeder of this Siamese kitten on the cover of this 1964 November-December issue of Animal World of New Zealand (SPCA) is not credited but the photographer was Anthony Aldridge.

 _______________________

Newsletter: November 2016

_______________________

Christmas / End-of-Year Get-together - Reminder

Please put in your diary Sunday 11 December 2016 at 12.30am at Manawatu Golf Club for this year’s Palmerston North Cat Club end-of-year get-together.

This event is a great chance to all our club members and their families to get together outside the show season and the committee would love to see you there. Please RSVP to Emma by 7th December.

- Date: Sunday 11, December 2016
- Place: Manawatu Golf Club, 19 Centennial Drive, Palmerston North
- Time: 12.30pm
- RSVP: by 7th December 2016 to Emma Kimberley, pncc.secretary@gmail.com
_______________________

Membership

Subs for your club membership are due on 1st January 2017.  After 1st February 2017 those who have not paid their subs will be removed from the list of financial members.

- 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.
_______________________

Privacy - Reminder

As a club affiliated with the NZCF we may send our membership list to the EC Secretary so that she can confirm the 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.

_______________________

New Members

Palmerston North Cat Club welcomes two new members:
•    Trish Scofield from Masterton
•    Judy Formby (FLURMONZ) from Cambridge
_______________________

Member Profile

To enable us to all know a little more about our fellow club members I’ve asked people if they would supply a profile of themselves.  It’s a no-guidelines, free-form sort of exercise, and club president Denise Grace’s profile has arrived to lead us off. 

- Denise Grace
I grew up on a dairy farm so always had pet lambs and calves as well as the obligatory farm and house cats - all moggies. That included a very special short-haired ginger moggy that used to allow himself to be dressed in dolls' clothes and wheeled around in the doll's pram. He always slept with me, including one time when I was sick in bed and the doctor was called (yes, doctors did house calls in those days!). Said doctor was somewhat surprised when he pulled back the bedclothes to check my chest and a furry ginger head popped out! As I got older a pony and then horses joined the menagerie but there were always cats in my life. I always wanted a pet dog but, as in most farming families then, dogs were farm animals and were there to work not to be made pets.
Denise stewarding at the Pet Expo in 2013

Married life started with the addition of two moggie cats and yes, one was ginger and then, not long after our first child was born, I finally got my first pet dog, a pure bred Rough Coated (Lassie) Collie and this was the start of my love affair with Collies. A couple of years after that I obtained a female pedigree Collie with the intention of breeding and in 1975/76, whilst living in the UK, I purchased a Tricolour male and later a Sable and White male which both travelled back to New Zealand with us. This was the beginning of almost 25 years of very successful Collie breeding and showing which included All Breeds Best in Show and Specialist Best in Show winners. Soon after returning to New Zealand in 1976 I joined the Dominion Collie Club and within six months became Secretary of that Club. After serving for several years as Secretary I became President of the Club and over the years was also Secretary/Treasurer of the Central Districts Working Dog Club and Secretary of the Horowhenua Kennel Association. I began my training as a dog judge in 1990 and, starting as a specialist Collie judge, gradually worked my way up the ladder to the stage at which I was (and am) qualified to judge All Breeds of dogs at Open Show level and all breeds in the Toy, Gundog, Hound, and Working Dog Groups at Championship Show level. This includes a total of 100 different breeds at Championship level. I bred my last litter of Collies in 2000 which was the year that I got my first Pedigree cat - a bluepoint Ragdoll.
Denise handling at Central Districts show in 2015
(Photo: Diane Gaskin)

By this time I had decided that I would like to try my hand at showing cats and, not long after ‘Merlin’ joined the family, I also joined the Palmerston North Cat Club and it wasn't long before I was also persuaded to join the committee of the Club. Merlin didn't really enjoy cat shows - but I did, so I decided that I would like to try breeding Ragdolls. This I did very successfully for several years and I am very proud to have bred the Longhair Entire Cat of the Year in the 2006 NZCF Annual Awards: Gld Db Gr Ch Jaymlyndols Aztec's Return (later also taken to the title of Gld Db Gr Pr by his current owner, Karen Grantley and family). Whilst breeding and showing the Ragdolls I learnt about Norwegian Forest Cats and, after meeting some during a judging trip to Australia, I embarked on importing and subsequently breeding these magnificent cats which, I have to say, really are the love of my life!

Denise and Kristoff at Porirua Pet Expo 2016
Since joining the committee of the Palmerston North Cat Club in 2000 I have been a member continuously except for a short break of four months from October 2012. Prior to that I had served for several years as Vice-President to two different Presidents until I was elected to the position of President in 2012. Following the aforementioned four month break from the committee from October 2012, I returned to the committee in February 2013 and was again elected to the position of President at a Special General Meeting held in July 2013. I have held the position continuously since then. Besides my involvement with the Palmerston North Cat Club, I am also a New Zealand Cat Fancy qualified Steward and Handler and enjoy stewarding for other Clubs at most of the shows I attend. To finish on what I think is a somewhat humorous note: looking back at a time when I had ‘a lot’ of Collies, two children, two moggy cats and was working full time, I can distinctly remember one evening when I had arrived home from work and was rushing to get dinner, see to children, feed dogs etc. and two cats were also wanting to be fed - they were told “you'll have to wait, I'm the dog person not the cat person”! At that time, I never imagined that I could enjoy cats as much and derive as much pleasure from them as I do.
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Committee Meeting – 17th November 2016

The November committee meeting was held on 17th November and held at Not Now James (opposite the hospital on Ruahine Street).  Ten committee members were present with vice-president Paul Holden taking the chair.

- 2017 Show
  • The judging contracts for the 2017 are almost finalised (most with the Judges PM for approval).  Due to a change in circumstances a replacement judge has had to be selected it is hoped this will be settled in the near future.
  • ProPlan have confirmed that they will sponsor the show.
  • Sponsorship packages for rosettes are in the process of being organised and sponsors will be invited shortly.
  • With the major sponsor confirmed the 2017 show webpage can be started.

- Fundraising
  • The committee is hoping to another ‘high tea’ fund-raiser which was enjoyed by those who attended earlier this year.  Details will be advised.

- Miscellaneous
  • The committee is following up with the Shows PM about the Palmerston North Cat Club remit to the last AGM (re: additional titles after Gold).

- Next Meeting: Thursday, 15 December 2016
-- Time: 7.30pm
-- Location: Not Now James, Ruahine Street, Palmerston North

http://www.notnowjames.co.nz/
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Fundraising – Cash Raffle

Raffle tickets have been produced and distributed amongst committee members.

Prizes: 1st $300 / 2nd $150 / 3rd $50

$5 per ticket or $25 for a book of 5 tickets. Please contact any committee member if you would like to purchase tickets or could sell some for the Club. This is to raise funds towards next year's show so any help with this would be much appreciated.
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The Stay-At-Homes

- Not a Show Pony – The Grantley Family’s Balou

In November 2015 we received sad news. Rosie’s cat we had rehomed met with a tragic accident and passed away. It was a terrible shock. Rosie took the news badly.

In mid-December, Balou crossed our path as an abused and unwanted adoptee. He had been on the run, but was found dumped in a box outside a store in Hamilton. Balou is about 3 years young, and probably one of the quirkiest cats we own - we've owned a few. ☺  Something special about him reminded Rosie of Jasper, so we made an 11 hour return trip to bring him home.

Balou isn’t a show pony. If he was, he would be classified as a shorthair Domestic. He is passionate about food, and could never go without a meal for the sake of a day at a cat show. (He gets "hangry" waiting for dinner to be served. A judge would probably end up on the receiving end of that - not show temperament for a Domestic). If we did show him, his show name should probably be "Hit n Run". ☺ For all that, he is all noise and a bit of a pussy.

Perhaps from being dumped in the box Balou is terrified of enclosed cat carriers. We have discovered old abuse injuries that include holes in his ribs, and a lower back injury. A few days before collecting Balou we received a call to say the collar he had been wearing got caught up while he was outdoors. He had strangled himself. In his struggle to break free he had sustained a deep gash to his neck and hair ripped from his skin where his collar had been. Despite that, he made it home alive.

A vet check found Balou had other health issues, indicating we needed to consider palliative care. Through this, his life may not be a long one. With nothing to lose, we decided to pursue homeopathic treatments. A year on Balou is healthy, and still with us. We love showing cats. Balou is beautiful. But sometimes there are cats who come to you to seek refuge and healing. Balou is one of those. He will never be shown. Every now and then when he's cuddled up tightly and purring, he looks intensely into our eyes and gently places a paw on our cheek. In his world, he is home.
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History Notes – 1976

Included because I like looking at the photos of winning cats from 40 years ago.  This is from New Zealand Cats for July/August 1976 and the full title (which is spread across two pages) is ‘Major Winners at the 13th National’.

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