Edinburgh and East of Scotland Cat Club, 17th July 2010:
This was the first outing for Star in over a year, and her first time on the show bench since being neutered. Surprisingly she was very well behaved and quite relaxed with the whole affair. She came second in her open class and did quite well in her side classes. Blaze was also at the show today, though having gained her third qualifying challenge certificate at the last show she was only along for the ride. However, it was nice that she won yet another CC and also gained best of breed.
Abyssinian Cat Club, Stratford Upon Avon, 26th June 2010.
The ACC is one of the highlights of the show calendar for Aby owners and it is always a joy to attend, despite being so far away. This was the furthest Blaze has travelled and although she wasn't sure about staying in a hotel at first, she soon settled. She thoroughly enjoyed the show and all the attention, and I have it on good authority that she was reluctant to give up the cuddles and go back in her pen! As well as being impeccably behaved, she also did rather well in her classes. She was awarded her third Challenge Certificate, which now makes her a Champion, the title being achieved in just three straight shows. This is the very first titled Abderus cat.

Of course there were lots of winners on the day, but a special mention has to go to Glendavan Stangewaytotell who at the tender age of just 14 weeks and one day, won the accolade of Overall Best in Show Exhibit.

Nor'East of Scotland Cat Club, Dundee, 8th May 2010.

We were really looking forward to this show as it is our closest to home and held in a wonderful venue, the Caird Hall in the centre of Dundee. Both Alfie and Blaze were out on show for the day and both seemed to enjoy themselves, getting lots of attention from the visitors. The show was also visited by owners of Abderus kittens and it was wonderful to hear how well they are doing. Blaze had a very good day at the show and was awarded her second challenge certificate and best of breed sorrel Abyssinian adult. She also had some creditable success in her side classes. To top it all off she was also nominated for Best in Show! That's two nominations in three shows!

Although Alfie thoroughly enjoyed his day, he didn't fair so well in his classes. He got 2nd in his open class, the 1st quite deservedly going to another Glendavan kitten who, although not from the same litter as Alfie, was one of his play mates before coming to us.

As always there were plenty of Abyssinian winners on the day, but special congratulations have to go to Alfie's mum, Wavetail Ophelia, who was awarded her third CC giving her the title of Champion. Well done to her owners Louise and David Miskelly, and her breeder Margaret Pollet.

Unfortunately, despite taking my camera with me to the show, I completely forget to take any pictures. It was all just too exciting!
Shorthair Cat Club of Scotland, Glenrothes, 17th April 2010.

After a long break from the show scene it was a very exciting day for us today. It was Alfie's (Glendavan Socrates) very first show, and only Blaze's (Abderus Blazing Chaos) second show and her first outing as an adult.

As anticipated, Alfie was very relaxed throughout the day and enjoyed all the attention he received. He was awarded 1st and best of breed usual abyssinian kitten in his open class, but received varying success in his side classes doing either very well or not well at all!

Blaze proved to be the star of the day. At only 9 months old she only just qualified for the adult classes and was thus competing against some very mature cats. She received some good awards in her side classes but the highlight of the day was the award of a first and her first challenge certificate in the sorrel abyssinian open class. This is the first CC awarded to an Abderus bred cat! Only two more to go and she will be a Champion.

Left to right: Alfie catches up on some sleep, Alfie poses for the camera, and my one decent photo of Blaze.

 
Cumberland Cat Club, Brampton, 10th October 2009.

It's been a long time since we entered into competition at a show. This was the debut of Blaze (Abderus Blazing Chaos), a kitten that we are keeping from Rosa's third litter born in June.  At the tender age of fourteen and a half weeks old she was one of the youngest kitten there. Despite her age, she was very relaxed about the experience and did well too. She was awarded first and best of breed in her open class and two firsts in side classes. To top it all off she was also nominated for best in show! A successful debut for our wee one.

Flora's day didn't go so well. She got second in her open class but did well getting a first and a second in large side classes. Unfortunately she didn't enjoy her day so she will probably retire from showing now.

Abyssinian Cat Association, Knutsford, 7th March 2009.
Once again it was a long journey that saw competitors from Scotland attending the ACA show in Knutsford, Cheshire. Star was up against the 'big girls' this time, competing in a very big adult class. She came a very creditable third in her open class and did well in some large side classes. Unfortunately she seems to be taking after her mother in that she is going off this showing lark so she will be taking a break for a while and hopefully have some kittens later in the year.

Congratulations to everyone who had wins at the show, and a big thank you to Iain and Caroline Thompson for such a well run and enjoyable show
The Supreme Cat Show, Birmingham NEC, 22nd November 2008.
The Supreme is the biggest cat show in the UK and as such there is hot competition, so it is always worth the long journey to get  there. This was the furthest Star has been from home and her first time staying in a hotel overnight, but she coped well with all the new experiences and didn't disappoint us in the show ring. She won her Open class and Best of Breed usual Abyssinian kitten and thus went forward to compete for Best in Section in the afternoon. She was up against 15 other stunning Foreign kittens and was shortlisted down to the final four!! Unfortunately, at this point Star decided that she had had enough for the and the judge decided, quite rightfully, to end her days competition at this point. It was a little disappointing but wonderful to know that my little girl did so well up against some of the best cats in the country.

There was a fantastic turnout of Abys at the show in a wide variety of colours. There were many winners on the day and far too many to mention, but extra special congratulations have to go to the Pontello family (Pontaby Abyssininas) who's stunning queen Abychat Honeycomb became the first EVER fawn Abyssinian Grand Champion!!!

Left to right: Star finds her posh show drapes tasty, waiting for best in section judging to start, posing at the end of a long day.
Cumberland Cat Club, Brampton, 11th October 2008.
Star's winning streak continues! Once again she had a good day wining her open class and Best of Breed Abyssinian kitten. She also did well in some big side classes getting two firsts and a second place. To top off a very good day she was also nominated for best in show.

Flora also attended the show but it wasn't to be her day. There was stiff competition in her open class with five lovely exhibits entered, and her side classes were HUGE.

Flora does a great impersonation of a sheep!         Star looking like the cat that got the cream
Scotia Cat Fanciers, Dumbarton, 20th September 2008.
Star didn't disappoint us at this, her second show. She was very relaxed during the day and seemed to enjoy the outing (see the photo on the right). She didn't disappoint in her classes either. She won her open class and received the Best of Breed usual Abyssinian kitten award. She also did amazingly well in some very big side classes, two firsts in classes of 10 and 6 and a 2nd in a class of 9!! She is certainly living up to her name so far! Only time will tell whether her show success will continue though.

Thanks to Lorraine Pontello (Pontaby Abyssinians) for the photo!
Edinburgh and East of Scotland Cat Club, 19th July 2008:

At the tender age of just 16 weeks old this was to be Star's first show, and being so young we weren't expecting big things. How wrong we were! She did us proud by winning first in her open and best of breed usual Abyssinian kitten in a class containing two other lovely more mature girls. She also did rather well in her side classes getting a 1st, 2nd and 3rd in some very big classes, the first being in a class of NINE rather lovely exhibits. Best of all was that she took the whole show experience in her stride and seemed to actually enjoy the day and wasn't phased by anything!
Abyssinian Cat Club, Stratford-Upon-Avon, 14th June 2008:
It's been a long time since Laurel has been to a show, so I did wonder how she would cope with the long trip to Stratford from Scotland and a stay in a hotel before even getting to the show! I needn't have worried though as she took things in her stride. She didn't disappoint in her classes either and was awarded her first Imperial Grand Premier Certificate! She did well in her side classes too, getting two first places.

The show itself was very well attended with an impressive entry of many stunning cats. There are too many 'congratulations' to list here, but needless to say that all of the nine cats that travelled down from Scotland had a good day. However, it would be remiss of me not to congratulate Louise and David Miskelly's usual boy Glendavan Kaiser Soeze who won the coveted Linquenda Trophy and Heather Kelsall's blue female neuter Premier Abyglen Astarlet who won the impressive title of Best in Show Neuter.
Nor'East of Scotland Cat Club, Dundee, 10th May 2008:
As always there was an impressive turnout of Abyssinians at the show with a total of 19 competing. With eight stunning usual adults entered (five female and three male) competition was tough but Flora did us proud, winning her open class and gaining her first challenge certificate. She missed out on the best of breed this time which quite deservedly went to the stunning Riverfern Lord of Kobol, owned by Louise and David Miskelly. Despite a bit of a scare at a recent show Flora  was very well behaved and settled, even in the incredibly busy show hall.

Flora will be taking a break from showing for a while now and all going well will be having kittens later in the summer

 
West of Scotland Cat Club, East Kilbride, 15th December 2007:
It had been a while since Flora had attended a show but we needn't have worried as she behaved impeccably and enjoyed all the attention. There were four stunning cats in the open class and she achieved a very creditable second, first place going to a stunning, well grown girl. She also did very well in her side classes gaining a first and a second place in some very large classes. On the whole a very good day enjoyed by all.
Abyssinian Cat Club, Stratford-Upon-Avon, 16th June 2007:
It was a nine hour journey to Stratford and an over night stay in a hotel before Flora attended her first show. Despite all these new experiences she took everything in her stride and enjoyed the day and all the attention she received. She had to make do with second place in her open class as she was beaten by a lovely kitten with the biggest ear tufts I have ever seen. However, she did well in her side classes gaining two first and two second places, one of the firsts being in a class of 6!

There were plenty of winners on the day and special congratulations go to Christine Leith's Pr Rintinaby Red Herring who gained her third Grand certificate to become a Grand Premier, and Heather Kelsall's Gr Pr Abyglen Aisling who gained her second Imperial Grand certificate. The star of the day had to be Louise and David Miskelly's Pr Glendavan Azamour who not only gained his third Grand certificate to become a Grand Premier, but went on to become Best Neuter in Show!

Teesside Cat Club, 26th August 2006:

After her recent successes, Rosa had a rather disappointing day on Saturday. She was awarded first place in her open class but her CC was withheld this time. However, the outing did help confirm our suspicions that it is time for Rosa to take a break from showing and have some babies.

It isn't all bad news though, there were successes for other GrCh One Shot from A'Far babies. Both Glendavan Azamour (owned and bred by Louise and David Miskelly) and Rintinaby Red Herring (owned and bred by Christine Leith) were both awarded their third PCs making them both Premiers!
Edinburgh and East of Scotland Cat Club, 22nd July 2006:

It was a very hot day on Saturday, although the cats seemed to cope better with the heat than us humans! As is becoming customary at Scottish shows there was an excellent turnout of Abys, with 16 cats entered and 15 in attendance.

Rosa (top photo) once again did us proud. She was going for her second challenge certificate and was not only awarded her CC but the Best of Breed too. She also did well in some fairly large side classes, being awarded two 1st places. A very successful day for the wee one!

Laurel (bottom photo) made her first appearance on the show bench for quite a while and was going for her first  Imperial certificate. Unfortunately, she wasn't successful this time, but in a class of seven (!)  top quality cats we can't really complain. She did however get the Best of Breed and a 1st and 2nd place in two sizable side classes.

Congratulations go to all the Abys on show but in particular to Heather Kelsall's usual neuter Pr Abyglen Aisling who was awarded her third Grand certificate making her a Grand Premier!

 

 

Durham Cat Club, 27th May 2006:

Rosa did very well at her first show as an adult, gaining her first CC and a second in some very large side classes, at just over 9 months old. She missed out on the best of breed this time, but we don’t mind as it went to her beautiful father, One Shot from A’Far.
 

 

Scotia Cat Fanciers, Dumbarton, 22nd April 2006.

This was Rosa’s last show as a kitten and she did us proud by once again achieving 1st and Best of Breed in her open. She also gained two 2nd places in her side classes and was awarded a special rosette from the clubs president, Mrs Bowes.

Scottish Cat Club, Clydebank, 11th February 2006.

Rosa did really well gaining 1st and Best of Breed in her Open class, along with two 1st's and one 3rd in her side classes.